EDITOR’S PICKS

Anchorage Archbishop Emeritus laid to rest in mountain foothills

Shocking some while bringing a knowing smile to others, late Anchorage Archbishop Francis Hurley was laid to rest in a remote Catholic cemetery, two hours drive south of Anchorage. After four days of public prayers and a televised funeral Mass at Our Lady of Guadalupe Co-Cathedral, Archbishop Hurley’s funeral arrangements came to a quiet end on Jan. 23. The humble gravesite for the iconic Alaskan churchman was chosen himself, according to his long-time personal secretary Joann White.

Archbishop Hurley’s 1999 column highlights mission of the Catholic Anchor

Editor’s note: On April 30, 1999, late Anchorage Archbishop Francis Hurley launched the Catholic Anchor with the expressed mission: “To provide a forum for Catholics to understand and to assume their roles in the church in the modern world.” Archbishop Hurley died on Jan. 10. The column below was written by him for the inaugural issue, nearly 17 years ago.

Anchorage set to mourn Abp. Hurley with public prayers, rites & liturgies

Wednesday, Jan. 20 begins four days of public prayers, liturgies and mourning over the loss of Anchorage Archbishop Francis Hurley who died Jan. 10 in Anchorage. This will be the first time Catholics in the Anchorage Archdiocese lay to rest one of their former archbishops. Archbishop Hurley was the second bishop to serve the archdiocese. His predecessor, Archbishop Joseph Ryan, was reassigned in 1975 to serve as the archbishop for the U.S. Military.

Alaskans debunk abortion myths with love, prayer, outreach

For almost 20 years, people from all walks of life and faith have gathered at the Anchorage Cemetery for the annual prayer service to commemorate those who’ve lost their lives in abortion and to pray for their mothers, fathers and families still suffering abortion’s aftereffects. Despite the size, religious diversity and fortitude of the hearty crowd who pray together there in frigid mid-winter, the local media rarely ever come. But absent page-one stories and despite inaccurate ones, pro-life proponents across the nation are making tremendous strides toward restoring legal protection to the smallest humans.

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