The Boy Scouts of America took the final step in July to lift its ban on Scout leaders who openly profess homosexuality – but many gay activists decried the change for not going far enough. The BSA executive committee passed a resolution to lift the ban and then on July 27, the National Executive Board ratified the decision, with 79 percent of the board’s 80 members agreeing.
Here is a listing of news and upcoming events from around the Anchorage Archdiocese.
Anchorage seminarian Kevin Klump has been in formation for the priesthood since 2011. He is on track to be ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Anchorage in the summer of 2019. This fall he will be studying theology at St. Paul Seminary in St. Paul, Minn
On Aug. 22, hundreds of pro-life advocates in Alaska joined tens of thousands from around the nation in praying and fasting to end abortion and the public funding of the largest provider of abortions in America — Planned Parenthood. Local gatherings in Fairbanks and Anchorage were part of a nation-wide effort in more than 300 cities to pray and protest outside Planned Parenthood clinics following the release of undercover videos showing the abortion giant harvesting body parts of aborted babies and then haggling over the value of each part with prospective buyers.
In an effort to increase opportunities for a Catholic education, the Anchorage Archdiocese has merged two education scholarship funds to provide more financial assistance to students attending local Catholic schools. After the archdiocese contacted donors earlier this year, Archbishop Roger Schwietz approved combining the Jackson Scholarship with the Archangel Fund, a move that nearly doubles money available to students for annual scholarship payouts.
On Sept. 15, Holy Family Cathedral marks 100 years of providing the sacraments and spreading the Gospel in downtown Anchorage. Located at the corner of 5th Ave. and H Street, the cathedral campus occupies most of an entire city block. That wasn’t the case back in 1915 when the humble wood-structure parish became the first church built in Anchorage.
There are thousands of health care providers across the nation — and hundreds in Alaska — that provide health services for women, including women with low incomes, without performing abortion. And there might be more such providers if they had access to Planned Parenthood’s massive public subsidies.
Hundreds of members of an international Catholic religious order dating back to the 11th century will soon be walking the streets of Anchorage. Alaska is host for the annual meeting of the northwest chapter of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre Sept. 18-21. While possessing an exotic name and a centuries-long history in the Catholic Church, the work of the order is right out of today’s headlines.
Here is a listing of the liturgies and events that Anchorage Archbishop Roger Schwietz plans to participate in during the month of September.
Anchorage Archbishop Roger Schwietz is asking fellow Alaskans to join Pope Francis on Sept. 1 in observing the “World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation.” The inaugural event is intended to be an annual observance and is seen as a sign of solidarity with Orthodox Christians who each year set aside Sept. 1 as a day to celebrate creation and pray for the protection of the earth.