CatholicAnchor.org You might call it a memorial card, maybe a prayer card. I call it a holy card. It’s a picture of a little saint, Jakelin Caal Maquin, who was seven years old when she died after migrating to the U.S. from Guatemala. On the back of the picture is a prayer for children in…
CatholicAnchor.org Father Michael Kim, KMS, pastor at St. Joseph parish in Cordova, celebrates ten years of ordination this July. However, his path to the priesthood was unexpected; “I never thought of becoming a priest when I was young,” he said. In fact, he didn’t become Catholic until he was 19 years old. While he was…
Archbishop Emeritus Roger Schwietz and representatives from the Knights of Columbus gathered at Commuinity Pregnancy Center (CPC) in Anchorage to bless the new ultrasound machine on Friday, January 24. Knights of Columbus councils in the Anchorage area raised money last fall to purchase a new ultrasound machine for the CPC. The machine has been in…
CatholicAnchor.org Catholic Schools Week began with an all-schools Mass at Our Lady of Guadalupe Co-Cathedral on Monday, January 27th. The schools in attendance filled nearly every pew, with only a few spaces in the back for family and community members. Archbishop Emeritus Roger Schwietz celebrated the Mass, and members of the school communities participated in…
I am writing this from vacation, but I have been unable to “turn off” work while here. I know we all struggle with that. The thought holding me back that I cannot turn off is the proposed alcohol tax. In my work, I’m constantly reminded of our call to help others and live like Jesus,…
CatholicAnchor.org By Father Pat TraversPastor Holy Name, Ketchikan Diocese of Juneau This past October, I had the opportunity to travel to the Holy Land, and specifically to the holy city of Jerusalem. The trip was both a vacation and a pilgrimage, a break in my normal ministry to get more fully in touch with its…
CatholicAnchor.org “Where in the bible should I start reading?” This was a question for a parish priest from someone preparing to become Catholic. I recall this priest recommending that they begin with the Acts of the Apostles. It was because the Acts of the Apostles told the story of the beginning of the Christian communities…
CatholicAnchor.org Here’s a Lenten question: what is simplicity? At first glance, embracing simplicity seems rather – well, simple. Decluttering is trending sharply in our culture. Perhaps as a reaction to the enormous amount of stuff we accumulate, books focusing on getting rid of junk are proliferating. The best-selling Japanese writer Marie Kondo explains how to…
CatholicAnchor.org The bible says, “the beginning of wisdom is fear of the Lord.” We need to pray for fear of the Lord more than the fear of people and what they think of us. It is a gift everyone receives at their confirmation. Do we believe we have this gift? What is the Fear of…
CatholicAnchor.org I have been asked more than once, why I serve in the role as Victim Assistance Coordinator for the archdiocese. My response is that I hope to show light in a time of pain and darkness for someone who is searching for the hope of healing and that they know they do not walk…