About half of my immediate relatives still live on the island, so when Hurricane Maria — a category four cyclone — made landfall in Puerto Rico my heart sank. The island, 100 miles long by 35 miles wide, was hit with what was described as a 60-mile-wide tornado with sustained winds of 155 miles an hour for over 30 hours!
Our Lady of the Valley Catholic School in Wasilla offers classical Christian curriculum for pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. The school is a ministry of Sacred Heart, St. Michael, Our Lady of the Lake and St. Christopher parishes, and opened in 2006.
Founded by the Grey Nuns in 1954, St. Mary’s School in Kodiak continues to grow in student population, academic development and its focus on Catholic social teachings, co-principal Brian Cleary told the Catholic Anchor.
Founded in 1996 as a ministry of St. Benedict Church, Lumen Christi’s mission states that the school “aims to provide a rigorous Catholic education in a Christ-like environment.” As the largest Catholic high school in Anchorage, Lumen Christi serves students from Catholic parishes throughout Anchorage and beyond, as well as Orthodox and Protestant congregations.
Lumen Christi High School in Anchorage has a new athletic director for their 7th-12th grade programs. John Warren took over the co-ed sports program this fall. He told the Catholic Anchor that he has a degree in political science and exercise science from the University of Nebraska, and has enjoyed helping a wide variety of teams over the years as an athletic trainer before arriving in Alaska almost 17 years ago.
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic School in South Anchorage has a simple goal: “To provide an excellent Catholic education in a Christ-like environment.” Every day, teachers and staff work together to integrate faith and education to grow well-formed young disciples.
Catholic schools have a long history of integrating strong academics with a firm foundation in Catholic faith. Later this month Catholic schools across Alaska will celebrate National Catholic Schools Week in an effort to highlight the benefits of receiving a faith-based education.
At this time of resolutions and new beginnings, we can begin by cultivating our relationship with God with a fresh start and new opportunities. We can begin with a simple commitment to pray each day — spending ten minutes with the Lord to share our joys and sorrows.
Gemma Gaudio’s faith and lifelong immersion in her Alaska Native culture and Yup’ik heritage is an inspiration to Native people throughout the state, and a model of stewardship to the Catholic community.
As I reflect on my life in this year of the Lord 2018, there is one small bit of history that I long to retrieve however there is not much promise that it will ever happen. My one great longing is to know exactly, exactly where I was born.