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Open to life, even when kids may have Cystic fibrosis

Openness to life involves suffering with happiness. In our family’s case, the suffering usually has a name: cystic fibrosis. Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disorder that occurs when both parents pass on the mutated gene to their child. This occurs at the moment of conception and is a one in four chance with each pregnancy. It has happened to my husband and me twice with seven children. Some have wondered why we would bring more children into the world to suffer and die but the truth is that every single person is born to a life of joys, sufferings, then death.

Alaska parish rethinks, breaks faith formation mold

To achieve its goal, the parish launched “Super Sundays,” which strives to make youth faith formation enjoyable and lively, while drawing parents out of their cars in the parking lot and into classes of their own. Bob McMorrow, the parish’s director of evangelization and catechesis, said that he knows from his own large family that kids sometimes balk at going to religion class. Being a dad, he had a few ideas about how to change attitudes.

Nome considers taxing churches to raise city funds

The Nome City Council is moving forward with an unprecedented plan to tax local churches and nonprofits in an effort to increase city coffers. A recent article by KNOM.org reports that with the city budget projected to run a deficit, the council plans to move forward with an ordinance to remove sales tax exemptions from more than 40 local nonprofits including St. Joseph Catholic Church and 10 other churches. The city estimates the move will bring it an added $300,000. If the proposal passes, Nome would become the first town in the nation to tax its churches.

Alaska deacon finds God’s grace at death’s doorstep

A year ago Deacon Curt Leuenberger lay in an Anchorage hospital surrounded by his wife, family, friends and clergy who gathered to pray, to perform last rites and then to say a final goodbye. The diseased and broken body of this former big game guide who once hunted Kodiak brown bears for a living was shutting down. After 52 years, four children and 10 grandchildren he was unconscious and stretched out on a hospital bed. His life was in the final stages of a premature end, so it seemed.

Mat-Su camp aims to build Catholic culture across generations

A newly formed independent nonprofit, took over the long-standing Camp Challenge from Alaska General Assembly of the Church of God — a group that has operated the summer camp since the mid-1960s. In recent years, however, the Church of God has struggled to keep the camp in operation. In early 2012, St. Benedict Church in Anchorage held its annual teen confirmation retreat at Camp Challenge. Parishioner Rich Owens, owner of the Tastee Freez restaurants in Anchorage, was serving as cook for the winter retreat that year. That’s when he first learned that the camp property might be up for sale. Motivated by a belief that the campground could become an integral part of future youth ministry and the rebuilding of Catholic culture across the Anchorage Archdiocese, Owens helped to form a nonprofit to purchase the camp.

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