Growing spiritually during Lent
How’s your Lent going? About this time of the season, we’re either well into a rhythm of observance, or we feel the time slipping by and think we’re not “doing” enough.
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On the way
I got lost once, and I was scared. It was night. It was dark. It was clear with no moon. I was alone. I was driving across the desert in Arizona on my way from one interstate highway to another. The trusted GPS on my phone told me to go right. I turned right. It…
Sister Frances Vista, D.C. serving with the heart of a missionary
By Dominique JohnsonThe North Star Catholic Sister Frances Vista, D.C., recalls having an interest in religious life when she was 13 years old, living in the Philippines. “I saw a group of sisters wearing habits walking in a little town in the Philippines. I thought, wow, look at them; they look so happy,” Sister Frances…
During a pandemic, local engaged couples still seek the sacrament of marriage
By Annette AllevaThe North Star Catholic COVID-19 dashed many dreams, taxed our souls, took our lives. No one in the world has been left unaffected. Those planning to wed in the Catholic Church, preparing to commit to a lifetime with one they love, hit a huge bump in the road at the start of their…
The Archdiocese of Anchorage-Juneau launches new website aoaj.org
By Dominique JohnsonThe North Star Catholic The unity process of the Archdiocese of Anchorage-Juneau took another step forward on January 6, 2021, with the launch of the new archdiocesan website aoaj.org. The new website’s design process began shortly after the announcement of the new archdiocese and after meeting with different website designers. The archdiocese worked…
Parish profile: St. Francis Xavier, Valdez
By Deacon Dan and Trish StoweThe North Star Catholic St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, the oldest Catholic Church in South Central Alaska, is located in Valdez, at the head of the eleven-mile long Prince William Sound fjord. Fr. Turnell celebrated our first Mass in Mrs. Johnson’s boarding house in 1903. The first church building was…
Parish profile: St. Gregory Nazianzen, Sitka
By Father Marino Cho, KMSThe North Star Catholic St. Gregory Nazianzen Parish is situated in Southeast Alaska, about 98 miles south of Juneau, our state capital. However, Sitka has been established much longer and was capital of Alaska from 1867 to 1906. In 1867, a petition signed by 120 people was sent to the Bishop…
Parish profile: Holy Family, Anchorage
By Letha FlintThe North Star Catholic It was July 10, 1915. T.J. Wendler bid $175 for two lots in downtown Anchorage. As soon as Andrew Christianson acknowledged the bid, Wendler yelled, “These lots are for a church and a hospital.” Christianson dropped his gavel. Wendler had his lots. On September 14, construction began on Holy…
Saints among us: Alan and Nancy Muise
By Anna SchultenThe North Star Catholic Alan Muise and his wife Nancy, began their ministry in Alaska when Alan was stationed at Elmendorf Air Force Base in Anchorage in 1991 as an F-15 pilot. “I enjoy doing music ministry the most,” said Alan. “We had been in music ministry at all the air bases that…
Ask Father Leo: Was Mary illiterate?
Dear Fr. Leo:My sister sent me something published by a Jesuit magazine that suggested Mary was illiterate. As I had not thought about that before, it occurred to me that perhaps Mary is the second smartest person ever in the world, the first of course being her Son. If Mary studied scripture, she would have…