Seminarian Madison Hayes took a pivotal step in his journey to become a priest for the Archdiocese of Anchorage. On June 21 he participated in the Mass of Candidacy with Anchorage Archbishop Paul Etienne at Holy Spirit Center in Anchorage. This is the moment when a seminarian formally and publicly declares before the archbishop his desire to become a candidate for the sacrament of Holy Orders.
Editor’s note: The following is a list of news and upcoming events from around the Archdiocese of Anchorage.
Tara Clemens was an Anchorage attorney and evangelical Christian who converted to Catholicism during her last months of law school. On May 28 she made first vows as Sister Marie Dominic of the Incarnate Word, a cloistered Dominican nun at Corpus Christi Monastery in Menlo Park, Calif.
Human trafficking continues to be a concern for Alaska’s most vulnerable, especially homeless youth, according to a recent study by Loyola University’s Modern Slavery Research Project. The study focused on clients of Covenant House Alaska as well as nine other Covenant Houses across the U.S and Canada.
When a young man begins to feel a draw in his heart toward the priesthood, he may not know where to turn for further help in discerning whether it is God’s will for him to pursue seminary studies and eventually ordination.
With renewed attention on Fatima, Alaskans won’t need to travel far to learn more about the renowned Marian apparitions. The world-famous international Pilgrim Virgin Statue is coming to Anchorage, July 26-30, as part of a two-year U.S. tour for peace. The goal is to bring the graces of Fatima to the American people.
On June 29, Anchorage Archbishop Paul Etienne received a wool vestment — called a pallium — from the hands of Pope Francis at the Vatican. This vestment dates back to at least the fifth century and symbolizes a bishop’s authority as well as his unity with the pope. Shortly before Archbishop Etienne’s departure to Rome the Catholic Anchor asked him about the upcoming trip and its purpose. The following Q&A interview is edited for length and clarity.
“That’s going to make the word of God credible to others,” Anchorage Archbishop Paul Etienne told the Alaska teens, “when they see in us that it really is possible to live for God — in all of its truth, in all of its brilliance, in all its beauty. If and when we do that, we will bring the doubting world to belief.”
Struggling in a culture they see as increasingly hostile to Catholic faith, Alaska teens said the June 5-8 Alaska Catholic Youth Conference (ACYC) in Anchorage inspired them to return home with a renewed sense of urgency to pray, participate in the sacraments and live out their faith.
Real life experiences, cultural concerns and the Catholic Church’s loss of young people were all part of a frank discussion at Lumen Christi High School gym in Anchorage. On June 6, four church leaders fielded tough questions from more than 100 teenagers gathered during the Alaska Catholic Youth Conference’s (ACYC) version of the Tonight Show.