Saint Therese of Lisieux wasn’t yet recognized by the Catholic Church as a saint when Alaska’s very first bishop “made a rather hasty move,” in selecting her as the patron saint of Alaska.
One of the final paintings of renowned Alaskan artist Byron Birdsall was a commissioned piece by the Anchorage Archdiocese in which he created an original watercolor of Saint Therese of Lisieux, the patron saint of Alaska.
Following the Nov. 9 installation of Anchorage Archbishop Paul Etienne as the successor to retired Archbishop Emeritus Roger Schwietz, the Catholic Anchor spoke to several Alaskans at Our Lady of Guadalupe Co-Cathedral. Here’s the video of their responses.
When Archbishop Schwietz began his ministry here in 2001, the Alaskan priesthood was quite literally dying out. We had an aging group of hardworking clergy, but there were scarcely any young men following in their footsteps. The priesthood was simply not on the radar and in many parishes and families it was not encouraged.
The following is a translation from the Latin, of Pope Francis apostolic mandate appointing Archbishop Paul Etienne as the new archbishop of Anchorage. It was read aloud at the Nov. 9 installation Mass at Our Lady of Guadalupe Co-Cathedral by the pope’s ambassador to the United States, Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Christophe Pierre.
“I am Bishop Etienne, your brother Paul. I come as the new archbishop of Anchorage, and I seek to enter this fine cathedral,” Archbishop Etienne announced. It was his formal entrance to the seat of the Archdiocese of Anchorage, a homecoming to the universal church as it is manifest in Anchorage.
Just days before retiring, Anchorage Archbishop Roger Schwietz found himself surrounded by young Catholics, a group he says deeply inspired him during his 15 years leading the archdiocese.
In the immediate aftermath of a contentious national election, hundreds of Alaskans packed into Anchorage’s Our Lady of Guadalupe Co-Cathedral to welcome the new spiritual leader of Catholics across Southcentral Alaska.
One day after stepping down from 15 years as head of the Anchorage Archdiocese, Archbishop Emeritus Roger Schwietz reflected on the joys and challenges of his episcopacy. In an interview with the Catholic Anchor, the now retired 76-year-old archbishop looked ahead to what the future might hold for his successor and what he plans to do as the self-proclaimed “grandpa” of the archdiocese.
Catholic Men for Life take a stand for unborn life through prayerful, peaceful witness on the streets of Anchorage.