In a world saturated with virtual reality and online distractions, a diverse group of men, joined by Catholic priests, will soon be headed to the mountains for adventure and inspired conversation in Alaska’s backcountry.
Sitting before some 150 teenagers and recounting the most awkward moments of senior prom might rattle the average guy, but not Anchorage Archbishop Roger Schwietz.
The oldest parish in Anchorage — Holy Family Cathedral — has just been dedicated. In a June 5 Mass, Anchorage Archbishop Roger Schwietz blessed the 100-year-old parish, its altar, walls and stained glass windows.
Traveling from communities across Alaska, youth from the Fairbanks Diocese, Juneau Diocese and Anchorage Archdiocese heard from nationally renowned speakers, Christian bands and religious order brothers and sisters. They also attended daily Mass, spent time in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and took opportunities to go to the Sacrament of Reconciliation with one of a dozen priests who volunteered to hear confessions.
This year’s Young Adult Eagle Eye Summer Institute is for those ages 20-35. It takes place July 14-July 24 in the mountains near Anchorage. The theme for this year’s gathering is “Justice: The First & Necessary Step to Mercy.”
How can Christianity and the Catholic Church be true and yet containing so many scandals and injustices?
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“They might be thinking, ‘I’m going to keep this baby,’” Harriman explained. “But they can walk out of here, and once they tell the news to their parents or to the father, the influences that start coming into their life can really cause them to think differently or make them feel like they don’t have a choice or they need to do what they’re being pressured to do.”
A recent article from the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University found that Catholics divorce at a much lower rate than most other demographics but still, 29 percent of Catholic marriages end in divorce. That is problematic for a church that unequivocally affirms that marriage is lifelong and indissoluble.
Holy Family Cathedral in Anchorage will welcome two new Dominican priests this summer, including a new pastor as retiring Dominican Father Anthony Patalano steps down to take a part-time assignment in Los Angeles.