Anchorage Archbishop Emeritus Francis Thomas Hurley, the iconic prelate who led the Catholic Church in Alaska for three decades and was an indefatigable advocate of the poor, died peacefully on Jan 10 in his Anchorage home. He was two days shy of his 89 birthday.
We were not made to be spiritual Lone Rangers. The Pew study shows in no uncertain terms that outside Christ’s Mystical Body — the church — we cannot long endure in faith. It’s an old saying: Remember the Sabbath, and keep it holy.
Terry Tutor is ready, come what may. Yes, he’s getting along in years, but the seasoned facilities maintenance manager at Lumen Christi High School in Anchorage continues to pour time and energy into the school, both the brick and mortar as well as with the up-and-coming generation. Now in his 70s, Tudor leans on an unshakable Catholic faith as he balances a professional and personal life that might overwhelm a lesser man.
The name “deacon” means minister or servant. In Scripture, in Acts of the Apostles, we hear of seven good men selected to serve the church community. These seven men needed to be of good reputation, filled with the Holy Spirit and wisdom, given to prayer and ministry of the Word. These men are considered to be the first deacons of the Catholic Church. Among them was Saint Stephen, who became the first martyr. Their function was to serve at table for the distribution of food and goods to ensure a fair and equal share was received by all widows and orphans of the community.
In conforming with Pope Francis’ call to reform the annulment process of marriage tribunals around the world, the three dioceses in Alaska have made procedural changes when it comes to declaring whether a sacramental marriage ever took place between a man and a woman. The new process aims to streamline the system for granting annulments, while continuing to affirm the longstanding Catholic recognition that valid marriages are indissoluble.
During the Jubilee of Mercy, which runs until Nov. 20, an indulgence can be obtained for the faithful who make a pilgrimage to and pass through the Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome or any of the other papal basilicas in Rome. Additionally indulgences can be obtained by passing through the Holy Door of any shrine, cathedral or church designated by the local bishop.
December 8 marked a historic moment for Catholics in Alaska and around the world. In addition to observing the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, the day when Catholics celebrate Mary’s preservation from original sin before her birth, Catholics around the globe gathered to mark the launch of the Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy.
On the evening of Dec. 24, Catholics in Alaska and around the world will gather in their local parishes to celebrate the traditional Christmas Midnight Mass. At Our Lady of Guadalupe Co-Cathedral, Anchorage Archbishop Roger Schwietz will celebrate the Midnight Mass beginning at midnight, and it will be broadcast live on KTUU Channel 2.
I travel a lot for my mission in Magadan, Russia, always wearing my religious habit or a clerical cassock to identify me as a priest. Exceptional encounters and conversations arise that would not otherwise happen if people didn’t know I was a priest. I jokingly say that I witness many conversions on plane trips as I walk down the aisle looking for my seat. I can see the fear in the eyes of many who are quietly praying, “Please God, don’t let that religious fanatic sit next to me.”
Simbang Gabi is a series of special Masses leading up to Christmas. The celebration of the nine-day novena is one of the longest-running and most popular Catholic Filipino religious traditions, enduring more than 600 years. At the Masses, the faithful especially focus on the Blessed Virgin Mary and ready their hearts to worthily welcome and receive the Child Jesus at Christmas.