The bishop, with the laying on of hands, imparts the gift of the Spirit and then the priest, placing his hands inside those of his bishop, promises perpetual obedience. To the secular world this must seem horribly arcane but not to priests.
When people speak of Archbishop Schwietz, they invariably describe him as “pastoral.” I like to think of Pope Francis’ words: priests should be “shepherds living with the smell of the sheep.” Anyone who’s lived on a farm knows that’s a dramatic statement.
Christmas is fast approaching and as we prepare to celebrate this joyful holiday, we are also rejoicing in the installation of our new archbishop. Catholic Social Services welcomes Archbishop Paul Etienne to Anchorage and we look forward to working with him. We also celebrate our work and cherished partnership with Archbishop Emeritus Roger Schwietz.
Archbishop Schwietz developed a ministry of hope, healing and prevention. Under his leadership, I felt unfettered freedom to support victims who came forward by reaching out to the community at large through collaboration with government and non-profit agencies and other churches to address all forms of violence and abuse.
I anticipate that his ministry will include a focus on supporting our schools as well as on church vocations. As he brings new energy and enthusiasm to the office of archbishop and to his focus on the new evangelization, I pray that God will render fruitful his ministry and bless the continued growth in discipleship of our family of faith.
Changes are afoot in Alaska this November, both in the halls of government and the spiritual leadership of the Catholic Church. During these pivotal transitions the faithful should be fully engaged. First up is Nov. 8, when we have a duty to participate in advancing the common good of our immediate communities, state and nation by casting ballots that are guided by well-formed consciences and a commitment to uphold the non-negotiable moral teachings of Christ and his church.
This year two Alaska Supreme Court justices, Joel Bolger and Peter Maasan, are on the ballot. Earlier this year Bolger and Maasan voted to strike down, as unconstitutional, a law providing for parental notification for a minor’s abortion enacted as an initiative by the people in 2010 with 90,000 Alaskan voters approving the initiative, a 56% majority.
But I have another theory about this sudden burst of literary interest. People are desperate to escape from this election season. The good news: it’s over very soon. The bad news: Uncivil behavior may not go away.
The important question to ask is this: are these buildings of ultimate importance in and of themselves? In truth the sacred buildings find their importance within the context of the sacred liturgies that the church itself, the worshipping Body of Christ, celebrates every Sunday.
I am an older priest now and it seems I still know very little. But I do know this: If we want to stop the tragedy of abortion, we must show more active love to the mom and her unborn child.