Young Alaskans prep for World Youth Day in Portugal
Young Catholics from across the Archdiocese of Anchorage-Juneau are preparing to travel to Lisbon, Portugal, in August 2023 for World Youth Day — an opportunity to experience the global Church, be a witness of Christ, and experience the Holy Spirit. World Youth Day typically includes catechetical formation and spiritual experiences, including daily Mass, opportunities for…
St. Anthony Parish holds Native Mass for St. Kateri Tekakwitha feast day
In honor of the Feast Day of St. Kateri Tekakwitha, St. Anthony Parish in Anchorage held a celebratory Mass in July to commemorate the life of the first Catholic American Indigenous saint. On July 16, the Anchorage parish invited people to join their Kateri Circle for the special occasion. The spirituality of these communal groups…
Archdiocesan school teachers attend in-service in Anchorage
Before the start of every school year, teachers from across the Archdiocese of Anchorage-Juneau are invited to the annual Catholic schools’ in-service to hone current skills and learn new ones. This year, two Gonzaga University professors were invited to help archdiocesan faculty better connect and understand their students for the 2022-23 school year. On Tuesday,…
Alaska Native Catholics attend ‘Alive in Christ’ event in Chicago
A group of young adult Alaska Natives from the Archdiocese of Anchorage-Juneau and Diocese of Fairbanks ventured to Chicago in late June for a synodal process event to dis- cuss their hopes for the Catholic Church’s future. From the archdiocese, Sister Frances Vista and two Alaska Native residents of Anchorage, Jenay Mike, and Jessica Hunt,…
Big Lake parish celebrates life as a Catholic community
Our Lady of the Lake Parish in Big Lake has roots as deep as the archdiocese. Its first church building was completed and dedicated in 1966, the same year that Pope Paul VI established the Archdiocese of Anchorage and appointed Archbishop Joseph Ryan as its first archbishop. It was to be a baptism of fire…
Q&A: Step in the shoes of a safe environment coordinator
I often describe the work of the ministry of safe environment for the Archdiocese of Anchorage-Juneau, but this work could not be accomplished without the dedication of the parishes’ and schools’ safe environment coordinators (SEC). Each parish has an SEC who ensures that your parish is following the safe environment policies for the archdiocese. Expressing…
Ask Fr. Leo: Tattoos on the temple of the Holy Spirit
Dear Fr. Leo, What does the church teach about tattoos? I was always told it was forbidden. — A Dear A, Believe it or not, there is nothing in the Catechism that forbids tattoos per se. There is a text from Leviticus 19 that some look to for such a prohibition, but when viewed in the…
What the storm of Galilee teaches you and me
There’s a fierce storm on the Sea of Galilee, and in its midst, a nearly capsized boat full of terrified disciples. The story of Jesus calming this storm is recounted in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke during this summer of Ordinary Time. But what does it mean for us? I like to get…
Catholic Social Services opens new shelter in Anchorage, providing 83 new beds for homeless
Catholic Social Services accomplished a milestone on June 6 with the help of all of you and many incredible partners. Together, we added 83 new beds to the shelter system at a time when it’s most needed. Thanks to so much hard work from our team, Complex Care at 303 W. Fireweed in Anchorage opened,…