Holy Rosary Academy in Anchorage (1010 W. Fireweed Lane) will host an open house at the school on Wednesday, Feb. 17 from 6-9 p.m. The K-12 grade school employs a classical curriculum. Prospective families will be able to take a tour with current students and families and meet the faculty, principal and administrators. For more information, call 276-5822 or go to hraak.org.
St. Anthony Church in Anchorage is the site of an upcoming town hall event on Feb. 15 to address the lack of detox facilities in Anchorage. The evening, which runs 7-8 p.m., is being hosted by First Covenant Church and Catholic Native Ministry.
The Catholic Daughters of the Americas Court in Anchorage is trying something new with its annual scholarship essay. In hopes of hearing from more Catholic youth, the Catholic women’s group is offering two “camperships” to St. Theresa’s Camp in Wasilla for the summer season. Camp dates start in late June and run through the end of July. Each session is for one week and the “campership” would cover the cost for the week.
Holy Family Cathedral is hosting a women’s conference on Feb. 20. Themed, “Faces of Mercy,” the event includes popular national presenters and opportunities for discussion, prayer and socializing with other attendees. Last year, more than 4,000 moms across the nation registered for the event, which was broadcast in many venues. The upcoming conference runs from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. It will include two live-streamed presentations by popular Catholic presenters and breakout discussion groups following each talk.
Six cloistered Catholic nuns, living nearly their entire lives praying behind the walls of an Alaska monastery, have embraced a new pro-life initiative. The Sisters of Perpetual Adoration in Anchorage recently completed an inaugural batch of tiny handcrafted baby booties for a local crisis pregnancy center. The center will give the miniature shoes to women facing unexpected pregnancies.
In Anchorage, prayer vigils take place in front of Planned Parenthood, where abortions are performed at 4001 East Lake Otis Parkway. In past years, the vigil was organized and coordinated through the national 40 Days for Life website. This spring campaign, however, was not officially organized but pro-life advocates are still gathering outside the abortion facility to pray.
Despite the dearth of light and heat many Alaskan Catholics see in winter a chance to volunteer more at their parish, pursue intellectual and spiritual works, host social gatherings and celebrate the many holy feast days that fall during this period. The rich liturgical seasons of Advent, Christmas and Lent all fall within winter, as do many feast days for especially beloved saints. These are opportunities to light candles, prepare special meals at home and learn about the great saints and heroes of the faith.
Alaska’s lawmakers reconvened Jan. 19 in Juneau for the second session of the 2015-2016 legislative season where they face myriad bills of concern to Alaskan Catholics. Below is a summary of pending legislation the Catholic Anchor has identified that would affect the protection of human life, marriage, religious freedom and parents’ rights.
For me, how do I measure this man’s influence in my life? He ordained me. He assigned me to various parishes in the Anchorage Archdiocese. He came to help me in some moments of crisis, which all priests go through. And he eventually blessed “the call within the call” of my priesthood to come here to Far East Siberia and pray in the former Communist prison camps.
No one knew the late Anchorage Archbishop Emeritus Francis Hurley like the person who served as his secretary for 53 years. In White’s words, he was a dynamic priest “who got his work done with a flourish,” but it was also true that he was a visionary not always hung up on details. White kept a sharp eye on those details. In her gentle but firm voice, she dealt with every phone caller and every visitor. Friends describe her as the picture of discretion. “I learned so much from him about seeing good in people — about quiet, charitable giving,” White said. “He did so much of this: helping to pay families for children’s college tuition or mortgages during bad times, gas and electric payments that were overdue, food.”