News roundup and coming events
Below is a round-up of recent news and upcoming events across the Archdiocese of Anchorage, Alaska.
Retired deacon reflects on changes & challenges in the church
A deacon with nearly 40 years of service to the Archdiocese of Anchorage retired from his position as director of the Office of Worship July 1. Deacon Ted Greene, a long-time homilist and catechist, said that health problems this year combined with a restructuring of the pastoral center offices means that at age 75 it’s time to slow down. Slowing down physically is tough for a man whose intellect and interest in all things Catholic have been running at high speed for years.
EDITORIAL: The sting of death and power of Love
No pain is more pronounced than the sudden loss of a loved one. Faith in God is tested — sometimes shattered — when we receive the unbearable call that one of our own has been ripped from the world. The agony and disbelief is beyond comprehension, beyond reason. No explanation stands under the weight of losing a close one.
Archdiocese hires director of youth ministry
Matthew Beck has been hired to fill a new position with the Archdiocese of Anchorage as director of youth ministry. He will assume his new post Aug. 3. Beck holds a master’s degree in pastoral ministries from St. Mary’s University in Winona, Minn. in addition to an undergraduate degree in secondary education from the University of Idaho.
Wives partner with their deacon husbands
Fifty years ago, Church Fathers at the Second Vatican Council restored the ancient office of the permanent diaconate and allowed married men to be ordained as permanent deacons in the Catholic Church. All these years later, deacons are now an integral part of modern parish life, serving as lifelines for many busy priests who sometimes struggle to meet the diverse needs of their parishes. Deacons can be married or single. Most — 98 percent — have spouses. These wives play a special and critical role in this rapidly growing ministry.
July Community Calendar
Here is a list of community events from around the Anchorage Archdiocese in the month of July.
Archbishop’s July Calendar
Here is a list of some of the events and liturgies that Anchorage Archbishop Roger Schweitz is scheduled to participate in this month.
Comedian, Catholic father of five, to headline Alaska State Fair
Jim Gaffigan, a standup comedian who happens to be a married Catholic father with five children, is a headliner for this year’s Alaska State Fair. A rising star, the popular comic known for his food jokes and self depreciating skits also regularly includes monologues about his large and growing family and the hilarity of raising five children.
Anchorage Archbishop invites Catholics to celebrate his 25th year as a bishop
Anchorage Archbishop Roger Schwietz has invited Catholics across the archdiocese to join him, July 3, for a Mass and reception in celebration of his 25th year since being named a bishop. The 25th Jubilee events will begin with a Mass of Thanksgiving on Friday, July 3, starting 2 p.m. at Our Lady of Guadalupe Co-Cathedral in Anchorage. A public reception will immediately follow.
Alaska bishops raise religious liberty concerns after high court legalizes same-sex ‘marriage’
Alaska’s Catholic bishops released a joint statement responding to the U.S. Supreme Court decision June 26 in which the judges ruled 5-4 that same sex marriage is a constitutional right guaranteed by the 14th Amendment. The ruling effectively nullifies all state laws upholding marriage as the union of one man and one woman.