Some believe it is arrogant to say that Jesus is the Savior of the world — the only name by which any can be saved. Such statements are narrow and dangerous, we are told, and they offend and alienate others. Past generations might have held such a view but we live in the modern world in which our neighbors are secular or Muslims or from various faith or non-faith backgrounds.
It has often occurred to me that the longing for God — for the sacred — is one of humankind’s deepest primeval yearnings. We obviously know that we are not our own creation but that a divine power has made this deep mystery possible. Hence the normal response is to find words of gratitude amid an overwhelming sense of powerlessness.
We would like to welcome Deacon Arthur Roraff to our parish, St. Andrew Church in Eagle River. We look forward to your pastoral guidance and new enthusiasm of entering into the priesthood.
In a world that so often marginalizes and ignores matters of faith and religion, burning questions loom of the afterlife, of God, of a creator and how to live out fleeting lives here on Earth. For some that leads to questions about the Catholic Church. “Seekers,” a group that meets at St. Patrick Church in Anchorage, has gained momentum among Alaskans looking for answers to spirituality in general and interest in the Catholic faith.
Given that the mission of the Catholic Church is to inspire and invite people into a deeper love of God in all his beauty and splendor, perhaps even frontier churches should reconsider ways to foster the vital role that sacred art has played since the earliest days of Christianity.
For Santo, the journey to making this sculpture began when he was an altar boy at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York, and the pastor showed him a photo of Michelangelo’s renowned Pieta. He remembers wondering why that would happen — why God would allow Mary to go through so much suffering because of her Son’s Passion and death. This question, he believes, is the essential difference between his Pieta and that of Michelangelo. He said that through the centuries, most artists have not wanted to make another Pieta, for fear that it would not measure up to Michelangelo’s masterpiece, often considered the greatest sculpture ever created.
Holy Rosary Academy in Anchorage graduated six seniors this year. The k-12th grade school held its baccalaureate Mass at Holy Family Cathedral on May 19. Dominican priests from the downtown cathedral presided at the Mass and the choir consisted of the school’s faculty.
Lumen Christi High School in Anchorage graduated 11 seniors this year. The 7-12th grade school held its baccalaureate Mass on May 13 at St. Benedict Church in Anchorage. The next day, May 14, the seniors participated in the graduation ceremony at in the school’s gymnasium. Anchorage Archbishop Roger Schwietz attended and spoke to the graduates.
Here is an overview of local events and news briefs from across the Anchorage Archdiocese.
Family Disability Services is a very special program of CSS that supports and serves individuals and families with special needs. You may have known it previously as our Respite Program. It provides services for children and adults with developmental disabilities and offers support for their families.