The poet Mary Oliver wrote this: “It is a serious thing just to be alive on this fresh morning in this broken world.” Consider all she packs into that statement. It’s great to be alive, but it’s serious. The morning is fresh, perhaps glorious, but the world is broken. What will I do with this…
Dear Fr. Leo, I’m having a hard time wrapping my head around the idea of purgatory. I believe in a just and merciful God, but this doctrine feels like it forgets that God’s perfect justice was shown by Jesus’ sacrifice, thus also showing His perfect mercy toward all men. While, ultimately, I do believe there…
After seven years, Lisa Aquino, chief executive officer of Catholic Social Services (CSS), is moving on. Her new position as CEO with Anchorage Neighborhood Health Center allows her to continue in the field that aligns with her passion: accessing public health care. Throughout her tenure, Aquino oversaw an agency of the Archdiocese of Anchorage-Juneau which…
Dear Fr. Leo: Will I see my dog in heaven? – M Dear M: Roy Rogers once famously quipped, “If dogs don’t go to heaven, when I die, I want to go where they went!” Not a bad thought, but to help answer this question, I like to invoke the theological principle: “Lex orandi, lex…
Below is Archbishop Andrew Bellisario’s homily from the synod mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe on Oct. 17th: Today is a very special day. Together, as brothers and sisters in Christ, we begin the synod preparation process in our Archdiocese of Anchorage-Juneau. Pope Francis inaugurated a two-year preparation process for the 2023…
Pope Francis announced that the next Ordinary Synod of Bishops would take place in October 2023. In preparation for this synod, the Vatican has approved a new three-stage process for the next gathering of the Synod of Bishops. It aims to involve the whole Church at diocesan, national and continental levels. The theme chosen by…
By Deacon Mick Fornelli The North Star Catholic At the request of Pope Francis, the next Synod of Bishops will be a three-year journey, with the people of God as the focus. The Holy Father will inaugurate the three-phase synodal journey in the Vatican on October 9- 10, 2021. The following week of October 16-17,…
By Deacon Madison Hayes The North Star Catholic After a brief excursion through the Inside Passage on the Alaska Marine Highway during the winter of 2013 from Bellingham to Haines, I always desired to return and experience the Church among the communities of Southeast. This summer, I was blessed to finally have this opportunity as…
By Carol Sturgulewski The North Star Catholic Faith in God, in science, and in the future is bringing a generous gift to Lumen Christi Catholic High School students. The Anchorage school has received a $20,000 biotechnology grant from a private family foundation. The foundation made several gifts to programs in southern California this year, but…
By Dominique Johnson The North Star Catholic Almost 50 years ago, Father Dan Hebert arrived in Anchorage, Alaska, as a missionary for the Religious Brothers of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. This missionary experience helped lead him to the priesthood and 42 years of service in the archdiocese. Born and raised in Kankakee, Illinois, Father…