CatholicAnchor.org On Nov. 8, the Diocese of Fairbanks held a press conference to announce that Bishop-elect Chad Zielinski had been chosen to serve as its new bishop. During the press conference Bishop-elect Zielinski shared candid thoughts about the role of a bishop, his shock at being chosen one and how he hopes to serve the…
The ultimate decision in appointing bishops rests with the Pope, and he is free to select anyone he chooses. But how does he know whom to select? The process for selecting candidates for the episcopacy normally begins at the diocesan level and works its way through a series of consultations until it reaches the pope’s desk in Rome.
CatholicAnchor.org Pope Francis decision to tapped Father Chad Zielinski to become the new bishop for the Diocese of Fairbanks shocked the active military chaplain at Eielson Air Force Base. Bishop-elect Chad Zielinski, at age 50, will be the 11th youngest of 267 active U.S. Catholic bishops. He will lead 11,000 Catholics who reside in the…
CatholicAnchor.org Oct.28-Nov.7, Pilgrimage to the Holy Land Nov. 8, 6 p.m., St. Elizabeth Ann Seton School Action, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Nov. 9-13, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops meeting, Baltimore Nov. 20, 9 a.m., Mass, Our Lady of Guadalupe Nov. 20-22, Apostolic administrator duties, Fairbanks Diocese Nov. 22, 5:30 p.m., Native Mass, St. Anthony — …
Here is a run down of upcoming events taking place in November across the Archdiocese of Anchorage, Alaska.
As I write this, today might be the anniversary of my brother’s death. We’re not sure what day he died. My family — two brothers, a cousin, my mom and I — had traveled to New York City to do a surprise intervention with my brother. He had become dependent on cocaine, and my mother had secured the help of a fairly pricey interventionist who was going to lead us in confronting Bill and getting him into rehab. Alas, we were too late.
Students researched specific men and women, all who displayed relentless courage and modeled Christian values for later generations of Christians to follow. Among the saints represented during the recent Mass at Sacred Heart Church in Wasilla, were popes, bishops, kings, queens, soldiers, nuns, nurses, fathers, teachers, mothers, priests and peasants to name but a few.
A newly formed independent nonprofit, took over the long-standing Camp Challenge from Alaska General Assembly of the Church of God — a group that has operated the summer camp since the mid-1960s. In recent years, however, the Church of God has struggled to keep the camp in operation. In early 2012, St. Benedict Church in Anchorage held its annual teen confirmation retreat at Camp Challenge. Parishioner Rich Owens, owner of the Tastee Freez restaurants in Anchorage, was serving as cook for the winter retreat that year. That’s when he first learned that the camp property might be up for sale. Motivated by a belief that the campground could become an integral part of future youth ministry and the rebuilding of Catholic culture across the Anchorage Archdiocese, Owens helped to form a nonprofit to purchase the camp.
Where does the authority to make law come from? What role have Catholics played in shaping the laws of the United States? And how should bishops address Catholic politicians who act contrary to church teaching? These were some of the topics broached during the Archdiocese of Anchorage’s annual Red Mass on Sept. 28. Anchorage Archbishop Roger Schwietz invited Juneau Bishop Edward Burns to deliver the Red Mass homily at Holy Family Cathedral and to then speak at length to Alaskan politicians, legislators, judges and lawyers at a subsequent brunch at the Marriott Hotel.
As part of an effort to inform Alaskans about candidates and their positions on issues important to Catholic voters, the Catholic Anchor solicited responses to a questionnaire from the four candidates running for the U.S. House of Representatives: incumbent Republican candidate Don Young, Democrat candidate Forest Dunbar, Libertarian candidate Jim McDermott and Republican candidate John Cox.