When it came time to find the perfect present for a family friend in Confirmation classes, Anchorage’s Jean Dore knew just where to turn. A parishioner at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton parish, Dore was first in line for the March 1 grand reopening of St. Paul’s Corner, which recently took several big strides to streamline…
The archdiocese has two Kateri Circles. Kateri Circles are groups of Catholics, other Christians, and seekers who pratice community through a lifestyle of prayer, service, and worship. The two circles in the archdiocese are at St. Anthony parish in Anchorage and at St. Michael parish in Palmer. Each group welcomes anyone, Alaska Native or otherwise,…
Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. —Luke 1:26-38 Long before people could read, art told the story of Jesus. Adorning churches and other religious buildings for centuries, Christian art not only enhanced the beauty of sacred space, glorifying God and enriching worship, but also…
February 26 marks the 45th anniversary of Pope St. John Paul II’s visit to Anchorage in 1981. Archbishop Francis Hurley announced his visit in January, and introduced the planning committee. It comprised a mix of influential Alaskans, including Governor Walter Hickel, Max Hodel, Larry Dineen, and others. They called themselves the Committee for the Civic…
In the midst of a record 80 inches of snow falling on Juneau in the holiday season, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul St. Therese Conference (SVdP) served 25% more families than last year’s holiday season. Jennifer Skinner, the executive director of SVdP, said the overall need was greater this year. The society oversees…
In the busy holiday season, setting aside time to perform live music in a Christmas program at Seward’s Spring Creek Correctional Facility requires dedication, practice and planning. But it’s worth the effort to “spread the Catholic spirit of faith and joy, especially for people who don’t get to communicate with the world at all. It’s…
A Mass on the Feast of Christ the King at St. Anthony parish in Anchorage on November 22 honored King Islanders and Teddy Mayac Sr., who created a Native cross for the archdiocese in the 1970s. Sr. Jean Rhoads, D.C., director of Native Ministry, organized the Mass, while Kateri Circle members assisted with drumming, signing,…
Bishop of Fairbanks Steven Maekawa, O.P. celebrated Mass at Holy Family parish in Anchorage on October 15, preceeding the Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN) convention. To celebrate the archdiocese’s Alaska Native community, present for the Mass were many members of the archdiocese’s Kateri Circles, and Sr. Jean Rhoads, D.C. Concelebrating with Bishop Maekawa, who formerly…
As of November 17, I’ll officially be a priest in occasional ministry, having reached the retirement age of 70 the day before. I’d like to offer this reflection on my experience as a priest. When we cleaned my dad’s house after he died, we found all sorts of mementos my parents had saved from our…
St. Catherine of Siena parish in Petersburg just poured the foundation for its new church on August 17, 2025, just over two years after their old church burned. On August 31, pastor Fr. Jose Thomas carried out a ground blessing, praying that the Holy Spirit “be with us… that we may set aside individual differences…