News & Happenings in the Anchorage Archdiocese
Below is a roundup of news items and upcoming events from around the Anchorage Archdiocese.
Rome pilgrimage seeks to connect young adults to the heroes of the Catholic faith
Anchorage Archbishop Emeritus Roger Schwietz will lead a pilgrimage for young adults this fall to the eternal city of Rome. The Oct. 27 to Nov. 4 trip takes place over All Saints and All Souls days with a focus on saints who were foundational in the development of the Catholic Church.
Youth conference aims to boost faith of Alaska teens
From June 3-6, teens from across the state will rally in Anchorage for the annual Alaska Catholic Youth Conference. The Catholic Anchor caught up with the Archdiocese of Anchorage’s Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry Matthew Beck to learn more about what to expect from the upcoming gathering.
Alaska Youth Orchestras & Anchorage Concert Chorus unite
This concert includes a preview of the upcoming tour of Italy where ACC will perform at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice, and in the opening night of a music festival near Milan.
Each and every member of the body of Christ is a gift
It is late April as I write this column. Our parish listening sessions, which are nearly complete — three to go — are revealing many things. I am hearing about the challenges we face as church, a wide variety of perspectives, some hope and gratitude, and a fair amount of frustration and disappointment.
Missionary team looks to reignite faith across Southcentral Alaska
One aspect of the summer missions will be reaching out to those who have abandoned their involvement with the church. “The most important thing in the church today is mission. It’s the church’s main task. Pope Francis has been classic about this: We have to go out. We can’t just be a kind of Catholic ‘club.’
Five men to join the rapidly growing ranks of Alaska deacons
The permanent diaconate has an ancient history, appearing in the first years of Christianity. It waned in the Middle Ages and wasn’t revived until Pope Paul VI restored the order in 1967. Since then the diaconate has skyrocketed in the United States, including in Alaska.
Confessions of a weak priest: I don’t have it all together
CatholicAnchor.org Embracing our weakness means embracing our identity as a “clay jar” so that all power may be seen as belonging to God, not us. This means enduring insults without retaliation and suffering calamity without bitterness. Weakness means depending on God for our strength. Personally, I am too weak to not have brother priests in my…
Seminarian is eager to give back to Alaskans this summer
Alaskan seminarian Jake Brownlee has traveled halfway around the world this year as he prepares to become a priest for the Archdiocese of Anchorage. This summer, however, he’s looking forward to enjoying the Alaska outdoors at St. Therese’s Catholic Camp in Wasilla.
Catholic pre-kindergarten program begins this fall in Anchorage
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton School in South Anchorage will be offering a full-time pre-kindergarten program beginning this fall.