Anchorage Archbishop Paul Etienne has hired John Harmon as the new chancellor for the Archdiocese of Anchorage. Harmon brings extensive business, legal and pastoral experience as a former teacher, college president, Fortune 100 corporate attorney and a Catholic high school principal.
For 18 years I have written letters exploring the Scriptures, month after month, hoping to find some new and astonishing insights. You long-patient readers have doubtless been hoping for the same result. Why then do we continue to explore the Word of God month after month?
St. Nicholas of Myra Byzantine Catholic Church is celebrating its 60th anniversary on Dec. 10 and welcomes its Latin rite brothers and sisters from across the Anchorage Archdiocese to join in.
Life is short — the years and decades, peopled with children and loved ones, recede into history before we have time to properly savor them . We know this — we feel the occasional pangs of life slipping through our fingers. But just for good measure, the church reminds us again, even as we prepare to celebrate Christmas.
Christmas is fast approaching — a time to be reminded of all we have and to prepare ourselves for a new birth. It is a time to celebrate with our family and community — to share time, joy, gifts and love. The coming together in joy reminds me of an event held at Brother Francis Shelter in October.
Long before it became today’s fashionable trend, Jesus espoused the importance of “mindfulness.” Pay attention. Life is short. Sometimes it’s particularly hard to be fully mindful during busy December. For Christians, Advent is a time to pause and ponder the incredible truth that we have a God who entered human history in all its messiness.
We believe that marriage is a sacrament, along with holy orders, the Eucharist and baptism, and is both part of God’s gifting to us and needed for us to experience the fullness of salvation. Our pews, however, are filled with people in irregular marital situations.
The following is a roundup of news and upcoming events across the Anchorage Archdiocese.
Anchorage Archbishop Paul Etienne is scheduled to participate in the following liturgies and events in the month of December.
A group of enthusiastic Alaskan teens joined an estimated 20,000 youth from all across the United States for the National Catholic Youth Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana Nov. 16-19. “This is the premier Catholic youth ministry event in the country that happens on a regular schedule,” said Matthew Beck, the director of youth and young adult ministry for the Anchorage Archdiocese. “And it’s a lot of fun.”