July 1, 2005 - Issue #13
Local News | Opinion/Editorials | Letters to the Editor
Archdiocese has a new priest
Father Eric Wiseman was ordained June 25 by archbishop
The ranks of priests increased by one in the Anchorage Archdiocese with the June 25 ordination of Eric Wiseman.
Hundreds of friends and clergy took a few hours from a gloriously sunny, breezy Saturday to witness the sacrament and celebrate the man who, in his own words, was dedicating his life to Jesus Christ and God’s people.
Archbishop Roger Schwietz ordained Father Wiseman in an 80-minute liturgy, placing his hands on the candidate’s head and praying silently in the ancient practice of laying on of hands. Nineteen concelebrating priests and retired Archbishop Francis Hurley also laid hands on Father Wiseman during the ordination rite of the liturgy.
Then, with his arms raised over the candidate, Archbishop Schwietz asked God to "draw near" and grant "this servant of yours the dignity of the priesthood."
The archbishop continued the ordination prayer: "May he be joined with us, Lord, in imploring your mercy for the people entrusted to his care and for all the world as well."
Earlier in the ordination rite, the candidate had been summoned before the archbishop, who asked him a series of questions pertaining to his readiness for ordination and his promise of obedience.
In an act symbolizing total supplication before God, Father Wiseman prostrated himself at the base of the altar while the assembly sang the litany of the saints, the Catholic tradition of calling on dozens of saints by name and asking for their prayers.
After the archbishop and priests laid hands on Father Wiseman, the archbishop anointed the candidate’s hands with sacred chrism, another ancient element of the sacrament of holy orders.
The Gospel selected for the liturgy was Jeremiah 1: 4-9, in which the prophet recounts how God told him, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I dedicated you; a prophet to the nations I appointed you."
Jeremiah protested this appointment, saying he was too young, but God insisted: "Say not, ‘I am too young.’ To whomever I send you, you shall go."
In his homily, Archbishop Schwietz referred to Jeremiah’s story.
" ‘I am too young,’ " the archbishop began. "I don’t think that’s why this reading was selected."
Chuckles fluttered through the congregation and a smile spread across the face of Father Wiseman, who is 56 years old.
No, the archbishop continued, that Gospel was selected because it speaks of God’s personal plan for each person.
"It is an awesome thought, this personal awareness God has for each of us, a personal plan," the archbishop said. "For some it is clear and straightforward and steady, like Jeremiah. For others it is constantly unfolding."
Father Wiseman belonged in the latter category, the archbishop said. He referred to Father Wiseman’s "varied life," including his career with the state of Alaska and his first vocation, marriage.
Father Wiseman’s wife, Vicky, died in 1998 after a long illness.
"God has prepared you for the ministry of priesthood, which begins today, through a varied life of civil service, marriage and (as) caretaker," the archbishop said.
"Through it all God has prepared you to be a person for others. … In a new way of caring, you will now bring Christ’s love to others through the sacraments and your ministerial presence."
During the Liturgy of the Word, Father Wiseman sat with the congregation in the front row, dressed in a plain white alb and deacon’s stole.
(Men preparing for the diocesan priesthood are initially ordained transitional deacons, usually about a year before their priestly ordinations.)
After the ordination rite, Father Wiseman returned to his pew, donned the vestments of a priest and remained on the altar with the other priests for the remainder of the liturgy.
He said part of the Communion prayer, speaking in a strong, clear voice with his arms outstretched over the altar table.
At the conclusion of the liturgy, Archbishop Schwietz asked for the new priest’s first blessing, and knelt before Father Wiseman to receive it.
The priest then blessed Archbishop Hurley in a similar manner, and called forth his brother from the assembly to receive a blessing as well.
With the liturgy over, the congregation processed out of the cathedral to bluebird skies and lush hanging flower baskets. Father Wiseman posed for pictures with a large contingent of Knights of Columbus and greeted a long line of well-wishers.
Father Wiseman wants to become a hospital chaplain, and his special connection with the elderly and disabled was evident at the reception. He stooped to hug people in wheelchairs and held the hands of older folks who gazed into his eyes, obviously proud and happy for him.
Margie Kayouktuk told the Anchor how she met Father Wiseman many years ago when he began coming to her assisted living home to escort her to Mass.
Kayouktuk, who is blind, said he not only got her to Mass but became a close friend; they corresponded all through his seminary years.
"He’s a very spiritual person," she said. "He’s very nice."
When Father Wiseman saw Helen Thompson after the ordination, he introduced her to the group around him as the one responsible for his priesthood.
After his wife died, Father Wiseman and Thompson prayed the Our Lady of Perpetual Help novena together every day for about two months, Thompson explained.
After the liturgy, Father Wiseman told the Anchor that his wife and their marriage had been on his mind throughout the day.
"At the wedding, I dedicated my life to Vicky, and to God," he said. "In this case I’m dedicating my life to Jesus Christ, to serve his people in Alaska."
Alaska Catholic Youth Conference
Kids from across the state came to Anchorage for a week of fun, fellowship and faith
Enthusiasm ran high for more than 250 kids and chaperones attending the Alaska Catholic Youth Conference during the sunny week of June 14-17.
Held once again at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in South Anchorage, the popular annual conference drew young Catholics from across the state for a live concert at the Performing Arts Center, talks by nationally known speakers, service projects, prayer and a large dose of fun.
"We rocked the stage," said Maryann Burris, talking about the concert.
"We were pretty loud," agreed her friend Katrina Sanborn. "That concert really brings people together."
For Burris and Sanborn, both 16-year-old juniors at West Valley High School in Fairbanks, this was their third time attending the conference. ACYC, as it’s popularly known, has been the archdiocese’s main Catholic youth event of the summer for five of the last six years.
More than 50 people attended from the Fairbanks Diocese this year, including Bishop Donald Kettler, who concelebrated the opening Mass with Archbishop Roger Schwietz.
Conference organizers have found success in combining faith enrichment and fun teen-oriented activities, including dances, service opportunities and even social outings. Youths got the chance to hike in the mountains behind St. Elizabeth, swim at a nearby water park, play Ultimate Frisbee, visit a museum or — especially popular among those from rural communities — shop at a big-city mall.
Balancing out the rowdiness this year was the chance to take part in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.
For Patrick Klump, a St. Elizabeth Ann Seton parishioner and ninth-grader at Anchorage’s Holy Rosary Academy, Bob Bartlett’s talks made a big impact. Bartlett is a youth minister, counselor and speaker from Minnesota.
"He talked about how God works in different ways, and how he comes through people, how you can be Christ to others," Klump said. "I’ve never heard it said that way. You need to uncover Christ in you."
Klump and Bill O’Keefe reported having a great time during their community service project at St. Francis House. Helping pack five-pound bags of flour by scooping from a huge tub, the boys said they ended up covered in the stuff.
"By the time you got to Mass you looked like Casper the Ghost," said Theresa Lutes, part of the archdiocese’s Youth Evangelization Team that coordinated the event.
"No, actually, the Pillsbury Doughboy," Klump said, laughing.
For O’Keefe, a member of West Anchorage’s St. Benedict Parish, seeing the people who came to St. Francis House to get food was an eye-opener.
"I felt we were helping out people who were really needy," he said.
Other venues for an afternoon of service ranged from the Anchorage Convention and Visitor’s Center to Brother Francis Shelter to helping senior center residents participate in a bagpipe parade.
Some of the youths later spoke to the group about what their service experience had taught them.
"If I ever wonder if I can do this one more year, I only have to remember what those kids said about the impact of their service project," Lutes said.
Naomi Morris’ experience helping transplant trees at Campbell Creek Science Center was a high point for her. But Morris, a 17-year-old senior from St. Joseph Parish in Cordova, was enthused about many things.
Monday night’s concert with featured artists Ceili Rain was a thrill, and Bob Bartlett made a lasting impression on her, too, she said.
"His experiences, the stories he told, the way he uses humor," she said, combined to drive home his point about "finding holiness in different places."
Hannah Bilafer, from St. Michael Parish in Palmer, was going home with two Ceili Rain albums after attending her first conference. But it probably won’t be her last.
"My sister and I are both coming back next year," the home-schooled ninth-grader said.
The rampant enthusiasm of her fellow conferees impressed her.
"Everybody participates in everything," she said. "It’s so together, so full of life. Everybody participates in Mass."
She especially enjoyed the "very family-oriented" talks by Steve Angrisano, a Catholic musician, songwriter and speaker who has performed at several World Youth Days and major conferences throughout the United States.
Other presenters included Father James Northrop from the Archdiocese of Seattle, Brother John Mary Ignatius from the Community of St. John in Illinois, Father Alexander De La Taille, a native of France, and three married couples in ministry.
Besides Lutes, youth ministry team members Matthew Beck and Bob McMorrow took on the task of coordinating the four-day event and mobilizing a small army of volunteer shoppers, cooks, drivers and chaperones.
Next year’s conference is already scheduled for June 11-16.
Parishes not always as welcoming as they could be, parents find
Editor’s Note: First in a two-part series on people with disabilities and the local church.
When Collin Krueger went to the Alaska Catholic Youth Conference several years ago, his experience was different from that of most kids.
Collin has multiple developmental disabilities and is confined to a wheelchair. His mother, accompanying him throughout the event, said she could sense that other kids felt awkward around Collin. But the worst came when their group went out on a service project.
"We arrived at the Pioneer Home (a home for the elderly), and I had to get his wheelchair out of the car. All the other kids ran ahead," said Collin’s mom, Lorraine Krueger.
The adult who was leading the group started to take them inside.
"But, wait," Lorraine remembers one of the teens saying. "Collin’s not here."
But the leader went ahead anyway, and by the time Lorraine and Collin got into the building, they never managed to find the group or become part of the project.
If that incident leaves you with a lonely or left-out feeling, welcome to the Kruegers’ world.
And the sad part is, it happened in the midst of a faith community, where one would expect a high level of inclusion, sensitivity and support.
Lorraine Krueger would like to change all that.
"Catholics are supposed to be applying what we learn: reach out and embrace those around us," she said.
Krueger said people do not ignore or leave out the disabled because of any kind of malice. Instead, there’s a certain fear, misunderstanding, maybe even blindness.
She and Collin are members of St. Andrew Parish in Eagle River. While she loves her parish and the people in it, she said, she would like to "heighten awareness" among all Catholics about what it is to be disabled and to yearn for inclusion.
She said she gets so tired of people telling her they could never do what she does, or that "it takes a special person" to work with the disabled.
Not so, according to Krueger; it just takes some time and effort and a willingness to respond personally.
Collin Krueger was born 21 years ago with congenital hydrocephaly, which caused multiple disabilities. He has cognitive, physical, motor and visual impairments.
Despite those difficulties, Collin, like everyone, needs to be "centered around people who enjoy him for the person he is, who include him for who he is," said his mother.
She has high praise for her pastor, Father Leo Walsh, whom she calls "a great role model — one of those who includes everyone."
And that would be first on her list of what a parish needs to improve support for people with disabilities: leaders who model an inclusive attitude.
Another suggestion she has is something most parishes, including St. Andrew, are incorporating as they build or remodel: total and easy accessibility for the handicapped, not only to the church but to social halls, classrooms and offices.
Krueger also urges church groups to always consider inclusiveness when planning parish activities. If it’s a youth activity, have a written form asking what special needs a participant might have. And train all volunteers to be sensitive to special needs.
But what Krueger would most like to have for Collin is difficult to put on a checklist in the parish handbook.
It’s essential that Collin have a circle of friends, Krueger said, and the parish would be an ideal place for that. Everyone, she said, needs more than paid providers to have a fulfilling life.
Krueger has placed ads in the parish bulletin looking for paid providers, sometimes with success.
But she yearns for the day when someone in her faith community might call and say to Collin, "Would you like to come over and hang out with us for an hour?"
Lynn and Chris Witte, from St. Michael Parish in Palmer, can understand Krueger’s longing.
Their son Derek, 15, is a bright boy with cerebral palsy. Witte describes her son as having "a disability from the waist down."
Because of that, he often finds himself left behind in the fast-paced world of teens.
Witte said she would like to see parishes encourage stewardship, the sharing of time and talent, aimed at befriending the disabled or the elderly.
"You could volunteer to bring someone to therapy or to a ball game," she said. "Derek likes going to Fred Meyer to look at videos and games. Just simple things."
Also, she advocates that every parish have a special spot at Mass designated for those who use wheelchairs or walkers.
Even for those who don’t require extra physical space, fitting in can be a challenge.
In the small parish where he used to live in Haines, Michael Hannon "was really involved," including being an altar server, said his older sister, Katy Boneta.
But Hannon, 31, who has Down syndrome, came to live with Boneta and her family in Eagle River and "hasn’t quite found his niche" in the much larger parish there, Boneta said.
She doesn’t blame the parish, although she acknowledged that big Catholic parishes in general aren’t necessarily very welcoming.
"Part of it is me," she explained. "I’m not sure how to get him connected."
She’s considering a Knights of Columbus application for Michael but hasn’t told him about it because she isn’t sure he’ll qualify and she doesn’t want to disappoint him.
"He’d go (to Mass) more often if he had a job to do," Boneta said.
Mary and Jeff Brewer have been St. Elizabeth Ann Seton parishioners since before their son, Jacob, was born 15 years ago. Jacob suffers from a seizure disorder that has left him developmentally delayed.
From Mary Brewer’s perspective, the parish is not always a welcoming place.
"I don’t know how you educate people short of spotlighting a child," she said.
St. Elizabeth doesn’t provide vacation Bible school, so Brewer’s three children are taking part in a Protestant program this summer as helpers and participants.
One day, Brewer was informed that there had been a problem with Jacob’s performance of a duty he’d been assigned. She quickly suggested she could come get him if needed.
"But," Brewer said, "the woman said to me, ‘We believe everyone is here for a reason. We’re going to pray about it. Meanwhile, do you have any suggestions about what Jacob could do well?’ "
It was the kind of positive and welcoming response Brewer wishes every child received in their church, she said.
"I look at my son," Krueger said, "and I see that he has so much to offer. If we’re including people, we learn what they have to give.
"Just the other day, we were sitting in Mass next to an older man. Collin was singing along all through Mass. After Mass, the man leaned over and said to Collin, ‘You make me happy.’ "
Archbishop hands out awards related to Catholic faith to 18 Scouts
Eighteen Girl and Boy Scouts from five different parishes received religious emblems at a special ceremony June 5. Anchorage Archbishop Roger Schwietz presented the shiny medals to the Scouts in recognition of accomplishments in learning about and living out their Catholic faith.
Most people associate Scouts with knots, patriotism and an appreciation for the outdoors, but religious emblems are an old tradition as well. The first such emblem was created in 1926, and local Catholic Scouts have sought and earned them for more than 20 years, according to Chuck Kaucic of Palmer, chairman of the Archdiocesan Catholic Committee on Scouting. Kaucic said the religious emblems program fits into a Scout’s duty to honor God and country.
"Yes, we do go camping and we tie knots and all that good stuff, but everything provided to us for camping or rock climbing is provided by God and we should be thankful for it," said Roman Bakic of Anchorage, a 16-year-old Scout whose troop is sponsored by his parish, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton.
This year, local Scouts earned four different Catholic emblems. Two girls earned the "I Live My Faith" medal. Eight boys were presented with the "Light of Christ" award. One boy received the "Parvuli Dei" ("Children of God") award, and Bakic and six other older boys collected "Ad Altare Dei" ("To the Altar of God") emblems.
Working toward the Ad Altare Dei emblem, which rewards demonstrated knowledge of the Catholic sacraments, was for Bakic a "big review" that helped solidify what he learned in Catholic school.
Studying his faith as a Scout also helped clarify what goes on during Mass, the "different prayers that the priest says and why we stand and sit and kneel," Bakic said.
Ultimately, the emblems program encourages young people to "take every chance you get to reflect Christ to other people," said the Scout.
To that end, Bakic and five other members of his troop have sent care packages to soldiers in Iraq and recently did yard work for a man who has cancer.
Alexandra Hermon, a 10-year-old Junior Girl Scout from St. Patrick Parish in Anchorage, wrote about the beatitude "Blessed are the peacemakers" to earn the "I Live My Faith" medal.
Peacemakers are people who "help other people and make the world a better place," Hermon said. She tries to help classmates with homework in the name of peacemaking and has signed up to be an altar server, she said.
Eight-year-old Cub Scout Michael Wieliczkiewicz, a Sacred Heart parishioner in Wasilla, read Bible stories and completed exercises in a workbook to earn the "Light of Christ" medal.
"Jesus fed a whole village with only one fish and bread," Wieliczkiewicz told the Anchor, adding that the story taught him to be "generous."
Wieliczkiewicz said he tries to be more generous with his space by sharing his room with his 12-year-old brother.
"And that is probably more difficult than any other act he can do," said his mother, Elaine Wieliczkiewicz, who leads a troop of Girl Scouts, has four children who are Scouts and a husband who leads a Boy Scouts troop.
"Our rules at home are the Scout rules: clean, honest, trustworthy, loyal, giving good will. The Scouts’ values mirror our faith values," she said.
Wieliczkiewicz teaches Girl Scouts to be a "sister to every girl," which is similar to Christ’s instructions to "love one another as I have loved you," she added.
At least four parishes in the Anchorage Archdiocese sponsor Scout groups: Wasilla’s Sacred Heart, St. Michael in Palmer, St. Andrew in Eagle River and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton.
Junior Girl Scout troop leader Jenny Michaelson of Sacred Heart said that parish sponsorship doesn’t mean every Scout must be Catholic, but it does mean that when the group prays or discusses God, it’s within a Catholic context.
The National Catholic Committee on Scouting has been around since 1934 and is affiliated with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. But religious emblems for Scouts date to 1926, when Father James Dolan created the Ad Altare Dei medal to spur spiritual development of Scouts and to recognize those serving as altar boys.
Yvonne Chase leaves CSS to teach social work at UAA
Yvonne Chase, who has led Catholic Social Services for the past two years, has decided it’s time to move on.
"There’s an evolutionary process in social service agencies — maybe it’s a growth process — and different people contribute different things along the way," Chase said.
Chase has been hired by the University of Alaska Anchorage to teach in the School of Social Work. Her departure from Catholic Social Services is effective July 27, and she starts at the university this fall.
Chase’s tenure at Catholic Social Services coincided with a major, high-profile success as well as challenging financial issues that required some difficult decision-making.
Brother Francis Shelter, which has been trying for many years to replace its dilapidated building, finally gathered enough money to construct a new shelter, completed this spring and operating since May.
Chase said Catholic Social Services is also poised to do some "sorely needed" building repairs at Clare House, the organization’s shelter for women and children.
But Chase faced significant challenges during her term as well. A listless economy, budget-cutting by the government and stiff competition from other nonprofits for donation dollars all combined to force Catholic Social Services into a "belt-tightening" period, Chase said.
The same is true for most area nonprofits right now, she added.
Given the changing fund-raising climate for nonprofits, Catholic Social Services has seen "staff reductions" in the past two years, Chase said, mainly in the form of not rehiring to fill positions when employees moved on to other jobs.
She also oversaw a "complete restructuring" of the finance department, she said.
An important part of that restructuring has been attempting to shift the balance of revenues so that the organization’s programs are not dependent on a single source of funding.
"You don’t want to depend on one source too much because it can go away," she said.
The vast majority of Catholic Social Services’ $6 million budget comes from three sources: grants, government contracts and private donations.
Chase said her goal was to help programs "strike a happy balance" in terms of funding so that budgets are more stable and sustainable.
One program in particular had become so out of balance that Chase decided to close down a significant portion of it. Earlier this year Chase announced that the Immigration and Refugee Services program would be ending its courtroom work, which had become a huge unfunded expense.
"Over the years it had grown like Topsy, because the need is there," Chase said. "But the program was up to about $600,000 a year, just on the immigration legal services side, of which grants and contracts and donations covered about $200,000. That meant a huge amount of money for a very specialized segment of our program."
Chase said it was a very difficult decision but one she felt had to be made to keep other programs solvent.
"It has nothing to do with its worth or lack of, because it certainly is a worthwhile program," she said.
Chase praised her Catholic Social Services staff as hard-working, compassionate professionals.
"They always give much more than you would expect people to do," she said.
Chase said she is looking forward to teaching full time; she has been an adjunct professor at the university on and off, but mostly on, since 1985.
Her leadership will be missed at the archdiocese, said St. Joseph of Peace Sister Charlotte Davenport, chancellor.
"I appreciate the professional social service expertise that Yvonne has brought to Catholic Social Services, and she will leave this legacy to build on in the years ahead," Sister Charlotte said in written statement. "In difficult economic times for social service nonprofits, Yvonne gave witness to the CSS mission of providing compassionate, professional care to all persons, especially the poor."
At the university, Chase’s new boss is delighted at her gain.
"I cannot tell you how thrilled I am, and we all are here, to have her joining us," said Elizabeth Sirles, director of the School of Social Work. "Her experience, her expertise, her energy, her national leadership — she has been treasured by us for years. And she’s well respected by the students."
Mass can be exhausting, and that’s a good thing
Those of us who are old enough to remember our church before the 1960s, before the Second Vatican Council, may recall how we often thought about our Sunday morning experience.
We referred to it as "going to Mass," much as we might say, "I’m going to the ball game," or, "I’m going to a movie," or, "I’m going to work."
Our sense was that we were going to a church, to a place where something was going on, indeed, where something would be done for us, much like a performance in a theater.
That often left Catholics with a sense of passivity, indeed a feeling of apathy. There wasn’t a lot we could do: The basic actions or responsibilities in the Mass were handled mainly by the priest, the acolytes (altar servers) and the choir.
For many Catholics, therefore, the Sunday "obligation" was fulfilled by going to Mass, going to Communion and going home. Not a very exciting experience!
When the Catholic bishops of the world, gathered at the Second Vatican Council, began to think about the state of Catholic worship, their first concern was how to invest the participation of the Christian assembly in the action of the Mass.
In the first document the bishops produced, "The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy," they taught that "every liturgical celebration (Liturgy of the Eucharist, Liturgy of the Word, Liturgy of the Hours, and sacraments) is an action of Christ together with his body, the Church. Therefore, the full, conscious and active participation by all the people is the aim to be considered above all else, for it is the primary and indispensable source from which the faithful are to derive the true Christian spirit" (No. 7).
We Catholics may not have realized it then, but these were some rather explosive words. We had never been told that active participation at Mass was "the primary and indispensable source of the true Christians spirit." Now we know!
It needs to be said, however, that we have been trying to get used to that mandate ever since the days of the council. It has not always been easy.
Nonetheless, when one examines the structure of the Mass, there are some fundamental actions that belong by right to the Christian assembly.
First is the gathering — more than simply "getting into church and finding a pew." When we come together for liturgy we gather for a purpose. We come to worship our God and to establish communion with one another in spoken and sung prayer.
Second, we gather in order to listen. Indeed, that is what we do during the first part of the Mass, the Liturgy of the Word, which extends from the first reading through the prayers of intercession.
But this listening is not passive. It is something we do. It takes effort and concentration to carefully hear and absorb the Word of God proclaimed in the first two readings, the Gospel and the homily. Perhaps if we are a bit exhausted after this half-hour or more of listening, something spiritually important has happened to us.
Third, we give thanks and praise in the Liturgy of the Eucharist.
At the beginning of the Eucharistic Prayer the presider invites us, the assembly, to "lift up our hearts and give God thanks and praise."
As the presider helps us remember and make present today the precious gift of Christ’s suffering, death and resurrection we, in turn, respond with one of the designated acclamations: "Christ has died, Christ has risen, Christ will come again," or, "By your cross and resurrection you have set us free; you are the Savior of the world."
At the conclusion of the Eucharistic Prayer, at the great doxology (word of praise), "Through him, with him, in him," we acclaim the Great Amen: "Amen, Amen."
Fourth, in the breaking and sharing at the Last Supper Christ assured his disciples that he would be with them whenever they broke bread together and shared the common cup.
As the priest breaks the loaf of bread in our sight at Mass, divides it among us and offers us the "wine poured out in our behalf," we receive Christ’s gift extended throughout time and proclaim his death and resurrection until he comes again.
Our final action: Going forth as a gathered assembly is to be sent forth to be the body of Christ for each other and for a broken world. This is not the end, but rather the beginning, as we are missioned to share what we have received.
If we have participated as earnestly as we can in these liturgical actions, perhaps we will feel a bit fatigued, but we will also know that by our actions we have participated in "that true Christian spirit" that is the aim of all good liturgy.
Editorial
A different strain of self-enriching government gets little attention here
In the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s controversial ruling on eminent domain last week, politicians across the country are falling over themselves in a rush to defend property rights. Would that such political enthusiasm had met mobile home community tenants in Anchorage when soaring land values the past few years led to the evictions of hundreds of families as developers, and the city, saw more lucrative uses for the land beneath these low-income communities.
The Supreme Court ruled June 23 in Kelo v. New London that the city of New London, Conn., could evict families and businesses from a working class neighborhood and turn the property over to private developers who promised to make more productive economic use of the land.
Now elected officials far and wide — including legislators in Juneau and assembly members in Anchorage — are condemning the court, blasting it for expanding the "public use" principle upon which eminent domain rests to include the good of economic development and increased tax revenues for the government.
There’s a connection, albeit a thin one, in Alaska.
A few years ago in Anchorage, developers searching for increasingly scarce land zeroed in on mobile home communities — some of which were located on dozens of acres of prime real estate.
Developers had no trouble getting the city to rezone land from residential to commercial so that building projects could proceed. It was tough luck for the folks who lived in the trailer parks; they basically had no protection. Eviction deadlines could be set in the middle of winter, and the expense of moving, which averages about $7,500 per trailer, was entirely the homeowners’ responsibility. Some developers honorably chose to provide some financial assistance, though they were not required to do so.
The Justice and Peace Department of the Anchorage Archdiocese in 2002 proposed a relocation fund that would help mobile home tenants move when the land beneath their homes was sold. The plan suggested a $500,000 startup contribution from the state and ongoing funding from mobile home owners, land owners, developers and the local taxing authority — which, after all, gains a great deal more tax revenue when an old mobile home park on the edge of downtown is replaced by, say, a 10-story commercial office building.
Guess who balked?
The city of Anchorage wanted more time to study the proposal. A key state legislator said it was a nice idea but that the budget was really tight.
Since then, nothing has happened on the relocation fund concept in the Legislature, despite the state now being awash in oil revenue. And the city is still studying the problem of mobile home community closures — there is a subcommittee dedicated to the topic in the city’s 10-year plan on homelessness.
It’s not too late to revive the relocation fund plan for Anchorage, where remaining mobile home communities are still at risk.
In fact, it’s a great time to look at the proposal again, since the Kelo v. New London ruling has so many elected officials scrutinizing the power of government to enrich itself at the expense of its middle- and low-income citizens.
Letters to the Editor
Portrayal of Leo X was unfair
It seems that every religion supports itself to the point of historical absurdity. I made an effort to know the truth about Catholicism by compiling the biographies of all the popes from the old Encyclopedia Britannica — a more objective source than the church’s straight succession of saints. The Protestants should stop erasing the first 1,500 years of Christianity they did not have to preserve and come to terms with reality. In the PBS lopsided liberal presentation of Martin Luther they portray Leo X with an unflattering photo and an inference to orgies with prostitutes. Here are some of the things Leo had on his plate: Preservation of papal conquests inherited from Alexander VI and Julius II; minimizing foreign influence whether French, Spanish or German, in Italy; restoring the French church to Catholic unity; abolishing the pragmatic sanction of Bourges; bringing to a successful close the Lateran council convoked by his predecessor; staying the victorious advance of the Turks; quieting the disagreeable wranglings of the German humanists; staying the advance of the warlike Sultan Selim I; plus the 96 propositions by Luther, which he underestimated. What responsibilities did the iconoclastic Augustinian monk have?
Kasilof
Dirty hands on body, blood?
If a Catholic priest, deep in mortal sin, says Holy Mass, when he comes to the consecration, does God really allow him to change bread and wine into the body and blood of our savior Jesus Christ?
Anchorage
Muddy thinking taints ethicist
What is wrong with the ethicist quoted in the June 17 Anchor (Nation News)? What does he find confusing about John Paul II’s statement that food and water are not medicine; that providing them, even artificially, is "morally obligatory" while they benefit the patient? Other than by consulting his own biases, how does he conclude that those statements should be limited to patients in a permanent vegetative state? He appears to be seeking loopholes, not truth. He claims the "traditional model" of making decisions looked at burdens to the patient, and to the family, and to the community. The very reference the story quotes, however, calls for providing nutrition and hydration unless outweighed by burdens "to the patient." We are not a primitive society on the brink of starvation. What "burden" to family or society could then justify dehydrating stroke victims or dementia patients (two categories Mr. Panicola would exclude from "morally obligatory" feeding tubes)?
Chugiak
Posture debate misses mark
There has been much debate over the recent changes in posture during Communion. I am more astonished by the passivity surrounding two other important but generally ignored directives. They are recently discussed but not new. From Father Clementich’s June 3 "Church at Prayer" column: "We bow at the words of the Incarnation during the creed and before we receive the Body and Blood of Christ." First, bowing during the creed is our acknowledgement of God’s incredible humility and mercy — at the moment of Incarnation he came into the world as our savior. Second, and even more importantly, during Communion we come before Christ and receive him — an unbelievably precious gift and worthy of our conscious reverence! I’ve seen so few communicants come to the altar and make any sign of acknowledgement before receiving Christ in the Eucharist. Those able to do so should make a profound bow (from the waist).
Anchorage
Editor’s Note: The "Church at Prayer" series is archived on the Anchor’s new and improved Web site, www.catholicanchor.org. There are eight installments so far, including the one on page 15 of this issue.
Kneeling is being phased out
Like Bartleby the Scrivener — that ill-fated soul in Herman Melville’s American literary classic of the same name — I "prefer not to" assume the newly mandated posture of standing during the Communion sequence of the Holy Mass. My attitude in this regard has nothing to do with "typical American individualism" as His Grace Archbishop Roger Schwietz suggests (Archbishop’s Column, June 17), nor is it an act of defiance or disrespect for church authority. Rather, it reflects the loss of a vanishing Catholic posture — kneeling — that, for many, greatly enhances a deeply held desire for some "one on one" quiet time with Our Lord during this profoundly personal part of the Mass. Ironically, of all the things that "needed fixin’ " in the church (or perhaps in the Mass), this wasn’t one of them. Community oneness, togetherness and unified acclamation during the Mass are, in themselves, good and necessary things; however, in this case, I say, as the radio evangelists of a bygone era (pre-TV) used to sing, "Gimme that old time religion."
Anchorage
Mass should not be confusing
I have wanted to address this subject before and now I will. This morning I attended the children’s Mass and the priest sang the Communion prayers, but they were different. Then he started to sing the consecration words. After the bread was consecrated into the body of Christ the children sang "Jesus Died for Us" twice. Then the priest consecrated the wine, and the children again sang "Jesus Died for Us." My concern about this is that we are not to be singing or saying out-loud prayers in the middle of the consecration. There are so many ideas of how to "improve" the Mass, and it becomes confusion and not a time of deep reverence.
Anchorage
Norms say we may kneel, sit
In the April 8 Catholic Anchor, under the title "New Liturgical Norms for the Archdiocese of Anchorage," it says: "The faithful of the Archdiocese of Anchorage are to stand from the beginning of the Lord’s Prayer until the distribution of Communion is complete, unless prevented by reasons of health or lack of space. This is not to regulate posture rigidly in such a way that those who wish to kneel or sit would no longer be free." So, we are to stand, unless we wish to kneel or sit. It’s right there in black and white, in the published norms. Why then is the archbishop upset that we are kneeling or sitting? He has mandated that we may do so. Let’s have no more haranguing by the clergy, making us feel like lepers. We are legitimately exercising our freedom, as mandated by the archbishop. Deo Gratias!
Anchorage