December 12, 2008 - Issue #23
Local News | Opinion/Editorials | Letters to the Editor
Local News
On the 18th day of Christmas?
Based on the number of Christmas lights, decorated trees and stockings that already appear along storefronts and neighborhood streets, one might think Christmas began the day after Thanksgiving.
According to the Catholic Church, however, the Christmas season runs from Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, and ends, almost three weeks later, on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, Jan. 11.
Along the way, Christians commemorate the miracle of the nativity as well as the mysteries of Jesus’ infancy.
The celebrations on Dec. 24 and Dec. 25 highlight the central “Christmas mystery” – the Incarnation.
As one ancient hymn explains, “the Virgin today brings into the world the Eternal and the earth offers a cave to the Inaccessible.”
In short, “God is with us,” Father Ron Licayan of St. Mary in Kodiak said in a recent interview with the Anchor.
And there is particular importance in the fact that God was born into a human family, he said. Namely, we can join Christ eternally in the “family of God.”
Jesus even calls us “brothers and sisters,” Father Licayan added.
Fittingly, at the Kodiak parish, Christmas begins with a “family Mass” on Christmas Eve. Then during the weekend of the feast of the Holy Family (celebrated Dec. 28), the church hosts a Christmas party for the whole parish family.
As the season continues, Christians mark important moments in Jesus’ infancy. These include his circumcision on the eighth day after his birth and Epiphany, when the three Wise Men arrived on the twelfth day to adore Jesus.
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Jesus’ circumcision signifies his incorporation into Abraham’s descendants and into the people of the covenant.
And Epiphany, explained Father Licayan, is the “revelation of Jesus to the whole world,” which is symbolized by three pagan Magi.
The Baptism of the Lord (Jan. 11) is the official closing of Christmas as the church begins to reflect on Christ’s public life.
Throughout the full 18 days of Christmas, area churches will visibly and audibly reflect the season.
Priests’ vestments are white or gold to signify the celebration of Christ as the light of the world.
A special white candle – the Christ candle – is lit in the sanctuary to further illustrate the point, and Christmas-themed hymns are sung until Jan. 11.
Celebrating after Dec. 25 Here are a few ideas on how to celebrate the full 18 days of Christmas: * Record the televised Midnight Mass with the pope at the Vatican (12 a.m., Dec. 25). Watch it later so as not to miss Midnight Mass at your own parish. * Host a “Feast of Kings” party on Epiphany (Jan. 6). * Keep Christmas decorations up and listen to sacred Christmas music until the feast of the Baptism of the Lord (Jan. 11). * Open smaller gifts each day after Dec. 25. |
So what of the 12 days of Christmas? According to some sources, “The Twelve Days of Christmas” was a Jesuit catechism song for young Catholics who lived during the English persecutions of Catholics that began in the late 1500s.
Designed as coded messages, each of the items listed in the song – such as partridges in a pear tree and golden rings – secretly signified elements of the faith.
Three French hens, for example, stood for the theological virtues of faith, hope and charity. “Six geese a-laying” meant the six days of creation. “Seven swans a-swimming” were the seven sacraments, and so on.
While many traditions — both popular and liturgical — point to the religious nature of Christmas, Father Licayan lamented that the wider culture is often a distraction.
“It’s buy this, buy that, then Santa comes,” he said.
Many forget that at the first Christmas, “it was silent night, it was holy night,” he added.
The 18 days of Christmas are an opportunity to reflect on how God sent his only Son into the world, Father Licayan said, so humankind would “think like Christ and live our lives like Christ.”
A Christmas Message from the Archbishop
“The time came for Mary to be delivered. And she gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” (Lk. 2:6-7)
These touching words are very familiar to us as Christians — we hear them every Christmas. The message is both moving and sad, as Pope Benedict commented in his Midnight Mass of Christmas last year. Clearly Mary had well prepared her heart for this moment of birth, and had also made the material preparations she could, for, as the Gospel of Luke tells us, Mary had prepared the swaddling clothes in which to wrap the baby Jesus. Mary was prepared for Jesus, but the world was not — for there was no room for them in the inn. As Pope Benedict commented: “In some way, mankind is awaiting God, waiting for him to draw near. But when the moment comes, there is no room for him.”
As I offer you my best wishes for a blessed Christmas, I also pray that all of us can make room for Christ in our hearts and in our lives. It is so easy for us to allow our lives to be so filled with concern for material things, pleasures or fears, or the noise of the world around us, that there is simply no room for Jesus in our inn. As individuals and as families, let us resolve to do a little Christmas house cleaning to make room for the Prince of Peace.
May the celebration of the birth of Jesus bring God’s blessings of joy and peace to you and your loved ones.
Archbishop Roger Schwietz, OMI
Spirit prevails beyond hospital shooting
Mass brings healing to Soldotna community
A healing Mass took place at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church on Dec. 4, after a tragic week for the staff of Central Peninsula Hospital.
Only eight days earlier, a former employee gunned down two directors at the hospital, taking the life of Mike Webb and leaving Margaret Stroup in critical condition.
More than 60 people attended the evening Mass, where it was apparent that healing was in order.
“Nothing separates us from God,” said Oblate of Mary Immaculate priest, Father Andy Sensenig, during his homily. “We may have been tempted in these last eight days to feel that we are (separated), but I have seen not only horror, but also the gentle, courageous spirit of this community hold us together.”
Fellow Oblate priests, Father Tony Dummer and Father Joe Dowling were also at the Mass, having worked closely with the hospital spiritual care coordinator Meg Zerbinos in helping bring comfort to Soldotna since the shooting.
Zerbinos, a Catholic who has worked in her current position for four years, orchestrated an ecumenical approach during several events that aimed to bring healing and comfort.
“From the very beginning, God’s hand was with me. By sheer grace I was in a different building when the shooting started,” Zerbinos said. “In the last eight days I’ve had such inner peace; I know God worked through me so that I had the strength to work with everyone at the hospital from the very first day.”
In an effort to bring healing to the shocked community, the hospital invited on-site chaplains from several Christian traditions to assist and set aside two non-denominational public sanctuaries where the shootings took place. In addition, a blessing of the site rededicated the hospital space to healing. A memorial service for Webb and a prayer service for victims also took place.
The shooting reminded many of the unique twist that only those who work in critical service positions can fully understand: they can’t stop providing those services, even when tragedy hits home.
Minutes after the attack, health care providers went right back to work: this time on members of their own staff. Holly West, an emergency room technician at CPH, was scheduled to work only hours after the shooting. She recalled Father Sensenig gave her a big hug before she went about her “business-as-usual” duties.
“That meant a lot to me,” West said.
She said she felt the healing Mass did her a lot of good, especially the anointing with the consecrated oil.
“It’s still with me, I can feel it on my hands,” she said. “It’s a reminder to me that Father Andy prayed for us to heal.”
Many people at the Mass were teary-eyed as they reflected on the tragedy and God’s healing power.
“It’s interesting how our little peninsula has been affected,” Father Sensenig said during his homily. “A horror has come upon us, anger has come upon us, doubt and confusion have come upon us. And yet, here we are, to ask for healing and comfort.”
Those who attended at the Mass learned that the Oblates of Mary Immaculate and Catholics across the country, were praying for them.
Prisoners at Kenai’s Wildwood Correctional Center prayed in the prison’s chapel for the healing of all those involved.
“They are like Paul to us, like Paul to the Romans, because they are praying that we do not forget that nothing can separate us from God,” Fr. Sensenig said, reflecting the evening’s Gospel reading.
The healing Mass ended with the passing of candlelight from the Advent candle to each parishioner. Zerbinos said the Mass reminded her that “we are so lucky to be Catholic, because of all our rituals. I love our rituals.”
Kenai Peninsula Mayor Dave Carey, a eucharistic minister at the healing Mass, said the tragedy sheds a different light on Advent.
“Advent tells us to prepare every day to find the Christ Child in our own life and in others,” he said. “I believe this type of incident makes us look at what is essentially important: love of family and the people with whom we work and an appreciation for all the people who take care of us – our doctors, nurses and police.”
Dozens journey towards Catholic Church
Rite of Acceptance begins time of formal formation
These are not cradle Catholics. In fact, they aren’t even Catholic yet. They came by the church a bit later in life and as Christmas approaches, they continue preparations to enter the church in the spring.
While they hail from many walks, these men and women are all learning the fundamentals of the Catholic faith.
A sense of the profound community and the mystery of the Mass inspired 18-year-old Leeanna Freeman to officially begin her journey into the Catholic Church at St. Benedict Church in Anchorage.
“Two years ago, when I started going to Lumen Christi (Jr./ Sr. High School), I saw all these kids participating in this one great event,” Freeman said. “I wanted to be a part of it!”
She joins dozens of fellow adults, across the Anchorage Archdiocese, who are looking to formally enter the Catholic Church this coming Easter through the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, which typically begins in the fall and is a formation process that prepares people to enter into full communion with the Catholic Church.
“RCIA is important because our tradition is so rich and long — over two thousand years,” said Father Scott Garrett, pastor of Holy Rosary Church in Dillingham. “(Catholicism) isn’t just a start up religion…it’s got some serious history behind it, and it is important to learn.”
Deacon Ken Donahue, who heads the RCIA program at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church in Anchorage, agrees.
“Vatican II recognized that there was a real need to help offer formal formation,” he said. “Much like the early church did with their formation by assigning a person to be a sponsor to help guide people on their way to formation.”
The program of study might seem daunting to some, but most see the benefit of learning the core teachings of the Catholic Church.
“I personally think RCIA really prepares you for what you are about to become,” Freeman said. “It gives you perspective about what you are doing.”
The first Sunday of Advent (Nov. 30) marked the rite of acceptance for most churches across the archdiocese. During Mass, those candidates who had never been baptized are recognized as catechumens.
For those who have already been baptized, either as a Catholic or Protestant, they entered a rite of welcoming, but they are not called catechumens, Deacon Donahue said, because they have already been baptized.
All candidates, however, formally committed to learn about the church.
Deacon Donahue likened it to a student formally choosing his major.
“Before you choose a major, you might audit a class in anthropology to see if you like it,” he said. “Once you’ve taken an interest and declare a major, then you enter into a commitment process.”
The process is similar for the new catechumens, he said. During the rite of acceptance, it becomes a more formal time period to study the faith.
The next rite of passage for RCIA catechumens and candidates will come at the beginning of Lent, during the rite of election.
“This rite is usually celebrated with the archbishop on the first Sunday of Lent,” Deacon Donahue explained. “This begins the more intense period of preparation and purification for the sacraments of initiation (baptism, confirmation and Eucharist).”
At that time, the greater Catholic community is invited to pray that the catechumens and candidates will open their hearts to the Word of God, “to see what they haven’t seen before, to gain a new disposition to life,” he added.
Those enrolled in RCIA then enter into the scrutinies during the last Sundays of Lent, which mark the final preparation of catechumens and candidates to receive the sacraments of initiation.
At the Easter Vigil, the elect are officially initiated into the church through the sacraments. The non-baptized (catechumens) are baptized, and candidates receive first Communion and confirmation.
But formal entry into the church doesn’t end the formation process, Deacon Donahue said.
“They enter into the stage of mystagogy which is like an internship,” he explained. “Now that I am Catholic, how do I live like one?”
This final stage culminates at Pentecost, when most churches hold a final commissioning.
“This is where the learners are sent out to be the teachers,” Deacon Donahue said.
Many point out that the education process includes the whole community, not just those who are studying to enter the Catholic Church.
“RICA is evangelistic,” Father Garrett said. “One of the things I like about RCIA is the education component for those who are already Catholic, because they get to re-learn the faith.”
That helps revitalize the church and inspires others to become Catholic, he added. Both clergymen said community involvement is a critical component.
For RCIA candidate Freeman, the community component was key for her decision to enter the church.
“The whole community being together as one, even if it is just an hour a week, it is amazing,” she said.
Could school vouchers work in Alaska?
The Catholic Church has long advocated public funding for religious schooling. It has been nearly a decade, however, since Alaskans seriously considered the question of allowing publicly funded vouchers to be used to pay for private or religious schooling.
Voucher legislation was last introduced in the state House of Representatives in 1999 with a bill that would have established a statewide school-choice scholarship system. The bill died in the House Judiciary Committee and vouchers have largely fallen out of public debate in Alaska.
The topic received new life, however, during the recent national presidential campaign, as the two leading candidates debated the merits of school vouchers on live television.
Recent opinion columns in the Anchorage Daily News have also explored ways to improve education, including the merits of using school vouchers.
During the presidential debates, Sen. John McCain supported vouchers as a way to combat perceived failures in public schools. President elect Barack Obama argued that vouchers would not bring about the educational reforms they promise and in fact would only drain needed funds from struggling public school systems.
But many Catholics and other supporters of private education back vouchers as a matter of justice, especially as it affects the rights of parents to direct the education of their children.
The Vatican, U.S. bishops and the National Catholic Education Association all support the idea of providing public assistance for school choice – including choices for religious schooling.
As the largest association of private educators in the world, the NCEA officially states that, “The common good of society is advanced by helping parents to exercise fully their right to direct the upbringing of their children through the educational program of their choice.”
Parents with low incomes, the argument goes, have little ability to choose an education for their child outside of public schooling, which many perceive as lacking in academic rigor and quality.
The Vatican’s Congregation for Catholic Education also supports public funding for school choice, stating that “the principle of distributive justice” should ensure “that public subsidies are so allocated that parents are truly free to select schools for their children in accordance with their conscience.”
In a November interview with the Catholic Anchor, Anchorage Archbishop Roger Schwietz voiced support for a possible voucher system in Alaska. He pointed to a successful and widely praised voucher program in Washington, D.C., which provides federal scholarships to children of low-income families who wish to attend private schools. The program serves about 1,900 children with 60 percent choosing to attend Catholic schools.
“The experiences that I’m aware of, particularly in Washington, D.C., show a voucher program can be very successful,” Archbishop Schwietz said. “It gives needy young people the chance to go into an education system where they can thrive. It seems more just for them and their parents.”
Archbishop Schwietz suggested that vouchers might also be a way to bolster the quality of education for many Alaska Native children, who increasingly move into Anchorage due to economic challenges in the Bush.
Public vouchers could support local Catholic schools, which in turn could give students “more personal attention,” Archbishop Schwietz said.
In an economy where education costs are soaring and the lower and middle classes are increasingly feeling the squeeze, many parents want their children to have a Catholic school education but can’t afford it.
Adrian Dominican Sister Ann Fallon is the superintendent of the four schools operated by the Anchorage Archdiocese. She sees, first hand, how families sacrifice to send children to Catholic schools.
The average yearly tuition at a local Catholic school for grades K-6 is $3,800 and that doesn’t come close to covering the actual cost of $6,900 for the year, Sister Fallon explained. The $3,100 gap is bridged through parish subsidies, fundraisers and the archdiocese’s annual fundraising appeal.
“We know that not everyone can afford the tuition, let alone the gap,” Sister Fallon told the Anchor. “That is why financial aid is so important.”
Sister Fallon points to the need for Catholics to help provide financial aid and support for local schools but she also recognizes the benefits of a publicly funded voucher system.
She said vouchers could benefit public schools as much as they do private schools because they would create healthy competition.
“The public school would be challenged to be better, and we’d be challenged to be better,” Sister Fallon said.
Other religiously affiliated groups also support vouchers in Alaska.
The Alaska Family Council is a non-denominational statewide organization that supports traditional Christian values as they relate to public policy.
The organization’s Web site points to the fact that “many Alaska parents currently send their children to private schools – paying thousands of dollars a year, out of pocket, for educational services, while also helping fund the public schools through local property taxes.”
The Web site goes on to state that “a voucher system, or even a tax-incentive program, would allow parents to access some of the funds the state would have spent on a student that attended public school – in Alaska that is about $9,000 a year in the urban schools and much higher in rural areas – to send a student to the school of their choice.”
While there is some support for a voucher system in Alaska, the state’s constitution may pose the most substantial challenge to voucher programs.
In Article 7, the constitution says the state must offer public schooling that is free from sectarian control.
It further states that “no money shall be paid from public funds for the direct benefit of any religious or other private educational institution.”
In a 2006 interview with the National Education Association of Alaska, Gov. Sarah Palin cited the state’s constitution for why she did not support vouchers.
“It is unconstitutional and it is as simple as that,” Palin said.
But voucher supporters say there is nothing in the constitution that explicitly prohibits public funds from “indirectly” benefiting religious or private schools.
Alaska Family Council President Jim Minnery cited a precedent, already established in Alaska, where public funds provide incidental or indirect benefit to a private Catholic school. He pointed to Monroe Catholic High School in Fairbanks, where students are transported to school on the public transit system. The money is not directly provided to the school but it does provide an indirect benefit.
Similarly, the argument goes, vouchers could be provided directly to students, which would allow parents to use the vouchers to pay for the education of their choice – whether that be private or religious schooling.
Several other states have already successfully adopted voucher programs. To date, 11 states have implemented 17 voucher programs or educational tax credits.
A 2008 report on Catholic education from the University of Notre Dame, however, states that Catholics must take more of a lead in advocating for vouchers if they are to ever become more widespread.
The report, “Faith, Finances and the Future,” states that, “State legislatures have to be moved to action, the Catholic community mobilized, political leaders made to take notice, and all stakeholders persuaded to see the civic value in supporting religious schools with tax dollars.”
— Effie Caldarola contributed to this report
Local opportunities offered to prepare spiritually for Christmas
Deck the halls. Tidy up the house. Clean the soul? In order to help people prepare for Christmas, churches in the Anchorage Archdiocese are offering reconciliation services – and more opportunities for confession – this month.
As with other holy seasons, Christmas is a time “when spiritual values come to the fore” and are more on people’s minds, said Father Steven Moore of St. Benedict Church, which is holding a service and confessions on Dec. 22.
A reconciliation service affords a special time for the laity – together – to focus on the need to reestablish a relationship with God and express sorrow for sin. It is a “communal experience,” said Father Moore. Customarily, a reconciliation service involves penitential prayers and hymns and a short sermon.
Advent Reconciliation Services Saint Anthony Church: Dec. 16, 7 p.m. Saint Benedict Church: Dec. 22, 7 p.m. Wasilla – Sacred Heart Church: Dec. 15, 7 p.m. Unalaska – St. Christopher Mission: Dec. 15, 7 p.m. Kenai – Our Lady of the Angels Church: Dec. 17, 7 p.m. Big Lake – Our Lady of the Lake Church: Dec. 17, 7 p.m. Willow – Saint Christopher Mission: Dec. 17, 7 p.m. Palmer – Saint Michael Church: Dec. 18, 7 p.m. Homer – Saint John the Baptist Church: Dec. 18, 7 p.m. Valdez – Saint Francis Xavier Church: Dec. 19, 7 p.m. Ninilchik – Saint Peter the Apostle Church: Dec. 19, 7 p.m. Steward – Sacred Heart Church: Dec. 23, 7 p.m. Parishes that held reconciliation services earlier than Dec. 12 are not listed here. For information on confession schedules, call the local Catholic church or visit archdioceseofanchorage.org/about/parishes/. |
In addition, typically, there is an opportunity for Catholics to individually receive the sacrament of penance in confession with one of a number of priests.
In conjunction with St. Benedict’s reconciliation service, for example, about five priests will hear individual confessions.
In confession, God forgives a person’s venial (minor) and mortal (serious) sins which wound his or her relationship with God. The penitent meets with a priest, either anonymously behind a screen or face-to-face, and confidentially confesses his or her sins. With sincere contrition, the penitent asks God for forgiveness. Then, in the name of God, the priest absolves the penitent, granting him or her “pardon and peace.”
Going to confession is not necessarily something a Catholic should do only before a holy day, Father Moore explained.
“It’s always important,” he said, adding that “any time you’re ready to go to confession is the right time to go to confession.”
At a minimum, Catholics are asked to go to confession at least once a year and whenever a person is conscious of serious sin – in order to worthily receive the Body and Blood of Christ at Mass. The church welcomes to confession any baptized Catholic – including anyone who has fallen out of practice of the faith, regardless of how long that lapse has been.
With patriarch’s death, Russian Orthodox Church of Alaska ‘lost a friend,’ says local leader
VATICAN CITY — On Dec. 5, the Russian Orthodox Diocese of Alaska lost a powerful friend when the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow, died at his home outside the country’s capital city.
While the Russian Orthodox Diocese of Alaska had not been under the official leadership of the Russian church for many years, there has been a close connection both historically and in recent times.
In 1970, the Russian church officially recognized the right of the Orthodox Church of America to govern itself, which includes the Russian Orthodox Diocese of Alaska.
The Russian Orthodox Church agreed to the separation amid the communist rule in their country, which had made it difficult for the patriarch to guide Orthodox churches in the United States.
The Russian church, however, has remained close to the Orthodox in Alaska, said Rev. Benjamin, bishop of San Francisco and the West and current administrator for the Russian Orthodox Diocese of Alaska.
“The patriarch had always supported our work in Alaska and in that sense we have lost a friend,” he said in an interview with the Catholic Anchor.
“In 1970, our church was granted the right to rule itself,” he explained. “So we are no longer a part of the Russian church but we are a sister church.”
The first Russian Orthodox missionaries came to Alaska and landed in Kodiak in 1794. The Orthodox Church of America would eventually grow out of those early missionary efforts.
Patriarch Alexy visited Alaska in 1993 to inaugurate the bicentennial celebration for the Diocese of Alaska and the Orthodox Church in America, commemorating the arrival of the first missionaries 200 years earlier.
Patriarch Alexy, who also visited other cities in the country, was the first patriarch of Russia to visit the United States.
“His coming brought thousands of Alaskan Orthodox to Anchorage for several memorable days of services and celebrations,” said Father Michael Oleksa in an email to the Anchor. A local Orthodox priest and historian, Father Oleksa lives and ministers in Anchorage.
“It allowed Alaska Natives to worship at St. Innocent Cathedral (in Anchorage), which was still under construction and to sing hymns in various languages: Slavonic, English, Yup’ik, Unangan Aleut, Alutiiq, Tlingit and Tanaina Athabaskan. His visit became a festival of Alaska Native languages and cultures such as the state had never witnessed before.”
The patriarch also visited the Kodiak parish which the early missionaries founded, and took a Coast Guard helicopter to nearby Spruce Island where St. Herman, the first Orthodox saint in the New World, lived his monastic life.
Patriarch Alexy also stopped in Sitka, where the Tlingits of Juneau presented him with a partial set of hand-beaded vestments.
“For years after his return to Moscow, the clergy there report he referred to his visit to Alaska as one of the most significant trips of his life,” Father Oleksa said. “He was especially impressed with the commitment, piety and fervor with which the Orthodox Native people in Alaska had maintained their faith and preserved the folk customs they had received from Siberian settlers who intermarried with Alaskans when Alaska was still part of the Russian Empire. The patriarch had a special appreciation and love for the Alaska Native people who constitute the great majority of the Orthodox population in the state.”
Patriarch Alexy was 79 when he died. He had suffered from a heart condition and had been ill for some time.
He led the world’s largest Orthodox church since 1990. As primate of the Russian Orthodox Church, the patriarch was the spiritual leader of more than 110 million church members in Russia, the former Soviet republics and the diaspora.
He led the church through the difficult transition from the end of Soviet repression to an era of religious freedom and sought to revitalize traditional religious values in a society that was still grappling with the aftereffects of totalitarianism and the impact of newfound freedoms.
Pope Benedict XVI praised the patriarch’s efforts “for the rebirth of the church after the severe ideological oppression which led to the martyrdom of so many witnesses to the Christian faith.”
In a written message sent to the synod of the Russian Orthodox Church Dec. 5, the pope offered his “most sincere condolences” and said he “was profoundly saddened” to receive news of the patriarch’s death.
He recalled Patriarch Alexy’s “courageous battle for the defense of human and Gospel values,” especially in Europe.
In his message, the pope said he prayed the patriarch’s hard work would “bear fruit in peace and genuine progress — human, social and spiritual.”
Cardinal Walter Kasper, the Vatican’s top ecumenist, expressed his “profound sadness” at the patriarch’s death.
Despite challenges and obstacles between the two churches, the patriarch held a firm desire to strengthen collaboration with the Catholic Church, Cardinal Kasper said in a statement Dec. 5.
“His personal commitment to improving relations with the Catholic Church, in spite of the difficulties and tensions which from time to time have emerged, has never been in doubt,” the cardinal said.
Cardinal Kasper said that during his many meetings with the patriarch, the Orthodox leader would “always make a point of expressing his good will toward the Holy Father.”
He said Patriarch Alexy helped guide the Russian Orthodox Church during the post-communist transition and enabled it to emerge with “renewed interior vitality.”
“He was instrumental in fostering the enormous growth of dioceses, parishes, monasteries and educational institutions, which have given new life to a church sorely tested for so long,” the cardinal said.
Despite the late Pope John Paul II’s long-expressed desire to visit Russia, the Russian Orthodox under Patriarch Alexy never invited the pope to Russia. They insisted the patriarch would not meet the pope until they were satisfied that Catholics were not proselytizing in Russia.
Though still strained, Russian Orthodox relations with the Catholic Church improved greatly under Pope Benedict. After recent meetings this year with Russian Orthodox leaders, Cardinal Kasper, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, said historical tensions had been replaced by an eagerness to cooperate.
Pope Benedict had praised the patriarch for his commitment to fostering better relations between Catholics and Orthodox.
In a letter delivered to the patriarch in May, the pope wrote, “It is with joy that I reflect on the experience of growing closeness between us, accompanied by the shared desire to promote authentic Christian values and to witness to Our Lord in ever deeper communion.”
Born in Estonia in 1929 to a family of Russian emigrants, Patriarch Alexy was enthroned as patriarch in 1990, just a year after the collapse of the Soviet Union. He said his church had to work to help the Soviet people overcome bitterness left by years of repression.
“Too serious is the disease caused by the virus of totalitarianism, which has contaminated human souls with hatred, spite and intolerance,” the Russian Orthodox patriarch said in a talk at Georgetown University in Washington in 1991.
He said Russia would never enjoy a life of prosperity and peace if the church, “as the spiritual healer,” did not help people recover from this disease.
When the Soviet parliament granted religious freedom in the country for the first time since the Communist Party took power 70 years ago, the patriarch took a leading role in revitalizing the country’s pastoral life.
He said the church needed help so it could reopen churches and monasteries, provide religious education, offer charity and carry out many other activities.
Even though he appealed for outside aid, he accused other religious groups, including the Catholic Church, of ignoring Orthodox needs and proselytizing.
The Vatican repeatedly has said it rejects proselytism and wants to be informed of any specific instances where Catholics are trying to entice Orthodox Christians to embrace Catholicism.
Talks to explore Paul of Tarsus
Next month, Dr. Florence Gillman will be in Anchorage to give four presentations entitled, “The intriguing and inspiring Paul of Tarsus: A 2,000-year perspective.” Gillman is professor of Biblical Studies at the University of San Diego. Her upcoming series is free and open to the public. It will take place in Grant Hall at Alaska Pacific University. The event dovetails with the Catholic Church’s worldwide celebration of the Year of St. Paul, which ends Jun. 29, 2009.
The Anchor sent the following questions to Gillman to learn more about her upcoming talk and her personal interest in this extraordinary first century apostle.
My lectures will look at numerous aspects of Paul’s life, letters, the communities he founded, the men and women who worked alongside him, some controversies that arose and his amazing influence throughout the 2,000 years of the history of Christianity, including the powerful effect his thought has on many people today.
Paul is intriguing on many accounts. One thing I have long found fascinating is that Paul (via his letters) has reached across the centuries and resonated with many individuals of many cultures for the past two millennia. His ability to communicate what he experienced and to formulate that theologically has amazingly transcended both time and cultural differences. The famous writer C.S. Lewis once commented “we read to know we are not alone.” I think that relates to the phenomenon of Paul reaching across the centuries — many Christians who become his readers surprisingly encounter an ancient yet kindred spirit whose following of Jesus inspires their own discipleship.
Because Paul’s letters are usually responses to existing situations and concerns, we have to attempt to reconstruct what the situations were that he was addressing in his letters. Sometimes we are at a loss to know what caused him to comment as he did. Biblical interpreters thus have a detective side to our work, a most challenging — and truly interesting — part of what biblical scholars do! As for the content of Paul’s theology, it is thought provoking throughout, but at the same time inspiring, because one realizes he truly lived what he said. In the lectures, one major idea I will speak about is Paul’s understanding that Christians must be conformed to Christ, an ongoing process he views as basically a way of life. To attempt to integrate Paul’s thought on conformation to Christ into our own contemporary spirituality is challenging for both individuals and their church communities.
Well, I can assure you I’d have more than just two questions I’d like to ask Paul, and a hard time to decide which two! I certainly would like to know far more details about his life, thought and personal experiences in every period, including his final years in Rome and his martyrdom. I especially would want to ask him to speak fully about his experience of the resurrected Jesus on the Damascus Road, because that event was so profound that it propelled him for the following three decades to be an unflagging witness to the good news.
It is often commented that Paul’s importance in early Christianity is second only to that of Jesus. And, one observes that throughout the past 2,000 years of church history his influence has never ceased to be felt. So, not only do 21st century Christians owe him a great deal historically, but it is also possible for us to get to know him and his thought rather well via the many epistles we have from him. Twenty-first century Christians also find many surprises in studying Paul, since some of the more famous and controversial things Paul was blamed for by some past generations (such as negative attitudes toward women) appear to us in a much different light after the massive study done on him and his letters by 20th century scholars. Probably most of all, Paul also offers his readers in every century a profound articulation of the earliest Christian thought about the significance of Jesus and how discipleship impacts one’s present life. He also has much to say about how to think about the unknown future toward which we are all inevitably moving.
Feast of the Epiphany:
The world discovers the Son of God
On Jan. 6, the Catholic Church celebrates the feast of the Epiphany, which commemorates the visit of the three Magi (also known as Three Kings or Wise Men) to adore the Christ Child 12 days after his birth. The Magi were astrologers from the east — members of a priestly caste around Persia. According to tradition, their names were Caspar, Balthazar and Melchior.
According to the Catholic Catechism, Epiphany is the “manifestation of Jesus as Messiah of Israel, Son of God and Savior of the world” — including all Gentiles. The coming of the Magi “means that pagans can discover Jesus and worship him as Son of God and Savior of the world.”
According to the fourth century St. Gregory of Nazianzen, the moment when the Magi came to worship the Divine Infant, astrology was finished.
According to the Gospel of St. Matthew, the three Magi had seen a star in the west “at its rising,” which according to ancient custom, signified the birth of a new ruler.
So they came to Jerusalem, asking King Herod about the new king. Secretly jealous and bent on destroying any contender, Herod urged the Magi to find the child, ostensibly so he could pay him homage, too.
The Magi set out, with the miraculous star preceding them until it stopped over where Jesus, Mary and Joseph were in Bethlehem. On entering the scene, “they prostrated themselves” and adored the infant Jesus as God. The Magi gave him highly valuable gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. The latter two are aromatic substances used, respectively, as incense in religious ceremony and ointment in the burial of the dead.
Inspired by God in dreams, the Magi returned home without telling Herod where the infant was and Joseph secretly whisked the Holy Family to Egypt. Looking to snare the Divine Infant, the enraged Herod ordered the massacre of all the boys in Bethlehem and the area aged two years and younger. (The church commemorates these young martyrs on the feast of the Holy Innocents.)
One sixth century writer asserted that eventually the Magi were baptized by St. Thomas. And the cathedral of Cologne, Germany contains what are claimed to be the remains of the Wise Men. They are said to have been discovered in Persia, brought to Constantinople by St. Helena and transferred to Milan in the fifth century and then to Cologne in 1163.
According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, the celebration of Epiphany has its origin in the Eastern Church, and the first reference to the ecclesiastical feast appeared in 361. On Epiphany, it has been custom to announce the date of Easter and other feasts, and in the past, the dedication of virgins often occurred on the day.
News & Notes
Archbishop’s Calendar Dec. 20, 5:30 p.m., Native Mass, St. Anthony Dec. 21, 2 p.m., Mass and dedication of new church, St. Andrew Kim Dec. 24, 5:30 p.m., Christmas Vigil Mass, Brother Francis Shelter Dec. 25, 12 a.m., Archdiocesan Christmas Midnight Mass, St. Andrew Dec. 25, 12 p.m., Christmas Mass, Holy Family Cathedral Dec. 28, 12 p.m., Feast of the Holy Innocents Mass, Holy Family Cathedral Jan. 1, 8 a.m., Mass, Monastery of the Blessed Sacrament Jan. 2-8, Bishops of the Pacific Northwest retreat, Seattle.
Note: All events take place in Anchorage unless otherwise noted. Community Calendar Dec. 14, 1:30 p.m., Holiday concerts, Anchorage Museum Dec. 15, 7 p.m., Mass of Remembrance, St. Patrick Church Dec. 18, 5-7 p.m., Tree trimming, Brother Francis Shelter Dec. 18, 7 p.m., Theology and Brew talk on Mary, Snow Goose Restaurant Dec. 20, 5:30 p.m., Native Mass, potluck and fundraiser, St. Anthony Church Dec. 21, 2:30 p.m., Children’s Christmas play, St. Benedict Church Dec. 24, 5:30 p.m., Christmas Vigil Mass, Brother Francis Shelter Dec. 25, 12 a.m., Archdiocesan Christmas Midnight Mass, St. Andrew Church (doors open 11 p.m.) Dec. 25, 12 p.m., Christmas Mass, Holy Family Cathedral Dec. 28, 12 p.m., Feast of Holy Innocents Mass, Holy Family Cathedral
Note: Events are in Anchorage unless noted. Other upcoming feast days 9 Dec. 12, Our Lady of Guadalupe 9 Dec. 13, St. Lucy 9 Dec. 25, Nativity of the Lord (Christmas) – Holy day of obligation 9 Dec. 26, St. Stephen, First Martyr 9 Dec. 27, St. John, Apostle and Evangelist 9 Dec. 28, Feast of the Holy Innocents 9 Dec. 29, St. Thomas Becket 9 Dec. 31, Pope St. Sylvester I 9 Jan. 1, Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God – Holy day of obligation 9 Jan. 6, Epiphany
Note: On Sundays and holy days of obligation, the faithful must attend Mass. |
Simbang Gabi in Anchorage
Leading up to Christmas, a number of Catholic churches in the Archdiocese of Anchorage are celebrating Simbang Gabi, a long-standing and popular Filipino tradition. Simbang Gabi is a novena – or nine-day series – of Masses which culminate at the “Misa de Gallo” on Christmas Eve, welcoming the newborn Savior Jesus Christ. In the Anchorage area, the Simbang Gabi Masses take place on Dec. 16 at 6 p.m. at Holy Family Cathedral (with Archbishop Roger Schwietz); Dec. 17 at 5:30 p.m. at Our Lady of Guadalupe; Dec. 18 at 6 p.m. at Holy Cross; Dec. 19 at 6 p.m. at St. Benedict; Dec. 20 at 5:30 p.m. at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton; Dec. 21 at 6 p.m. at St. Anthony; Dec. 22 at 5:30 p.m. at St. Patrick and Dec. 23 at 6 p.m. at St. Anthony.
Bereavement Mass nears
The Bereavement Ministry of St. Patrick Church is sponsoring a Mass of Remembrance to commemorate the deceased. The Mass is open to the entire Anchorage Archdiocese. The Mass is set for Dec. 15, 7 p.m., at St. Patrick, 2111 Muldoon Road. A light reception will follow. For more information, contact Julie Thomas at 337-1538.
Do Catholics worship Mary?
On Dec. 18, Theology and Brew — the Anchorage Archdiocese’s young adult discussion group — will host a talk on “Marian devotion: why Catholics are devoted to Mary and how you can cultivate and deepen your relationship with our Blessed Mother.” The presentation will be given by Dominican Father Francis-Hung Le, pastor of Holy Family Cathedral. The talk takes place at the Snow Goose Restaurant in Anchorage. Doors open at 7 p.m.; the talk begins at 7:30 p.m. For more information, visit theologyandbrew.com.
Fr. Flores installed at Big Lake parish
In a ceremony at Our Lady of the Lake Church on Nov. 16, Anchorage Archbishop Roger Schwietz installed Father Luzvimindo Flores as parochial vicar for the Big Lake parish. At the same time, the archbishop named Kathy Bishop as parish director. In addition to his duties at Our Lady of the Lake, Father Flores will shepherd the mission church of St. Christopher in Willow. Previously, Father Flores served Catholic students at the University of Alaska at Anchorage and Alaska Pacific University. Sister Mary Peter Diaz of the Daughters of Charity has assumed Father Flores’ responsibilities on the campuses.
Christmas play invite
On Dec. 21 at 2:30 p.m., the children of St. Benedict Church will present the play, “A Gift for Jesus” — dramatizing the nativity of the Lord. The performance will take place at St. Benedict, 8110 Jewel Lake Road, and is open to the public. Admission is free. A reception will follow. For more information, call 248-8530.
Mass for Holy Innocents
On Dec. 28 at noon, Anchorage Archbishop Roger Schwietz will celebrate a Mass to commemorate the feast of the Holy Innocents — and to pray for children, especially those who have been physically or verbally abused. The Holy Innocents feast recalls the young children massacred in Bethlehem by King Herod after Jesus was born. An honor guard of the area’s Knights of Columbus will be present at the Mass. The Mass will take place at Holy Family Cathedral, at Fifth Avenue and H Street. For more information, call 349-3772.
Pro-life prayer service set
Marking the anniversary of the infamous Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade which legalized abortion on demand, the Knights of Columbus — with the support of Alaska Right to Life and other area pro-life organizations — will host an interdenominational prayer service on Jan. 24 at 2 p.m. at the Knights of Columbus memorial monument to the unborn in the Anchorage Memorial Park Cemetery. According to organizers, the aim of the event is to pray for the healing of all those who have been involved in abortion. Representatives from the Anchorage Archdiocese, the Anchorage Crisis Pregnancy Center and the Governor’s office will be in attendance. For more information, call 349-3772.
Input sought for conference
The Anchorage Archdiocese is soliciting discussion topics for a diocesan-wide gathering of Catholics in September. Father James Oberle, S.S., director of the Archdiocese’s Office of Evangelization and Worship said the conference — titled “Walking in the footsteps of Jesus,” will examine topics such as liturgy, finance, administration and “proclamation of the Word.” Suggested subjects for discussion and workshops may be submitted to Fr. Oberle at jposs@msn.com or 297-7778.
Post-abortion ministry
Project Rachel — a confidential support group for post-abortive women — began meeting last month in Anchorage. The ministry of the Archdiocese of Anchorage helps women from all faith backgrounds who may be suffering from the emotional trauma of abortion. The group aims to foster healing, peace and reconciliation with the Lord. For more information, call 297-7781 or toll-free (866) 434-3344.
Local Columns
Recent bishops’ conference provided direction for the future
The November meeting of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops reflected the changing nature of our conference.
If you followed the proceedings, you are aware of the usual business items we considered: reports from our National Advisory Council and from the various standing committees, budget items and elections of chairmen-elect of several committees.
We also devoted a good bit of time to continuing the work of the five conference task forces. As part of the restructuring of the USCCB, these five task forces were created to set the working goals of the next several years. Thus, new initiatives are to come from these task forces and not the standing committees. This move was meant to focus our work and cut down the number of documents that the conference produces.
The task forces are: Promotion of Family Life; Vocations to Consecrated Life and Priesthood; Cultural Diversity; Pro-Life Issues and Catechesis. As chairman of the standing committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth, I sit on the Family Life Task Force. As part of the November meeting, then, all the bishops were invited to attend a meeting of one of the task forces in order to contribute to the process of priority setting.
The conference also devoted time to liturgical issues, approving the English and Spanish texts for a blessing of a child in the womb, and also approving, with some changes, the English translation of the Proper of Seasons of the Roman Missal.
The body of bishops also took some time to discuss the contents of a specific pro-life statement to be issued by the president of the USCCB. The statement addresses a piece of legislation introduced in the last Congress entitled the Freedom of Choice Act. This Act is aimed at outlawing any “interference” in providing abortion at will. If enacted into law, FOCA would sweep away all of the modest gains made by the various states in regulating the abortion industry. Parental notification and informed consent precautions would be outlawed, as well as bans on partial-birth abortion and protections for infants born alive after a failed abortion. Further, FOCA would destroy the freedom of conscience of doctors, nurses and health care workers whose personal convictions do not permit them to cooperate in the killing of unborn children. It would threaten Catholic health care institutions and Catholic Charities. In committing ourselves to oppose such legislation should it be introduced in the new Congress, we bishops stated the following:
“This statement is written at the request and direction of all the Bishops, who also want to thank all those in politics who work with good will to protect the lives of the most vulnerable among us. Those in public life do so, sometimes at the cost of great sacrifice to themselves and their families; and we are grateful. We express again our great desire to work with all those who cherish the common good of our nation. The common good is not the sum total of individual interests; it is achieved in the working out of a common life based upon good reason and good will for all.”
In congratulating President-elect Obama and the members of the new Congress, we bishops offered our prayers for a smooth transition and a hope that we can work together in the future for the common good of all.
Energy better spent on positive acts — like supporting foster children
The placement of a news story and photo in a recent issue of the Anchorage Daily News grabbed my attention. On the left, I read about a South Carolina priest requiring parishioners to refrain from the Eucharist until they atone for voting for a candidate of whom he disapproved. To the right of that article was a photo of 14 babies lost and orphaned by the horrific war in the African Congo.
It seems to me that we expend so much energy being against something and relatively little being for something. After all, it’s so much easier to complain about the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision, Roe vs. Wade, than to help babies already born.
Are you aware that, in Anchorage, children in foster care are moved from one foster home to another because there are not enough foster homes? Are you aware that there are many children who are waiting to find a “forever” family? Are you aware that many teens “age out” of the foster care system with nowhere to call home and no one to call family?
The editor and staff at the Catholic Anchor fill pages and pages with reminders that abortion is a very grave sin. I think we all get that. The question I ask myself (and that I’m asking you) is, “What am I doing or not doing to further the kingdom of God and care for the least among us right here in Anchorage?” It just seems way easier to self-righteously focus attention on who is worthy or not worthy to receive Communion.
Unlike the religious leaders of his time — and ours— Jesus didn’t seem to spend a lot of energy quibbling about the use of this word or that word in the ritual of the day. In my view, Jesus spent his ministry showing us how to live according to a higher law — welcoming strangers into our homes and lives. Jesus offers us an alternative to the “thou shalt nots” of the Old Testament: the “thou shalts’ of the New Testament.
There are many social problems in our city that beg for attention. I ask you to give some thought and prayer to the particular problem of the lack of foster and adoptive homes. Could it be that Jesus is calling you to open your heart and home to a stranger?
The writer lives in Anchorage and has worked in the area of children’s health and mental health for 25 years.
Our birthplace mark us — even Jesus
It is my sense that there are few things in life that we treasure more than life and home. That may sound rather hokey or old-fashioned; you may have been expecting something more exciting. Well, I don’t think there are many things more exciting to think about.
I have a hunch that most of you can still picture the home where you were born, unless your parents moved around a lot. Perhaps you can even remember the address.
The reason why I am claiming this is because somehow I think we identify ourselves with the place where we were born. (Some refer to it as the home place.) Perhaps the geography leaves a mark on us. A person may say to us: “Do you remember ole ‘so’n’so who used to live on the corner of 5th and Elm?” Yes, I realize that this is not a very reliable way to identify people, but it helps.
There is just something about place and person that seems to “gel.” Somehow, our personal character takes its identity from the land where we live: We are Americans, Europeans, African Americans, Mexican Americans, Congolese, whatever. That will tell people a lot about us.
The Scriptures: * Romans16:25-27 * Luke 1:26-38 |
Why am I belaboring all this? There’s a reason: We are fast approaching the Season of the Incarnation, the celebration of the birth of Jesus. The church, in its wisdom begins to approach this feast even toward Advent time when, in its Scriptures, it speaks about “house,” the house of David and the house of God, which David planned to build. He is told by the prophet that no temple is necessary; God has already made a home with his people.
Continuing on into the Gospel, we hear the familiar story of the visit of the angel to a young woman of marriageable age who just happens to live in the town of Nazareth. You see how Mary is identified with the village. You see, too, how Jesus was named as the man, not from Jerusalem, not from Rome, not from Athens, but from nowhere else than Nazareth. That is how, even to this day, we recognize Jesus by the town where he lived.
Of course, we know well the name of the town where he was born, Bethlehem. You see how geography fits into the history of peoples’ lives? It’s kind of amazing, isn’t it?
All these references to house and home are meant to help us understand the Child who grew to become the Christ, the one who dwells eternally with us, but even now he dwells among us in word and Eucharist and, indeed, in our very being as those baptized in Christ.
All of us, then, have a home beyond the one where we were born. From the day of our baptism, we were incorporated into a home named the Body of Christ. It is this body, this home that will sustain us throughout our lives and welcome us into that final dwelling that we call the eternal kingdom. It is there that we will find ourselves home at last.
So, from a temporary, temporal home here on earth, we look forward to the one that will fulfill our desires for all eternity.
The writer formerly served the Anchorage Archdiocese as director of pastoral education. He now lives and writes in Notre Dame, IN
Advent memories poke through time
The little crèche we had when I was growing up was humble, a mish-mash of plastic and ceramic figurines, but to a child it was a thing of beauty. My mom let us play with the figures. The angels in Scripture have guys’ names, but in art, especially in Nativity art, the angels are often quite feminine, perfect for a little girl. And those wings – magnificent!
Eventually, our little crèche from the farm got thrown into the attic when my mom moved into town. Our attic was a disaster. One kid after another would come home from college and heave a box of books on top of other stuff and ultimately we were storing boxes full of broken relics.
When we eventually moved my mom out of her own home, I found the broken Christmas items and salvaged two – my favorite angel, which still looks beautiful to me even though I had to glue her head back on, and a little white lamb. Today, they share the scene with our Fontanini set – also touchable, and over the years, frequently played with.
Christmas is absolutely inseparable from memories of Christmas past. Being in a darkened room in front of the crèche with a lighted Christmas tree can take you back over the glories and minefields of a lifetime.
In my crèche I also have a small left-over fragment of a wall built with Auntie Eileen, or “Onnie” to us kids. Onnie and my Uncle John were childless and lived on the farm next to ours. They were poor, having inherited from my grandfather the worst section of farmland with a creek running through it. Dear Uncle John was sickly with heart disease, succumbing in his forties.
Onnie was full of adventures for my brothers and me, from popcorn crops to October’s pumpkin patch. We gathered stones for our crèche wall and mixed plaster to “accessorize” our manger scene.
And I can’t remember Onnie without remembering the day she piled the four of us into the back of her rambling old truck and hauled us out to the field on who knows what adventure. Our dog, Poached Egg – named by my three-year old brother – ran alongside the truck. After a hard left turn which threw us all into the corner of the truck bed, we looked back down the road and all we saw of Poached Egg was a crumpled black mass on the dirt road. Much weeping followed, and thus ended that adventure.
My tree itself, like all good Christmas trees, is covered with reminders of children at various stages of growth – a handmade ornament here, a picture of a kindergartener there, a baby’s first ornament. All sweet reminders of childhoods over, of children now grown.
And, so, ultimately, it all comes back to the crèche, a story never over, a timeless tale of Word made flesh, of Word which sanctified all our human memories, which called to divinity all the details of our human experience.
How brilliant was the Gospel writer of Luke, who wove the narrative of such a humble birth, a baby born in a sleepy little town on the edge of the empire, to a girl laboring without the aid of a female relative or friend.
Nothing in this tale warns us to stay away. Every aspect bids us draw closer, invites us to share in the drama.
So stripped bare is this Nativity, this upside-down God who finds strength in weakness, that we all feel safe bringing our own humble tales there, our own lowly memories of dead dogs, relatives missed and childhoods over.
The writer is a stewardship and hospitality coordinator at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church in Anchorage
Here’s the criteria for becoming a priest in our archdiocese
Q — I think I might have a call to priesthood. At least I’m very attracted to what priests do. What should I do next? How do I explore this option? What is the process?
Excellent! If Christ is calling you to the ministerial priesthood, you will be the happiest man in the world. This is how it works here in the Archdiocese of Anchorage. First, contact your pastor or a priest that you are comfortable with and let him know about what’s going on. He will put you in contact with the vocations director (who just happens to be writing this column!). Working with your pastor and a spiritual director, the vocations director will then guide you through the process of assessment and application.
Assessment involves the suitability of one inquiring. In general, baptized, confirmed and practicing Roman Catholic men with a desire to serve God and his people as a priest here in the Archdiocese of Anchorage must possess the following general qualifications:
1. Faith in, and love for Christ and His church.
2. Good moral character.
3. A high school diploma with favorable academic abilities.
4. Emotional balance and maturity.
5. Good physical health.
6. Psychological readiness and capacity to pursue a sustaining, life-long commitment.
7. A deepening habit of prayer and a balanced devotional life.
8. Maturity to recognize, and willingness to respond to, the needs of others.
9. Readiness to serve in the manner to which he is called by God, through the Archbishop.
10. A developing spirit of detachment that helps him be in the world, but not of the world.
11. Freedom to enter this state in life.
There are also specific criteria for the Archdiocese of Anchorage. For example, one must be between the ages of 17-55, although there are some exceptions. One should not be overly burdened with personal debt, and have lived in the archdiocese for at least one continuous year. There are more criteria which the vocations director can fill you in on.
After initial contact with the vocations director, he will set a formal interview where you will talk about such things as personal health and well-being, family and employment history, religious and educational background, and one’s vocational discernment up to that point. If the initial interview looks promising, the conversation will continue and in due course one might be asked to formally apply as a candidate for holy orders.
This is an involved process involving collecting personal civil, sacramental and educational documents, a psychological evaluation, a physical exam, background checks and so on. It usually takes at least four months. If at the end of the application process, a candidate is accepted by the archdiocese, he enters formation for the priesthood at the seminary.
Christ continues to call men and women to lives of singular devotion in service to the church as holy priests, deacons and religious. It is a great life, with great challenges and great fulfillment. As the saying goes, “Working for the Lord doesn’t pay much in this life, but the retirement benefits are out of this world!”
The writer is pastor at St. Andrew Church in Eagle River and a lifelong Alaskan. To send Father Leo Walsh a question, e-mail him at lwalsh@caa-ak.org
In our ongoing conversations about the underlying principles of the Vatican II liturgical reforms, two additional points need to be addressed. They are progressive solemnity and noble simplicity.
The most important liturgical celebration is the Sacred Triduum. We begin on Holy Thursday with the Mass of the Lord’s Supper; we continue on Good Friday with the celebration of the Passion; and we culminate at the Easter Vigil.
You may have thought that something was missing at the end of Holy Thursday, at the beginning of Good Friday and at the beginning of the Easter Vigil. On Holy Thursday night there is no final blessing and no dismissal. Rather we proceed in silence to the Altar of Repose.
As we begin on Good Friday, the priest processes in and lies prostrate on the floor for a few moments in silent prayer. When he arises he says, “Let us pray.” At the end of the ceremony he again leaves in silence as we all contemplate the meaning of the Cross.
The Easter Vigil begins with a prayer reflecting on our Lenten journey and then the blessing of the Easter fire. Again there is no Sign of the Cross. Why?
The church sees these three days as one continuous liturgical celebration. Therefore, there is no dismissal and no new beginning.
The restoration of the Easter Vigil brings us back to the early church. It was a time to keep watch in anticipation of the imminent return of the resurrected Jesus; it was a time of reconciliation for the order of penitents and a time when new members were initiated into the church.
With Easter as the primary focus of the liturgical year, all other celebrations need to reference it.
All Sundays are “little” Easters. The church added the Saturday evening vigil to complement the Easter Vigil.
Then the church has solemnities for Jesus, Mary, and the apostles Peter and Paul. Below these are feasts, memorials, optional memorials and what are called ferial days.
On a ferial day, there is no specific celebration that is required or recommended. The priest might select a celebration for the Sacred Heart, the spread of the Gospel, or he might stay with the Mass of the day.
In line with the concept of progressive solemnity we can understand that music for daily Mass would be different from music for Sunday or a feast day. Also the choice of incense, the lighting of additional candles and an entrance procession should be made in accord with the liturgical day being celebrated.
The second item is noble simplicity. In the Tridentine Mass there are about 400 rubrics that the priest must follow for the Mass to be licit and valid. In some cases there was repetition in the Mass. For instance the priest or deacon would proclaim the Gospel in Latin and then in the vernacular. Additionally, the priest would make the Sign of the Cross five times over the bread and wine.
In the reform, it was decided that the Gospel would be proclaimed once and that one Sign of the Cross blessing the bread and wine would be sufficient.
Note well that noble simplicity should never be an excuse for a lack of reverence or sloppiness. There should always be elegance in the vestments, sacred vessels, linens, prayer books and so forth. These items are not inexpensive but with proper care they will last 20 or more years. Simplicity should not translate into cheap. As the saying goes, “You get what you pay for.”
At the other extreme, “showiness” is also inappropriate. Purchasing quality items for the Lord and providing quality care should always be our goal.
As we celebrate the Solemnity of the Incarnation, I pray that Christ be born anew in you. May the light of Christ shine ever more brightly in your lives. May you be a light for our world.
The writer is director of the Office of Evangelization and Worship and is also the associate publisher of the Catholic Anchor.
Editorial
Room for miracles
More than 20 centuries ago, a Bethlehem innkeeper failed to find even one room where a pregnant virgin could give birth to a divine child. Today, the modern world has difficulty finding room for even one miracle.
Contemporary textbooks tell us that the world moves not according to divine pleasure but by the impersonal forces of a physical universe.
In some ways, scientists have rightly corrected inadequate explanations of how lightning falls from the sky or how hurricanes come to destroy cities, but along the way they have crossed an important line.
We’ve been told that God, in fact, has nothing to do with any of our earthly business. God may have gotten the ball rolling long ago – a Big Bang, if you will – but he has long since removed his divine hand from the earthly clay.
All too often, the popular culture tells us that history, archaeology, astronomy and sometimes even theology are all best explained without bringing God into the equation — he doesn’t add to our understanding.
But then, each year, along comes Christmas – when the church unapologetically celebrates the great mixing of divinity with the material world.
During this season, Christians affirm a universe in which God is so intimately concerned that he somehow wove himself into human biology and walked the beaches and highways of Palestine.
We also affirm that a miraculous astronomical light guided three magi to Bethlehem. In short, at Christmas the church proclaims that history, astronomy, archaeology and all the rest are profoundly shaped by the will and movements of God.
There is, perhaps no greater challenge to the idea of divine miracles than scientific materialism. In modern times, some have co-opted the Theory of Evolution to try to account for a world in which, at best, God is relegated to a harmless force.
To its credit, the Theory of Evolution has impressively shown that creatures do adapt and evolve over time. The theory does not, however, pretend to say what the next evolutionary steps will be or where everything is headed in the long run. The evolutionary process is understood to be fundamentally “random,” meaning we cannot know what will happen next or what new creatures or natural occurrences might be in store in the years ahead. Call this random if you like, but it seems quite miraculous. It also seems quite likely that we wouldn’t be able to predict God’s next move — his next creative burst.
The church affirms that God loves and, in fact, guides his creation, even to the point of joining us in our biology. As Christians, we don’t close our eyes to science come Christmas Eve. We open them wider.
Letters to the Editor
Latin brings clarity in multi-lingual parishes
I write from Malaysia — a multi-religious nation — with great joy for the people of Anchorage who will experience the ancient form of Catholic liturgy soon (“Ancient Dominican rite aims to shine from the ‘dark ages,’” Nov. 14). Over here the people have to endure multi-lingual vernacular tongues, which, in effect, renders the liturgy meaningless. This is to cater for the various races of people but it only serves to confuse all the more. I hope the Holy Father would consider reintroducing the Tridentine Mass all over the world soon.
Selangor, Malaysia
Editor’s note: Pope Benedict XVI’s 2007 papal letter, “Summorum Pontificum,” did, in fact, allow an expanded use of the Tridentine rite over the entire world.
Legion of Mary open to all
Thanks to the Catholic Anchor for the excellent article on the Legion of Mary (“Legion of Mary aims to win Alaska for Christ,” Nov. 28). School-age children from any parish are welcome at the junior Legion at Holy Family Cathedral. We meet every Saturday at 10 a.m. to noon in the education center.
The spiritual dividends for your children will be well worth your sacrifice of getting downtown on Saturday morning. Bringing the Catholic faith to the notice of those without it is the first priority of the Legion, but that work greatly strengthens the faith of the Legionaries themselves, especially young people. “No one but myself can give my heart to God or do my work. It is precisely this personal sense of religion which the Legion fosters. A member is no longer content to be passive or perfunctory; he or she has something to be and to do for God; religion is no longer a side-issue, it becomes the inspiration of one’s life, however humanly commonplace.” (Msgr. Alfred O’Rahilly, quoted in the Legion Handbook)
Cardinal Riberi, Apostolic Delegate to missionary Africa and Internuncio to China, described the Legion of Mary as “apostolic duty decked out in attractive and alluring form; throbbing with life so that it wins all to it; undertaken in the manner stipulated by Pope Pius XI, that is, in dependence on the Virgin Mother of God…safeguarded by plenteous prayer and self-sacrifice, by exact system, and by complete co-operation with the priest.” Our junior Legion does throb with life and the joy of self-sacrifice. We also enjoy the spiritual direction of the Dominican friars who attend our meetings whenever possible. We only wish we could share these graces with many more young people in Anchorage.
Anchorage
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