May 1, 2009 - Issue #9
Local News | Opinion/Editorials | Letters to the Editor
Local News
Honoring Mary
Alaska parishes and schools to participate in annual traditions
Soon Catholics around the world and in Alaska will, in the words of the traditional Marian song, bring “flow’rs of the fairest” to the “loveliest, Rose of the vale” — the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Honoring Mary with flowers, full hearts and glad voices in the month of May is a long-standing tradition in churches and private homes — because as Pope Paul VI explained in April 1965, “the person who encounters Mary cannot help but encounter Christ likewise.”
“For what other reason do we continually turn to Mary,” he asked, “except to seek the Christ in her arms, to seek our Savior in her, through her, and with her?”
To begin, “She is the mother of God,” said Anchorage Archbishop Roger Schwietz in an interview with the Anchor. That is a doctrine recognized since the church’s early councils.
But Archbishop Schwietz especially noted Mary’s role as “mother of the church,” who “cares for Christ’s body, which is the church, through history.”
Pointing to the various appearances of the Blessed Mother through the centuries, he said Mary has continued “to care for the disciples of Jesus — her children.”
“She’s our spiritual mother,” added Marian scholar, Dominican Father Francis Hung Le of Holy Family Cathedral in Anchorage. She became the “mother of mankind,” he said, at the foot of the cross when Christ gave St. John into her care, saying, “Woman, behold your son.” And according to the fourth commandment, Father Francis added, “like any mother, we honor her.” As a result, “We grow closer to her and to Christ.”
Pope Benedict XVI has urged the faithful to reflect on Mary’s “maternal role” so that like her, “we may always be docile disciples and courageous witnesses of the risen Lord.”
Across the centuries, honoring Mary in the month of May has taken the form of processions, crownings and special prayers and hymns.
Archbishop Schwietz recalled the May crownings of his childhood, in which a statue of Mary was crowned and adorned with flowers in his hometown of Saint Paul, Minn.
Father Le, originally from Vietnam, said that in May, parishioners would gather at his hometown church to say the rosary and the Litany to the Blessed Virgin Mary, a prayer that lists the numerous titles of Mary and asks her intercession with God. Also, the faithful processed through the village carrying a statue of Mary and singing Marian hymns.
St. Benedict Church parishioner Ann Curro of Anchorage described a May novena – or series of prayers said across nine days – in honor of the Blessed Mother. And growing-up in an Italian neighborhood in Utica, New York, Curro remembered an annual street festival honoring Mary.
The day started with Mass. Then an adorned statue of Mary was carried around the city block in a procession with a group of first communicants. Lines of little lights strung above the street served as a glimmering canopy, under which revelers then enjoyed Italian foods and games.
Such Marian celebrations continue in many of the churches and schools of the Archdiocese of Anchorage.
For three years, St. Benedict Church has hosted a large, colorful May procession and crowning. This year, it takes place on Mother’s Day – May 10 at 9 a.m.
Beginning in the parish hall, parishioners process around the church with a statue of Mary. The Knights of Columbus Honor Guard and the Lumen Christi High School choir lead. Then come four parishioners of Samoan descent carrying aloft on a platform a statue of Mary. The church choir follows with several parishioners who later serve as leaders for the rosary. Then comes a family which will later crown the Marian statue. The are followed by two Samoan children in cultural dress carry small decorative pillows that hold a crown and a flower lei for the crowning of the statue.
The procession continues with a group of first communicants, ushers, parishioners, Knights of Columbus, altar servers and pastor Father Steven Moore.
Once in the church, the statue of Mary is crowned and adorned with flowers while a Marian hymn is sung. Then, a group of children present the scene of the Annunciation of the Angel Gabriel to Mary.
Holy Family Cathedral is another of the many parishes that celebrate May processions and crownings. Theirs is May 10.
Named for the Blessed Mother, Our Lady of Fatima chapel at Ft. Elmendorf Air Force Base will host May crownings in the morning and evening of May 17.
In addition to celebrations at area churches, the month of May offers a chance for the faithful to honor Mary at home.
Families may arrange a procession and crowning, using a statue at home. Another tradition is the preparation of a May altar for the month, which entails placing a statue of Mary in a prominent place and decorating the area with fresh flowers and sacramentals, like holy cards and a rosary.
According to the church’s Directory on Public Piety and the Liturgy, some recite the Angelus Domini prayer or Regina Coeli (within the Easter season) prayer. The prayer – which has been said for centuries, including by the popes – is a “recollection of the salvific event in which the Word became flesh in the womb of the Virgin Mary.”
Archbishop Schwietz recommended a practice “dear to myself” – praying or singing the Salve Regina (Hail Holy Queen) prayer. “I pray that all the time,” he added.
Some sing the “Akathistos,” a Marian song, which encapsulates the early church’s universally held beliefs about Mary.
Another custom is making May baskets – paper baskets crafted from paper containing flowers and candies and left anonymously for neighbors, relatives or friends. The giver may add a “spiritual bouquet” to the package as well, such as note indicating he or she said a prayer for the person that day.
But Archbishop Schwietz especially urged area families to “get together” and pray the rosary – the biblically inspired prayer that, according to the Directory, is “one of the most excellent prayers to the Mother of God.” The rosary contemplates “the salvific events of Christ’s life, and their close association with his Virgin Mother.”
The archbishop suggested the faithful ask Mary’s intercession in May for vocations to the priesthood and religious life.
25 YEARS AGO
Pope’s message to Alaska
Editor’s note: Pope John Paul II made his second and final visit to Alaska 25 years ago on May 2, 1984. He spoke at the Fairbanks International Airport during the stop-over on his apostolic journey to Korea, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Thailand. Former U.S. President Ronald Reagan was also at the airport that day and met with the pope both publicly and in private. The pope’s first visit to Alaska was only three years earlier, when he visited the state on Feb. 27, 1981 during a stop-over in Anchorage. The text below is the message the pope delivered in Fairbanks.
Papal homily praised Alaska’s missionary effort Editor’s note: The following text is excerpted from Pope John Paul II’s homily, delivered 25 years ago, on May 2, 1984 at the Fairbanks International Airport. The pope was in Alaska during a stop-over on his apostolic journey to Korea, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Thailand. …In reading the history of the missionary activity in this vast area, might we not ask whether the first missionaries would have dared to penetrate the interior of Alaska unless they had been fired by a profound love for Christ’s church and utterly convinced of the church’s duty to proclaim the Gospel to all people? The early missionary efforts of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate and the continuing labors of the Society of Jesus are well known. The missionaries stand out in this history as the true heroes of the faith, whose courage and zeal made possible the building up of the church in this land. Today the work of preaching and teaching the Gospel in the name of the church is zealously continued by religious and diocesan priests, by deacons, by women religious, religious brothers and catechists. Many of them undertake great personal sacrifices, often traveling long distances to bring the word of God with its message of hope and love to their brothers and sisters. These missionary efforts still today come under the pastoral care of the Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith and are assisted by the Pontifical Missionary Societies. Specifically this means that evangelization in this diocese, and in so many others like it throughout the world, is supported by the interest and solidarity of others. In this regard the Catholics of North America have exercised a special role in sustaining and promoting the missionary efforts of the Holy See. They are owed an immense debt of gratitude. And today, standing on this missionary soil of America, I wish to express my heartfelt thanks to the church throughout the United States for everything it has done for the cause of spreading the light of Christ’s Gospel. Dear brothers and sisters: let us beseech the Lord who calls laborers into his harvest, to grant that many young people will dedicate their lives to the missionary work of the church. May these young people respond generously to the Lord’s call to the priesthood and religious life. And thus may the presence of the Risen Christ continue to be revealed in his Church, and “the good news of peace proclaimed through Jesus Christ who is the Lord of all”. Dear brothers and sisters in Alaska: may the peace of the Risen Jesus be with you always! |
Praised be Jesus Christ!
Mr. President, dear people of Alaska, esteemed citizens of America,
It gives me great pleasure to visit Alaska once again, and from this northern State to send a greeting of special warmth and affection to all the citizens of the United States of America. As you know, today I have begun a pastoral journey that will take me to Korea, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Thailand. And I am delighted that this pilgrimage enables me to stop here in Fairbanks and to be among you!
I am deeply honored by the presence of President Reagan, who himself is just returning from an important trip to China. Mr. President, I thank you for your kind welcome on my arrival, and I wish to reaffirm through you my friendship and esteem for all the citizens of your great nation.
My thanks go as well to Bishop Whelan for his much appreciated invitation to the Diocese of Fairbanks. I also extend my good wishes to Bishop Kaniecki, and I pray that the Lord will grant him many joyful years of service to the church. I would also offer a word of greeting to the cardinal and bishops of the United States Episcopal Conference who have shown their fraternal union with me by coming here on this happy occasion.
When I arrived on my first visit to your beautiful state, dear people of Alaska, I remember being welcomed by a lovely little child, Mollie Marie, who reached out and handed me a bouquet of forget-me-nots, your state flower. Shortly afterwards, that little girl was called home to her heavenly Father, but her loving gesture is not forgotten and her memory is held in blessing.
I found in what she did at that time a living truth about the people of the vast Alaskan territory: that in your thoughts and in your prayers you remember the pope. Today I am here in person to give you the assurance that I have not forgotten you. Even when I am miles away, I hold the people of Alaska and those of the whole of the United States close to me in my heart. I do not forget you, for we are linked together by bonds of friendship, of faith and of love.
In some ways, Alaska can be considered today as a cross-roads of the world. President Reagan is returning from visiting the beloved people of China, even as I am making my way to a neighboring area in the Far East. The city of Fairbanks reminds us also of another direction for it is called “The Heart of the Golden North.” Here in this vast state sixty-five languages are spoken and peoples of many diverse backgrounds find a common home with the Aleuts, Eskimos and Indians.
This wonderful diversity provides the context in which each person, each family, each ethnic group is challenged to live in harmony and concord, one with the other.
To achieve this aim requires a constant openness to each other on the part of each individual and group. An openness of heart, a readiness to accept differences, and an ability to listen to each other’s viewpoint without prejudice. Openness to others, by its very nature, excludes selfishness in any form. It is expressed in a dialogue that is honest and frank — one that is based on mutual respect. Openness to others begins in the heart.
As I stated at the beginning of this year in my “Message for the World Day of Peace,” if men and women hope to transform society, they must begin by changing their own hearts first. Only with a “new heart” can one rediscover “clear-sightedness and impartiality with freedom of spirit, the sense of justice with respect to the rights of man, the sense of equity with global solidarity between the rich and the poor, mutual trust and fraternal love.”
Here in Fairbanks you have the opportunity to rediscover such values and to express them in your harmonious relationship with your neighbor — which reflects the stupendous harmony of nature which pervades this region.
May God grant you the strength to express this harmony in your own lives, in your relationship with others. May he give you the courage to share generously and selflessly the blessings that you yourselves have received in abundance.
God bless America!-Source: www.vatican.va
As state recalls past, Sisters of Providence loom large
During the 50th anniversary of statehood, Alaskans are looking back at the pioneers on whose shoulders many of today’s residents stand.
Among the most influential of those pioneers are the Sisters of Providence, who first ventured into the far north in 1902. Although today there are no longer any Providence sisters ministering in the state, their legacy lives on in the Providence Health System, which serves in several communities and is among the state’s largest employers.
The first group of four Providence sisters arrived in Nome in 1902 to establish a hospital in the midst of a gold-mad boomtown. Even their arrival was an adventure.
A smallpox epidemic forced the women to remain on board their ship for three extra days in quarantine, according to the sisters’ Web site. Once they set to work, they discovered a town with virtually no social services and full of mostly men from around the world, chasing the dream of fast fortune.
The sisters, whose health system today employs nearly 4,000 in Alaska, were innovators in fund-raising as well as medicine. Heading out to camps on dogsleds, horses or on foot, they sold “tickets for cure” to run their facility, assuring prospectors that they would receive care when ill at the hospital in Nome.
In 1904, the sisters established a school in Nome, but by 1918, gold was depleted and the crowds left. The sisters left Nome to devote energy to their hospital in Fairbanks where they remained until the famous Chena River flood damaged their facility beyond their ability to recover, and the city took over the hospital. The sisters left Fairbanks in 1968.
Meanwhile, the sisters had responded in 1937 to a plea to establish a hospital in the growing town of Anchorage. Their first facility was at 9th and L Streets. In 1962, a hospital was opened on the present site near Goose Lake, and the hospital, its medical center and other facilities have been growing ever since. In 1961, the Sisters of Providence sent four women to Anchorage to open the short-lived Catholic Junior High School in what is now mid-town.
During the 1964 earthquake, Providence Hospital played a vital role in providing services when other medical facilities, including the Elmendorf Air Force Hospital, were damaged.
In March, the Sisters of Providence were honored by a group of local women’s organizations as one of 50 inductees into the Alaska Women’s Hall of Fame.
They joined early legislators, judges, aviators and Native leaders who were considered to have made a significant impact to the State of Alaska.
Susan Ruddy, president of the Providence Alaska Foundation, accepted the award on behalf of the sisters and said, “It’s such an honor to accept this award on behalf of women who have provided health care in Alaska for over 100 years.”
Despite the fact that the last Sister of Providence left Alaska a few years ago, Ruddy said the people at Providence Medical Center “are working very hard to continue the mission and legacy of the Sisters of Providence to provide quality health care for all Alaskans.”
Alaska’s first parish marks 130 years on remote island
Wrangell’s St. Rose of Lima is part of Alaska’s living history
The legendary Southeast Alaska gold mining, fishing and timber town of Wrangell is home to St. Rose of Lima, the oldest Catholic parish in the state. This month marks the 130th year since the historic church was founded.
The Catholic presence in Wrangell began in earnest on May 3, 1879, when then Vancouver Bishop Charles J. Seghers and Father John J. Althoff landed on Wrangell Island after a 10-day boat ride from Vancouver Island.
By then, Fort Wrangell was a new U.S. military post — built in 1868. At that time the town was in the midst of several robust gold mining periods. Various Russian and Canadian settlements called the region home since the beginning of the 19th century, and Tlingit Indians had lived in the area for an estimated 8,000 years.
On May 4, 1879, Catholic Mass was celebrated in a local dance hall, where 120 Alaska Natives and many others attended — almost three times more people than the present-day parish sees each weekend. On that historic Sunday, St. Rose of Lima was officially established.
Bishop Seghers appointed Father Althoff as resident priest and placed the parish under its namesake’s patronage.
Father Althoff worked quickly, finishing the church building before the end of that year. For almost six years, he made Wrangell his headquarters as he served communities in Sitka and surrounding mining camps.
In 1885, Father Althoff moved to Juneau and for the next 11 years made occasional visits to Wrangell. Other Juneau priests followed suit.
It wasn’t until Jesuit Father Francis Monroe made Wrangell his headquarters in 1924 that St. Rose of Lima again had a resident priest. He was quick to modify the second parish building. The first was torn down in 1889 and rebuilt in 1908.
By 1942, St. Rose of Lima was served by mostly diocesan priests. Father Matthew Hoch, newly ordained, served the area from 1942-1959, ministering to area residents and Alaska Native children.
Father Peter Gorges, who served St. Rose of Lima from 1969-1972 and again from 1981-1985, recalled how the liturgical norms of the Second Vatican Council first came to Wrangell. There wasn’t much fuss about the changes, he said in an interview with the Anchor. “The people were flexible for the most part. I told them not only the what but the why, and they were open to it.”
By his second stint in Wrangell, Ketchikan’s St. Catherine of Siena was growing from a mission to an independent parish, and Father Gorges split his time between the two communities with two weeks at a time in Wrangell and two weeks in Ketchikan. Since then, many priests have shared their time between the two parishes.
Means of transportation often changed with the priests: some were pilots, some utilized the ferry and local airline companies and one priest is known to have kayaked between the two communities.
Oblate Father Gerard Gottenbos became pastor of St. Rose of Lima parish in 1985. He is remembered as the “fisherman priest,” both for his love of fishing and his evangelistic outreach.
“He brought a lot of families to the church, many from his work with the kids who would bring their families,” said Barbara Neyman, who has lived in Wrangell since 1974. “There were a lot of converts and a lot of people who had fallen away who came back with Father Gerry.”
Father Gottenbos stayed at the parish until his death in 1996. Since then other diocesan priests have served the area for short stints.
Keene Kohrt and his wife Faye have attended St. Rose of Lima for almost 40 years. During that time, the couple has seen the parish population ebb and flow.
“It has been interesting: with our population in a steep decline, we are not getting much of the young adults involved,” Faye said of more recent times in Wrangell.
Father Patrick Casey is the most recent priest to serve the Wrangell and Ketchikan parishes.
Renate Davies, who does secretarial work at the parish, said Father Casey is popular with parishioners and that he keeps the history of the parish alive.
“He’s really fascinated by our church; he’s been searching for artifacts from our history and has brought out an old baptismal font, an old chalice and a tabernacle.”
Casey also found historic altar stones, from the original altar that faced the wall.
“I’ve found things just stuck in cupboards,” he explained. “And while we know these things have been around since sometime after St. Rose of Lima was established, it’s likely that many things were donated by other churches from the Lower-48 through Catholic Extension and are even older.”
Editor’s note: Father Louis L. Renner, S.J.’s book, “Alaskana Catholica: a History of the Catholic Church in Alaska,” served as a reference this article.
Annual fund drive seeks to cultivate stewardship
Appeal aims to raise $938,000 for Archdiocese
It’s spring in Southcentral Alaska and for Catholics in the Archdiocese of Anchorage, that means two things: it’s time to garden, and it’s time for the 2009 One Bread, One Body Annual Appeal.
This year, the appeal, which raises money for the work of the archdiocese, is using a gardening motif to relay the stewardship story: Just as the gardener tills the soil to produce the harvest, so will the donor cultivate the church throughout the archdiocese for a rich yield of good works.
“Like gardeners, we are called to share from our gifts a harvest that makes life better for all,” Anchorage Archbishop Roger Schwietz said of the appeal. “We are called to cultivate community.”
The appeal has grown steadily since beginning in 2006, said Julie Varee, associate director of stewardship and development for the archdiocese, and this year, despite the economic downturn, there is every indication the appeal is headed for another good year.
“Catholics in the archdiocese really have a strong sense of stewardship,” said Varee. “They know that many Catholics in small, remote, rural areas depend on their generosity to be able to experience the church and have access to the sacraments.”
Varee added that donors in the archdiocese also are aware that Catholic Social Services, one of the beneficiaries of the annual appeal, is under greater pressure than ever with bigger demands for their services.
Catholic education also benefits from the appeal, as do efforts towards continued formation of priests, religious, deacons and lay leaders.
The total goal for the 2009 appeal is $938,250. Of this amount, $70l,485 is the goal for the archdiocese, which, due to the economic climate, is the same goal as last year. The remaining $236,765 represents the parishes’ goals.
This split makes it a win-win situation, said Varee.
One of the parishes which has experienced great success in the appeal is St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church in Anchorage. Pastor Father Tom Lilly has combined the objective of meeting the archdiocesan goal with the impetus to meet parish goals as well. Over the years, the parish portion of the annual appeal at St. Elizabeth’s has gone to such things as a new server for the computer system and for the repainting of the church building, along with continuing catechetical development and money to match a grant for a youth minister.
However, Father Lilly pointed out that the annual appeal is about more than monetary goals.
“It is as much about building community and fostering stewardship as it is about money,” he explained. “The more we participate through prayer and contributing as our means allow, the more we feel connected as members of a family.”
Another parish that typically exceeds the archdiocesan goal is Our Lady of the Angels in Kenai.
The parish director, Mercy Sister Joyce Ross, said she’s impressed with her parishioners’ sense of responsibility. Despite the area’s Agrium plant closure, poor forecasts for the king salmon run and concerns about slower tourism, Sister Ross said the last special collection a few weeks ago at the parish exceeded the previous year’s totals.
“I know people are worried (about the economy),” she said, “but here, people have a strong sense of stewardship.”
So how do this year’s figures compare to prior years? In 2006, $697,113 was pledged by 1,647 parishioners. By 2008, those numbers had climbed to $965,124, pledged by 2,498 parishioners.
The average gift per donor last year was $386, quite high by national standards. The 2008 participation rate was about 26 percent of parishioners, a good number, but one which parishes and the archdiocese would like to see increase so that more Catholics feel a part of the challenge of the mission of the archdiocese, which is our local church, said Varee.
Of the 27 parishes and missions of the archdiocese, 19 met or exceeded their archdiocesan goal last year. Six exceeded the combined goals for the archdiocese and their own parishes. Only eight failed to meet the archdiocesan goal – the same number as 2007, but lower than 2006.
Catholic Daughters help moms in need
The Anchorage Archdiocese’s chapter of Catholic Daughters of the Americas recently held a baby shower to benefit expectant mothers in need — an event the Catholic women’s organization has hosted every year for the last 40 years.
Traditionally, the annual baby shower helped supply Birthright, a pregnancy care center in Anchorage that for decades helped pregnant mothers choose life for their unborn babies by providing counseling, material support and housing. When Catholic Social Services in Anchorage assumed the pro-life work in 2007, Catholic Daughters continued hosting the baby showers.
Ellen Krsnak, director of community relations and advocacy for CSS, praised Catholic Daughters’ donations, saying, “Because of supporters like the Catholic Daughters, CSS was able to provide services to 159 women last year through our Pregnancy Support program which runs the ‘Baby Boutique.’”
The CSS Baby Boutique provides material necessities to pregnant mothers, such as diapers and children’s clothing.
According to Linda Fleener, regent of the area’s Catholic Daughters, this year’s baby shower yielded a large number of wide-ranging items for Baby Boutique. Filling “two long tables,” said Fleener, there were handmade baby blankets, diapers and buntings “in all sizes.”
She added that Catholic Daughters donates a variety of goods beyond newborn layettes to help care for a pregnant mother’s older children and because “children grow really fast.”
Valdez youth raise support for Third World
Last month, the youth in faith formation at St. Francis Xavier Church in Valdez helped send farm animals and assistance to Third World countries, where the animals go to help struggling families meet their material needs.
The Valdez youth, joined their catechists and parents in holding a cake auction on local radio. In one hour, with 15 cakes to auction, the youth raised $2,400. Through Heifer International and World Vision, they were able to purchase a pig, donkey, goat, two chickens, a cow, sheep, Alpaca, five ducks, two oxen and a plow, a fishing pond with poles and other items. They will also help fund an orphaned girl’s education.
Sister Marie Brent, SHF, is parish director at St. Francis Xavier, where she praised the efforts of the parish youth.
“In a culture that focuses on self and possessions, these young people have taken the Gospel message: ‘Whatever you do to the least of my brothers and sisters, you do to me,’ to heart and to action,” she wrote in an email to the Anchor.
-Anchor report
Alaska pro-life bills fail to pass
The Alaska State Legislature adjourned April 19, with three pro-life bills dead in committee for lack of legislative action. Senate Bill 5 and House Bill 34 would have banned partial-birth abortion. Senate Bill 15 would have required anesthesia be offered to mothers for their babies marked for abortion. And SB 181 would have required that in certain cases, abortionists provide an expectant mother’s ultrasound to her to ensure that she is fully informed before consenting to an abortion.
A bill requiring abortionists to notify a parent and secure his or her consent before performing an abortion on a minor girl passed the State House on April 2. To address concerns from opponents of the bill, sponsor Rep. John Coghill, R-North Pole, agreed to strip the consent provision from the bill. Still, on April 17, the bill was stopped in the Senate Health, Education and Social Services Committee by a vote of 4-1.
In the 90-day session, the Senate spent little time on the life issues. According to an Anchorage Daily News report – and despite a rise in Alaska’s abortion rates – Senate Majority Johnny Ellis, D-Anchorage said of the parental consent bill, “There was no appetite to tear ourselves apart over that issue.”
Parish profile Editor’s note: This is part of a series on parishes and missions in the Anchorage Archdiocese. 371 parishioners and 176 families. Oblates of Mary Immaculate priests, Father Anthony Dummer, Father Andrew Sensenig and Father Joseph Dowling residing at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Soldotna. According to parish director Sister of Mercy Joyce Ross, the parish is especially “dedicated to practicing stewardship.” Extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion visit and take the Blessed Sacrament to the sick and shut-ins. Five days a week, several parishioners provide and serve breakfast at the Alternative High School. The parish outreach includes providing food, clothing and medical help to the needy. For example, the parish operates a thrift store which helps the area’s poor, and the parish regularly sends clothes to the Alaska Bush villages. For the last eight years, the youth have traveled to the Bush to provide faith formation to rural residents. And before that, the parish sent a contingent to Tijuana, Mexico. Also, Our Lady of the Angels supports handicapped children in the Korogocho slum in Nairobi, Kenya. A Generations of Faith program – with classes and projects – for parishioners of all ages. For more information about Our Lady of the Angels, call 283-4555 or email ourladyofangels@alaska.net. |
News & Notes
Deacon candidates near ordination
Six deacon candidates are in the last weeks of their formation and are preparing for official ordination on May 15 at 6:30 p.m. at Holy Family Cathedral in Anchorage. The public is invited to attend this event.
Christ in the City for young adults
Every Friday at Holy Family Cathedral, from 7 to 8 p.m., young adults are especially invited to deepen their relationship with Christ during “Christ in the City,” an evening of eucharistic adoration. Each week, there is a particular focus on church teaching, tradition, Scripture or silent adoration. In addition, there is an opportunity for confession. Afterwards, young adults socialize over dinner at a local restaurant. For more information, contact Holy Family Cathedral Young Adults at hfcyoungadults@gmail.com or visit HFC Young Adults at Facebook and MeetUp.com.
Refugees in need
Catholic Social Services Refugee Assistance and Immigration Services seeks mentor families – and others – to help refugee families new to Alaska. This spring, Catholic Social Services is settling Somalian and Burmese refugees who have had to flee their home countries to save their lives; they are designated by the United Nations with official refugee status. For more information, contact Melissa Bartley of CSS at 222-7344 or mbartley@cssalaska.org.
Prayer for unborn
For the upcoming multinational “One Million Rosaries for Unborn Babies” campaign, the Knights of Columbus and Catholic Daughters of the Americas are urging prayers May 1-3 for the end to abortion. To participate, a person should pray at least one rosary for the campaign’s intention during the period. May 1 is particularly intended for students to pray the rosary at school, and on May 3, the faithful are encouraged to pray the rosary before or after Masses in their parishes. To register, visit SaintMichaelTheArchangelOrganization.org.
Workshop for laity
The “Called and Gifted” workshop will take place at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church in Anchorage May 1-2. The free conference, hosted by St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church and St. Andrew Church of Eagle River, aims to “equip Catholics to be lay apostles for their mission to the world.” For more information and to register, contact Marcia at 694-2170 x207 or Marcia@aksaintandrews.org, or Effie at 644-9734 or effie@akseas.net.
Concordia singers to give concerts
Concordia University-Portland Christi Crux Vocal Ensemble will perform free concerts this May in Alaska. The theme of the spring tour is “Standing Firm-Rooted in Christ.” For the concert locations and schedule, visit cu-portland.edu.
Archbishop’s Calendar May 1, 9 a.m., Mass, Our Lady of Guadalupe Church May 2, 5:30 p.m., Mass and confirmations, St. Anthony Church May 3, 9:30 a.m., Mass and First Holy Communions, Our Lady of Guadalupe Church May 3, 11:30 a.m., Mass and First Holy Communions, Our Lady of Guadalupe Church May 3, 5:30 p.m., Mass and confirmations, Our Lady of Guadalupe Church May 4, 9 a.m., Mass, Our Lady of Guadalupe Church May 5, 8 a.m., Mass, Blessed Sacrament Monastery May 6, 9 a.m., “Beginnings Plus” training for RCIA and liturgical ministers, Holy Spirit Center May 7, 9 a.m., Mass, Our Lady of Guadalupe Church May 8, 9 a.m., Mass, Our Lady of Guadalupe Church May 9, 6 p.m., Catholic Social Services Charity Ball, Dena’ina Civic & Convention Center May 10, 6 p.m., Mass and confirmations, Our Lady of the Snows Mission, Girdwood Note: Events are in Anchorage unless noted. Community Calendar May 1, 7 p.m., Christ in the City eucharistic adoration, Holy Family Cathedral May 2, 12 p.m., Dominican rite Mass, Holy Family May 7, 7 p.m., Open house, Lumen Christi High School May 9, 12-3p.m., Appreciation open house for Sister Joyce Ross and Sister Joan Barina, Our Lady of the Angels Church, Kenai May 10, 5:30 p.m., Young adults Mass and social, Holy Family Cathedral May 13, 6:30 p.m., Young adults dinner, movie and discussion, Lunney Center, Our Lady of Guadalupe May 14, 12 p.m., Annual Mass for Catholic home school families and friends, Holy Family Cathedral |
Open House at Lumen Christi H.S.
On May 7, from 7 to 8:30 p.m., families are invited to an open house at Lumen Christi High School in Anchorage. The school is enrolling 7-12th-grade students for 2009-2010. For more information, call Rhonda at 245-9231. Lumen Christi is located off of Jewel Lake Road, behind St. Benedict Church.
Send off for sisters
An “Appreciation Open House” will be held on May 9, from noon to 3 p.m., at Our Lady of the Angels Church in Kenai to honor and bid farewell to parish administrator and Sister of Mercy Joyce Ross and Medical Mission Sister Joan Barina. After 30 years of service to parishes on the Kenai Peninsula, the sisters are returning to their respective religious communities on the East Coast. A story on the sisters will appear in the May 15 issue of the Catholic Anchor.
Home school Mass
On May 14, Archbishop Roger Schwietz will celebrate the sixth annual Archdiocese of Anchorage home school Mass for Catholic home school families and friends. The Mass will take place at noon at Holy Family Cathedral. All are welcome. Following is a potluck lunch, during which home school children will display school projects and make presentations. Parents whose children would like to participate should contact sue@lochners.net or praygor1@gmail.com – by May 8. Dishes for the lunch and help with set-up or clean-up are appreciated.
NFP instructors’ course in May
A certification program for the Billings Ovulation Method of Natural Family Planning will be held May 15-18. The program will recertify current teachers and begin the process those wanting to become teachers. There are 19 CEUs offered for this training. For more information, call Pam Albrecht at 333-8843 or Rachael Fogal at 770-0444.
Catholic Youth Conference nears
The Alaska Catholic Youth Conference (ACYC) is scheduled for June 1-4 at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church. The popular, annual youth conference will include eucharistic liturgies, opportunities for the sacrament of reconciliation, service projects, a concert, workshops with local and national speakers and social activities. It opens with Mass on June 1 with Anchorage Archbishop Emeritus Francis Hurley, Juneau Bishop Edward Burns and Fairbanks Bishop Donald Kettler. Under this year’s theme, “Many Faces, One Alaskan Church,” the conference will address the “challenges that face us as a diverse church with many cultural and geographical differences” – while inspiring the attendees’ faith and commitment “to live as God’s disciples in their parishes and communities.” High school teens, young adults, parents, pastoral administrators and parish staff members are invited. Also, parishes may host fund-raisers or secure scholarships from donors for representatives to attend. Attendance fees are listed in the conference registration materials at archdioceseofanchorage.org. For more information, contact Matthew Beck at 745-3229 x12.
Midsummer’s Light Bible Institute
The Cardinal Newman Chair of Catholic Theology at Alaska Pacific University is hosting the “Midsummer’s Light Bible Institute” June 17-19. Speakers include Sister Irene Nowell, OSB and Vincent Smiles, both professors at St. John’s University of Collegeville. On June 16, the program opens with a free public lecture on “America’s Book of Kells,” a display of facsimiles of the St. John’s Bible – a newly handwritten and illuminated Bible – and a reception. For more information, contact Roseann Leiner at 564-8274 or rleiner@alaskapacific.edu.
Catholic schools’ graduation dates
• May 12, 7 p.m., Lumen Christi High School Baccalaureate Mass and reception, St. Benedict Church, Anchorage
• May 14, 7 p.m., Lumen Christi Graduation and reception, Lumen Christi gym, Anchorage
• May 16, 10 a.m., Holy Rosary Academy Baccalaureate Mass and Gradation, Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, Anchorage
• May 20, 6 p.m., St. Elizabeth Ann Seton School Graduation, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Anchorage
• May 20, 7 p.m., St. Mary School Graduation, St. Mary Church, Kodiak
• May 20, time TBA, Our Lady of the Valley School Graduation, Our Lady of the Valley, Wasilla
Columns
Installation of New York Archbishop stirs inspiring memories
On April 15, the hottest ticket in New York was not to be found on Broadway or opening day for the Yankees or Mets. Rather, it was a ticket to the installation of Archbishop Timothy Michael Dolan — the 10th Archbishop of New York.
I was one of the fortunate 3,000 people who received invitations to attend the vespers service on the evening of April 14 and the installation the next day. St. Patrick’s Cathedral was filled beyond capacity.
I first met a young, thin Msgr. Tim Dolan in June 1988, shortly after my ordination to the priesthood. At that time, Msgr. Dolan was a secretary at the Apostolic Nunciature in Washington, DC (the offices of the Vatican’s ambassador to the United States).
A group of us asked for a tour of the nunciature and Msgr. Dolan was our guide. After finding out that I was newly ordained, Msgr, Dolan got on his knees and kissed my hands (the first and last time that happened).
Unknown to me was the fact that 15 years later, this same man would become my Archbishop in Milwaukee. During the years between meeting him and his arrival in Milwaukee, we periodically kept in contact as he went on to become the rector of the seminary in St. Louis, then the rector of the Pontifical North American College in Rome (the “West Point” of the church) and his brief stint as the Auxiliary Bishop of St. Louis.
On my visits to Rome, he would invite me to the legendary Wednesday evening dinners at the North American College. All the visiting ecclesiastical dignitaries would be present and I was always the lowest man at the table. Msgr. Dolan has a unique ability to make the least feel first and he always made sure that I sat next to him, despite whoever else was around the table.
In May 2002, the Milwaukee Archdiocese was beset with its own crisis as our archbishop of 25 years suddenly resigned amid media reports of a scandal he was involved with many years ago. On August 28, 2002, Archbishop Dolan was installed as the Archbishop of Milwaukee.
I have had few happier and hope-filled days in my life. He was exactly what Milwaukee needed. Serving under his authority as judicial vicar, pastor, and editor of the Milwaukee Catholic Herald was always a privilege and a delight. His sense of humor could always shake loose my own tendency towards being too serious.
On one occasion, while he was on vacation, I called him in the evening and stated that, as editor of the Herald, I had made a decision that I needed to print some rather embarrassing revelations about activities that had occurred with the management of our cemetery system.
His response was: “Tom, about right now, all I really care about is whether I will have a beer or a martini before dinner.” I never called him again while he was on vacation.
Despite tremendous tensions among the priests of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, it was his intense faith, loyalty and personal touch that always made the difference. He called each of us priests on our birthdays, Christmas, Easter and significant anniversaries.
I will never forget the evening of October 7, 2005 as I sat grieving at my mother’s deathbed after she had weathered seven years of dementia in a nursing home. Sure she would pass from this world that night, I called Archbishop Dolan late in the night and left a message informing him of the situation and asking what day the next week would be best for him to celebrate my mother’s funeral.
Forty-five minutes later he suddenly walked though the door of my mother’s room, got on his knees, gave her an Apostolic Blessing and holding her hands thanked her for the gift of bringing six children into the world and giving the church a priest. Many other priests and lay people can give you nearly identical stories from their experiences.
In July, 2006, in response to his keen sense of the needs of the universal church, Archbishop Dolan released me from service to the Archdiocese of Milwaukee to the Archdiocese of Anchorage for a set period of time. I will always be grateful for his generosity. He lent me to Alaska at a cost to himself, as many were critical of his sending away a priest at a time when his own archdiocese was facing tremendous challenges.
I was privileged to have been host and guide in August 2007, when he journeyed to Alaska with his mother and a priest friend. He stayed with Anchorage Archbishop Roger Schwietz and got a chance to tour much of the state. The highlights were always evening meals when he had us all in stitches of laughter.
Now comes April 15, 2009 when Archbishop Dolan was installed as leader of the New York Archdiocese. As archbishop of New York, he will eventually be elevated to a cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. Every one of us 3,000 people in St. Patrick Cathedral felt lucky to be part of history in the making. If I live a hundred years, I do not think I will ever again witness the kind of jubilation expressed in that sacred space.
The next day, April 16, we were invited to a Mass at what was described as “an intimate small gathering of his family and a few friends.” There were about 300 people there!
I do not want to make Archbishop Dolan to be something he is not. At heart, he is a simple priest — a gentle and humble man of faith. As I grieve with the people of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee at the loss of their beloved shepherd, I trust in God’s providence that there was yet a larger stage for Timothy Michael Dolan.
One last thought for Archbishop Dolan: The people of the Archdiocese of New York had better take good care of you because if they do not, Milwaukee wants you back.
The writer is associate publisher of the Catholic Anchor and Judicial vicar for the Anchorage Archdiocese.
Family time with Shakespeare, Socrates and the saints
Editor’s column
Suppertime and nightly stories are not the first things that come to mind when recounting the glories of past cultures. More common are thoughts of Michelangelo’s statues, Roman military might, Greek poetry and ponderous ancient temples and cathedrals. Are not these the obvious pillars of civilization?
They are perhaps the most recognized signs of culture; much like flowering branches are the most admired parts of a mountain ash tree in bloom. The foundational roots of the tree, however, are not so obvious. So it is with culture.
The enduring reality of Shakespeare and Socrates down through the centuries comes from a root which threads its way through generations of humankind. It is a root that finds nourishment amid accounts of legends, heroes and saints unveiled through bedtime reading and inspired stories.
The root of culture is, in a word, the family. It is the sacred duty of the family to ignite the imagination and foster the best of culture within its tiniest members.
This process begins in the most natural way, as families provide a starting point from which every person begins life. At the outset, families provide their newest members with parents, siblings, grandparents and a whole network of familial histories and relationships. They also usher the young into a nationality, a language, a religious tradition and a larger culture with all its art, music and literature.
It is perhaps no accident that great musicians, writers and athletes often inherit a familial passion and ability for their talents. Parents naturally pass on what they most value, and children naturally aim to emulate mom and dad, especially when children are young and parents are still seen as household gods.
But sadly, the role of the family is often limited to the most basic functions: providing a place to sleep, bathe, watch TV, check email and prepare for other activities which largely take place away from the rest of the family.
When this occurs, it makes it nearly impossible for families to share a common life or culture. In fact, any meaningful culture will fizzle out amid a loosely connected family life. What might have been passed on from parent to child for centuries can be lost in one generation if the family falters.
And yet, this seems to happen too often, as is evident in the many stories of parents who lament that grown children no longer share their core religious beliefs or values on the most profound issues.
Of course, this can happen even in tight-knit families, but it is far more likely to occur where the means of passing on faith and values is depleted.
So what are these means, and is it possible for a family to reclaim them?
The means are actually fairly simple, and the good news is that it is rarely too late to get started. In many cases, families can roar back to life in relatively short order, for they contain a natural, latent power.
Even broken homes, impoverished households and single parents have tremendous potential to inspire faith and pass down a profound sense of family identity and cultural appreciation.
Families grow stronger by making deliberate decisions to eat together, to celebrate and worship together. Parents inspire future generations simply by setting aside time to tell the family histories and to fill the minds of the young with the likes of St. Francis, King David and Mother Teresa.
Of course, families do not happen by blind fortune or fate – it is far more simple and organic than that. The adventure of family life occurs by simply taking time to be together in a meaningful way – a reality that many generations have experienced.
The challenge today is negotiating around the ever-growing competitors for family time. Internet, iPods, cell phones, Blackberry, video games, movies, sports, Scouts, book clubs – they all have the tendency to isolate family members as each person lives out a separate schedule while sleeping under the same roof.
It’s not that these hobbies and interests are inherently bad, but combined, they begin to drastically limit the space and time wherein the family adventure can unfold.
The Catholic Church has long called the family the first cell of the church and the true source of culture. Bedtime stories might not seem like the grand heights of civilization but they are most definitely its foundation.
A great place to find ideas on how to celebrate the drama and adventure of the family can be found in a little book called “The Brave New Family,” a compilation of the quirky joys and inspired moments of family life as observed by the great Catholic writer, G.K. Chesterton.
The writer is editor of the Catholic Anchor.
What a marvelous ride it has been
60-30-15: No, this is not the winning lottery numbers or the private phone of Anchorage Archbishop Roger Schwietz. These numbers represent for me some personal milestones. I am soon to have been on this earth for 60 years, working my way back home to the Father.
He chose me to be his priest and the priest of the bride of Christ for now 30 years. And the last 15 years to share this call with my Russian family of faith in the parish of the Nativity of Jesus in Far East Siberia, the former prison camps of Stalin.
What a marvelous ride it has been. I recently shared with one of my parishioners that I have not had one boring day in Magadan. This is not to say I have had an easy ride. I have knelt in the mud outside of the city begging God to give me the visa to stay just another 10 days. I have seen the Holy Spirit at work when after many years I received the equivalent of a green card and now feel Russian inside and out.
I have baptized people who never knew the Our Father or what Jesus’ mom’s name was. I have seen miracles of faith — real deep soul healings of lives given to Christ and nurtured now by daily Eucharist. I have witnessed terrible tragedies of families torn apart by Russia’s disease-of-choice — alcoholism. I preach a way out for alcoholics called the Twelve-Step program. It works if you work at it.
I believe each day I will be used, lied too and stolen from. And this is a good day. But I also know somewhere in that very day a ray of light will shine like the early dawn, and I will see Christ in someone or somewhere, and He is oh so beautiful that I forget about the deceits and struggles. At that moment I just find Him so inviting.
I have not forgotten the rest of the faces of Christ I have known especially in the Anchorage Archdiocese. The face of the archbishop who ordained me and sent me away to the prison camps. He has such a beautiful face. The priests who l learned to pray with in my Jesus Caritas group. The lay leaders, both men and women, who taught me to pastor and forgave me my many failings. The sisters I worked with who showed me the grace of a servant’s heart. I have seen Christ is so many marvelous faces and lives in the parishes I served — St. Anthony, St. Francis Xavier, St. Michael. How can I not give Christ the honor and the glory for these short years of broken and often unfaithful service. But with Peter I can say with all my heart, “ Yes, Lord you know I love you.”
We are having a celebration on Sunday, June 14, at the downtown Palmer Depot from 1-5 p.m. It will be an open house with goodies.
It was from the parish of St. Michael that I was sent to Russia. It seems appropriate to celebrate these lovely 15 years there in Palmer. If you want to celebrate with us, there will be some lovely Russian folk songs.
And we will be planning the next big celebration 100-70-55. Be sure to put it on your calendar!
The writer is pastor of the Church of the Nativity in Magadan, Russia. The church is a mission of the Archdiocese of Anchorage.
The writer is pastor of the Church of the Nativity in Magadan, Russia. The church is a mission of the Archdiocese of Anchorage.
Trapper Creek farmer embodies the Gospel
Let me tell you this story about Red Cooney. Red Cooney is a friend of mine who lives on a small parcel of land near Trapper Creek, Alaska. Trapper, as the local folks call it, lies some 115 miles north of Anchorage adjacent to the Parks Highway. You’ll need to look fast to see it as you drive by because it’s not really a town at all, but more of an indiscriminate gathering of various sorts of buildings.
At any rate, Red Cooney is also a member of St. Philip parish where he worships regularly each Sunday and exercises his ministry of collecting the gifts of the faithful.
Red is something of a “gentleman farmer.” He raises choice potatoes and Leghorn chickens, both of which he sells (or gives) to his good neighbors who live nearby.
On many an occasion as I finished celebrating the liturgy and shared a cup of coffee with the folks, Red and I would share farming stories. (He knew that I came from that sort of background). On my way out, he would say, “Hey Father, wait a minute. I’ve got something in the pickup for you.” So, here he’d come lugging a sack of potatoes and a couple dozen eggs, all of which would last me months unless I shared them with “the good sisters.”
So, why am I telling you all this? I’m telling you this because Red Cooney, to my mind, is a man who understands the power of things that grow, whether potatoes or chickens. On many an occasion he has shared these with the folks who live at Brother Francis Shelter for the needy in Anchorage and who share meals at Bean’s Café next door.
The Scriptures: Acts 9:26-31 1 John 3:18-24 John 15:1-8 |
Now, if you were to ask me what Red Cooney’s chicken and potato farm has to do with the Gospel for this fifth Sunday of Easter season, let me refer you to the words of Jesus who speaks so eloquently about vine growing and wine cultivation not, mind you, as a source for living, but rather a metaphor for the relationship between the Christian and Jesus Christ. “Just as the branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine so neither can you unless you remain in me.”
On repeated occasions in the Gospels, Jesus calls attention to the beauty of growing things and how these are signs of life and our life with God.
Back to Red Cooney: I’m sure he could easily spend his retirement years in Barbados or some other exotic place of leisure. Yet, he spends his winters and summers growing things and sharing them with folks. Many of these people, of course, are not Catholic and yet they know Red as “the guy who goes to St. Philip Catholic Church on the Parks Highway.”
So, it just goes to show you how living things have the power not only to assuage hunger, but also to bring folks together in Christian unity and charity.
One last little item: On many occasions Red Cooney has invited the good folks at Brother Francis Shelter to get on a bus, travel north to his farm and help him harvest potatoes. They are delighted to get out of town, of course, take a trip north and perhaps even see Denali. At least they will see where all the potato and onion soup originates.
A handshake all around and everyone goes home happy, especially good ole Red Cooney. God bless him.
The writer formerly served the Anchorage Archdiocese as director of pastoral education. He now lives in Notre Dame, In.
Local faithful worship God in a ‘hands-on’ way — service to others
One of my favorite Mother Teresa quotes is “We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop.” This is a profound observation that relates to volunteerism.
Approximately 61.8 million people in America (about 26.4 percent of our population) volunteered their time in 2008 according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
Catholic Charities USA (of which Catholic Social Services is a member) reported utilizing the talents of 243,000 volunteers to serve 7.8 million people last year. Catholic Social Services utilized the talents of 919 volunteers to serve 16,771 people during that same time period. These numbers are important because they give us a perspective on the magnitude of volunteerism. But even more important than numbers is the reason why people volunteer. At CSS, the primary motivation is faith.
Many of our volunteers have a deep relationship with God and the church and find that volunteering offers a tangible “hands-on” approach to worship.
For example, Bob Flint, a member of Holy Family Cathedral, has given countless hours of his time to improve conditions for Anchorage’s homeless and to advance the cause of adoption and pro-life issues. He has been providing pro-bono legal advice for the CSS adoption program for over 30 years. Bob credits his parochial school nuns for his devotion to volunteerism. They told him that “God gave me free will and He expected me to use it for good. I still think that’s the message and task. It’s like the man born blind. Why? So the works of God can shine through him.”
Barbara Draper, St. Patrick’s parishioner, moved to Alaska in 1971, and was a busy parish-based volunteer throughout her career. When she retired six years ago, she had more time to contribute and sought out additional opportunities to give of herself. Currently she helps with several CSS projects — the Quilt, Fiber and Wearable Arts auction, GIFT Holiday Outreach, Thanksgiving Blessing, and provides general office support. Barbara believes that it is important to “utilize her gift of retirement by helping others in a positive, productive way.” Barbara reflects, “God has been very good to me; it is nice to have a chance to share with others what has been so generously given to me.”
Kara Moriarty, a member of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, is one of the chairs for the 2009 Charity Ball, CSS’ largest annual fundraiser (scheduled for May 9). Kara joined the Charity Ball event committee in 2005 shortly after moving to Anchorage. Kara finds meaning in this work because, “My Catholic faith has always been a core component of who I am, ever since I can remember, and I learned at an early age that being Catholic was more than just attending church every Sunday and learning how to pray the rosary. My parents taught and demonstrated the importance of being actively involved in the church — whether it is through the Knights of Columbus, Altar Society, music ministry, lay ministry, etc. I see my volunteerism as a component of living out my faith by helping to raise money for programs that serve those that Christ calls us to minister to.”
April was volunteer appreciation month, a wonderful time to thank Bob, Barbara and Kara and the many others who work alongside them serving meals at Brother Francis Shelter, stocking shelves at St. Francis House, mentoring families with the Refugee Assistance and Immigration Services program, exercising with clients from our Special Needs Services, hosting children’s activities at Clare House and the many other ways that the faithful worship God in a hands-on way in service to His people in need.
Each one of our volunteers is an important “drop” in the ocean of work that is so critically needed and appreciated by CSS, but more importantly, by those they have touched through their faithful service.
The writer is the executive director of Catholic Social Services in Alaska. For more information about CSS, call 276-5590.
Editorial
Alaska Senate shrinks from life issue
Members of Alaska’s State House and Senate passed 88 separate bills and resolutions during their recently adjourned 90-day legislative session in Juneau.
As Gov. Sarah Palin sifts through the stack of legislation on her desk, she will find half a dozen measures that bestow various honors on individuals or groups. One bill ensures official observance of Marmot Day and several others deal with air and water quality regulations, public safety and educational issues, increasing minimum wage and other matters urgent or wrong-headed depending on your political persuasion.
What the governor will not find, however, as she signs many of these bills into law, is House Bill 35. This measure generally would have required an abortionist to notify and obtain the consent of a minor girl’s parent before performing an abortion on the girl. This bill upholds the role of parents as guardians of their children, especially when children face the life-altering question of whether to get an abortion.
While this bill did pass the House, Senate Majority Leader Johnny Ellis said the Senate did not have the “political appetite” to deal with the bill, for fear that debate might forestall the passage of other, less controversial measures.
Perhaps this is true. Debate about whether an abortionist should confer with and obtain the consent of a minor child’s parent before destroying her unborn child would certainly have sparked many hours of heated debate and created a flurry of activity from both sides of the issue.
But the work of elected politicians is not to shrink from the very issues that demand action and that the public is most passionately moved by – issues that often define how many people vote at election time.
The four senators from the Health, Education and Social Services Committee who refused to join Sen. Fred Dyson in letting HB 35 proceed toward a full vote of the Senate were not, as they claim, steering clear of controversial issues. By refusing an open and full debate and vote on the bill, this handful of elected senators prohibited their colleagues from addressing an issue that many Alaskans consider to be of fundamental importance for parents, minor children and their unborn babies.
Joel Davidson, editor
Letters to the Editor
Divine Mercy stirs gratitude
I was happily surprised to see how many people attended the Divine Mercy Sunday celebration on April 19 at Holy Cross Church. My thanks go to Father Dan Hebert, Father Scott Medlock, Father Tom Lilly, Father Vince Beuzer and Deacon Ken Donohue for being available, especially after the busyness of the preceding Easter week. The solemnity and sincerity of the service impressed on me, again, how much we need God’s mercy especially during these trying times. The comfort of benediction and the promises to those who pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet brought hope that more and more people will realize God’s love-filled promises of mercy towards those who turn to him. It was a perfect addition to the hope brought to us on Easter Sunday. My prayer is that more and more people will turn to this devotion and reap its rewards.
— Mary Bakic, Anchorage
Obama wrong choice for Notre Dame
Ms. Finley’s April 17 letter to the editor is in error — as is Notre Dame President Father John Jenkins — as she tries to defend President Obama as Notre Dame’s 2009 commencement speaker. Our Blessed Mother (Notre Dame) and abortion are at polar opposites, which all Catholics should recognize. In a few short weeks in office, our new president has already demonstrated his total disregard for the most defenseless of all human beings by his political appointments and administrative dictates. Through the misguided invitation to speak to the graduating class at this so called, Catholic university, this faux pas only serves to further erode the once good opinion of the college which was held by Catholics who know their faith and defend the church. For Catholics who do not know their faith, the invitation of an anti-life president adds further confusion.
— John C. Fleming, Anchorage
Updated policy on Letters to the Editor
The Catholic Anchor welcomes letters to the editor. Letters should be limited to 300 words and include the writer’s full name and city of residence. For verification purposes only, we also need contact information for each letter writer, which will not be published. Letters should not disparage the character of any individual but rather stick to the issues at hand and refer to articles, letters and opinion pieces that have been published in the Catholic Anchor. Letters may not endorse a specific political candidate or political party. Letters may be edited for length, taste and clarity. The Anchor does not publish letters that directly challenge clear and established church teaching.