Archbishop Paul Etienne
Please allow me to share with you a letter that I have asked to be read at all Masses throughout the Archdiocese of Anchorage this weekend. Note that this Wednesday, on the Queenship of Mary, is declared a Day of Prayer and Penance for Healing of victims of sexual abuse and for the whole Body of Christ, the Church.
Most of you have heard about the recent news of one of our US Cardinals, Theodore McCarrick being removed from public ministry following a credible, substantiated accusation that he sexually abused a minor as a priest, and a subsequent allegation that he had abused another child for nearly two decades. In an unprecedented step signaling the gravity of these reports, Pope Francis has accepted Archbishop Theodore McCarrick’s resignation from the College of Cardinals. The Holy Father has also directed him to observe a life of prayer and penance in seclusion until the completion of the […]
Last week, one of the committees I serve on within the USCCB met in Washington, DC. Knowing this meeting would coincide with the visit of Cardinal Quevedo of the Archdiocese of Cotabato in the Philippines, staff of Catholic Relief Services worked with the Catholic Conference Executive Directors from both Wyoming and Alaska to schedule some meetings with their respective Congressional delegations. Both Alaska and Wyoming have two Senators and one Representative; thus six meetings were scheduled. Before the end of September, Congress must make decisions regarding the distribution of numerous Appropriations Accounts. Our purposes during […]
June 29, every year the Church celebrates the great Feast of Saints Peter & Paul. As a sign of the significance of this feast, every year on this date, the Holy Father invites to Rome all the newly created Archbishops from the previous year to receive their pallium, which is a sign of their unity, thus the entire Church’s unity, with the successor of Peter. While the Church is certainly capable of great solemnity, and a Mass with the Holy Father at St. Peter’s Basilica is one such moment, we must look very closely to […]
Jesus gives us some great one liners in today’s Gospel. (Matthew 7: 6, 12-14) Do not give what is holy to dogs, or throw your pearls before swine, Do to others whatever you would have them do to you. Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many. How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life. And those who find it are few. The bottom line to these ‘pearls’ of wisdom and divine instruction […]
On this Nativity of John The Baptist, we look to a critical moment in the history of salvation. On this solemnity, our minds are drawn as much to the holy couples of Elizabeth and Zechariah & Joseph and Mary as they are to John the Baptist. This is a seminal moment in history when God is choosing through the lives of ‘ordinary couples’ to bring his Son into the world, as well as the one who would go before him to prepare His way, to Baptize Him and proclaim Him the Lamb of God. As […]
It’s been a long time since I have had material to post on a day afield. Yesterday morning, I headed up to the Mat-Su Valley and spent time on Lazy Mountain as well as some hiking in Hatcher Pass, home of the former Independence Gold Mine in the Talkeetna Mountains. Friday morning after finishing my prayers and Mass, I made the hour long drive to Palmer, where I connected with my host for the next 24 hours. I had a room / small cabin at a local Bed & Breakfast up on Lazy Mountain. It […]
In so many ways, it is clear God’s grace is active and alive in the Church today, and it has been on full display this week in the Archdiocese of Anchorage! Our week began with the annual Alaska Catholic Youth Conference. For four days, approximately 250 youth, ministers and chaperones gathered in Anchorage from around the state of Alaska. These young people are full of energy and especially, faith! We prayed together, played together, and took time to learn even more about our faith from a variety of speakers. I’m particularly grateful that all four […]
The Archdiocese of Anchorage is pleased to announce the hiring of Mr. Nathan J. McCabe as the new Director of Stewardship and Development. Nathan was born and raised in South Texas, but recently made Anchorage his new home. His business experience is primarily in bank management, so the work of development and stewardship will be a new endeavor for him. His outgoing personality and people skills combined with his strong faith and desire to serve the Church will serve him well in his new capacity. Likewise, his love of the outdoors will help make connections with […]