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Young Adults Pray and Discuss Discernment
ast night, I met again with about 30 young adults for Adoration, discussion, and social time. I am so encouraged by this group of young men and women who are giving priority to their faith. Thanks to St. Elizabeth Ann Seton parish for hosting our gathering last night. As always, we began with time of prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. Just about everyone today can use more quiet time, and silence before the Lord in prayer is a good way to place everything in his hands, and rediscover the peace of heart which only he […]
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2017 St. Francis Stewardship Awards
Last Thursday, October 5, at the Lunney Center in Our Lady of Guadalupe Co-Cathedral, we had a wonderful celebration honoring the recipients of this Year’s St. Francis Stewardship Awards. Though only eight awards were presented, we received many nominations. Of course, even that longer list is just a sample of the vast number of people who make substantial contributions to the life of this local Church known as the Archdiocese of Anchorage. Below is the list of the 2017 St. Francis Stewardship Award nominees. 2017 St. Francis Stewardship Award Nominees Holy Family Cathedral: Rowena Carrillo, Bernardette […]
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Bishop Bellisario Begins In Juneau!
What a beautiful day in Juneau yesterday. What a beautiful day for the Church. Three months from his appointment, Bishop Andrew Bellisario, CM was ordained and installed in the Diocese of Juneau yesterday. Bishop Andrew was well represented, by his family and friends, his new family in Juneau, his Vincentian family of priests and sisters, as well as a very good showing of priests and parishioners from the Archdiocese of Anchorage. At the end of a powerfully moving Mass, his remarks were right on queue, and his pastoral heart was readily on display. It was […]
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Called To Reflect The Mercy Of God
On this 27th Sunday of Ordinary Time, we hear of the Providential Goodness of God. He is like the landowner who planted a vineyard. He chose a fertile hillside, prepared the soil, planted the choicest vines, put a hedge around it, hewed out a wine press, built a watchtower, and looked for the crop of grapes. (Isaiah 5:1-7; Matthew 21:33-43) The Psalm today (Psalm 80) tells us that the vineyard of the Lord is the House of Israel. We are the vineyard of the Lord. We are the one’s whom God has cared for with […]
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Stewardship: A Way Of Life; Making A Generous Gift Of Self
Yesterday, pastoral leaders from around the Archdiocese of Anchorage gathered to learn more about stewardship, not as a program, but as a spirituality, a way of life. The theme for the day was: “Be Not Afraid: Making a Gift of Self.” Our guest speaker for the day was Deacon David Krueger from the Archdiocese of Omaha, Nebraska. In addition to being a permanent deacon, he serves as a client manager for Catholic Stewardship Consultants. We are grateful for his presence and witness. The spirituality of stewardship is rooted in a strong sense and knowledge that all […]
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The Month In Photos
As the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words. The past month has been full with the Pallium Mass, friends in town for a visit, meeting with pastoral staff, and parish visits. Today, I fly to Kodiak for a parish visit, which will bring to a conclusion my first round of parish visits. Here are some highlights of the past month. Enjoy. In late August I made a retreat at Saint Meinrad Archabbey in southern Indiana. It was good to have some quiet time in prayer to reflect upon these past ten months. […]
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Christian Understanding Of Human Person & Missionary Church Advances God’s Kingdom
The mission of the Church is to proclaim Christ to the world. The world has always needed this proclamation, and it is no different today. Our best, most credible proclamation of Christ comes in the form of witness, by the way we live, as much as by the creed we profess. Many of our cultural challenges today will be solved only with a proper understanding of the human person. Christian anthropology is an appreciation of the truth that every human person is created by God. This is the foundation of our human dignity and sanctity […]
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Photos From Pallium Imposition Mass
Enjoy the slide show of photos from last night’s Mass where Archbishop Pierre, Apostolic Nuncio, imposed the Pallium.
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Pallium Imposed – Poised At The Starting Gate
After ten months in office, there was a distinct sense during last night’s celebration of the Imposition of the Pallium by Apostolic Nuncio, +Christophe Pierre, that this date was chosen by our Blessed Mother. On the Nativity of Mary, I received the gift of the Pallium in the presence of the bishops, priests and a church full of the faithful representing the Province of Alaska. Archbishop Pierre graciously accepted the invitation to give the homily during Mass, and gave a beautiful reflection on the importance of symbol in our faith, and in this case, the […]
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Statement of Alaska Conference of Catholic Bishops On Today’s DACA Decision
A statement from the Alaska Catholic Bishops on the Administration’s DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) Decision: We the Catholic bishops of Alaska remain united in heart and mind with our brother bishops across this nation in condemning the Administration’s decision today to suspend DACA. At the same time, we stand in strong solidarity with the 800,000 people and their families who have been protected under this provision, and who have called this their country for the primary part of their lives. We as a nation are better than this, and Congress must now act to correct this […]
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Open To Life: Walking Closely With Christ
In the days of this week when this nation recalls the anniversary of Roe vs. Wade (1973) which legalized abortion, I would like to offer a few reflections. As we face the reality of abortion in this nation, the first thing we are faced with is a legal system (which is made up of men and women) that is willing to be stingy with the truth if not outright lie about what is taking place. By law, moral and civil, to take the life of any human being is a crime. Yet, when it comes […]
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All Saints & All Souls; Eternity Is Our Goal
As I write, the Solemnity of All Saints is drawing to a close and the eve of All Souls quickly draws near. These two great celebrations call to mind one of my favorite quotes of Bl. Cardinal Newman: Life is short. Death is certain. Eternity is long. It is good to turn our thoughts to eternity; to heaven. St. Paul said as much when he taught: Since you have been raised up to new life in Christ, you must look for the things that are in heaven, where Christ is seated at God’s right hand. […]
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We Are God’s Servants; Sent As Witnesses Into The World
As the Church today recalls the two Apostles, Simon and Jude, we take heart that the apostles were sent to introduce the world to Jesus Christ. As the first apostles were chosen by Christ, so each of us is chosen by Him. As the first apostles were given the power of the Holy Spirit, so are we through Baptism and Confirmation. As they were sent to proclaim the Good News, so are we. We look at what God’s grace has accomplished since the time of the first Apostles. Just about every corner of the world […]
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Unity In The Work of Service
Today’s Mass has for its first reading a passage from St. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. One of the verses was chosen as the theme for the 1987 Papal Visit of now St. Pope John Paul II to the United States. The overarching theme for the Trip was: Unity In The Work Of Service, and this is the quote from Ephesians: And he gave some as Apostles, others as prophets, others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers, to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry, for building up the Body of Christ, […]
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Division & Fire
In the Gospel today (Luke 12:49-53) Jesus tells of his desire to set the earth ablaze with a fire. He says something else that seems contradictory to His person and message: “I have come for division.” In reality, Jesus does not come to bring division, but His presence and message result in division until people humbly submit to His Gospel of Truth. The Fire that Jesus casts upon the earth is the Fire of Divine Love. This Divine Love; the Love that exists within (and is) the communion of Divine Persons, the Father, the Son, […]