On Friday afternoon, I arrived in Tacoma for this year’s celebration of the Cornerstone Catholic Conference. I’m told we had around 700 participants this year from around the state of Washington. The primary goal of Cornerstone is to provide an opportunity for our people to grow in faith, and in Read more…
This weekend provided the opportunity to visit two more parishes, and celebrate the 25th anniversary of one. It also provided my first ferry ride on the way back to Seattle! We had a nice celebration during the 6:30 Saturday evening Mass at St. Gabriel, including three Baptisms! Today’s 25th anniversary Read more…
Well, friends, it has been quite a day! Before calling it a day, I wish to share with you the homily from today’s Mass of Reception at St. James Cathedral. I am now duly installed as the Coadjutor Archbishop of Seattle. Many thanks to Archbishop Sartain, Archbishop Pierre, Fr. Ryan Read more…
It is Friday afternoon, May 31, and I have left the chancery of the Archdiocese of Anchorage for the last time as the Archbishop of Anchorage. In the morning, I board a plane for Seattle. Please allow me one final word of encouragement, dear people of faith and of God. Read more…
After spending a few hours of fraternity with the priests of the Archdiocese of Anchorage, a church full of people gathered at the Co-Cathedral for a Mass of Thanksgiving. Below is the homily. I hope tomorrow to add some video and pictures (added below). Homily for Mass of Thanksgiving & Read more…
Each January we highlight and celebrate the great work and ministry of Catholic Schools. We are blessed in the Archdiocese of Anchorage to have four Catholic Schools within the Archdiocesan system: Lumen Christi (7th– 12thGrades) in Anchorage, Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton (Pre-K – 6thGrade), Our Lady of the Valley (Pre-K – 8thGrade) in Wasilla and St. Mary’sin Kodiak Read more…
Just a few days ago, our USCCB Retreat concluded. We gathered at the request of Pope Francis, and enjoyed the direction and wisdom of the Preacher of the Papal Household, Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa, OFM. With nearly 280 bishops registered, which is a similar number of those who are present for Read more…
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 Read more…
I recently heard a father speak about his daughter’s upcoming wedding. He said: “I’ll be glad when it is over.” He was excited for his daughter and son-in-law-to-be, but was also frustrated with how the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony was getting lost in all the other details of planning for Read more…
Several years ago, while I was still a pastor of a parish, I felt that some parishioners were beginning to treat their religion as one more item to be consumed. Their consumer practices and attitudes were corrupting their understanding of what it means to be a member of the Body Read more…