August 10, 2007 - Issue #16
Local News | Opinion/Editorials | Letters to the Editor
Local News
Rural Alaskans worry about faith of Catholic youth
Bishops listen to Southeast residents
In remote Alaska communities, Catholic parents worry about youth who know little of the Catholic faith and are prone to leave the church or gravitate to nearby Protestant communities where established youth ministers tend to attract more teens.
Youth issues took center stage recently, when Alaska’s three Catholic bishops conducted several listening sessions with rural communities in Southeast Alaska.
"While programs were being offered in parishes, there was a concern that what is being offered is either not enough or not effective," Juneau Bishop Michael Warfel said in an email to the Anchor. "Though what we heard was from a relatively small segment of people from Southeast, Alaska, I believe that they are simply reflecting a concern that could be expressed by most parents throughout Alaska."
Anchorage Archbishop Roger Schwietz and Fairbanks Bishop Donald Kettler also made the trip, July 26-28, which included an initial stop in Ketchikan and then a ferry ride to Prince of Wales Island to hear from smaller communities in Klawock, Naukati and Thorne Bay.
A total of 70 to 80 people attended the three sessions, which constituted the second of three planned events to help Alaska’s bishops familiarize themselves with pressing issues in rural parts of the state.
"We always ask the question, ‘What is life like here, what are your concerns and what would you like to see from the church?’" Archbishop Schwietz told the Anchor Aug. 2.
This summer the bishops focused on the Juneau Diocese.
Last summer, they traveled north to the Fairbanks Diocese to hear from Catholics in the predominantly Native villages of Bethel and Emmonak. Next summer they hope to hear from remote parts in the Anchorage Archdiocese.
"The two main goals in these visits is to listen to concerns so we can understand the differences between the bigger cities and the rural areas," Anchorage Archbishop Roger Schwietz told the Anchor. "The second goal is to send a message to people in the rural areas that we do really care about them and we want to have a presence in their villages."
Archbishop Schwietz noted that rural communities typically don’t have parish staff or faith-formation directors to spearhead faith formation efforts for youth and adults.
On Prince of Whales Island, for instance, a single priest serves approximately half-a-dozen different communities.
Travel by plane or ferry raises the cost and decreases the chances that these residents can attend educational functions elsewhere like the upcoming Discipleship Days conference in Anchorage.
During their recent visit, the three bishops traveled by plane, ferry and automobile.
"In small communities, off the road system, it is difficult to provide quality faith formation opportunities," Bishop Warfel said, "and it is also difficult and expensive for parishioners to travel to the larger communities when special opportunities avail themselves."
Despite the obvious challenges, the sessions did offer potential ideas to address faith formation opportunities – both for youth and adults.
In Klawock for example, people expressed a desire to dig deeper into the meat of their faith, Archbishop Schwietz said.
"They wanted to know if there was a model for family-based catechesis," he said. Others expressed a need for technology that could create interactive media to allow for distance education.
In Naukati residents said they used to hold youth retreats and youth camps and they wanted to get back into that.
Rather than send people to Juneau, which can be costly, there was talk of bringing periodic speakers into their community to offer faith-formation opportunities.
In Thorn Bay, only three people attended the listening session.
"They were concerned whether it was worth continuing services there at all since there are only a few Catholics there," Archbishop Schwietz said. "They used to have more Catholics but didn’t know where they went. Evidently some just stopped coming for whatever reason. People talked of having parish visitations to try and get them back through outreach."
Following next summer’s listening sessions, Bishop Kettler of Fairbanks said the three bishops plan to offer responses to the concerns they’ve heard.
"We may speak toward these issues generally or make a more formal statement on some of them," he said. "We may do something educationally for the whole state or maybe for an individual diocese."
Inconsistent school attendance, the need for more legislative aid and a desire for full-time priests were other concerns raised during the meetings.
But above all, the predominant concern came back to forming younger generations of Catholics.
"Their concern is whether the church will survive in those areas if the youth fall away," Archbishop Schwietz said.The bishops’ ultimate goal is to help implement effective outreach to rural areas so that the Catholic faith in those areas will grow, Archbishop Schwietz said.
Local Catholics find infinite grace in daily Mass
On any given weekday, hundreds of Alaska Catholics silence their cell phones, lock up the office and head down to a nearby Catholic Church to attend daily Mass. These men and women carve out one hour of the workday to participate in what the Catechism of the Catholic Church calls the "source and summit of the Christian life."
St. Peter Julian Eymard once called the Mass "the most holy act of religion."
"You can do nothing that can give greater glory to God or be more profitable for your soul than to hear Mass both frequently and devoutly," he said. "It is the favorite devotion of the saints."
While Mass attendance is mandatory on Sunday, the Catechism urges Catholics to participate whenever they can.
And millions around the world do.
This includes hundreds of Alaska Catholics — both young and old. For some, like Mary Ellen Harrington of Chugiak, it entails driving 40 minutes one-way to attend Mass at Holy Family Cathedral. For 27-year-old Mario Bird, it means biting the bullet and getting up extra early to attend Mass at the Sisters of Perpetual Adoration Monastery in South Anchorage. And for local businessman Verne Greidl, daily Mass requires him to eat lunch at his desk during work so he can attend noon Mass.
But ask any one of them and they say their little sacrifices are negligible compared to what they receive.
These 21st Century Catholics aren’t the first to testify to the power of daily Mass.
St. Peter Julian Eymard, a 17th century priest in France, experienced so much from Mass that he founded the Blessed Sacrament Congregation, which is centered on the Eucharist. Faced with health problems in his life, St. Eymard claimed to experience strength from daily Communion.
"Hear Mass daily," St. Eymard wrote. "It will prosper the whole day. All your duties will be performed better for it, and your soul will be stronger to bear its daily cross."
Back in Anchorage, Greidl said he couldn’t imagine anyone attending daily Mass without feeling the impact on everyday life.
"It helps me get through the day. To wait all week for Communion is a long time. That’s why I come — it makes a difference in my life."
Other Alaska Catholics have noticed how Mass affects their working hours.
"It’s a huge help in my job as a nurse," Harrington said.
One of the biggest challenges Harrington faces at work is being assigned on rotation, off her normal duty in the maternity ward. She said graces from daily Mass help her accept various challenges at the hospital.
"I’m more prayerful and I am able to handle difficult situations better," she said
For many, college tends to be difficult on their faith. For Bird, however, college was where he started attending Mass more regularly. It began when a fellow cross-country teammate invited him to go to Mass one Saturday, at Norte Dame in South Bend, Indiana. That first Mass became a tradition Bird continued until graduation and beyond. Since college, he’s made it an effort to go to daily mass in London, L.A. and Anchorage, including the 8 a.m. Mass at the monastery, which Bird admits is tough because it cuts into sleep time.
"Sometimes I’m weak and go back to sleep. However the days that I do not, I can’t ever remember thinking to myself, you idiot! Why are you here with God when you could be getting an extra hour of sleep," he said.
For Greidl, his motivation for continuing to go to Mass comes from seeing God’s work in his own life and understanding the sacrament of the Eucharist.
"If you believe in what you receive, that’s the crux of it. I can’t imagine anyone coming to daily mass and not having it make a difference in their life."
Harrington said her ultimate fantasy would be to live next door to a church so that she could go to Mass every day.
"Mass is a prayer (for me). Once I started praying it, I couldn’t stop."
The Catechism says the Mass is a chance to experience heaven on Earth because it "unites ourselves with the heavenly liturgy and anticipates eternal life when God will be all."
Bird agrees and added that in the U.S., there’s an additional blessing."There are men and women in China and the Middle East who cannot receive the Eucharist without risking death; some do and some die. Compared to these examples, my own efforts (to go to Mass) seem a very small bit of suffering in comparison."
Renaissance man to lead Kodiak school
St. Mary’s new principal brings innovative ideas
"He looks like Christ, with long blond hair and smiling blue eyes," Sister Barbara Harrington joked in describing Josh Lewis, the new principal at St. Mary School in Kodiak. He’s also a fisherman, who spent the summer in Bristol Bay.
"He’s a visionary kind of guy," Sister Harrington added. "We’re excited about finding new ways to sustain the school. He has ideas that will be new and will perhaps capture our imagination."
Lewis comes from a vast and varied background. An educator by training, he has more than 30 years experience teaching around the state, especially in rural areas. In addition to his fishing and educational background, Lewis is also an avid underwater explorer, film documentary producer and technological guru. He hopes to draw on all these experiences in leading St. Mary’s School into a new era.
Lewis knows he has a tough act to follow, as he takes up the mantle of Sister Diane Bardol, who served as principal of St. Mary’s for 35 years. Lewis has been a member of the St. Mary’s School board for the past couple years and knows Sister Bardol well.
"She laid an outstanding foundation of educational excellence," Lewis told the Anchor. "The footsteps that Sister left have been wide and long. The great thing is I have a perspective of what she has done, and we look forward to continuing that foundation."
Lewis hopes to integrate some innovative ideas into the school curriculum. One plan is to form a travel academy overseas for seventh and eighth graders. The idea is to spend the entire year integrating the curriculum around the partnership that will culminate with the students actually visiting the location at the end of the year.
He’s also formed a partnership with several Kodiak businesses, like the Kodiak Mirror (the local newspaper), so students can gain real-life experiences. Lewis wants to draw on his computer skills to continue to update the lab at the school, and possibly even create a cyber school that would offer distance education.
The new principal said that all of these new ideas are ways to strengthen the core ideals of "forming hearts, building minds and changing lives" that are the heart of St. Mary School’s mission statement.
Sister Harrington said Lewis’ ideas, vision and passion for the school are generating a positive response from parishioners at St. Mary Church.
"He’s well known in the education community in Kodiak and beyond," Sister said. "No matter who I inform about our new principal, I get such a positive response!"For more information about St. Mary School, call (907) 486-3513.
Catholic schools offer educational alternatives in Anchorage
Three different schools serve diverse needs
All across Anchorage, thousands of kids are polishing apples for the first day of school. For close to 400 of those students, that first day will be in one of the city’s three Catholic schools.
At Lumen Christi High School, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Elementary, and Holy Rosary Academy, the "three Rs" will come with that fourth "R" for which Catholic parents are willing to fork over the tuition money: religion.
Lumen Christi, a 7-12 school, opened in 1996, and is currently affiliated with St. Benedict Parish in West Anchorage.
Jim Yeargan, now in his seventh year as principal, said growth over the years has been "slow and steady." Last year boasted a large senior class – 20 students. This year, total enrollment is at 90 and inching upward.
The school constantly strives to add new courses and opportunities, said Yeargan – this year’s innovation is a photojournalism class. The school includes a state-of-the-art gymnasium, several sports and is currently looking for coaches for basketball, soccer and volleyball.
Lumen Christi also boasts the only debate team of any private school in the city, and last year, student Katy Portell won first place in the oration category at the 2007 Alaska State Tournament, beating competition from throughout the state.
Good teachers are a bedrock of Catholic education, said Yeargan. Leta Smith, who has taught at Lumen Christi for five years, retired this year and was one of those "can’t do without" teachers, said Yeargan, who said several part-time teachers will replace her.
"She taught chemistry, science, math, theology. She could do it all," he said. Smith had previously taught sixth grade at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton for nine years.
Ed Wassell, executive director of Holy Rosary Academy, a kindergarten through twelfth grade school with a campus on Fireweed Boulevard in Spenard, emphasized that religion isn’t just a class offered at a Catholic school, but rather faith permeates the whole scholastic experience.
Holy Rosary, which was founded in 1987, is the only "independent" Catholic school in the archdiocese – meaning it’s not formally affiliated with the archdiocese but operates with the permission of Anchorage Archbishop Roger Schwietz.
Wassell said, the school shares many events and activities with the other Catholic schools in town. Lumen Christi and Holy Rosary have pooled their resources for dramatic productions, for example, and the schools occasionally share a Mass.
"We work closely with the other schools," said Wassell. But the fact is, each school is unique and offers a different academic approach.
"And the community is richer for it," he said. "It gives Catholic parents more choices."
Holy Rosary offers what Wassell calls "a classical liberal curriculum." Latin and Greek are offered, the Socratic method of discussion and questioning is used, and original texts are studied whenever possible.
"By the seventh and eighth grade, history textbooks might begin to disappear," said Wassell, "and instead of reading about the development of communism, students might read the Communist Manifesto instead."
Wassell expects enrollment to be about 145 this year. Last year, he said, the school completed a $250,000 remodeling project which expanded available space.
Teachers at Holy Rosary are not required to hold Alaskan teaching certificates, but are certified through a new national Catholic program for independent schools.
The academy has been chosen in the top 50 Catholic high schools in the country for the past three years by the National Catholic High School Honor Roll project. Sponsored by a group called the Acton Institute, this project invited 1300 Catholic schools to apply for the honor last year. Schools are judged on academic excellence, Catholic identity and civic education.
The oldest Catholic school in the city is a parish grade school, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in South Anchorage, which opened in 1980 and currently runs a K-6 program with 158 students and more applications being received weekly.
Technically, the school can accommodate 175, but "we’d be packed to the gills," said principal Jim Carden, who credits the school’s increasingly popularity to a strong staff who are "certificated, experienced and with good tenure."
All classroom teachers and the librarian hold Alaska teaching certificates. Only one classroom had a vacancy this year – longtime first grade teacher Bette Blake retired. Replacing her is St. Elizabeth parishioner and school parent Lisa Orizotti, who taught grade school in Montana for nine years and has been a preschool teacher at New Horizons Preschool in South Anchorage for several years."We’re very excited about Lisa joining the staff," said Carden, who plans to retire after this year. He and the school board will be recruiting candidates to fill this position.
Principal brings 36 years of experience to Mat-Su’s first Catholic school
The close of school last June was an emotional time for Mat-Su Valley elementary school principal Suzanne Syr. Not only did she say goodbye to the sixth graders she’d known at Snowshoe Valley Elementary School since they were in kindergarten, she also celebrated her retirement after 36 years as an educator.
Or so she thought.
"I haven’t even gotten my first retirement check, and I’m back at it," Syr laughed as she checked out the progress at the new Our Lady of the Valley school in Wasilla.
Before she could get too immersed in retirement plans, Catholics in the Mat-Su approached Syr about the idea of leading the brand new pre-kindergarten through 8th grade school. Syr’s initial thought was to turn it down. She’d had grandiose plans to go explore the world and spend time with family. But people persisted and Syr finally worked out a compromise.
The school initially wanted Syr to teach a class and be the school’s principal. Instead, Syr will serve solely as a principal, which will still allow her the option to travel and visit her home state of Maine.
It’s a decision that Syr is extremely happy with because she has a sincere desire to serve the church. She admitted that she’s has always been enamored by musicians who choose to use their talent for the church.
"Being an educator is my talent, and I decided that yes, I can go ahead and do it," Syr said.
The former New Englander still has a slight accent, especially when she gets energized or starts talking about the Mat-Su’s first Catholic school and the excitement of a new opportunity.
"I love every minute of it. This is exciting and fun. I’m going from taking care of a Xerox machine and phone to worrying about the curriculum," Syr said.
She also has big plans for the school, both spiritual and academic.
"I’m a product of a Catholic school. There are certain values you learn at a Catholic school. Those types of things I want to bring to this school," Syr said.
She also hopes the school will gain a reputation for its rigorous academic standards.
"I don’t want to water academics down, the standards here will be vigorous," Syr said. Smaller class sizes and participation from parents will help meet these objectives, she pointed out.
Even though she’s logging more hours at the school than the average full time worker, Syr still has ambitions to travel and enjoy her golden years, like being able to fly down to a wedding in New England this fall."Once things calm down and are operating smoothly, I’ll be able to take a step back. I live five minutes from the school, so it won’t be a big deal if I have to run in to school."
Mat-Su school becomes reality
The 20-year wait for a Catholic School in the Mat-Su Valley is almost over, as workers put the finishing touches on the Our Lady of the Valley School in Wasilla. It still might look like a strip mall on the outside — but inside, the five-unit commercial building looks like a modern-day school. Five classrooms, a chapel and an administrative area are almost ready to welcome the new school’s first students.
So far, at least 60 students are registered to begin school later this month, and many more parents are calling to express an interest. A lot of those registered are younger students, but there are children registered all the way up to seventh grade.
"The hope is for 75 students," said Sr. Ann Fallon, the Anchorage Archdiocese education consultant for Catholic schools. Sr. Fallon said she expects more students to register as the first day of school approaches.
"You know how Alaskans are," Sr. Fallon said with a chuckle.
Four teachers are on staff right now. One teacher is slated to run a pre-school classroom for 3-and 4-year-olds for half a day. The youngest full time classroom will contain kindergarten and first grade. The idea is to have kindergartners start the day later, so the first graders have time to focus on academic subjects. There’s also a classroom for grades 2-4 and a middle school classroom for grades 5-8.
"I don’t think people believe that this is happening," Sr. Fallon said. The decision to lease a building instead of constructing a new facility helped speed things along, she added.
"If we were to build the building, it would have been years down the road before we could have opened. By leasing and minimal renovations, today’s youngsters (in the Mat-Su) will have an opportunity to go to a Catholic school."
Officials with the school say they see the hand of God at work by the outpouring of community support. Many people and businesses donated money and supplies to the school. Sr. Fallon expressed gratitude to BP Alaska who donated thousands of dollars in furniture and equipment to the school, including desks, carpeting and overhead projectors.
Even the building’s owner, Charles Juge, has volunteered his time and resources to help extensively with the renovation of the school and help donate a sprinkler system to the school. All of this is an investment for the church, Sr. Fallon said.
"My vision is that this school will be a major source of the future of the church. The main reason we are forming this school is to teach the students about God and their relationship with him."For registration and volunteer information, call Sr. Ann Fallon at (907) 297-7790 or email at ann.fallon@caa-ak.org
Shape of Pastoral Plan should reflect uniqueness of parishes
Some months ago, the Archdiocesan Pastoral Plan was released. Since then, I have been asked, "What does this mean to me, and, where do we start?" My answer is simple. Begin as I have done, by looking at how this plan impacts you as a person. I have entered into the reflection process listed on the back of the plan, and am continually asking myself, who is God calling us to be as church here in the archdiocese? What is Christ asking me, as the archbishop, to do? How is the Holy Spirit guiding me in this process? What are the hopes and needs of our parish and local community and how do I, as the archbishop, fit into this plan? For each of us, the answer will be different. We are all gifted in many ways and called by our baptism to serve in a variety of ways. The combination of our gifts and talents brought together, will enhance and benefit our local churches and the archdiocese as a whole. You can find the entire Pastoral Plan, including the questions for reflection on our Web site at: http://www.archdioceseofanchorage.org/Pastoral2.htm
As you reflect on the Pastoral Plan and the questions, you may find that you respond to the life and needs in your own unique faith community through the strategies outlined. Some goals and objectives may leave you somewhat bewildered. Maybe they don’t connect with anything in your life or faith community. It may however, be something for future reflection, or, you might discover at another point in time, a way to respond that fits with your gifts and talents.
I look forward to hearing about the efforts in our parishes and agencies as you craft collectively responses to the Archdiocesan Pastoral Plan. I would like to leave you with three additional questions to reflect on as you incorporate the Pastoral Plan into your individual life:
Who are you as a parish community or agency?
How are you living the mission of the diocese?
How are you called to give shape to the vision of the diocese?
Remember what challenges us is often a call from God to listen deeply. If you wish further assistance, contact: Jerry Finkler, Ministry Support Services Office, 297-7721 or Jerry.Finkler@caa-ak.org.To view the Pastoral Plan online, visit www.archdioceseofanchorage.org.
Sacred Heart breaks plan into bite-sized pieces
Momentum requires solidarity
Our Parish Council at Sacred Heart Church in Wasilla was introduced to the Anchorage Archdiocese Pastoral Plan by our former pastor Father Kasparaj Mallavarapu who asked our pastoral council to review a leaflet of the plan from the Archdiocese. After some puzzlement with the paper’s format, we turned the wheeled diagram around and around and started sharing concerns and questions. "When did we have to have this thing done?" "Was this one of those ‘big ideas’ that was forgotten several months later?" "Are we going to be charged something for this?" We struggled with the various parts—mission, values, and vision—and decided that this must involve the other parish groups and ministries because no single group did everything on the wheel. With a little more discussion and closer reading, we discovered that the time line extended to 2012 and there was no price tag anywhere! The Plan covers a broad array of possibilities, and perhaps unknowingly, we began to be integrated into the dream.
One of the members, Bobbie Ackley (a woman who can do anything with an Excel spreadsheet) thought she could design something for the next meeting that might help. She managed to put the wheel into bite sized pieces that we could easily discuss. The council used her format to talk about how our council represented the ideals of the Pastoral Plan. Our past activities, present projects, and future plans were easily noted. The aspects that didn’t apply to us were ignored. Our initial discussion of the role of the pastoral council in the plan took about 30 minutes. Bobbie recorded the notes in the appropriate areas. We quickly recognized that our process could be reproduced by other parish ministries and groups.
So what difference does this make for our parish and the wider community?We need to understand who we are and what we could be as a parish, particularly within our local community. Our intentional decisions based on self-awareness will bring confidence, identity, and security. The momentum of the wheel depends on the solidarity of all the struts. These spokes extend from scriptural values and principles, which can carry our parish into the community "forming one family of faith making present the risen Christ and building the reign of God."
All are welcome at St. Anthony’s
If one were to ask a member of St. Anthony’s what best describes the parish, the most likely answer is, "All are welcome." This is a phrase that has, in effect, become the parish’s mission statement. This of course is not surprising since the parish has a diverse population of Polish, Nigerians, Samoans, Filipinos, Koreans, Anglos, African-Americans, Hispanics and Alaska Natives. Indeed, it’s a community rich in diversity, where everyone can quickly find a place at the table whether at Mass, at a potluck dinner, or a business meeting where planning for and doing missions is everyone’s responsibility. This is our vision. Our continuing challenge is how to put our faith into action. It cannot happen without right relationships. Evangelization, another name for doing mission, is about building just relationships (the reign of God). This is our starting point at St. Anthony’s — the starting point, I believe, of every pastoral plan.
Four years ago, we started a listening process using the principles and techniques of community organizing. In this listening process, leaders who were trained by a community organizer with AFACT, made 250 intentional visits which raised both parish (internal) and community (external) issues and concerns. Intentional visits and listening helped build relationships and open the door for wider participation and involvement in the parish. Below is a sequence of events.
We began one-to-one listening (community organizing). This culminated in the first of three public meetings on safety and community policing attended by 450 people and public officials (two assemblymen, the city mayor, chief of police, and the Anchorage superintendent of schools).
We formed a pastoral council with Brother Loughlan Sofield facilitating.
The pastoral council conducted one-to-one visits and small town meetings including meetings with cultural groups in the parish in preparation for the strategic planning.
The strategic planning process got underway with Rosemary Insley of the Holy Spirit Center facilitating. A five-year plan was completed in fall of 2006. that plan is available online at www.stanthony-alaska.org/council/html/plan.html.
Neighborhood children gathered in St. Anthony parish to participate in a program run by the Municipality’s Parks and Recreation to address youth safety and crime prevention.
The pastoral council will review the parish strategic plan and the Archdiocese’s Pastoral Plan, and will conduct an evaluation and planning process.
November 17-18, 2007 – Celebration of 50th Anniversary of St. Anthony Parish begins.
In the photo at right, Pope Benedict XVI walks with Muslim clerics as he visits the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, Nov. 30, 2006. The pope’s historic visit marked only the second time a pontiff ever entered a mosque. Recent statements and public addresses by the Holy Father have urged Catholics and the West in general to seek greater dialogue and understanding with the religion of Islam.
The pontiff has urged Christians and Muslims to pursue authentic dialogue, based on truth and inspired by a sincere wish to know one another better. Engaging ecumenical and interfaith witness is also one of the nine goals of the Anchorage Archdiocese Pastoral Plan. Thanks to a new program that is open to the public and spearheaded by the Cardinal Newman Chair at Alaska Pacific University, many local churches in Alaska will have the opportunity to learn from renowned scholars about the history, core teachings and practices of modern-day Islam.
St. Patrick Church in Anchorage is one of several parishes that plan to tap into the upcoming presentations.
"There is a wealth of material available in books and film and the timing is right for all of us to have a better understanding of the second largest religion in the world," Felix Maguire, a deacon at St. Patrick Church, wrote to the Anchor.
In an effort to fulfill one goal of the Pastoral Plan to engage in interfaith witness, St. Patrick is planning to hold several pre-lecture meetings with discussion that aim to "prime us for the lectures," said Maguire. "We have every reason to hope that our effort to self educate will change the face of the community for the better."
For more about the "Engaging Muslims" project, refer to the July 27, 2007 issue of the Catholic Anchor at www.catholicanchor.org or visit the project’s official Web site at http://em.alaskapacific.edu.For more information, contact Mary-Margaret Stein, Project Director at 564-8264 or visit the Engaging Muslims website at http://religion.alaskapacific.edu.
News & Notes
Discipleship Days registration open
The annual Discipleship Days Conference is accepting registrations online at www.archdioceseofanchorage.org. Registration will also be available at local parishes. The three-day conference features more than 50 workshops and takes place Sept. 27-29 at Lumen Christi High School in Anchorage. For more information, contact Julie Galligan at julie.galligan@caa-ak.org or call 297-7710.
Archbishop urges support of solidarity partnership
In an effort to strengthen ties with the Cotabato Archdiocese in the Philippines, Anchorage Archbishop Roger Schwietz issued a formal letter, encouraging Catholics within the Anchorage Archdiocese to support a fundraising effort to send a delegation of Alaskans to the Philippines.
In 2004, the Anchorage Archdiocese formed a partnership with the Cotabato Archdiocese with the help of Catholic Relief Services. The vision of this partnership was a growth of mutual understanding and support.
In 2004, delegates from Alaska went to Cotabato and formed the Global Solidarity Partnership while visiting several villages. Last fall Cotabato Archbishop Orlando Quevedo and Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo traveled to Alaska with a delegation from Cotabato. These mutual visits aim to create personal and communal relationships between the two archdioceses.
"It is time to continue our sharing this November," Archbishop Schwietz wrote in the recent letter. "Therefore, a group of delegates will be going to Cotabato in November to join our partners in the Mindanao Week of Peace."
During that week, the people of Mindanao take a moment to realize the value of peace. The Alaska delegates will share during that time.
While the partnership was not formed to give financial help to the Philippines, money is needed to send delegates.
"To ensure that individuals may joint the delegations, we would like to raise money for plane fares," Archbishop Schwietz wrote. "Some people from the Archdiocese of Anchorage will be selling raffle tickets for this purpose. It is my hope that all will support this, our Global Solidarity Partnership, and those selling tickets."
IRS Regulations update
New regulations by the IRS explain the limits of political involvement for churches and other tax-exempt organizations during the political season.
Churches are exempt from federal income taxation because they are described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. This means parishes are prohibited from participating or intervening in any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for public office, including publishing or distributing statements.
These organizations may, however, engage in non-partisan voter education activities without jeopardizing their tax-exemption, and most may engage in limited amounts of lobbying activities. Distinguishing between permissible and impermissible activities, however, represents an important task for all organizations that might engage in political activities. The new guidelines are available online at www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/rr-07-41.pdf. They provide an overview of the rules regarding political activity, define key terms such as "candidate" and "voter education," and reference prior Revenue Rulings addressing candidate questionnaires and other matters. The guidelines also presents and analyze 21 factual examples, each of which involves a Section 501(c)(3) organization sponsoring or participating in various non-partisan or political activities. The guidelines address voter education, voter registration, voter drives, individual activity by organizational leaders, candidate appearances, issue advocacy vs. political campaign activity, business activity and Web site content.
Philosophy, theology and the outdoors
Two brothers from the Community of St. John are scheduled to lead a retreat on Aug. 16-19 for people between the ages of 20 to 40 years. The four-day retreat will be held in Girdwood. For more information, call 243-2195.
Need marriage help?
Retrouvaille of Alaska is a ministry that supports couples who may be suffering through a difficult marriage. The next Retrouvaille retreat is set for Oct. 4-6 in Anchorage. For more information, call (907) 360-2227 or visit www.HelpOurMarriage.com.
Help for addictions
Holy Spirit Center in Anchorage is hosting a retreat based on the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous. The retreat, which walks people through the spirituality of the 12 Steps, is open to anyone interested in recovery from alcoholism and other addictions. For more information, call (907) 346-2343.
Volunteers always welcome
People interested in volunteering to support one of the many ministries of Catholic Social Services can find out about volunteer opportunities by visiting the CSS Web site at www.cssalaska.org.
Columns
The Celebrating Church — we are sent forth to preach
Editor’s note: This is the seventh and final column in a series that guided readers through the meaning and significance of the Catholic Mass. Previous columns in this series are available online at www.catholicanchor.org. Click archives and the issue you wish to read. The series was written by Father Leo Walsh, pastor of St. Andrew Church in Eagle River.
It is ironic that one of the most important parts of the Mass is also the shortest. Our celebration has just about run its course. We have gathered as the Body of Christ. We have shared our stories. We have prayed the greatest prayer of praise and thanksgiving that humanity can raise to God. We have entered into the one, true sacrifice of Christ by our sacrifice on the altar. We have shared the fruits of that sacrifice, and entered into a holy communion — a union of all that we are, as individuals and as a people, with all that God is.
It would be nice to stay there in that blissful state where the heavenly and earthly liturgies are joined. But we cannot. We have work to do. The reality of what we celebrated and experienced, must be made present to the world outside the walls of the church. We sanctify this time and place so that all the time we spend and all the places we go in the coming week may be made holy by Christ who is present to the world through us.
The final part of the dialogue is intoned: "The Lord be with you." We respond: "And also with you." We are blessed by the celebrant and then the deacon tells us, "The Mass is ended. Go in peace."
Now what do we do? We sing a hymn and then out we go into the world. Oh sure, we may pause for a donut along the way, but our real work has just begun. Whether at home, in school, at work, with friends, coworkers or colleagues, it is important to remember that you may be the only gospel they hear. You are not called to change the whole world, but you should definitely have a profound impact on that part of the world you come into contact with this week. I am reminded of a teaching attributed to St. Francis: "You must preach the Gospel always. Always preach the Gospel. And if absolutely necessary, you may use words."The lasting fruits of the Mass, then, are found in the daily life of the one who has entered fully, consciously and actively into the reality of what is celebrated in the Liturgy so that these Sacred Mysteries may become present to the world we live in and the people we encounter. Then having experienced Christ in us, others may be drawn next Sunday to the celebration which makes it all possible – the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass!
Priests must pray in order to meet spiritual hunger
There is a hunger for faith in our world. In my experience working for more than 50 years with students, married couples, adult faith groups, seminarians and religious, I have seen the longing people have for personal communion with God.
The greatest need in today’s church is for us to help people develop a living, nourishing prayer life. We priests are called primarily to be spiritual fathers, skilled in discerning God’s spirit and in giving personal direction in prayer. Preoccupation with material administration, fear of incompetence, and lack of prayerfulness in our lives interfere with our sacred trust.
Catholics are receiving the sacrament of penance less frequently. The number of defections from the priesthood and religious life has been depressing. There are sorry testimonies that we are failing to make sacramental confession a rich meeting with Christ and failing to give our sisters, seminarians and young priests adequate help in prayer. Lay people are even more neglected in this regard.
Our contemporary religious crisis wears many names, but primarily it is a crisis of faith — an unmet hunger for prayer.
Pastoral decisions which put brick and mortar, finances, social administration or personal leisure before our priestly trust to share the word of God — to make the living Jesus present and alive through sacraments and the Eucharist and to afford personal direction in prayer — are betrayals of our vocation and damaging to priests and lay people alike.Worldwide social concerns are staggering, as evidenced by every major papal encyclical since the late 1800’s. They demand attention and energy by the hierarchy and the faithful; but without Christian faith and love, nourished by prayer, no social effort is adequate or salvific. Catholic renewal that does not meet our people’s hunger for prayer, for deeper faith and personal union with God is empty and meaningless.
Speaking up may cost you
I will readily admit to anyone who is concerned that in much of my writing and preaching I have never had the tendency to portray myself as a public nuisance. Call me a coward, if you will. At the same time, I seem to have an odd (some might say perverse) sense of satisfaction in reading articles by others who do have the stomach to disturb the public peace.
Mike Doogan, for instance, was once one of my favorite columnists when he wrote for the Anchorage Daily News. As all will remember, he had no fear of correcting (some would say harassing) the public servants in Juneau. For that he took a goodly amount of criticism in the Letters to the Editor. In these latter days, however, Mr. Doogan finds himself one of those very public servants in the State Legislature whom he once excoriated. Now, however, he carries on his critique in a more gentlemanly manner. It’s called public debate. The lesson: If you can’t beat `em, join `em.
Nonetheless, there would seem to be a certain advantage in having certain individuals in human society who do have the courage to speak out on issues that they believe will affect the commonweal. Inasmuch as many of these will be political issues that affect the lives of common folk, there will undoubtedly be significant differences of opinion. That is one of the byproducts of a democratic society.
Jeremiah, the prophet, whose words appear in the forthcoming liturgy of the 18th Sunday in our church calendar, was just such a public religious and political gadfly. He believed that one could detect God’s will and rule in the intelligent decision-making by a country’s leaders. For this, of course, he was roundly criticized and, indeed, thrown into a well by authorities where he sank into the mud until a political ally had him hauled out. He was eventually exonerated and proven correct in his public opinions.
Most Christians, I should imagine, do not ordinarily consider Jesus of Nazareth a public gadfly, certainly not a nuisance. Nonetheless, there are occasional utterances of Jesus that puzzle readers unless one searches for their deeper meaning and context. In the Gospel for this Sunday, for instance, Jesus boldly admits that he has not come to bring peace but rather the opposite. Indeed, his words will place families at odds with each other, fathers against sons, mothers against daughters, et cetera. Scripture commentators, however, suggest that Jesus’ intent is not to break up the family but rather to say that the very nature of the kingdom he has come to preach is so demanding that it places responsibilities on the individual that exceed even the bonds of the family itself. In other words, the demands of individual conscience take precedence over family values.
What that seems to mean, therefore, is that each one of us is ultimately responsible for the decisions we make even though it may cost us some anguish in our family relationships.In this context I remember a quotation of the Rev. Martin Neumoller, a pre-World War II Lutheran pastor who felt that he had not spoken bravely enough against the Nazis, and now the harm had been done. Here are his words: "In Germany they came first for the Communists and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Communist. Then they came for the Jews and I didn’t speak up because I was not a Jew. Then they came for the Catholics and I didn’t speak up because I was protestant. Then they came for me and by that time there was no one left to speak up." The lesson: Speaking up costs. No one can do it for us.
Two-a-days aren’t just for sports, holiness takes training sessions too
Alarm rings at 7AM, grab a small, quick breakfast and head to school. Stretch, run…drill, run…learn, run… sprint, sweat, bleed, run… run, collapse, run...and then practice some more. Enjoy a quick break and a small lunch and do it all again. What is this insanity I am referring to? "Doubles" or "two a days", this common experience becomes a rite of passage as young people begin their fall sports programs. This training is a time to develop skills, perhaps weed out the not so tough, get in shape, and prepare for the competitions of the upcoming season.
The dedication and effort that young people put into training for sports is certainly admirable. Ever wonder what would happen if we trained in our spiritual lives the same way we trained our bodies for sports programs?
In 1999, Pope John Paul II met the youth of America in a stadium in St. Louis and asked them a similar question.
"Today, this impressive stadium has become another kind of training ground not for hockey or soccer or basketball, but for that training that will help you to live your faith in Jesus more decisively. This is the "training in devotion" that Saint Paul is referring to the training that makes it possible for you to give yourselves without reservation to the Lord and to the work that he calls you to do!"
In the Apostolic letter Novo Millenio Inuente, he adds "It is also clear however that the paths to holiness are personal and call for a genuine "training in holiness"
Pope John Paul makes it clear that personal holiness doesn’t just happen — we become holy only if we work at it.
This is how John Paul describes it: "Holiness, a message that convinces without the need for words, is the living reflection of the face of Christ." Those who embark on this
endeavor gain a far greater prize than anything achieved on a sports field; those that truly train at becoming holy begin to become a reflection of the face of Christ.
So how does one begin training?
Go to Mass, serve others, pray… read the Bible, adore the Eucharist, pray… pick up your cross, ponder the Saints, pray… go to Confession, pray the Rosary, pray… study the Catechism, pray with friends, fast, pray…pray, sweat, bleed, and pray. Enjoy a quick break to play ball with your friends, grab a quick meal and do it all again.Just as coaches urge us on to reach our potential in the athletic realm, John Paul is challenging us to look into a realm with more eternal consequences: "what training am I doing in order to live a truly Christian life?"
Editorials
The spiritual life requires a bent knee
A quick glance through this issue of the Catholic Anchor and it’s hard to miss what has become the great struggle of Western civilization.
At root is the question of whether life is fundamentally hierarchical or fundamentally democratic. Do we take marching orders or play to our own drum?
Of course, few advocate a return to monarchal rule or military dictatorships. The dispute has more to do with the core nature of reality (or whether there is a core nature at all).
In many ways, U.S. and European societies have largely abandoned the belief that life is fundamentally ordered in regards to morality. Modern societies have instead embraced notions of personal autonomy, radical individuality and personal choice, which unhinge us from obligations to live according to rules of natural or divine law.
This plays out when young Catholics abandon religious traditions of their parents and grandparents for something more exciting or personally stimulating (see article on page 1). It surfaces when the sacred bond of marriage dissolves into the transient feeling of being in love (page 2). And it manifests when we let tasks and errands of the day crowd out and ultimately silence prayer life (page 5).
The list could go on to include the increased manipulations of the environment and embryonic human life to best suite and satisfy popular desires.
In Catholic circles, these relativistic ideas manifest in declining Mass attendance and dwindling confessional lines. They are also seen in the temptation to reduce religion to something that minimally interferes with our life.
On one hand, it’s easy to see the temptation to downplay older notions about binding commitments, holy obligations, religious disciplines, natural law and final judgment. This kind of talk threatens popular wisdom that celebrates our desire to live as we please without passing judgment.
But in the end, the universe (both physical and spiritual) is either created with an order that demands harmony if we are to thrive or it is an unplanned stew of random developments – none more fundamentally correct that another.
The odd thing is that no one really lives as though everything is equal. Peace activists say we are obligated to end war; environmentalists preach the goodness of the earth; social justice advocates argue that all human beings have fundamental dignity; and traditional family groups want to protect the natural family structure.
The struggle, however, is to resist the temptation to pick and choose certain causes without acknowledging that all of life falls into a grand order, which requires our allegiance.
In two-plus years of Benedict XVI’s pontificate, he has repeatedly urged the West to return to Christian ideas that provide the basis for defending human dignity and care for the earth. He has called Catholics to acknowledge natural law in regards to sexual morality, care for the environment, and just family and social structures.
The pope knows that when adherence to natural law dissolves, the most heinous practices become possible.
The same holds true of the spiritual law. When we downplay revelation and magisterial teaching about how to pray or practice our Catholic faith, we open ourselves to a religion of our own making. This creates a tendency to pick and choose what comes easiest – self-gratification.
It is encouraging to see that some Catholics are choosing to fight this tendency by attending daily Mass (see page 1), teaching children in the Catholic faith (pages 8-9) and calling us to live lives of prayer and devotion to God.
These religious practices acknowledge that core of reality is not something we simply make up based on a popular vote. Instead, the spiritual and natural universe is full of guideposts and (yes, even laws) that we must follow in order to flourish.
Letters to the Editor
Another Fr. Giebel memory
We came back from our vacation and were informed of Father Giebel’s death. We want to express our sorrow and love for a great pastor and wonderful and loyal friend. We lived in Alaska from 1964 to 1976 and Father was our third pastor in Eagle River. Our children enjoyed conversing with Father and playing with his dog, Patris, after Mass. We worked closely with Father in the building of the church in Peter’s Creek. We stayed in touch with him when we relocated to Washington State in 1976. He came down to preside over our oldest son Joe’s funeral in 1978. We returned to Eagle River to attend the dedication of the new St Andrew’s Church in Eagle River, AK. Father came down to Seattle to witness the wedding of our daughter, Dorothy, in 1991.
He was an inspiration to our family and to many of our Catholic and non-Catholic friends. We know that our Lord has taken him home into his arms to hold and comfort him. May he rest in peace.
Cle Elum, Washington
ACYC showed youth the larger church
The Alaska Catholic Youth Conference, which took place earlier this summer, is often an eye opener for teens to see the larger Catholic Church.
From its inception, ACYC aimed to provide youth chances to experience the larger Catholic Church, similar to what is experienced at World Youth Day and the National Catholic Youth Convention. ACYC is important because most Alaskan teens will never be able to attend these larger national events.
Our goal is to balance the types of guest speakers and their topics. Psychologists, liturgists, Hispanic ministers, missionary priests, religious brothers and sisters, youth leaders, bishops, diocesan and parish leaders, teachers, musicians, social justice ministers, deacons and many others to participate throughout the years. ACYC is a true presentation of the larger church and the invitation to be involved as a volunteer is extended to all local leaders in addition to the national and international speakers that come to Alaska.
This is who we really are — ordained, lay and religious brothers and sisters.
A major criteria in choosing guest speakers is how well they relate to the teens. Are they passionate about youth ministry? Many times, we invite speakers that adults and teens from the local parishes choose. Each year, teens and adults from every parish in the Archdiocese are invited to come together and help plan ACYC. Our number one goal is to raise strong Catholic teen disciples.
The real success of ACYC is seen in the many teens and adults gather in a special way as a universal church, for four-days, to learn about their faith, pray, celebrate the sacraments, serve together, and return to their home parishes more passionate and knowledgeable about being Catholic.
The list of volunteers required to prepare and implement ACYC is impressive. Volunteers provide welcoming dinners for out of town guests and parish leaders, shuttle folks to and from the airport, recruit teen leaders, sell concessions, organize service opportunities for youth, set up sound systems for speakers and musicians, plan and perform skits, prepare posters for the "Hall of Saints," choose readings to be used for daily Masses and prepare the facilities at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church and Lumen Christi Jr./ Sr. High School. In addition Archbishop Roger Schwietz presides at Mass and dozens of speakers prepare and present workshops.
I am proud of the accomplishments of ACYC throughout the past seven years and thankful for the many people who take ownership in this statewide gathering for the young people. They experience being Catholic in a unique way.
Planning for ACYC 2008 has begun and all are invited to participate. There will be a gathering during Discipleship Days for those able to help. Please watch for more details to come.
Palmer