August 24, 2007 - Issue #17
Local News | Opinion/Editorials | Letters to the Editor
Local News
Inmates denied Mass in Sutton correctional facility
State chaplain: ‘The institution made a mistake’
Every state correctional facility in Alaska is now on notice that Catholic priests are allowed to use a small amount of wine to celebrate Mass in the state’s prison system.
Earlier this month, notices went to superintendents throughout the state, after a Catholic priest from Palmer was denied permission to enter the Palmer Correctional Facility near Sutton with a small bottle of altar wine.
The incident occurred Saturday morning, July 28, when Father Tom Brundage and Deacon Jim Hostman made their monthly trip north to celebrate Mass with roughly a dozen inmates.
The Alaska Department of Correction’s Web site clearly states that fermented altar wine is allowed into the prisons for religious services. Despite the decades-old policy, two correctional officers denied Father Brundage entrance with roughly three ounces of wine.
According to Father Brundage, the incident was the first time in eight or nine trips that he had any trouble at Sutton.
"I asked that the matter be referred to supervisor Lt. Tim Routen and was told again that the wine would not be admitted," Father Brundage wrote in a formal letter to state correction officials.
Deacon Hostman told the Anchor that he tried to explain that altar wine had been allowed in the state prisons for more than 20 years but the officers on duty did not relent, he said, so instead of celebrating Mass, Father Brundage held a prayer service.
Before leaving, however, Father Brundage asked to speak to a higher-ranking official. Officers gave him the phone number of the facility’s assistant superintendent, Earl Houser.
According to Father Brundage, Houser was no help and instead chewed him out during a phone conversation, saying that "as a man of the cloth" Father Brundage should know better than to bring wine into a prison.
"I have not been so thoroughly verbally abused by anyone since I was a teenager," Father Brundage wrote in the letter. "My plea that as Catholics we cannot have Mass without wine and that only the deacon and I ever receive it, fell on deaf ears with Houser."
According to church teaching, Mass cannot be celebrated without consecrating at least a small amount of altar wine.
"Our department of corrections policies and procedures clearly make provisions for that," said Mike Ensch, the state’s chaplain coordinator. "That is a long-standing policy and the decision makers at the (Palmer Correctional) Facility were totally in error."
Ensch manages all religious programming and spiritual activities throughout the state’s correctional facilities. One of his duties, he said, is to guarantee the religious freedoms of Alaska’s inmates.
Ensch said the incident in Sutton arose because the officers on duty and the assistant superintendent were unaware of a longstanding policy.
"They weren’t even aware that altar wine was being brought in," he told the Anchor in a phone interview Aug. 9.
Ensch, who has served in his current post for the past 19 years, said the Department of Corrections is a "big bureaucracy" which experiences considerable turnover with its correctional officers. At times, this leads to mistakes, even though the policy is online for any officer or administrator to read, he explained."The institution made a mistake," he added. "A Eucharistic service is about as basic and standard as you get in our system. For people to lose sight of that, I don’t know. It does happen though."
Father Brundage acknowledged that there seemed to be different correctional officers on staff each time he visits the Sutton facility. He questioned, however, whether the three employees, including the assistant superintendent, were completely ignorant of the decades-old policy.
"This is the crux of the issue," Father Brundage told the Anchor Aug. 8. "Three people who worked for the state of Alaska either did not know the regulations — and that’s a serious issue — or they deliberately ignored them. I have no other explanation. In either case it is not a good situation."
Anchorage Archbishop Roger Schwietz thought the issue important enough to write a letter to Gov. Sarah Palin, asking that the problem be resolved.
"Prison is not only there to protect society from criminals, to put them away, but it is also to give criminals an opportunity to reform their lives," Archbishop Schwietz told the Anchor. "The role of religion in transformation is very important. In our Catholic tradition, of course, the sacramental life is central to that."
Denying the possibility to function sacramentally, strikes at the core of Catholic religious practice, he added, and said that it seems contrary to the constitution that guarantees freedom of religious practice.
Garland Armstrong, the Department of Corrections director of Division of Institutions, acknowledged that the Sutton employees did not know the state’s policies permitting altar wine but stopped short of admitting discrimination was at play.
"It is not our intention to bar altar wine and we endeavor to be consistent," he told the Anchor.
The Sutton incident, however, is not the first time a Catholic priest has expressed difficulty bringing altar wine into a state prison.
"There was one time when I was questioned about altar wine (at Spring Creek Correctional Center) in Seward," said Father Richard Tero. "The problem is the turnover of the correctional officers. Every time I go, there is a new person opening the doors."
Father Tero said he now carries a copy of the regulations with him and hasn’t had trouble since.
Despite reminding every facility of the state’s policy, Armstrong said mistakes might still happen in the future.
"I can’t promise you it will never happen but I’m pretty sure that all the superintendents know the policy now," he said.
When asked if the officers on duty were disciplined for their treatment toward Father Brundage, Armstrong said he could not go into personnel matters regarding how the state deals with employees but he did say he planned to speak with Ensch to determine whether further clarification was needed.
Father Brundage said resolving the issue is critical.
"I’m not normally a contentious guy but I just think there are some very strong principles at stake here," he said.
Most important is the ability of inmates to seek redemption through their Catholic faith, he said."It is a big deal. They show up and are very eager to receive the Eucharist," Father Brundage said. "In my conversations with the men — to a person — these are men who have turned around their lives and they see their faith as a significant part of the turnaround in their lives. It is a key component in their future endeavors in keeping them out of the system. It seems like the crux of what they hold onto for hope is their Catholic Christian beliefs."
Discipleship Days covers the gamut
Diverse: More than 30 speakers and 50 topics
The Archdiocese’s third annual Discipleship Days, Sept. 27-29, begins in dramatic fashion this year with a performance by well-known Adrian Dominican Sister Nancy Murray, sister of comedian Bill Murray.
Sister Murray will present a Thursday night one-woman presentation portraying the 14th century Dominican mystic, St. Catherine of Siena.
"She’s full of life," said her fellow Adrian Dominican Sister Ann Fallon, who served on the organizing committee. "I’ve seen this presentation five times and I love it. She makes a big entrance ... and then she draws everyone in. It’s exiting for every age."
And that’s just opening night.
Once again, Discipleship Days is bursting with presenters and topics. And for the second year in a row, it takes place on the campus of Lumen Christi High Jr./ Sr. School at St. Benedict Church.
This year’s weekend is titled "Many Roads Lead to Conversion, to Discipleship and to the Church."
"It’s very versatile," said Archbishop Roger Schwietz, who added that people often make positive comments to him about Discipleship Days.
"Since we first started, I’ve found this to be an exciting time. People from around the archdiocese gather to learn together. It’s a boost to the local church," the archbishop said.
Friday, Sept. 28, begins the workshop portion of the three-day event. Juneau’s Bishop Michael Warfel will give that day’s keynote address, followed by a keynote on Saturday by the archdiocese’s own Father Michael Shields, who serves in Magadan, Russia, at the Church of the Nativity.
"I am so excited about the possibilities that can grow out of this event," said committee head Julie Galligan, coordinator of the office of Ministerial Support Services.
"Every speaker is coming at the suggestion of people from the parishes or people who have attended Discipleship Days."
Galligan said many people expressed a special desire for workshops on young adult ministry and the lack of young adult participation in parishes. So the committee recruited Father John Cusick, the originator of the idea for the national program "Theology on Tap," and Dr. Kathleen DeVries.
The two have worked together in young adult ministry for over 19 years in the Archdiocese of Chicago and co-authored the "Basic Guide to Young Adult Ministry."
"With their schedules, we never thought we’d be able to get them," said Galligan. "But they are so excited to be coming, and so are we."
In addition to attending Theology on Tap Friday night, the two will present several workshops, including one by Father Cusick entitled, "Here’s the church. Here’s the steeple. Open the doors. Where are all the young people?"
Julie Alfred, associate director of the office of stewardship and development, and part of the organizing committee, said Discipleship Days offers "something for people at all stages of their faith development. It addresses the needs of lay ministers as well as personal faith development."
Once again, Saturday will offer Spanish-language tracks, and there are presentations specifically aimed at youth, including "A Journey of Conversion," local mom and daughter Tam and Genevieve Gisler’s story of traveling to Guatemala on a mission awareness trip.
Some of the more than 50 workshops include, "What do we mean when we say ‘The Church is a Communion?’" given by Dominican Fathers Don Bramble and John Mellein, "Discipleship in the Gospel of Matthew" by Jesuit Father Ted Kestler of the Diocese of Fairbanks, and "Catholics and the Interpretation of Scripture, from the Time of Jesus Through Today," by Dr. Regina Boisclair, Cardinal Newman Chair of Theology at Alaska Pacific University.
Bishop Warfel, who before his appointment as Bishop of the Diocese of Juneau served the Archdiocese of Anchorage as a priest, has titled his Friday keynote, "What is a Vital Catholic?"
Father Shields’ Saturday keynote is "Strengthening Faith in Jesus: The New Evangelization." The priest, who was born and raised in Anchorage, will discuss his 13 years of ministry in Russia. In breakout sessions, Father Shields will address how to re-evangelize Catholic youth based on Pope John Paul II’s call for a "new evangelization."
In the past, Discipleship Days has drawn between 200-300 people.
That’s the number organizers are planning on this year, said Arthur Roraff, who is overseeing the logistics of the event – like setting up classrooms for the conferences, building a stage, and making sure the sound system works.
"Everything seems to be coming together," said Roraff — adding he can always use more volunteers.
Other committee members include Adrian Dominican Sister Jo Gaugier and Matthew Beck, pastoral associate at St. Michael Parish in Palmer.
Cost of all events, including receptions and two lunches, is $90 for adults, $60 for young adults aged 19-23, and $30 for youth aged 12-18. In some cases scholarships are also avaliable.
However, people can register for just one day, or, for $10 for adults, $10 for young adults, and $5 for youth, they can attend Sister Murray’s performance, which is billed as a great event for families.Registration forms and a complete list of speakers and topics are online at www.archdioceseofanchorage.org. They may be picked up at local parishes or at the Pastoral Center. For information, call 297-7710.
Our Lady of the Lake grows into a parish
The stain glass windows behind the church altar came from Hepler’s parish that closed its doors in Plymouth, Iowa. Hepler and her husband went down to Iowa, bought the stained glass windows and carefully shipped them up to Alaska.
The August sun shined brightly through those windows on Aug. 15, casting a soft amber backlight on Archbishop Roger Schwietz and Judicial Vicar, Father Tom Brundage, as they officially signed the document that established Our Lady of the Lake as a brand new parish for the Archdiocese of Anchorage. The parish was previously a mission of Sacred Heart Church in Wasilla.
More than a 100 people from this small community gathered for their first Mass as a parish. Afterwards parishioners celebrated with food, treats and plenty of good cheer as they eagerly looked to the future.
"This will give us an opportunity to set our own goals and independence and allow us to come up with our own creative ideas. Since we know the area best we will be able to make it our own," parishioner Paul DuClos said.
"This is like naming the reality that is for us," pastoral associate Kathy Bishop said.
"We’ve always considered ourselves a parish," parishioner Sandy Beran agreed. "It’s great to have it officially happen."
The establishment of the new parish is a continuation of a community that already has several decades of history in the area, newly installed pastor Fr. Jim Oberle said.
"It’s a faith-filled community that’s received excellent care over the years. Kathy Bishop’s done an excellent job over the years," Fr. Oberle added.
The community spirit of Our Lady of the Lake stretches back to its earliest beginnings in the 1960s. It all started when the new community church for the Big Lake area wouldn’t allow a Catholic Mass to be celebrated in the building. This inspired a group of Catholics to build their own church, led by Bud Beech.
"The Holy Spirit got Bud, and Bud got me to help build the new church," Tim Geirman said.
Geirman went to Oscar Anderson, the man who donated the Big Lake Community Church. Geirman explained the situation to him, and managed to make a deal to buy ten acres of land across the street from the community church.
"I put a down payment of twelve hundred dollars on the parish, and signed the deed as the honorary deacon," Geirman said with a laugh.
Geirman and Beech gathered a group of volunteers — many of them military personal— and they built the first church in a record 10 days.
A fire destroyed it in 1967, but the community remained resilient, holding Mass in a number of locations, including the Klondike Inn, a restaurant and the local elementary school.
Beech was determined to rebuild the church and in 1979, the second church opened its doors. The building doubled in size in 1996 with a new addition, which contains the main part of the church today.
Community spirit and volunteerism remains strong today. Parish youth are currently helping to build an outdoor Stations of the Cross.
"The confirmation class started clearing the path out back," 16 year-old Drew Hepler said. "We didn’t finish it, so as part of my Eagle project, I continued construction of the path. The next confirmation class is going to put the crosses in."
The Mat-Su area is the most rapidly growing part of the state, and the area around Big Lake is expected to grow fastest, especially if a bridge or ferry system becomes a reality across Cook Inlet, Father Oberle said.
"One of the biggest challenges (the new parish) will face is adapting to change. The change will be much more rapid than we are used to. The challenge will be adapting to that, and looking at how we welcome and show hospitality as we develop," Fr. Oberle said.
The archdiocese as a whole is growing as well. In addition to Our Lady of the Lake, St. Christopher by the Sea in Unalaska was also officially upgraded from a mission to a parish on Aug. 20. That was the same day that Our Lady of the Valley officially opened its doors as the first Catholic school in the Mat-Su. The archdiocese also added several new priests this year, including Fr. Oberle."There will be lots of adventures as the archdiocese moves forward," Fr. Oberle said. "There are questions obviously about our vision and where we go from here. But they’re great questions to have, I think that its always more exciting to grow than to shrink!"
Sister Noreen, passionate servant of the poor, dies at age 79
Nun remembered for her kindness
"The world will miss this bright star of love and hope," Sister Donna Kramer wrote in an email to the Anchorage Archdiocese Pastoral Center, announcing the death of a fellow Daughter of Charity, Sister Noreen McPartland. Sister McPartland suffered cardiac arrest on Aug 8, during a therapy session in California, recovering from a stroke she had earlier this summer. She was 79.
Sister McPartland served as the ‘Mission Services Advocate’ for Catholic Social Services for the Archdiocese of Anchorage from 1999-2005. She was one of the original four Daughters of Charity who came to Anchorage to assist CSS."They were the first religious community to come up here to work for CSS as a community," retired Anchorage Archbishop Francis Hurley said. "(Sister McPartland) was very outgoing, she was very much a people person and able to handle things well as a social worker.""She was the face of CSS when she was here," Sister Kramer told the Anchor. "She had a smiling, bubbly personality with a deep love and passion for the poor."
During her tenure in Alaska, Sister McPartland devoted most of her time working for St. Francis House and the Brother Francis Shelter. Friends say her warmth and friendly demeanor made her easily approachable and helped her as a liaison with the greater community. She was known as a ‘hugger" who would warmly hug everyone she met, from the homeless to politicians like Mayor Mark Begich. She was also known for her intelligence and skill as an ambassador.
"She was very honest and forth coming — she wouldn’t let people get away with anything, but she was very nice about it," Sister Kramer recalled.
"She was very much a people person and just an all around good sister," Archbishop Hurley added. "She exemplified the mission of the Daughters of Charity, especially their commitment to the poor."Archbishop Hurley celebrated a memorial Mass in Anchorage for Sister McPartland on Aug 13. Sister McPartland was buried in Los Altos Hills, California, where the order’s provincial house is located. The order has asked for prayers, especially for Sister McPartland’s family.
Prison volunteers say Catholic view is important
Catholic chaplains and prison volunteers agree that it is crucial for the church in Alaska to establish a vital prison ministry.
After a recent incident in which a Catholic priest was refused the right to celebrate Mass at the Palmer Correctional Facility (see page 1), several Catholic volunteers spoke with the Anchor about the importance of ministering to inmates.
Sister Barbara Scanlon has worked with inmates throughout Anchorage for nearly a decade. She holds prayer services, bible studies and other religious events but said a more organized outreach throughout the Anchorage Archdiocese is needed.
Anchorage Archbishop Roger Schwietz agreed and said groundwork is underway to enhance Catholic prison ministry.
"There is a desire to set up a more organized prison ministry so we can be more effective in working with our Catholics in prisons," he told the Anchor Aug. 8.
Archbishop Schwietz said he’d like to establish a St. Dismas Prison Ministry program in Alaska. The Dismas program is a national movement that provides a Catholic outreach in prisons around the country.
Father Richard Tero has worked with Alaska’s inmates in Kenai and Seward for the past 13 years. He said Catholic prison ministry is important to the spiritual lives of inmates.
"Many of the people I see were not church goers before prison," he said. "During prison, they are pretty faithful."
Father Tero acknowledged that other Christian churches have better-organized prison ministries and more volunteers than the Catholic Church and said it is important to "keep the Catholic perspective."
Dominican Father Paul Scanlon celebrated Mass in Anchorage prisons before taking an assignment in San Francisco earlier this summer.
He said many inmates lack knowledge of the Catholic faith, including teachings about Mary and the saints. He agreed with Father Tero that some other churches have a much more prominent presence in Alaska’s prisons than the Catholic Church.
"I thought we needed to keep someone involved and expand our ministry," he said in a phone interview with the Anchor.
Father Tom Brundage, the priest who could not bring altar wine into the Sutton facility, also affirmed that prison ministry is vital for Catholic inmates.
In monthly visits he sees inmates who are eager to participate in Catholic gatherings and Masses. Since beginning ministry at Sutton, the number of participants in Catholic gatherings has gone from two or three inmates to twelve or more, he said, adding that when they receive the Eucharist they do so in reverence.
"You just can tell by the manner in which the inmates receive it – the reverence that they show. In my conversations with them, many of them go to confession as well."
Archbishop Schwietz told the Anchor that prison ministry is also a critical part of the Anchorage Archdiocese outreach.
"That is one of the areas where we are called upon in our Pastoral Plan to reach out to those who are not being touched by the Catholic Church and who’s faith is challenged because of their circumstances," he said.
Supporting Adult faith formation at St. Michael Church
Pastoral Plan Goal: Strengthening faith formation
Two years ago, St. Michael’s Parish embarked upon a new approach to forming people in their faith. There were many reasons for this change but one of the most important was the desire to put our adults front and center. We looked to the U.S. Catholic bishops’ document, "Our Hearts Were Burning Within Us," for guidance. The bishops speak to the importance of forming adults who are mature in their faith by nurturing in them a full and rich development of a living, explicit, and fruitful faith. They acknowledge that forming adults is challenging because there is a need to integrate life experience, diverse adult learning needs, the study of Scripture, and the teaching of church tradition.
— Mass
— Continental breakfast is held for everyone.
— Elementary aged children (first-fifth grade) are dismissed into classrooms to meet with their peers and a catechist.
— Adults, high school and middle school youth engage in a topic reflective of the season and current events.
— Adults, high school and middle school youth meet with their peers
— Mass
Our preschool and kindergarten children gather with a catechist during the 11 a.m. Mass. During the 9:45-10:45 a.m. time period, adults gather for faith-sharing around the Scripture of the week. This fall, adults can choose between the faith-sharing group or a gathering with their pastor for sessions, which will delve into the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) and Stewardship.Adults in our parish will have additional formation opportunities on weekday evenings with study groups that unpack the meaning and real-life application of recent church documents. There will also be a bible timeline class and occasional gatherings with our priest to explore topics such as: Church history, Pope Benedict XVI, and the liturgy. We will continue to design adult faith formation opportunities to serve the needs and interests of the entire faith community.
Cosmopolitan Masses shape summer for Homer parish
Tourists take time out of vacation to attend Mass
The annual waves of Alaska tourists tend to flood tour buses, hotels and gift shops from around the state. A good number of the travelers also swing through local Catholic churches.
When Walt and Norma Charles make their annual trip from Rupert, Idaho to Alaska, they make a point to sample churches in the Last Frontier. No matter where they go, the universality of the Catholic Church shines through.
"The dogma, the Mass, is always the same. It feels like being at home no matter where we go," Norma Charles said.
Yet, the differences make her smile. "Last time we were here (at St. John the Baptist Parish in Homer), the priest had to fly in to celebrate the Mass. I thought that was nice of him."
While fly-in priests are par for the course in Alaska, that doesn’t happen much in Rupert.
On any given Sunday, the parking lot at St. John the Baptist Church in Homer reveals the summer tradition of far-away travelers gathering for Mass. Missouri license plates, recreational vehicles, trucks laden with campers, all gather at the quaint ocean-side church.
Like much of Alaska, Homer is a tourist’s paradise during the summer. The 11-mile long peninsula ("the spit") is crowded with recreational vehicles and license plates from nearly every state. An estimated 150,000 tourists swing through the seaside town, which is quite a jump for the 6,000 year-round residents.
Given the number of visitors, it’s not surprising to see St. John’s packed at services.
The pews face the altar, which is placed in front of vaulted windows that overlook Kachemak Bay’s blue waters and a ring of mountains and glaciers. Listening to Scripture readings and songs while birds fly by or a kayaker drifts into view is part of St. John’s appeal.
"It’s a really beautiful setting," said Charles, who also visits churches in Fairbanks and Anchorage during the summer. "The churches are all different but the same."
Sister Carol Ann Aldrich, who presided over a Communion service on a recent Sunday, began by inviting visitors to tell where they were from. California, Idaho, Minnesota, Missouri and Oregon were called out, along with a person mentioning she was down from Anchorage.
Sister Carol Ann said earlier she sees a shift in summer churchgoers. Tourists constitute the majority of Mass attendees while locals are scattered about working the short Alaska summer season that earns their livelihoods - fishing charters, running tour businesses and the like.
Then in the winter, the church fills back up with locals.
But during the long summer months, visitors are a visible reminder that even a vacation can be a chance to explore one’s faith by taking time to participate in the many regional expressions of the Catholic Church.
Tom and Karen Mouro visited Homer’s church for the first time recently. The couple, from Laguna Beach, Calif., has visited churches all over the world. "We always make a point to attend church whereever we are," Karen Mouro said.
Mingling after service downstairs for donuts and coffee, the Mouros recalled experiences in tiny village churches in Germany and giant cathedrals in France, as well as a church in Hanoi where women sit on one side and men on the other.
Tom Mouro was especially impressed by how many young people attended churches in Eastern Europe.
"In Poland, Warsaw, the people are really religious. There you see people at 7 or 8 in the evening standing out the back door because the church is so full."
Visiting the different churches opens a unique window through which to view cultures and the politics that define the region. In Hanoi the Mouros expected to see sparse church attendance because the communist regime had suppressed Christianity for years there. "But now attendance is quite large," he said.
The visitors to Homer’s St. John find the church’s uniqueness in other ways. Dress is casual, Extra Tuff boots and jeans wouldn’t be frowned upon or the flannel work shirts in this fishing town. It wouldn’t be unusual to watch a boat struggling on sea chop in a sudden storm during a service.
Claudia and Alan Crews, with their daughter and granddaughter, were visiting from Grants Pass, Oregon on a recent Sunday. Fortified by Mass and donuts and coffee downstairs, they were headed for the Russian River to fish for silver salmon.
The camper in the church parking lot was loaded and ready for the trip.
"We used to live in Homer, and couldn’t wait to get back to visit and do some fishing," daughter Meghan Tousley said.
Those who visit church during their travels said it enriches their faith even as it helps them enjoy the unique character of their visits.
"The upbringing is the same - the faith and dogma, the parts of the service," Norma Charles said. "It’s not so different and feels like coming home on Sundays, no matter where we go."
TEC movement
"All I can do to describe what it feels like to be on a TEC retreat is the joy you feel, it’s a great feeling," Alaska-grown seminarian John Burger said about the Teens Encounter Christ Movement.
"It helped my spiritual growth and was one of the motivations for me to go to seminary and discern the priesthood," he added.
TEC is a national youth retreat movement centered on the paschal mystery. It’s geared around a three-day retreat experience for young adults, but goes beyond that, according to national director Ron Reitter.
"It’s a charism of the church, a movement of spirituality," Reitter said during a recent visit to Anchorage to hold a weekend conference Aug 2-4 for the local Last Frontier Chapter of TEC. He came to help renew current adult leaders and help encourage others to join the leadership team.
The conference also celebrated the five-year anniversary of the movement in the Anchorage Archdiocese. Led by Theresa Lutes at Holy Family, the group formed after an invitation by Archbishop Roger Schwietz, who is the Episcopal moderator for Teens Encounter Christ and has been affiliated with the movement since he was a young priest in Minnesota.
"I had just arrived at the parish in International Falls and they were preparing for a TEC retreat that fall. I attended the retreat and found it to be a tremendous experience," the archbishop said.
Archbishop Schwietz said he was most impressed with the Christ-centeredness of the retreat.
"It’s an encounter focusing on Christ and the sacramental life," he added. "It’s centered on the paschal mysteries which is the center of our faith."
The first day of a TEC retreat is called ‘Die Day’, and focuses on the crucifixion and sacrament of penance.
"It’s a day that’s centered on the message we would hear during Lent," Reitter said. "The first day challenges the participants to respond to God’s love and evaluate the way they are living their lives."
At the end of ‘Die Day" participants have the opportunity to go the sacrament of reconciliation followed by a Mass which concludes the first day.
The next day, ‘Rise Day" centers on Christ’s resurrection. It’s a day focused on the spiritual process, looking at what it means to be a Christian, and how that is lived out in community. The sacramental focus is on baptism and the celebration of the Eucharist.
"The final day of the retreat is called ‘Go Day’, Reitter explained. "Not just because it’s the last day, it focuses on evangelization and how we are called to go out into the world and spread the good news."
The retreat concludes with a special commission ceremony and a closing Mass. The goal is that participants leave with a renewed sense of excitement and passion for their faith.
"Everybody I know who’s gone on a TEC retreat says it’s a huge milestone in their lives," Burger said. "It helped get them excited and on fire for the faith."
That fire and passion is what organizers hope will be a fruit of the TEC experience, a passion that translates into evangelization.
"My hope is that the TEC movement will get adults into leadership roles to help out with retreats," the archbishop said. He said that TEC’s ultimate goal is to link people with other ministries and get involved in the greater church.
"One of the most potent elements we have for evangelization is our witness," the archbishop said, adding that TEC is a great tool to help with one of the goals of archdiocese’s Pastoral Plan — evangelization.
Nearly a dozen people showed up to find out more about the TEC conference, including Father Luz Flores, who is in charge of campus ministry at Alaska Pacific University and University of Alaska Anchorage. The local chapter hopes to find more adults to help serve as leaders.
John Burger encouraged everyone to get involved.
"It’s an experience for every person, participant or leader because it draws you closer to Christ, and that is ultimately what we are called to do," Berger said. "It’s a great reward and joy by doing that with TEC!"For more information about the TEC movement go to the national Website at www.tecconference.org.
News & Notes
Profile of newly ordained priests
Newly ordained U.S. priests are 35 years old on average, one in three was born outside the United States and nearly all had been Catholic since birth according to a new report by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate. On average, these men were about 17 years old when they first thought about the priesthood and 8 in 10 were encouraged to consider the priesthood, while almost half say that friends, parishioners and, yes, their mothers urged them to consider the priesthood.
Fairbanks filled with deacons
In a national survey, the Fairbanks Diocese had the second most deacons per capita. According to a new study by the Applied Research for the Apostolate, Fairbanks has 2.06 deacons per 1,000 Catholics for a total of 27 deacons. Nationally, the number of permanent deacons in the U.S. continues to increase and now totals an estimated 16,661. Of these men, 93 percent are married and 4 percent widowed. An estimated 61 percent are older than 60 years and only one percent are younger than 39.
Fr. Michael Shields wins steward award
In September, Father Michael Shields will receive the Christian Stewardship Award from the International Catholic Stewardship Council. Father Shields will receive the award during the ICSC’s 2007 Stewardship Conference in Miami Beach, Florida. Ordained to the priesthood for the Anchorage Archdiocese 26 years ago, Father Shields was nominated for the award based on his life of faithful Christian stewardship, after he gave up the comfortable life in the U.S. to serve the spiritual and physical needs of people in Siberia. Father Shields will first speak at the Discipleship Days conference in Anchorage after appearing Sept. 23 on the EWTN Catholic Global Network Television "Sunday Night Live" show with Father Benedict Groeschel. Father Shields pastors the Church of the Nativity in Magadan, Russia, a mission church of the Anchorage Archdiocese. For more information about the mission, visit the Web site at www.magadancatholic.org.
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.
"Nunsense" opens in Wasilla
The Valley Performing Arts will show live performances of the world-renowned play "Nunsense" from Sept. 7 to Oct. 7. The comedic play, takes humorous look at religious life when the Little Sisters of Hoboken discover that their cook, Sister Julia, Child of God, has accidentally poisoned 52 of the sisters, and they are in dire need of funds for the burials. The sisters decide that the best way to raise the money is to put on a variety show, so they take over the school auditorium, which is currently set up for the eighth grade production of "Grease." The play features star turns, tap and ballet dancing, an audience quiz, and comic surprises that have made it an international phenomenon. With more than 5,000 productions worldwide, it has been translated into 21 languages. For more information about the performances in Wasilla, visit www.valleyperformingarts.org or call the box office at 373-0195.
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 Retreat 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 welcomed
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
Amidst the steak and lobster, Christ calls for humility
I happened to catch a news item on National Public Radio’s "Morning Edition" some while back concerning poverty in the United States. They cited Gov. Ted Kulongoski of Oregon who took the food stamp challenge. He and the first lady tried to eat on $21 a week, the amount that the average food stamp recipient receives.
I found the report later on the governor’s Website along with the first lady’s description of their menu for that week. Very interesting! Basically, she said, you can’t do it. Twenty-one bucks will not feed you for a week. She conceded that despite the fact that she was ordinarily a very disciplined and creative shopper, her food choices would not work for someone who (A) doesn’t have a refrigerator or a freezer; (B) has only a hotplate and a saucepan for cooking; (C) has nothing to cook on, e.g. lives in his or her car. Moreover, $21 does not cover such normal necessities as toiletries and whatever else one normally needs to live with self-respect.
Letters to the Web site also uncovered some interesting and disturbing insights. A young woman working with VISTA in Wyoming commented on the attitude of the cashiers at the market when she offered to pay with food stamps: "They would treat the person in front of me with a very friendly, chatty conversation and then when I showed them my food stamps it was like I was the most vile person." The long and short of the story was that living on $21 a week is a very humbling experience.
I must add to all this, however, that I learned a great deal in the responses to the article about frugality and about what I should be able to get along with or without during an average week’s existence.
It occurred to me also that our eating habits may demonstrate some hidden sense of how we think of ourselves in our relationships with our neighbor. Having to exist on hot dogs and macaroni and cheese thrice a week cannot give one a sense of superiority. Having the opportunity, on the other hand, to purchase steak and lobster even for a weekend meal might give one a different sense of self.
I was thinking about all this as I read the Gospel for the forthcoming 22nd Sunday in the church calendar. Jesus, along with certain other prominent people, is invited to a meal at the house of a leading Pharisee. He notices that some are pushing their way up toward the side of the host where their prominence will be noticed. Jesus cannot let this social climbing pass, so he makes the point that if one truly wishes to receive notoriety he should choose the humblest place. And to the host he suggests that inviting beggars, the crippled, the lame and the blind will truly get you some public recognition.
It is enlightening that Jesus should choose the context of a high-class dinner to speak about humility. Perhaps there is the possibility of a deeper self understanding in this habit of eating that each of us does each day, a lesson about what we think of ourselves and how we perceive others, whether or not they happen to be at the table with us.
The article about Gov. Kulongoski’s experiment with food stamps did not indicate whether he learned anything about humility. I suspect, however, that he now realizes the difficulties many of his fellow citizens have in providing a simple meal for themselves. Of course, why should I be talking about the governor? I have never had to live on $21 a week. This may be the time to try it. Alas, no Ben and Jerry’s Ice cream this week!
The writer is archdiocesan director of Pastoral Education. He also serves as canonical pastor and coordinator of parishes without resident pastors.
To bring justice, we must pray
"To pay attention, this is our endless and proper work."
This line ends one of Mary Oliver’s poems, and when she talks about paying attention, she’s not talking about staying off the cell phone while negotiating the Seward Highway.
She’s talking about attention in the sense of listening, as one listens when one tries deeply to pray.
The next class we are taking, those of us enrolled in Seattle University’s Masters in Pastoral Studies program, is called Contemporary Christian Spirituality and Prayer. I can’t wait. I need a spiritual firecracker thrown into my distracted, half-hearted prayer life right now, and this could be it.
Sometimes praying seems to be as easy as immersing yourself in beautiful music, or falling into a mesmerizing book. It’s a pleasure and you feel you can almost touch grace.
Other times, my prayer can be more like mental gymnastics, with my brain launching its own soliloquy about whatever issue is on my mind. Once, a spiritual director told me to swat distractions like that "just as if you were pushing a mosquito away."
But lately, it feels more like I’m trying to push an elephant instead.
There’s a helpful series of books aimed at rescuing the wayward soul in prayer – they’re called "Praying with. . ." and are published by St. Mary’s Press.
Currently, I’ve been "Praying with Julian of Norwich," but you can also experience "Praying with St. Ignatius," "Praying with Catherine of Siena," as well as Therese of Lisieux, Elizabeth Ann Seton and others.
The books give you a brief biography of the saint, and then meditations which focus on that person’s words and lead you to ponder those words in your own life. Plenty of time for listening if you can keep that darn elephant subdued.
Julian was a fascinating lady. She lived in 14th century England, when the Hundred Years’ War raged off and on again in Europe, and the Peasants’ Revolt and the plague kept everyone occupied in England.
Julian was an "anchoress" – meaning she was holed up in a little room of her own attached — anchored — to a church. One little window permitted her to peak out at Mass, and another little window permitted the passing world to peak in at her and tell her its troubles and ask for her prayers.
This solitary lifestyle was not unusual in the Middle Ages, but what was unusual about Julian was that she experienced something called "showings" — dramatic revelations from God — after an illness and probably before she became a hermit. She wrote these "showings" down, and they contained beautiful images of God as both Father and Mother.
"Julian’s writing leaves no room for the privatism of much of our present-day religious culture," writes Gloria Durka, the author of "Praying with Julian of Norwich."
By this she means that true prayer leads us to action and especially to compassion.
"Compassion and contemplation should never be at odds with each other. Spirituality must not be simply a quest for personal peace and inner harmony."
But how can a woman locked in a room serve the world? Julian’s heart was completely open to the world. She listened and ministered to the many who sought her out.
The world can’t be divided into the "doers" versus the "prayers," the social activists versus the devout. To do justice in the world, we need to listen as Mary Oliver and Julian of Norwich suggest. In turn, true prayer should lead us to the world.
For Christians, it has to be both or neither, and that’s a mighty, mighty challenge.
The writer is a freelance writer, preschool teacher and mother of three. She lives in Anchorage.
Prison ministry is essential for many of Alaska’s inmates
Archbishop’s note: I asked Father Tom Brundage, pastor at St. Michael Church in Palmer, to write about his recent experience of being denied the opportunity to celebrate the Eucharist for the Catholic inmates at the Palmer Correctional Facility on July 28, 2007. It is a very troubling situation for me. The men, who had gathered for that purpose, were denied their rights expressly guaranteed under Alaska Administrative Code. I feel it is important for our Catholic community to be aware of occasions when our religious rights are denied. I thank Father Brundage for his willingness to share his thoughts, and for his continued dedication to those most in need of Christ’s healing grace.
Archbishop Roger L. Schwietz, OMI
In The Gospel of Luke, chapter 23, we read:
"Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying, ‘Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us.’ The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply, ‘Have you no fear of God, for you are subject to the same condemnation? And indeed, we have been condemned justly, for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes, but this man has done nothing criminal.’ Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’
"He replied to him, ‘Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.’"
At the very moment when our salvation hung in the balance with the crucifixion of the Lord, Jesus said to a criminal hanging on the cross next to him "I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise." Unbelievable, is it not?
Please don’t get me wrong, there is nothing virtuous in being a criminal. However, with the Lord’s death and resurrection, God has turned much of our world’s logic upside down. With the Lord, there is mercy. With the Lord there is forgiveness. There is no one who is beyond the Lord’s grasp. And I say, thank God!
This truth is hard for many of us to believe. During our lifetimes, I suspect most of us will be a victim of a crime. I have been a victim a couple times, once with identity theft and also being in a near fatal car crash when I was in the wrong place, at the wrong time, during a police chase of a man who had robbed several stores.
As pastor of a parish in Milwaukee, for two hours I sat across the table from a man who had stolen approximately $400,000 from my parish during a session of restorative justice sponsored by the District Attorney’s Office. I conveyed to him the harm that his gambling addiction had inflicted on our faith community, his family, and himself. He apologized and agreed to spend the rest of his life making up for the harm he caused, which included full restitution and some time in jail.
People who commit crimes need to be punished. Nevertheless, people who commit crimes are still people, the very people whom the Lord showed so much interest and concern while loving them into a new way of thinking and a change of life (e.g., some of the Apostles).
After nearly 20 years of being a priest, I have learned that reaching out to the incarcerated is an essential ministry for our church and society. By-and-large the people I have met in prisons are people who are sincerely trying to change their lives.
The July 28 incident at the Palmer Correctional Facility, when Mass was not able to be celebrated because the correctional officers would not allow the use of wine for Mass (see page one of this Anchor), is a serious matter for several reasons. Above all, these men, who are trying to change their lives, were denied the opportunity to receive the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist.
The above-mentioned incident is also serious because of its constitutional implications. Can government representatives tell a church how it will celebrate the Eucharist? The suggestion that we use grape juice as a substitute for wine is strictly against Catholic tradition, law and practice.
Further questions are also raised; did the three correctional officers involved in the incident not know the policies and procedures that allow for the use of fermented wine in the prisons of Alaska, or did they know these policies and procedures and choose to ignore them?
All legal structures struggle with balancing the rights of all people. With those incarcerated, we have to remember and assist their victims. What has been taken must be restored. Justice must be done.
Most of the inmates I have met will return to our cities and streets and it is for the public good that we do as much as we can to have them return to us reformed, renewed and ready to contribute to the common good. For Catholics, regular participation in the celebration of reconciliation and of the Eucharist is part of the pathway toward a change of heart.
And let’s not forget what the Lord says to us from he Gospel of Matthew, chapter 25:
"For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me."
The writer is judicial vicar for the Anchorage Archdiocese.
Why was Jonah angry?
Everyone’s familiar with the story about Jonah being swallowed by a whale, but not everyone knows that Jonah was angry enough to die. This is perhaps the most interesting part of the story.
Sometime between the seventh and fifth centuries B.C., the word of God came to Jonah to, "Set out for the great city of Nineveh, and preach against it; their wickedness has come up before me." Nineveh was a major city in Northern Iraq, a part of Assyria, which conquered the Northern tribes of Israel around the seventh century B.C.
Jonah responded like any of us would have, given the prospect of delivering a message of salvation to our enemies; he bolted. Scripture says he went down to Joppa on the coast of Israel and hitched a ride on a vessel going to Tarshish, Spain, which was the end of the earth to fifth or seventh century sailors. But, the Lord brought him back to Israel via the belly of a fish.
While Jonah was one with fish guts, he had a change of heart and after washing up on the beach, he heads to Nineveh. There he preaches, "Forty days more and Nineveh will be destroyed," Jonah then went to the desert to await the outcome. It would be more accurate to say he dreaded the outcome because he wanted the Ninevites to die in their sin. But instead they repented and Jonah got angry, "…is not this what I said while I was in my own country? This is why I fled at first to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger, rich in clemency, loath to punish … It is better for me to die." The Lord asks, "Have you reason to be angry?"
Then God causes a plant to grow near Jonah, which provides shade. Jonah is very happy with the plant until God sends a worm to destroy it and Jonah again becomes angry. At this point the Lord asks Jonah if he has reason to be angry to which Jonah replies, "I have reason to be angry, angry enough to die" The Lord responds, "You are concerned over the plant which cost you no labor and which you did not raise … should I not be concerned over Nineveh, the great city, in which there are more than one hundred twenty thousand persons who cannot distinguish their left hand from their right, not to mention the many cattle."
This is a new paradigm for Jonah. God told him it wasn’t "ok" to hate the Ninevites. The episode with the dying plant served as a reminder that humans can be arbitrary and unjust.
We all would do well to ring the bell once for the truth that Jonah learned. God created us all and has the right to save us, all of us, regardless of our decisions on whom to hate and not to hate. It probably wouldn’t hurt for us to cast a discerning look at our left and right hands as well.
The writer teaches church history at St. Andrew Church in Eagle River.
Editorials
What inspires people to lives of devotion?
The question of Catholic identity has come up quite a bit lately. Unfortunately, the discussion often turns towards the dwindling influence of Catholicism on youth and other groups.
The concern many Alaska Catholics have expressed about youth and young adults in the last couple issues of the Anchor reflects similar struggles across the country, where religious leaders are grappling with strategies to increase low Mass attendance and limited involvement in the life and work of the church.
The upcoming Discipleship Days conference in Anchorage (see page 1), features two nationally acclaimed speakers who founded an innovative young adult ministry called Theology on Tap. It’s a program that seeks to reach young adults in unorthodox locations (pubs, brew houses, etc…) by introducing them to inspiring Catholic speakers in hopes that the young men and women will be inspired to return or draw closer to the Catholic Church.
This is one of countless religious education programs that aim to inform and form Catholics – young and old - towards a greater knowledge and appreciation of their 2,000-year-old faith.
In order to be effective, however, these ministries must present the Gospel as the double-edged sword that it truly is. Joining a community service organization or supporting local humanitarian efforts are worthy endeavors but they are not the same as becoming a member of Christ’s church on earth, where followers are asked to die to selfish desires, old habits, material comforts and maybe even forfeit their very lives in order to one day live with God forever.
People join organizations and choose to spend their time in certain programs for all sorts of reasons. Sometimes it’s the entertainment factor, or the socializing or the sense of community or good food. For some, these things are enough of a draw for them to be active in the Catholic Church. Many others however get their entertainment and socializing elsewhere. In order to draw these people to the church, the dangerous aspects of our faith must take center stage in every outreach we do.
Of course, everyone enjoys a bit of entertainment and a sense of community but our hearts are stirred to greatness when we learn of the saints, the martyrs who defended the teachings of the church and the message of Christ’s Gospel.
From this beginning will flow increased Mass attendance, volunteers at Brother Francis Shelter, husbands who attend church with their wives and children and innumerable other workers in the vineyard.
In short, a life of prayer and compassion begins with spiritual renewal; and spiritual renewal flows from the core teachings of the church and the uncompromising message of the Scriptures.
This is what makes us Catholic. All the good works of the church flow from this.
After urging a group of Catholics to assist South Asian flood victims earlier this month, Pope Benedict XVI appealed to the fundamental inspiration behind any genuinely Catholic outreach.
The pope reminded people to think of "the life of the world to come" and invited them to live "wisely and with foresight, to carefully consider our destiny" and the final realities of "death, the last judgment, eternity, hell and paradise."
As we continue to build the church on these foundations, the people will come.
New Big Lake parish reminds me of true community
"So how do you put an elephant in a refrigerator?"
I groaned and laughed at the same time. It was the summer of 2003, and I was on assignment as a seminarian in Battle Ground, Washington. I was helping Gene build the "Sheep Hilton," a barn for his sheep. Maybe it would be more accurate to say I was working, knee deep in mud and sweat, sinking wood pylons for the barn while Gene goofed off.
"I have no clue Gene," I lied, with full knowledge of the impending punch line.
"You open the refrigerator door, and put the elephant in," Gene deadpanned.
I laughed, mostly because I knew I’d be in for worse if I didn’t.
Gene was an amazing man, an incredible carpenter and skilled artist. He built things so sturdy they’ll be unearthed completely intact by archeologists thousands of years from now. His furniture and carvings were so intricate and looked deceptively fragile.
Even more amazing beyond the artistry and craftsmanship was the fact that Gene was completely blind.
Gene was one of the happiest and most serene people I have ever met, content to pick up his cross and enjoy life.
I recalled all this after witnessing the great sense of community that parishioners in Big Lake had earlier this month as they gathered to formally celebrate the movement of Our Lady of the Lake from a mission to an official parish of the Anchorage Archdiocese. Like my friends from Battle Ground, Washington, the Big Lake parishioners are also a great testament to the church and the importance of a supportive community.
I learned and experienced so much from my time in Battle Ground. The community helped strengthen my faith and personal life in ways I will be forever grateful for.
People like Helen, the pastoral associate who served as a spiritual director for me that summer. Helen is a strong, fiery and passionate Christian who pulls no punches and is completely at ease, and I fiercely admired her.
"Part of that is because Helen has faced it all," Father Dave Rogerson (the pastor) told me. "She’s faced a difficult battle with cancer, and won."
Helen knew that in spite of trial and adversity, the most important thing was to keep walking, knowing that Christ would carry her if life got too burdensome.
The other people at the parish were also amazing. Even when I made the decision to pull out of seminary, they remained supportive.
That’s not to say they were all saints. They would squabble, be petty and have challenges, just like many families.
"They’re a great group of people, but they are a human group of people," Father Rogerson would point out. "They are representative of what the church is like. Look at the apostles—that’s a ragtag group of people if ever. But despite that, they formed the early church and succeeded."
My time at that parish, with Gene, Helen and the rest of the gang, taught me the importance of what it means to be Catholic — to live in community as church, through the good times and the bad and to support one another.
It’s a tradition that dates back to the apostles at the earliest of churches, near their own "Big Lake", the Sea of Galilee.
The writer is the assistant editor for the Catholic Anchor.
Letters to the Editor
There are no letters to the editor for this issue.