September 7, 2007 - Issue #18
Local News | Opinion/Editorials | Letters to the Editor
Local News
Aleutian Chain community grows into a parish
Maturing: St. Christopher Church now a stable fixture
It’s official. What was once considered a far-flung and remote mission on the windswept Aleutian Chain of Alaska is now one of the newest parishes in the United States.
On Aug. 19, St. Christopher by the Sea in Unalaska became the Archdiocese of Anchorage’s latest parish.
For practical purposes, people attending Mass won’t notice much difference but it’s a rite of passage, signaling that the faithful in Unalaska have achieved a lasting community.
"In the decree establishing the parish in Canon Law, the word ‘stability’ or a variation of it is used three times in the first three paragraphs," said pastoral leader Henrietta Callewaert. "Stable is a big word."
Although he won’t be a resident priest for the parish, Father LeRoy Clementich, the director of rural pastoral support, will serve as the new pastor, and fly to the parish for two weekends a month, spending the week between in Unalaska.
Father Nelson Marilag will travel to St. Christopher for two other weekends and one week a month.
There aren’t many new parishes forming in the U.S., said Father Clementich, because most areas are settled and not transient. But in Alaska, some communities are just reaching the "solidity" required to be a parish.
"The archbishop consulted with (Callewaert) and with the pastoral council there (in Unalaska)," Father Clementich said, "and talked to leaders in the community. When people feel a sense of confidence in themselves, a responsibility for their own records, their future, their financial planning," then they are ready to become a parish, he added.
Annabelle Wilt has been a Catholic in Unalaska for 28 years, where she raised her four daughters. She said it’s "nice to have an identity" with the new parish status.
"I’m proud of how far we’ve come," Wilt said, recalling the days before the community even had a church building. Back then they would meet in the Christian Fellowship Church, in private homes and even the local barbershop.
St. Christopher’s was a mission of Holy Rosary Parish in Dillingham. Callewaert said one of her first official tasks is to work with Holy Rosary pastor, Father Scott Garrett, to sort through what records are in Dillingham and bring them all to Unalaska.
Although Father Garrett is a pilot, he didn’t have the training or the type of plane required for the long flight from Dillingham to Unalaska. Before Father Jim Kelley’s death in a ministry-related plane crash in May 2002, he made the trip to Unalaska, celebrating the first Mass in the new church building in 2001.
Callewaert said Unalaska is a unique and unusual place. While they only have 4,200 full-time residents, during fish processing season, the village population can swell to close to 20,000.
All those additional workers are housed at the fish processing plant, but many other folks come in to support the increased summer population.
"Even the clinic brings in extra people," said Callewaert.
In the past few years, the community has made a concerted effort to make the village a more family-friendly environment, thus increasing its stability.
About 103 individuals or families are registered at the parish, with 70 to 200 people typically attending Sunday services held at the church and at the UniSea plant across the bridge in Dutch Harbor.
Many worshippers are Filipino, with the next highest number Hispanic.
It was about 30 years ago that the Catholic community in Unalaska formally began.
Callewaert said the community formed when a local nurse who worked in the community clinic went to the Sacrament of Reconciliation on a trip Outside. A priest scolded her, Callewaert said, because it had been so long since she’d been to confession.
"But where I live, we almost never have a priest," she replied. As her penance, the priest told her to contact her archbishop and urge him to establish a more formal presence in her tiny community.
Archbishop Francis Hurley, now retired, did just that. Franciscan Sister Marie Ann Brent, now in Valdez, began several trips to Unalaska in 1977 before being officially installed as the pastoral minister in 1981. She was followed by several religious sisters, some laypeople, and Unalaska’s only resident priest, Dominican Father Paul Scanlon, who spent a year there in 2003-04.
Callewaert began her assignment at St. Christopher’s in March, 2006.Wilt said that even though she is extremely grateful for the wonderful pastoral administrators the parish has had, she hopes the new "parish" status will bring more frequent visits from priest and more frequent celebrations of the Mass.
Alaskans engage Islam
Project promotes religious dialogue
With a long list of bloody battles and mutual persecutions, the 14-century relationship between Muslims and Christians doesn’t paint a very rosy picture. Despite the rocky history, however, there have been a few shining moments when the world’s two largest monotheistic religions found common ground and peaceful exchanges. With a little effort, local and national leaders from both religions are working to develop better relations in the future.
This effort has played out on both the global stage, with statements and teachings from Pope Benedict XVI calling Catholics to greater dialogue with Muslims and also locally, in places like Anchorage, where Christian leaders met last month at Alaska Pacific University with Muslim counterparts and others.
The new and unprecedented community education program in Anchorage aims to explore common ground and bring greater understanding between adherents of Islam and Christianity.
"The history of our relations is quite interwoven," Dr. John Borelli said during an Aug. 27 lecture at APU. The talk, "The Nature of our relationships: Christians, Muslims, Jews," was the third of four lectures Borelli gave in Anchorage last month.
A renowned scholar of Islam, Borelli’s Alaska visit marked the kick-off of a yearlong program, spearheaded by the Cardinal Newman Chair of Catholic Theology at Alaska Pacific University.
The nine-month project, "Engaging Muslims: Religion, Cultures, Politics," aims to bring diverse groups together to learn more about Islam - a religion that remains an enigma to many Americans.
Borelli opened his talk by briefly sketching 1,400 years of relations between Muslims and Christians. From Muhammad’s first revelation to the Sept. 11 attacks, the history is a mixed bag of crusades, sacked cities and delicate political pacts.
But the two religions also share a mutual reverence for the Old Testament and both hold compatible notions of justice and other virtues, Borelli told the gathering of nearly 50 people.
"I think we have a great deal to talk about," he said. Both religions can work together to solve social ills and help create just governments, he added.
While theological dialogue is a bit tougher to pull off than working to combat poverty or other social ills Borelli said theology must not be ignored.
In order for theological conversation to take place, however, there must first be a willingness to understand and learn from one another, he added.
After his presentation, Dr. Regina Boisclair, who holds the Cardinal Newman Chair at Alaska Pacific University, asked Borelli why local pastors should consider devoting some time to educate their congregations on Islam.
"We have a lot to unlearn," Borelli responded. "We have a lot of stereotypes."
And ultimately, interreligious dialogue and understanding are part of evangelization, Borelli told the Anchor following the presentation.
"Speaking as a Catholic, we think of evangelization as witnessing to the Gospel, making the Gospel come alive in the world today," he said. "Part of that is engagement with people of other religions."
Borelli dismissed the notion that interreligious dialogue might undermine evangelization efforts to convert people of other religions.
"Evangelization and interreligious dialogue are not opposed. Interreligious dialogue is an aspect of evangelization," he said.
"Now if people understand evangelization purely in terms of proclamation, where there is no give and take but you are only proclaiming the Gospel to the end of converting people, that is a false understanding of evangelization," Borelli added. "That is only one aspect of evangelization."
After directing the religious studies program for 16 years at the College of St. Vincent in New York, Borelli then served the United States Catholic Conference as associate director of the Secretariat for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs from 1987-2003.
Over the years, he’s noticed that missionaries are often the best people to facilitate interreligious dialogue.
"These are people who have lived in other cultures and have gotten to know the people and have great respect for their traditions," he said. "They see the real value of dialogue with people."
He told the Anchor that "traditional missionary activity" has gone through a reexamination beginning with Vatican II."It’s not that we are not engaged in witnessing to the Gospel so that people may have the benefits that we offer as a church," he said. "Part of Vatican II’s teaching is that the fullness of the means of salvation subsist in the Catholic Church, but we also engage with people where they are and we have come to recognize that God is working in the lives of other peoples."
Social problems need a religious response, says priest
Priest urges local religious groups to tackle social ills
It’s a tall order but Father Norman Rotert believes local communities can build the kingdom of God by tackling social problems. The task, however, takes collaboration and Father Rotert wants to equip faith-based community groups to get the job done.
For more than 30 years, Father Rotert has worked tirelessly with a wide range of community groups to enhance the Kansas City, Missouri area. He recently swung through Anchorage to lead a retreat for more than 30 leaders involved with Anchorage Faith and Action — Congregations Together. His aim was to help inspire and guide local leaders during an Aug. 18 retreat at the BP Energy Center.
Founded in 2003, AFACT’s goal is to tackle social justice issues in an interfaith and grassroots forum. The group applies faith principles and religious values to address community concerns such as: education, youth issues and safety. AFACT also seeks to collaborate with existing social structures, such as the Anchorage Police Department. AFACT members are as diverse as the city and hail from more than a dozen churches and religious congregations across town.
"It’s a faith-based organization that looks at building the kingdom of God on earth by working for the common good, especially the poor." Father Rotert said.
Since becoming a priest, Father Rotert has seen the success of grassroots movements like AFACT, which bring spiritual values to bear on social issues."It’s evolved and it’s become much more faith-based than it was 30 years ago. Then, it was all community organizing. Today it’s moved into the churches. That’s brought a new meaning and a new depth and a new theological base to it, and stability. The issues can be brought to the congregations and it remains there. (In the past) when a community satisfied its needs and solved its problems, people stopped coming," he said.
The interfaith element is important because no one congregation can solve an issue on their own, Father Rotert said. AFACT is successful working with different denomination because it draws on the strength of various churches without compromising their beliefs, he added.
"We respect each others traditions and allow each to work out of their own traditions rather than finding a common denominator," he said.
For that reason, Catholics can bring a lot to the table, Father Rotert explained, because it’s a church with a long history and a rich tradition.
"We Catholics have this concept that God calls a people and saves a people. It comes from our Jewish heritage," he said.
In addition, Father Rotert believes groups like AFACT provide Catholics a great opportunity to not only get involved with their communities, but also to evangelize. He challenged parishes and individuals to get involved."(Catholics) haven’t’ been a real evangelizing faith in this country. Our country needs our theology," he said. "For me, it’s an opportunity to live out what John Paul II always preached about, to stand together in solidarity with one another. It gives the rich, middle class and poor a chance to stand together and support each other. It’s a whole different expression of justice!"For more on AFACT visit www.anchoragefact.org or call 297-7731.
New Renaissance at St. Benedict’s
Local artist creates sacred art for parish
Above the gym at St. Benedict Church in South Anchorage, a Renaissance prayer corner is taking shape in the parish youth and family center, thanks to the talent of local Catholic artist Monica Estill.
Painted like the frescos of European cathedrals, the three panel series of paintings is inspired by Perugino’s "Crucifixion with Saints" work from the 15th century.
"It’s the most beautiful painting of the crucifixion I could find. I also wanted (to include) Saint John and Mary in a style from that period to create a picture very different than the art you see today," Estill said while painting on a recent weekend.
Estill paints with the ease of a maestro but her work is anything but simple. In fact, it has transformed the institutional feel of the youth center into a warm and welcoming religious space.
A life-sized mural of the late Pope John Paul II stands as a testament to Estill’s talent. The mural incorporates two images of the late pontiff, blended together. On the surface a very public image of the Holy Father smiles and waves to the crowds — but underneath is another image, one of the Holy Father deep in prayer and meditation.
"I superimposed his private prayer life over his public life to show how his prayer life helped power his public life," Estill said. "The only way to truly capture who he was, was to show him in prayer. He’s leaning with the whole weight of the world on his shoulders. That’s why I like that painting."
Estill was asked by parishioners at St. Benedict’s to paint both murals as a means to help youth learn and experience their faith.
"I think that when people see art, it will affect them through their questioning of why the artist painted what they did. Why is this so important to the person who painted it? It will cause them to question what’s important in their lives."
Many people are noticeably surprised when they walk into the upper room for the first time.
"I’m surprised by what people get out of the paintings, they see things that I never intended," Estill said. "That’s the (work of the) Holy Spirit."
Estill believes her artwork is done in tandem with the Holy Spirit."Art is a very humbling mystery, we don’t understand it, but the Holy Spirit uses it," Estill said. "Paintings are like meditations. You’re meditating on a subject."
At first, Estill had reservations about painting religious themes. She said she felt like she was being too bold to paint something that was so important. But through prayer, she realized the importance of having child-like faith.
"It’s a lot like children painting pictures for their parents. I would paint paintings of Mary and through that process I learned that she didn’t mind," Estill said, adding that she felt art was one of the talents God gave her and that he wanted to work through her.
"I’m truly awestruck in the presence of art and myself as an artist. It’s beyond me and my understanding," she explained. "I don’t know how I do it, it just happens," she said.
For those aspiring artists, or those who wish they could paint — Estill encourages them to do so, regardless of the finished product.
"We as humans have an ability to say things and create things that can touch Jesus’ heart in a way nothing else in creation can," she said.Estill’s work can be seen during Discipleship Days at Lumen Christi High School on September 27-29.
Soldotna parish medical ministry addresses the whole person
Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish health ministry in Soldotna is one very powerful way to fulfill the mission, vision, and values of the Archdiocese of Anchorage. We are just beginning the formal stages of establishing this ministry. We have many parishioners who have always shared generously their gifts in helping others with rides, meals and visits. Yet, the step we are taking to set up a health ministry and parish-nursing program will take our service to a new level. The health ministry mission for the archdiocese is to follow Christ’s example of service by caring for our congregation and community in providing information, support and healing presence in our health ministries.
I am personally drawn to this ministry because I am blessed with the gift of care giving and rewarded greatly through my nursing. Parish nursing and health ministry will let me use these gifts to their fullest by addressing the spiritual, physical and emotional needs of individuals and families (the whole person) within our faith community.
This past year, more than 25 people have signed up to work with our health ministry. We came together to pray, share and work on setting up this ministry. We have received calls to assist not only our parishioners but others in our community as well. These cases have not only helped those we served in times of need but our health ministers all say they received many blessings just by offering their time and talent. I look forward to the growth of Our Lady of Perpetual Help health ministry over the next year.I took the parish-nursing course in January 2006. It was one of the best nursing courses I have taken in a long time. Not only did it provide needed information on how to start a health ministry but it was also a very spiritual experience. Since then, I have worked on recruiting more nurses on the Kenai Peninsula, not only for our Catholic churches but for other faith communities too. Our next course at OLPH is set for have a course scheduled for Oct. 11-13 and Nov 1-3.
St. Andrew parish nurses to fuse health and faith
A year ago last January, I enrolled in the Anchorage Archdiocese parish-nursing program, not knowing anything about what a parish nurse does or the importance of this beautiful ministry.
In fact, I am not even sure why I decided to take the course. When I first heard about parish nurses, I immediately questioned the need. I couldn’t quite grasp the idea of a nurse in the church setting. Despite my doubts, something told me to take the course. Maybe it was the Holy Spirit? It wasn’t until after completing the 40-hour course, that I truly began to see that St. Andrew Church needed this ministry. It finally made perfect sense.
As Christians, we are asked to take care of ourselves — mind, body and spirit. We are also asked to take care of each other as an expression of God’s love. This is what parish nurses do. Parish nurses are health educators, advocates, and advisers. They provide a safe place for parishioners to talk about health issues, ask health-related questions, or to just pray.
Parish nurses help bridge the gap between the faith community and the health care system. I began this parish-nursing journey with a fellow parishioner, nurse and friend. We met monthly to discuss ideas and to pray for the new ministry. Later in the year, we participated in a 2006 ministry fair, which helped us recruit more nurses and volunteers. After meeting with our pastor, Father Leo Walsh and praying for a year, we offered our first monthly blood pressure screening in January of this year.
Since then, we have seen some wonderful results with the screenings and continue to hear parishioners comment on how thankful they are to have it available. I bumped into a parishioner at a store recently, who had her blood pressure taken at one of our screenings. She immediately informed me that she is now continuing to monitor her blood pressure more frequently. This is just one of many positive stories that have occurred since we started the screenings.Currently, we are working with the Department of Health and Services with a citywide PanFlu exercise, in which St. Andrew Church was asked to be one of the sites. Members of the Parish Health Ministry will be volunteering to help the city readiness coordinator and his team. The exercise is scheduled for Oct. 24, 4-8 p.m., when free flu vaccinations will be provided to the community. Besides blood pressure screenings, we are also looking at other educational events to plan that will coincide with the monthly National Health Awareness topics. We are also looking at possibly offering a Bike Rodeo in the summer to teach children and parents about bike and helmet safety. We are also looking for expert health professionals who will come and present classes on a variety of topics to our parishioners and the neighboring community. I’m excited about the possible magnitude of this ministry and the people that we will reach through our continuing faith in the Lord and his healing touch.
Alaska delegates plan for Philippines trip
In November of 2004 a delegation traveled with Anchorage Archbishop Roger Schwietz to Cotabato, Philippines. There, with the help of Catholic Relief Services, they formed a partnership with the Archdiocese of Cotabato.
This partnership aimed to realize the Catholic call to live in solidarity with others as one universal church – a single human family that crosses international borders to work for peace and justice.
In August 2006, Archbishop Orlando Quevedo, along with Bishop Jose Colin Mendoza Bagaforo, brought a delegation from Cotabato to Anchorage. This visit sought to strengthen the partnership’s vision from 2004 — "to build closer ties between our communities."
The visit also served to reinforce the idea that the partnership is not simply for the exchanging materials or resources, but is a partnership of solidarity, friendship and mutual concern. Archbishop Quevedo agreed to share two priests with the Anchorage Archdiocese, Father Ben Torreto and Father Jamie Mencias, who agreed to work in Alaska for two years.
This November, the Anchorage Archdiocese plans to again send a delegation to Cotabato to join its Cotabato partners for the Mindanao Week of Peace.
Raffle tickets are being sold to help raise funds for the trip. The drawing for tickets was set for Sept. 14, 2007 at Our Lady of the Angels Church in Kenai. However, plans have changed and the drawing is now set for the same location on Wednesday evening, September 26, at 6:30 p.m.
The evening will include entertainment and music. One or two priests from Cotabato plan to attend and sing karaoke during the event. There will also be a pig roast and those planning to attend are asked to bring a dish to share for dinner.People from the Anchorage Archdiocese who wish to join the delegation to the Philippines may contact Bonnie Cler at 333-5544 for more information.
Theology on Tap kicks off new season with vocation talk
New Anchorage priest to speak Sept. 20
What is vocation? Does it refer simply to the sacramental vocations of ordained and married life? One of the principle documents of the Second Vatican Council, "Lumen Gentium," speaks on vocation as the universal call to holiness.
In a presentation for the Anchorage Archdiocese Theology on Tap program, Dominican Father John Thomas Mellein O.P. will offer a new priest’s perspective on the notion of vocation in a broader sense than is typically understood. He will emphasize that vocation embraces more than the priestly state, consecrated life, and marriage. In calling attention to the special vocation of the laity as laity, he will invite further reflection on the meaning of Christian vocation.
On Sept. 20, at the Snow Goose Restaurant in Anchorage, Father Mellein will share how the vision of vocation laid out in "Lumen Gentium" has played out in his own life — in his call to the priesthood and to religious life. Father Mellein grew up in Ventura County, California. He is the oldest of 10 children, which he says was great preparation for community life.
He completed a B.A. in liberal arts at Thomas Aquinas College, and it was there that he first had contact with the Dominican Order. He was drawn to the order by the community life, the choral office, a desire to preach, and a desire to continue studying St. Thomas Aquinas.
Father Mellein was ordained to the priesthood on June 2, 2007 and now serves as an associate pastor at Holy Family Cathedral.
Alaska Knight of Columbus spends three days in jail, shares faith
Knight redeems a misunderstanding at Chicago airport
It was 7 p.m. on July 11. Williams sat down at his gate in Chicago O’Hare International Airport to listen to his iPod as he waited to board a flight home to Anchorage, after a family reunion in Chicago.
He could never have imagined what was about to follow.
Over the airport intercom, he heard his name, summoning him to return to baggage check in.
It’s a call no one in an airport wants to hear and for 65-year-old Cal Williams, it signified the beginning of a surreal experience.
After walking back to the check-in counter, security officers showed Williams a handgun that Homeland Security found in his checked bag. Williams tried to explain that he had misplaced the gun and accidentally left it in his bag from a recent fishing trip to the Russian River. The large bag had numerous pockets, and Williams said he only used the center section to pack for his trip to Chicago.
Airport security understood the mistake and Homeland Security told him they would not press charges, and that he could return to his flight, Williams said.
The state of Illinois and the airport police were not so understanding and decided to press charges.
They immediately handcuffed and arrested Williams and frog-marched him to a patrol car. He spent the next three days at Cook County Pretrial Correctional Facility. With 9,000 inmates at any given time, the facility is one of the largest and arguably one of the most dangerous — pre-trial facilities in the nation.
While fear might be the natural response, Williams said he felt a wave of tranquility and a feeling of closeness to God.
"There was this sense of calmness that had come over me, and before I could ask the question, why me, the answer was clear," Williams told the Anchor Aug. 23.
Over the course of the next three days, Williams said God used the situation so he could be a Christian witness to a number of people, both inside and outside the correctional system.
Once inside jail, officials assigned Williams a bunk that he said was already commandeered by the biggest, meanest inmate on the block.
"He was (unofficially) in control of all the activities that the residents engaged in," Williams said. "He controlled ‘the Disciples’ and the ‘Vice Lords’, two rival gangs that have been in Chicago for years."
Williams took the top bunk without argument and befriended other inmates on the ward, including his notorious bunkmate.
"I didn’t nose in their business, didn’t judge them, but listened to their various stories…I learned a lot from those different individuals," Williams explained.
The other inmates developed a respect for Williams, even calling him ‘Pops’, a term of respect for older inmates.
Williams said he also managed to have an effect on the prison staff as well.
But Williams’s thoughts were also in Alaska.
He told his sister in Chicago to call the Knights of Columbus group at St. Patrick Church in Anchorage to let them know that he wouldn’t make the next meeting.
His concern for the Knights meeting impacted both the superintendent and the prison guard, Williams said.
"(The prison guard) ordered me to slow down on the way back to the cell, he didn’t want to get back to the cell in the emotional state that he was in, because he was teared up about my being there," Williams explained.
Williams said his incarceration brought his extended family in Chicago closer together as they prayed each night for him before meals.
"I got a strong sense from my family about their commitment to God," he said. "I am the only Catholic in the family, (but yet) we knew we were praying to the same God and those prayers were powerful."
Williams said the spiritual support he felt extended beyond Chicago to his friends and family in Alaska as well.
The many prayers helped energize and prepare Williams for his court hearing, he said.
Williams said his attorney told him that he faced a maximum of 15 years in prison and asked him if he would consider a plea bargain to serve two years in jail instead. Williams refused the deal, and decided to urge his fellow Alaskans to write letters of support to the judge to attest to his character.
Letters flowed in from those who knew Williams, including fellow parishioners, Knights, and politicians such as Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich and former state Gov. Tony Knowles.
Williams said those letters impacted the judge and the state district attorney and they agreed to drop all charges.
"I am forever grateful to God and thankful (to everyone) who wrote letters and prayed on my behalf," William said.
Unjustified jail time might leave some bitter and angry but Williams said he is extremely grateful for the opportunity and the closeness he felt to God.
"In a way, I did not want to leave jail, because I felt that feeling would fade," he said in an email to the Anchor.
Williams hopes his story will inspire others, especially when they are faced with hardships."We just have to continue toiling and doing (God’s) will, knowing He is there when we need Him," he said.
News & Notes
Red Mass set for Anchorage
This year’s Red Mass for lawyers and politicians will be held at Holy Family Cathedral in downtown Anchorage on Sunday, Sept. 30, at 9:30 a.m. Anchorage Archbishop Roger Schwietz will celebrate the Mass, offered on behalf of lawyers, judges, and politicians. All are welcome to attend.
Last year, the archdiocese celebrated its first ever Red Mass. In many major American cities, a special Mass is celebrated each year to pray for all who practice the art of law. Traditionally called the "Red Mass," it invokes divine assistance for judges, lawyers and politicians.
The origins of the Red Mass can be traced to the 13th century, when the first known Red Mass was offered on behalf of the supreme court of the Catholic Church, the Roman Rota. Various traditions arose in England and France for a special Mass to be offered at the beginning of each term of a court year.
The first Red Mass in the United States was celebrated Oct. 6, 1928, in New York City. Between 250 and 300 judges and lawyers attended this event. To this day, an annual Red Mass is celebrated on the Sunday preceding the first Monday of October at St. Matthew’s Cathedral in Washington, D.C. The congregation is often composed of Washington’s elite: the president, Supreme Court justices and government officials.
There will be a breakfast reception after the Red Mass in Anchorage. All are welcome. For more information, call Jenny Michaelson at 297-7729.
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.
Prison issue settled
Father Tom Brundage said he received an apology last month from Sam Edwards, the deputy commissioner for the Alaska Department of Corrections, after Father Brundage was denied entrance into the Palmer Correctional Facility on July 28 with a small amount of altar wine to celebrate Mass with inmates.
Officials from DEC told the Anchor that the two correctional officers and the assistant superintendent were unaware of the long-standing policy that allows altar wine in the prisons for religious services.
In an email to the Anchor, Father Brundage said his meeting with Edwards was "very cordial."
"He apologized for the incident but could not promise it would not happen again in the sense that there is turnover in the staff," Father Brundage wrote.
Father Brundage said he experienced no additional problems celebrating Mass on Aug. 25, when he returned to the Palmer Correctional Facility.
According to DEC policy, priests may bring a small amount of fermented altar wine into the state’s prisons in order to celebrate Mass. Only the priest or ministry volunteers drink from the cup. The DEC policy recognizes that Catholic teaching does not allow Mass to be celebrated without the use of altar wine. Grape juice cannot be used as a substitute.
Wings ‘n’ Things closes down
The popular restaurant ‘Wings and Things’, located next door to Holy Family Cathedral, officially closed their doors last month without notice after twenty-four years. On the restaurant's answering machine, owners Theresa and Joe Connelly (both parishioners at St Elizabeth Ann Seton) thanked the community and God for all their blessings over the years.
"We are excited for what God has in store and we thank Him for his many blessings over the years. We wish the community many blessings in the future," the message said.
Deacon Gerry Grewe, parish administrator at Holy Family Cathedral next door, said the restaurant would be missed.
"They were great neighbors, letting parishioners park in their lot on Sundays," Deacon Grewe said. "They also donated or gave a very good rate on their food for certain events…They will be missed!"
Parish nursing
Parish Nurses of Alaska and Northwest Parish Nurse Ministries in collaboration with Providence Health System Alaska are sponsoring two up-coming training courses for nurses interested in parish ministry.
Parish nursing focuses on "whole-person" care "including the patient’s spiritual, physical and emotional needs", according to Sr. Jackie Stoll, O.P., ANP, the Anchorage Archdiocese coordinator for parish nursing. The first course will be offered at
Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Soldotna, Oct. 11-13 and Nov. 1-3. The second course will be offered Jan. 10 to March 6, 2008 at Providence Medical Center in Anchorage. For more information, contact Sr. Jackie at 297-7736 or jsckie.stoll@caa-ak.org.
Youth ministry studies offered
The Anchorage Archdiocese received a grant that has allowed the Center For Ministry Development to provide youth ministry training in Anchorage at a discounted rate. In October the archdiocese will enter the second year of this two-year certification program. Those interested in finding out more about the program can contact Julie Galligan at 297-7710 or julie.galligan@caa-ak.org.
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. 5-7 in Anchorage. For more information, call (907) 360-2227 or visit www.HelpOurMarriage.com.
Retreat focuses on prayer
Holy Spirit Center is offering a retreat, "Prayer and the Stages of Growth in God," based on Teresa of Avila’s writings. It will be presented by Bernie Owens, S.J. from Thursday, Sept. 27 to Sunday, Sept. 30. For more information, visit www.holyspiritcenterak.org or call 346-2343.
Columns
Sometimes the small things count most
It occurs to me from time to time that if one were interested in getting a true sense of the commonality of the world’s peoples, one need seek no further than to observe what happens when a catastrophe occurs in one place or another. In ordinary circumstances governments and their leaders may often disagree on political, social or cultural issues, even going to war over them. But when people, wherever in the world, are suffering because of some human or earthly tragedy over which they have no control, there arises a kind of natural sense of interest and compassion.
I think, for instance, of the reaction around the world to the 9/11 attack in New York and Washington, D.C. People from every corner of the globe sent messages of concern and condolence to those affected by the disaster. It was as though all the world’s peoples, whether they liked us or not, considered themselves our fellow-citizens and were willing to express their public sadness over our tragic circumstances.
I think too of the reaction of people generally when floods hit New Orleans and the Gulf Coast or even more recently the tornado that struck the town of Greensburg, Kansas. Whether we were able to assist those folks or not, I think we all must have felt a kind of human bonding with them and a sincere compassion for their plight. In short, human tragedies have a way of questioning our predispositions and softening our hearts.
Another insight that pops into our conscience in the midst of calamitous circumstances is the sense of loss and the consequent questioning of what is truly precious in the course of one’s life. Many in New Orleans and Greensburg, for instance, said that they felt a deep loss even over the death of strangers. They were also saddened to lose family photos and remembrances, but not the loss of such material possessions as cars, boats, and even homes. These could eventually be replaced. Human friendships, on the other hand, human relationships, personal memories, suddenly became very precious because they could never be replaced.
These thoughts came to mind when I read the scriptures assigned to the liturgy for the forthcoming 24th’ Sunday of the year. There we read the well-known story of the Israelite’s worship of their precious golden calf and Moses’ anger over this idolatry. "We don’t worship calves" Moses says. "We worship the Lord our God. Get it straight."
In the same vein, the gospel relates two of Jesus’ "lost and found stories:" A woman loses and finds a silver coin; a shepherd loses and finds a single sheep. Even in terms of the economy of that age, neither of these losses was monumental, but for the two individuals involved, they were very precious. It’s a matter of personal perspective, you see.
The end of each of these stories contains the "moral." Paraphrasing Jesus’ commentary, it might go like this: "Ok, sure, I know a silver coin and a sheep are important to you, especially if they are the only ones you have left. But imagine how much more precious to God is the life of one sinner who repents; think about that."
These stories seem so similar to the experiences of the people of Greensburg and New Orleans who lost many of their expensive possessions but who also found a wedding photo or a picture of their first child. Some were even delighted to know that their favorite jazz band was still together and playing at the local pub. Small things count.Perhaps this could remind us all to count our blessings even if we have no silver coin or sheep to lose.
Harry Potter and the seven sacraments
Here’s a few numbers to consider: 4,145 (the number of pages in the Harry Potter series), 1,394 (the number of pages in the New American Bible).
With considerably fewer pages found in our Bible it seems everyone could find time to read through the Scriptures once or twice before picking up the popular Potter series. Yet, most youth and many adults have read Harry Potter while the dust mites enjoy our Bibles.
I know this may seem odd since one book is the inspired Word of God while the other "has subtle seductions that can deeply distort Christianity in the soul before it can grow properly." It seems odd to me too. Before all the Harry fanatics bring tar and feathers to my place of work, let me clarify that the above quote is Pope Benedict’s, not mine.
With the Harry phenomenon in full swing and religious education classes gearing up, it reminded me of an Angelus that Pope John Paul II gave that continues to challenge me.
"Often, the knowledge of Christianity is taken for granted while, in reality, the Bible is little read and studied, catechesis remains superficial and the sacraments are widely disregarded. In this way, in the place of authentic faith, a vague and non-committal religious sentiment is spreading and running the risk of becoming agnosticism and practical atheism."
It appears that John Paul is right on target again. Our culture has many things that distract us from developing authentic faith. Listening to our young people, most don’t read their Bibles or learn about the faith outside of their religious education program. Talking with the high school theology teachers in town, roughly half of their "Catholic" students don’t even go to Mass. Are we already living a vague and non-committal religious sentiment?What’s the solution? I think I discovered it one day at my lunch table. When my eldest daughter was four years old, I remember her reciting the names of the Seven Dwarfs. She knew them without hesitation. Proud of my daughter’s feat, it soon hit me like a brick wall that I was slacking as a parent. Why did she know the Seven Dwarfs and not the seven sacraments? I think I underestimated what she could know and understand. The best solution to avoid losing the authentic faith is to raise the bar high and expect lots from ourselves and our catechetical programs. When she knew the sacraments by the end of lunch, I knew she was capable of much more than I expected; I think most of us are.
Editorials
No one said interreligious dialogue is easy
It’s often said that religion and politics should be avoided at social functions. Stirring passions and challenging dearly held beliefs doesn’t go well with pleasant formalities.
Despite this conventional wisdom, the Cardinal Newman Chair of Catholic Theology at Alaska Pacific University is spearheading an effort to bring folks together to discuss religion – yes even religious differences.
The nine-month project called "Engaging Muslims: Religion, Cultures, Politics," kicked off last month when world-renown Islam scholar, Dr. John Borelli, gave four lectures at APU.
Borelli touched on some of the history, conflicts, and similarities between Christians, Muslims and Jews. Over the winter, classes and public events will explore these themes in greater detail.
But throughout this process, it is important to consider why interreligious dialogue is even desirable in the first place. What is the aim?
During an introduction to one of Borelli’s recent lectures, retired Anchorage Archbishop Francis Hurley touched on several goals.
He expressed hope that the effort might bring about greater understanding of Islam, especially with an election cycle in full swing and relations between the West and Islamic regions still hot.
Archbishop Hurley said Muslims in America seem "very vulnerable" when politics and religion intersect. "We can’t just live on images," he explained. There must be understanding to ground them.
Borelli then expanded on these ideas. It’s important, he said, to find common ground where Christians and Muslims can work together for political and social justice. This is also a growing theme of Pope Benedict XVI’s pontificate. The pope has repeatedly encouraged Christians and Muslims to defend the role of religious ideas and principles in helping shape societies.
As hard as it may be, working together for social justice is the easy part of interreligious dialogue, Borelli said. Theology is the tough stuff.
And he’s right. Many people of faith share common virtues. Both Muslims and Christians, for example, believe in service to God above self, in supporting families, and in working to defend many basic human rights.
But once we delve into theology, the great religions of the world reveal radically different notions of salvation, the afterlife and the fundamental nature of God.
When the discussion turns to theological matters, it becomes obvious why ladies and gentlemen avoid religious talk over dinner parties.
But authentic dialogue with others doesn’t consist merely in exchanging pleasantries or nodding in agreement so as to avoid awkward situations.
Discussing theology with people of other religions is admittedly awkward. If it isn’t, then we’re probably avoiding the elephant in the room.
As Christians, however, we have an obligation to share our faith, both in word and action.
Unlike radical secularists, people of faith believe there is more to life than merely understanding each other so that we get along. Living peacefully is important but it is not our final end.
Eternal life with God in heaven is the prize to which all holy men and women aspire. If this is true, then it seems a fundamental mission is to live out and share the good news revealed in the life and teachings of Christ.
The Catholic Church recognizes that other religions contain a measure of truth and that God works in the lives of many who are not Catholic. However, we also hold that there is only one Christ and therefore, at the deepest level of theological understanding, there can only be one Church. It’s no secret that the Catholic Church claims to be that church – most fully and rightly ordered through time.This, of course, is the elephant in the room of interreligious or ecumenical dialogue and it is certainly not to be shouted in pride or anger. We must first understand those we are conversing with. We must understand their beliefs, know our common ground and then, with great love, strike out into eternal matters. With a little charity and a lot of prayer, the current project just might facilitate some of the most important conversations we could ever hope for.
Mother Teresa’s dark night showed her holiness
Scanning the packed chapel, I searched in vain for the most recognizable woman in the room but saw only a sea of religious sisters – hundreds of famously white habits with blue trim.
At 19 years old, I was a curious evangelical, Protestant missionary. I woke at 4 a.m. that morning in order to make early Mass at the Missionaries of Charity Motherhouse in Calcutta, India. It was February 1994, my last day of a three month "missionary trip" to one of the poorest cities in the world.
It would be another 10 years before I converted to Catholicism and I knew nothing about liturgy or Eucharist. A handful of young backpackers sat at the side of the chapel with me and two fellow missionaries that morning. We were all trying to catch a glimpse of the little nun.
Then, one of the sisters sitting nearest to me turned her head. Under the white cloth was Mother Teresa’s unmistakably compassionate face.
Her sandaled feet were rough and sturdy. A few years later I read a story about her sandals. When a new shipment came, she always grabbed the first pair, looking for the worst, most tattered shoes so that no one else would have to wear them. It’s one of endless flashes of light from this holy woman.
After the morning Mass, the sisters bustled off to their many duties. As Mother Teresa stood and walked away, I grasped for some word or comment to share. My mind was blank as I watched the European travelers shake her hand.
Once the travelers were off, Mother Teresa unexpectedly began walking toward me and my two fellow teenage Protestant missionaries. She smiled, and like a gentle church lady, shook our hands and introduced herself. At that time, I thought Catholics were dead wrong about Mary and the pope but I was still overwhelmed by the little nun and her holy works.
She tried to recruit us to stay and work at her mission in Calcutta. We thanked her but explained that we had a flight to catch that morning back to the United States.
I asked her if we could get a photograph with her. She gently explained that she didn’t like being photographed because she feared it tended to give glory to her rather than to God.
Hard to argue with that one, but I tried.
"We’re leaving India today and just want to remember this moment," I pleaded.
"Okay, just one picture then," she graciously relented to the overreaching American teen.
In the photo, which is tucked away in a storage box somewhere, Mother Teresa is not much taller than my belly button. I look a bit anxious, hoping that the camera works.
As we stood there, shoulder to hip, there was no way for me to know that she was in the final years of a decades-long dark night of the soul. Despite enduring more than 30 years without feeling God’s presence, she radiated a palpable love.
Within a few months of our meeting, my own spiritual journey would enter several years in which I did not feel God and even seriously doubted his existence. I would weep and fill journals with entries that cried out for God to show himself.
During that time, I wanted feel God’s love and serve him and yet I couldn’t sense even a trace of his presence. The four-year absence inspired endless study, late-night conversations and eventually prayers that gradually led me out of the darkness and ultimately into the Catholic Church.
Of course, my short-lived struggle pales compared to Mother Teresa’s colossal trial. Still, I felt a measure of connection with her when I read an article about her struggles last month.
This woman gave so much to Christ that she became a living symbol of God’s love to the modern world. She longed for her beloved and remained faithful to the end. In this, she shared in Christ’s suffering to a level that few ever reach.
It is often said that Christ suffered all things when on earth. Feeling abandoned on the cross, he too cried out for his Father in heaven.
The blessed nun from Calcutta faithfully followed Christ until her death in 1997. We can be sure that the Morning Star has finally broken into her dark night.
Letters to the Editor
Weigel can’t censor our prayers
God calls us Catholics to apply our religion to politics. George Weigel’s Aug. 10 column does the exact opposite. For some reason, he considers prayer, lifting our minds and hearts to God, a political act. He wants to ban prayers that don’t conform to his secular politics. He claims the ability to look into our minds and hearts to determine the sincerity of our prayers.
Weigel tries to make a political issue out of a moral one and vice versa. Church teaching on a preferential option for the poor is a moral one, not, as he contends, "soft socialism." And a country’s decision as to which economic system to employ is a political, not moral. Weigel wrongly asserts that "incorporation into global markets" is the savior of the world’s poor. Capitalism is not their savior; Jesus is. Capitalism is a human, not divine, invention and therefore subject to human flaws, especially as it becomes more and more godless.
To my knowledge, no pope and no bishop has ever told us what we may and may not pray for. Yet Weigel claims the authority to decide which prayers are too politically incorrect for the Lord to listen to.
God doesn’t censor our prayers. So why should George Weigel?
Anchorage