January 25, 2008 - Issue #2
Local News | Opinion/Editorials | Letters to the Editor
Local News
Pro-life groups united again
Early induction: Alaska Right to Life sets aside past disputes
After several tense years between the Anchorage Archdiocese and the largest pro-life organization in Alaska, 2007 saw Archbishop Roger Schwietz and several prominent Catholic groups begin collaborating again with Alaska Right to Life to help protect unborn human life in Alaska.
On Jan. 19, the renewed efforts culminated in the first-ever statewide teleconference prayer service for those who have been impacted by abortion. Pro-life groups from Juneau, Fairbanks, Anchorage and Kodiak all participated in the service, which marked the 35th year since Roe v. Wade, the U.S. Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion throughout the country.
| Archbishop Schwietz praises local pro-life efforts
Editor’s note: This statement by Anchorage Archbishop Roger Schwietz was read aloud by Father John Mellein at the Jan. 19th Knights of Columbus Statewide Memorial Prayer Service. Archbishop Schwietz was traveling out of state at the time of the prayer service.
Thank you to all who have gathered here today braving the cold in solidarity for life. As church we support the dignity of all life from conception to natural death. On the anniversary of Roe vs. Wade, it is important to visibly show our support to mark the passing of another year of the tragedy of continuing abortions. I wish that I were able to be with you to prayerfully remember the passing of innocent lives from our society that tragically believes anything and everything is disposable. In honor of life and in support of life, I would like to extend my gratitude to Birthright of Alaska and Catholic Social Services that have combined efforts to serve women with unexpected pregnancies in our community. When Birthright closed in December (2007) Catholic Social Services Pregnancy Support division expanded their services to ensure women will continue to find life affirming counseling and follow-up support when confronted with an unplanned pregnancy. Further, I commend the Knights of Columbus and Jim and Ann Curro, Alaska’s Pro-Life Couple as well as many others statewide for their work organizing this event to honor the dignity of the unborn. May the Lord bless you for honoring his littlest angels.
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This level of collaboration between pro-life Catholic groups and Alaska Right to Life seemed highly unlikely just three years ago, when in January 2005, the Knights of Columbus statewide deputy ordered all Knights councils in the Anchorage Archdiocese to suspend work with Alaska Right to Life.
The Knights decided to part ways after Alaska Right to Life distributed a statement critical of Archbishop Schwietz during a 2005 pro-life prayer vigil, which the Knights coordinated.
Archbishop Schwietz led that service at Anchorage Memorial Park Cemetery. After the event he received an Alaska Right to Life flier, which asserted that he was allowing Providence Alaska Medical Center to perform abortions. It also stated that Alaska Right to Life "cannot join in any ceremony that includes the archbishop or his diocesan representatives."
At issue was a nearly two-year controversy over a medical procedure at Providence Alaska Medical Center, which is part of the Seattle-based Providence Health System, operated by the Sisters of Providence.
The Providence procedure, called "early induction," allowed pregnant women to choose to induce labor in certain limited cases, when an unborn child, suffering from anomalies incompatible with life, reaches the gestational age that would normally allow a healthy child to survive outside the womb.
Early induction was only permitted after both a team of doctors confirmed the child’s condition and a hospital ethics team reviewed the particulars of the case to ensure that inducing labor would conform to Catholic principles.
When it learned of the practice in 2003, Alaska Right to Life began picketing the hospital and claiming publicly that the facility performed abortions. The organization also asked Archbishop Schwietz to halt the procedure, which he has the authority to do.
The archbishop briefly imposed a moratorium on early inductions in late 2003.
Archbishop Schwietz then enlisted the help of the National Catholic Bioethics Center, a respected Boston organization that frequently provides ethical consultations for bishops to ensure that hospital practices are morally acceptable.
Over the next several months, ethicists from the center worked with Providence leadership to revise the hospital’s policy on early induction.
Consultations continued until all parties believed the policy was fully in compliance with Catholic moral teaching.
In 2004, Archbishop Schwietz lifted the moratorium on early induction at Providence. At the same time he sent a copy of the updated policy to the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, asking that they review it to ensure that it lined up with official Catholic doctrine.
Alaska Right to Life feared, however, that the hospital’s guidelines were still unclear and left the door open for potential abuses, such as aborting an unwanted child who might have severe physical deformities.
Tension between Alaska Right to Life and the archdiocese began to resolve, however, in late 2006, when Mike Stafford, then president of Alaska Right to Life, met with Archbishop Schwietz to apologize for any actions or comments that his group had made against the archbishop or his character.
By early 2007, the Knights and Archbishop Schwietz finally received a response from Rome regarding the early induction procedure.
"Rome said they accepted our policies but they did have some different wording for the introduction," Archbishop Schwietz told the Anchor.
The Vatican letter clarified the fact that early inductions are only permitted to save the life of the mother or to try and save the life of the child.
The benefit of having a response directly from Rome is that the local church and Providence can be assured that their policy is in full conformity with the teachings of the Catholic Church, Archbishop Schwietz said.
After receiving the response from Rome, Archbishop Schwietz met again this past fall with members of the Knights of Columbus and Alaska Right to Life.
"The meeting was a dialogue so I could update them on the document from Rome," Archbishop Schwietz said. "They also had a chance to hear some of the updates that I have received from Providence, which is that early induction has ceased there."
Monica Anderson, Providence’s mission director for the Alaska region, confirmed to the Anchor that the hospital has not performed an early induction for more than two years.
She added, however, that the procedure is still available at Providence when all criteria are met.
Anderson is responsible for promoting the mission and core values, including their understanding, meaning and operation, in each of Providence facilities in Alaska.
"We actually err on the side of being too conservative," she said in response to those who claim that some physicians may not follow the hospital’s early induction policy faithfully.
Anderson also told the Anchor that it should be clear that the updated hospital policy has in no way affected the actual practice of how early inductions are performed at Providence.
"The wording of the guidelines changed as a result of the dialogue with the Bio-Ethics Center but our practices did not need to be altered because we have always been congruent with the Ethical and Religious Directives," she said.
In some cases, when a pregnant woman desires an early induction but their condition does not meet all of the hospital’s policy requirements, Anderson said those patients are notified that Alaska Regional Hospital will perform the procedure with fewer restrictions.
Providence does not refer patients to Alaska Regional for early inductions Providence refuses to perform. However, Anderson said, in most cases, if not all, the same physicians have individual practices at both Alaska Regional and Providence. In cases where Providence will not allow the physician to perform an early induction, some physicians will simply transfer their patients to Alaska Regional to perform the procedure there.
After the meeting this past fall with Archbishop Schwietz, Karen Lewis, executive director for Alaska Right to Life, said the hospital’s updated policy seems compatible with her organizations ideals.
She said Alaska Right to Life still has concerns, however, regarding how closely individual physicians follow the policy, as well as the fact that they take patients across town to Alaska Regional to perform early inductions in cases when the Providence policy does not allow it.
She quickly added, though, that she is eager to resume working with the Catholic Church in Alaska.
"I know we are on the same page as far as life goes," Lewis said. "I think all pro-life groups have the same objective to protect and defend human life from the moment of conception to natural death."
Ann Curro and her husband Jim spearhead pro-life activities for the Alaska Knights. She said it was important for Knights from around the state to reestablish a good working relationship with Alaska Right to Life.
"We sent out information to Knights statewide that we are all working together again," she told the Anchor. "The various councils were glad to see relationship renewed."
She added that other pro-life organizations also wanted to see the Catholic Church working with Alaska Right to Life."In this day, we need a united front on the life issues and Alaska Right to Life plays an important part in getting many different organizations to work together," Curro said.
The road less traveled
Youth buck national trends
For many young people, a road trip represents ultimate freedom, driven by a thirst for entertainment and self discovery.
Five young Catholics recently came to Alaska for a very different reason — driven by spiritual passion and a sincere desire to spread the Gospel.
At the invitation of Father Steve Moore, pastor of St. Benedict Church in Anchorage, the traveling missionaries were charged to inspire the faith of St. Benedict youth as well as students at Lumen Christi High School.
The missionaries belong to Reach Youth Ministry, based out of Yakima, Washington. The organization, consisting of a little more than a dozen volunteers, sends small groups of young Catholics across North America to inspire Catholic faith.
These young adults put God and their Catholic faith as top priority, which is increasingly counter-cultural according national data from the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University. A recent CARA report stated that young people are increasingly less committed and less engaged in church life than previous generations. Some reports cite that less than 15 percent of that age group attends Mass on a weekly basis.
But there is hope.
The CARA report also notes a significant minority — like the young adults from Reach — who are described as "evangelical Catholics." These Catholics tend to be both strongly ecclesial in their faith but also point to a Catholic version of the "born again" experience.
The Reach members who came to Alaska all describe some significant event in their life — a kind of spiritual trigger that ignited their faith.
Jackie Doyle’s trigger happened when she was in high school in Silverton, Oregon and her mother fell sick.
At first, it didn’t seem too serious. Her mother was at the hospital for treatment of kidney stones but apparently had a bad reaction to antibiotics.
Doyle, 19, said she felt blindsided by her parents when she discovered the illness was much more serious.
"One weekend we were at Mass and they prayed for our Mom," Doyle explained. "I always thought that when they prayed for someone at church it meant they were going to die."
Doyle confronted her parents and found out about the severity of the illness. For the next several months, Doyle took on adult responsibilities, mainly caring for her siblings.
"I spent at least three hours a day in the car driving my siblings around," she said.
Even though she was willing to help out, she began to become very bitter and angry with the world and found herself looking for things to help make her happy.
"At first I thought I’d find it through friends, or a boyfriend," Doyle said.
But some of those relationships ended badly.
Ultimately a confrontation from her high school principal sparked a change.
"I realized that I was seeking happiness in things and in people," Doyle said. "But that’s not where happiness is found. It’s only with God. Only can God help."
Michelle Barton, 19, comes from another large Catholic family in Vista, CA. Although she experienced moments of spiritual fervor growing up, Barton’s faith in high school was mostly going through the motions.
"I remember I went on a retreat right before my senior year and was on fire for the faith and excited about my last year in school," Barton said.
But that fire quickly cooled when relationships soured in school and friendships took different paths.
"It was all different, and I was angry with God. So I told him, ‘no more.’ I still went to church and youth group and told them what they wanted to hear," she explained. But her heart was no longer in it.
She still felt the occasional tug from God, but spiritual zeal was noticeably absent, and didn’t fully return until she joined Reach.
"And that itself was an act of God," Barton said. "I realize that my joining the team was truly his call."
At the beginning of their volunteer year, Reach members spend a considerable time in training and prayer.
"We went to daily Mass and weekly confession — there were all these graces," Barton said.
The sacraments and her training with Reach allowed her to surrender more fully to God, she said.
"God knows your heart," she said. "He doesn’t want you to wait — he wants you now.
Barton acknowledged that she still has to push herself to pray sometimes.
"It’s tough, but you need to have the relationship aspect," she said.
"At some point in your life, you have to say that I am not good at everything — my life is out of control," Jake Cmelik told a group of young people at a recent retreat in Anchorage. "At some point we need to be choosing God."
For Cmelik, 20, the Holy Spirit entered his life at a critical moment, when he was in despair and contemplating suicide. Out of the blue he was invited to attend a youth retreat and gradually he began to find hope, acceptance and ultimately a relationship with God.
That gave him something to live for, he said. He remained active with his youth group in Couer, D’Alene, Idaho through high school, and joined Reach at age 18. Now in his second year with the mission, he is discerning a possible vocation as a youth minister.
"There is a peace you can’t find anywhere else," Cmelik said in regards to his spiritual conversion. "The more you pursue it, the more it grows in you."
Challenged to be authentic
The five Reach members all pointed to key people in their lives that helped challenge and invite them to the faith. These people lived by example and were authentic in their approach to life and faith. Reach members hope to pass these same traits on to fellow youth.
Youth need to be challenged to make the right choice in the midst of all the options out there, Cmelik said.
"One of the biggest challenges to millenials is the constant bombardment of options we have," he explained. "It’s easy to get lost in what I want to do instead of what I should be doing."
Barton agreed.
"For the most part, society and culture are easy and fun, but people are looking for a challenge — looking to ignite their passion," she said.For more information about the Reach Youth ministry and other resources for youth and young adults, log onto their Website at www.reachym.com.
Present to the very end
Nun’s zeal for Christ inspired fellow Alaskan
From the moment Sister Solange Bertin set foot in Alaska back in 1953, the lively nun from the Little Sisters of Jesus order embraced both the pioneer spirit of the state and the apostolic zeal of Christ. Throughout her life, no job was too big or too menial for her, so long as it meant she would be present to other people.
Sister Bertin died Jan. 4 after a long battle with cancer. Hundreds of people touched by her ministry and friendship, including dozens from Nome, came to her Mass of Farwell Jan. 11 at St. Anthony Church in Anchorage.
For many, like Annemiek, (who asked the Anchor to withhold her last name) Sister Bertin’s friendship meant the world and helped her grow closer to God.
"She lived her ministry through her friendship — that was her ministry," Annemiek said. "She embraced the Native communities and their lifestyle and built meaningful relationships."
Fellow Little Sister Mary Joe Brin agreed, pointing out that the charism of the Little Sisters is to be present in the communities where they live.
"We work with people in order to be with them," Sister Brin explained. "We live it out passionately which was how Solange lived it."
Whether it was building houses on Little Diomede Island on the far reaches of the Bering Sea, or fishing in subzero temperatures, Sister Bertin was known as a jack of all trades.
"She was also a keenly intelligent woman," Father LeRoy Clementich said at her funeral Mass. "She had a strong character to always work to find the answers and dig. She also had a sense of humor."
When Sister Bertin’s health began to decline, she returned to Anchorage, but made it a point to continue bringing Christ wherever she went.
"She went down to California to study a holistic treatment when they had the (1989 San Francisco) earthquake," Sister Brin recalled. "Sister went to a store to help distribute water for people until she physically couldn’t stand up."
Sister Bertin had suffered an outbreak of meningitis, Sister Brin explained, and was taken to the hospital. Her community didn’t find out about her sickness until days later because she had been caught up in helping quake victims.
"She would never give up; she was very determined," said fellow Little Sister Odette Beurrier.
Eloise Carriveau from Holy Family Cathedral, remembers Sister Bertin’s dedication well.
"She was very active at the Anchorage Senior Center," Carriveau said. "She stuck with dancing and activities at the center until the energy was literally drained from her body."
Members of Sister Bertin’s order said she served as an inspiration, and more importantly as a friend, to other people dealing with cancer."Sister Solange’s life is a great lesson in living with joy and vocation," Father Steve Moore said. "Whether it was on Little Diomede Island or in Anchorage, she was someone who embraced God’s mission for her, which was to be present."
Missionary priest murdered in Philippines
Father Ben Torreto recalls fellow Filipino priest
An Oblate of Mary Immaculate missionary was killed Jan. 16 in the Mindanao region of the Philippines, according to reports by Zenit News Agency.
A radical Muslim group shot Father Reynaldo Roda in the village of Tabawan, Zenit reported.
In a Jan. 21 interview with the Catholic Anchor, Father Ben Torreto, who is on loan to the Anchorage Archdiocese from the Cotabato City Archdiocese, described his fellow Filipino priest as a dedicated missionary.
"He was a very simple, humble man," Father Torreto said. "He never complained about any assignment and would do it to the best of his ability."
Father Roda joined the Oblates in the 1970s, and was ordained a priest in Cotabato in 1980. Father Torreto said his fellow priest was a man who excelled in perseverance and dedication.
"In fact, Father Roda was offered another assignment a couple of years ago," Father Torreto said, but he refused because he wanted to finish his work in Tabawan.
The Oblates work in the area as missionaries, helping to build schools, housing and other developmental projects, Father Torreto explained.
"We pray that the Oblates continue their mission there, despite (Father Roda’s) martyrdom," he said. "This is part of mission work."
The Mindanao region of the Philippines is split evenly between Muslim and Christians. Efforts have been underway for years to try and build peace between Muslims and Christians in the area. Just last November, the Global Solidarity Partnership in Anchorage sent delegates to Cotabato City for the Week of Peace in Mindanao.
"We hope that this doesn’t take away from peace building efforts, that people won’t let their prejudices and biases be built up because of this incident," Father Torreto said.
He added that there are several things that Catholics in Alaska can do and pray for.
"First, pray for peace in the area," Father Torreto said. "Pray for the transformations of the hearts of all Muslims, Christian and native peoples in the Philippines."
Father Roda isn’t the first priest to be shot in the Mindanao region. AsianNews recalled that another Oblate was shot in the same area in 1997 — Bishop Benjamin de Jesus was killed in front of the Jolo Cathedral.
The most recent kidnapping of a missionary in the Philippines, according to the Zenit report, was a priest from the Pontifical Institute for Foreign missions, who was held hostage for more than five weeks last year.-By Catholic Anchor and Zenit News Agency reports.
Archdiocesan schools have reasons to celebrate
Sister Ann Fallon’s voice was full of genuine pride as she talked about the Anchorage Archdiocese’s newest Catholic school in Wasilla.
Our Lady of the Valley Catholic School recently competed in a spelling bee for private school and home school students in the Mat-Su Valley.
"(It) won the spelling bee," Sister Fallon said with a smile, before pausing for effect. "It took first place, second place and third place."
The Adrian Dominican sister, who serves as archdiocesan superintendent of schools, has reason to smile this year.
Not only did Our Lady of the Valley open this fall, serving elementary students from Big Lake, Palmer, and Wasilla, but the archdiocese’s four schools have taken some big steps towards establishing a cohesive, unified school system.
As the archdiocese prepares to celebrate Catholic Schools Week Jan. 27 – Feb. 1, the four diocesan schools are celebrating a new level of unity, despite geographical and demographic differences.
Take, for instance, St. Mary School, which serves a K-8 student body in Kodiak. As the oldest school in the archdiocese, operating for 55 years, St. Mary’s is almost half non-Catholic and serves the most diverse population of any of the four schools.
Minority populations at the school include Alaska Natives, Asians, Pacific Islanders and Latinos. Together, they comprise more than 50 percent of the school population.
Joshua Lewis is the new principal this year, after replacing Grey Nun Sister Diane Bardol, who served in Kodiak for 36 years.
"I can barely fit sideways in those footsteps," Lewis joked about the tiny nun who left a big imprint on the school.
Lewis has lived in Kodiak for 30 years and served on the school board for three years. He strongly supports the new unified school system.
"The collegiality is just priceless," he said. Before the October 2007 leadership summit, which officially launched the archdiocesan-wide school system, he couldn’t recall all four principals ever getting together.
Next, in terms of longevity, is St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Elementary, a K-8th grade school. Like St. Mary’s, it is a parish school.
Located in an affluent area of South Anchorage it is comprised of more than 90 percent Catholics and is near capacity at 162 students.
Most St. Elizabeth students are from the parish, and benefit from second generation involvement.
Take, for instance, school board member Kristin Carpenter Krom, who graduated from the school’s sixth grade in 1992. After graduating from Service High School and Colorado State University, she’s married and back in the parish.
But with only a 15-month-old child, she is already deeply involved with the school.
"I want to give back. I had such a great experience there, and I am part of the parish. I remember seeing how hard my mom (Paula Carpenter) worked for the school, and I want to be part of that community," Krom said.
Across town, Lumen Christi Jr./Sr. High School is located at St. Benedict Church. Although officially a parish school, and indebted to St. Benedict for financial assistance, school board president Ralph Portell said Lumen Christi would more correctly be called "a mission of St. Benedict."
Of the 81 students presently enrolled in the school, he explained, only 15 of them are from the parish. By contrast, 16 of them come from St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church.
"As soon as we get schools unified it will be much easier to fund-raise throughout the archdiocese," he said.
Sister Fallon said the benefits of the new unified school system include a centralized approach to fundraising, sharing of information and recruitment, and the establishment of procedures for hiring, registration, curriculum and the selection and duties of school boards, principals and staff.
To assist various schools, the archdiocesan office of Stewardship and Development hired an associate director for schools, Nora Ortiz Fredrick.
Portell said Ortiz Fredrick has been a great help in their recent effort, the "Lumenary Drive," which raised $35,000 in its first year.
Portell, whose daughter Katy is a senior and son Eli is a freshman, has been with the school for four years. Previously, his children attended Catholic schools in Chicago and Dallas. It baffles him that Lumen Christi doesn’t have more enrollment — "it’s absolutely amazing how many people don’t know Lumen Christi exists," he said.
Enrollment at Lumen Christi is a little over 80 with a maximum capacity of 120.
"I’ve been in schools where parents had to practically sleep in the hallways in order to get their children enrolled the day registration opened," Portell said.
He added that the most important thing about a Catholic school education is the faith component.
Nevertheless, he constantly monitors the educational quality at Lumen Christi and has been impressed by what he’s seen. The standardized test scores in his daughter’s 12-member senior class have been exceptionally high and have netted many scholarship offers. The small classes and individual attention are a big part of that, he said.
"If you can give them a good education and give them the other dimension – how to be a good Catholic and a good citizen, we believe that’s a very good combination," Portell said.
Suzanne Cyr is principal of Our Lady of the Valley. She attended Catholic school as a child and brought 36 years of experience in public schools, including 6 years in administration, to the new school in the converted Wasilla strip mall.
She said her new job at Our Lady is a "wonderful transition" from working with more than 500 kids in public school. She now leads 44 students at Our Lady, along with a small staff. She said the intimate environment gives her a chance to get to know the parents on a different level.
"When you look at the storefront, you see the old mall," Cyr said. "But when you walk in, it acts like a school, smells a school, is a school."
And it even has its own chapel, where students gather each morning for prayer and once a week for Mass.
Catholic Schools Week will be celebrated with special events and liturgies at each location. Lumen Christi and St. Elizabeth will share a day together at St. Elizabeth Seton, including a morning of service projects for agencies around Anchorage, a communal lunch together, and a Mass celebrated by Archbishop Roger Schwietz.Archbishop Schwietz will also celebrate Mass at Sacred Heart Church in Wasilla for Our Lady of the Valley, and St. Mary’s pastor, Father Ron Licayan, will celebrate a special school Mass in Kodiak on Jan. 27.
St. Mary School
A tradition of faith and families
St. Mary’s strives to fulfill the charge that Jesus gave us: "Go, teach all nations." This is the foundation of our school. We strive to share the Gospel, grow together in the Holy Spirit, and lead others through service.
Catholic schools allow us to, "Teach your children right from wrong, and when they are grown, they will still do right." (Proverbs 22:6) In public schools today, with the overwhelming emphasis on testing and assessments, we see the loss of family influence. In Catholic schools, however, the family remains the most important part of our educational endeavors. Our parents are recognized as "the first teachers."
We’ve had some awesome new programs this year. In the fall, we had a local author present her books and teach several art techniques in a day-long workshop.
In October, students participated in a program that allowed them to observe fertilized salmon eggs hatch into more than 400 developing cohos. The salmon are now growing in chilled classroom incubators throughout the winter.
Other projects include the St. Mary’s Adventure Learning Academy, in which middle school students study the geography of locations around the world. Earlier in the school year, we decided to focus on the East Coast of the U.S. In addition to planning a travel itinerary to New York and Washington DC, we each started small businesses to raise funds for the trip. The lessons include financial management and accounting, as well as preparation for a presentation to a sister school about various aspects of Kodiak Island life.
To learn more about St. Mary School, including information about enrollment, call (907) 486-3513. |
Among other topics, we have also focused on the teachings of St. Francis which were highlighted in our St. Francis of Assisi Mass in the fall, when we brought all of our animals into the school for a blessing of the animals.
We celebrated our Founders Mass in recognition of Sister Marguerite d’Youville. This provided a chance to discover the teachings of the Grey Nuns or Sisters of Charity. We also collectively participated in supporting an orphan through our "poor lunches," as well as working for peace in our world with our "Peace Vigil."
Our All Saints Mass and Day of the Dead were other examples of theology studies this year.In addition to regular religion classes, our "Father Fridays" enable Father Ron Licayan and me to join religion classes — school wide — and discuss how Christ can lead us in our daily lives.
Lumen Christi Jr./Sr. high School
Educating the whole person
Mornings at Lumen Christi, like most schools in America, are a whirlwind of activity getting ready for the new day. But amidst the flurry of jackets, excited conversations and the rhythmic pulse of the Xerox machine, is a small, spiritual refuge.
No matter how busy the early morning scene, Lumen staff members make a priority to meet daily and pray for each student specifically by name.
That simple prayer exemplifies the mission of Lumen Christi, which aims to educate the whole person, both academically and spiritually. We have a strong commitment to make this school a landmark of educational and spiritual environment, not only for the Catholic Community, but for all of Anchorage.
As a Catholic school, spirituality and faith is intertwined in all we do, and is approached in a contemplative and apostolic manner.
Spiritually, students pray before class, attend weekly Mass and have opportunities for monthly confession and annual retreats. Apostolically they are involved in community service and social justice projects. This year, staff, students and parents will spend a Day of Sharing, where they will spend an entire day working on various community service projects around town at places like the Anchorage Pioneer Home, the library and various organizations run by Catholic Social Services. This active involvement aims to give students a chance to lead – and take risks.
To learn more about Lumen Christi Jr./Sr. High School, including information about enrollment, call (907) 245-9231. |
Leadership is also encouraged academically. Unlike many public schools, classes at Lumen Christi are small — averaging about a dozen per class — which allows individual attention and encourages all students to stand out and belong. The teachers at Lumen have a unique camaraderie and work as a team, which benefits the students by helping to pin-point concerns and work towards a solution for academic success. Alumni from Lumen attend colleges and universities across the country with many returning to Lumen with high praise for their academic preparedness.Lumen Christi is especially blessed is by the commitment of the parents and the families of students. We are especially blessed to have a strong corps of supportive parents who work tirelessly to support the school on numerous levels. They are committed to Catholic education and help assist our school in many ways: from fundraising, to meeting with teachers, to working tirelessly on all the extra-curricular sports and other activities in the school. As we look at Catholic schools week, we as a faith community offer our gratitude for their unfailing support.
Our Lady of the Valley
Committed to faith-based education
After many years of prayer and planning, Our Lady of the Valley Catholic School welcomed its very first students on Aug. 20, 2007. Forty students from three parishes, Our Lady of the Lake in Big Lake, Sacred Heart in Wasilla and Saint Michael’s in Palmer, walked through the doors, with a great sense of anticipation at finally having the opportunity to receive a faith-based education in the Mat-Su Valley. The school is committed to maintain a faith-based curriculum that recognizes the uniqueness and worth of each child. Our goal is to provide educational excellence so that students develop into responsible members of society.
The quality of staff at Our Lady of the Valley is evident in the gains our students have made thus far. Three of our sixth grade students took first, second and third places in the Mat-Su Correspondence Study School annual Spelling Bee.
Many exciting activities are taking place at OLV. These compliment our student’s academic and religious educational experiences. Our students have rock-climbed in Anchorage, collected canned goods for the Valley Food Bank, attended a play at the Performing Arts Center, and each week they actively participate in Mass at our quaint chapel.
Families feel welcome when entering the school, as evidenced by their comments. Parents know they have an open line of communication with the principal, and all of the faculty and staff.
Father Stan Allie, retired pastor of Sacred Heart Parish, has commented on how he feels "uplifted" when he comes to the school to celebrate weekly Mass.
Parents have expressed appreciation for our small class sizes, curriculum tailored to individual students, and the reinforcement of Catholic values on a daily basis.
For more about Our Lady of the Valley Catholic School, including enrollment information, call (907) 376-0883. |
Anne McCabe teaches grades two, three and four, at our school and also has two of her own children attending the school. She said the school is a gift from God.
"After three years of teaching in public school, I feel like I’ve found a sanctuary," she said.
McCabe said she is drawn by sounds of children praying the rosary in the chapel before school starts, as well as the way older students assist younger ones in class projects. She also praised her fellow colleagues for working together and focusing on what’s really best for students.
"Ultimately, I believe it’s that we’re all working to continue Christ’s work here on earth," she said.During Catholic Schools Week, the Archbishop will be celebrating mass at Sacred Heart Parish. All students, families and other Valley residents are invited. An open house will showcase our facility and provide a chance to experience the family atmosphere at OLV.
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton School
Forming Christ-like students
At Mass on Christmas Eve, I recalled the uniqueness of Catholic education and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton School in particular.
The song during Communion was "Silent Night," and all over the church I saw little hands moving in sync. The SEAS students attending that night used sign language to sign the first verse of that familiar Christmas carol, just as they learned from the school’s music teacher, Maureen Haines. I imagine this same scene played out at all of the SEAS Masses that weekend and perhaps at other parishes where our students attend.
Parents choose SEAS for many reasons, but having children practice their faith every day is a major one. Our youngest kindergarteners participate in religion multiple ways, but it’s often something physical, like dressing up as saints and parading around the school every year on All Saints Day.
Older students participate in community service projects, such as the quilt that fourth graders made last year and donated to the Catholic Social Services annual auction. This year, fifth and sixth graders beaded rosaries and donated them to Catholic soldiers serving in Iraq, a homeless shelter, and the adoration chapel. Combining religion with social studies, the fifth graders also learned about factories by creating their own assembly line to make cloth bags for the donated rosaries.
For more about St. Elizabeth Ann Seton School, including information about enrollment, call (907) 345-3721. |
Our staff is committed to teaching young minds the language arts, mathematics, science and history, and teaching young hearts about the life of Christ and what our students can do to be more Christ-like in their own lives. Every week, students are nominated by fellow students or teachers for "Christ-like Kid" awards, which recognize when a child has been caught in the act of doing something Christ-like.
These awards reinforce our Christian values of generosity, friendliness, prayerfulness, courage, patience, and stewardship. Not only does this program recognize the nominated students, it also gives the nominators an opportunity to look for the good in others and be gracious enough to nominate someone.At SEAS, we are celebrating this year’s Catholic Schools Week with various spirit days to celebrate our distinct identity as a Catholic school. Our parish is hosting Lumen Christi Junior and Senior High School with a Mass celebrated by Anchorage Archbishop Roger Schwietz on Jan. 29 at 1:30 p.m. We welcome the opportunity to share our commitment to excellent Catholic education for Anchorage students.
Catholic Schools Week Themes
National Catholic Schools Week begins with a different theme and prayer each day to celebrate Catholic education in the United States.
"Make me worthy, Lord, to serve our fellow men throughout the world who live and die in poverty and hunger. Give them through our hands, this day, their daily bread, and by our understanding love, give peace and joy, Amen."
"Father of light and wisdom, thank you for giving me a mind that can know and a heart that can love. Help me to keep learning every day of my life, no matter what the subject may be. Let me be convinced that all knowledge leads to you and let me know how to find you and love you in all the things you have made. Encourage me when the studies are difficult and when I am tempted to give up. Enlighten me when my brain is slow and help me to grasp the truth held out to me. Grant me the grace to put knowledge to use in building the kingdom of God on Earth so that I may enter into the Kingdom of God in heaven. Amen."
"Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy.
O, Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; it is in dying that we are born again to eternal life. Amen."
"O God, you sent your son, Jesus, to bring eternal life to those who believe. I join him in praying for the laborers for your harvest. May your Holy Spirit inspire men and women to continue his mission through your priesthood, religious life and lay ministry. May this spirit make known your will for my life. Amen."
Lumen Christi’s library upgraded to the 21st century, thanks to an ambitious project led by a local religious order
"You can call it a media center now instead of the library," Assistant Principal Shannon Jones told the Anchor. "It not only has new books, but it also has new computers so students can now have access to electronic resources as well."
Leadership at the school says the renovation is a critical component needed to beef up its application in its current accreditation process with the North West Association of Private Schools.
"When I first came to the Archdiocese of Anchorage to work with the schools, I was concerned about the inadequacy of the library," said Adrian Dominican Sister Ann Fallon, the archdiocese’s superintendent of Catholic schools. "I also knew that Lumen Christi was in the process of accreditation and that this would help with that process."
Sister Fallon got the opportunity last October when a supporter of the Adrian Dominicans, made a generous offer to the four sisters working in Anchorage. Sister Fallon asked the administration at Lumen Christi about using some of the money to renovate the library.
Sister Carol Louise Hiller, another Adrian Dominican and a former librarian from Monroe Catholic High School in Fairbanks, traveled to Anchorage to help begin the process of reorganizing the library. Sister Hiller asked Lumen Christi’s theology department for a wish list of books and the library now has 20 new theology books and a new set of Catholic Encyclopedias.
The Anchorage Municipal Library also made a sizeable donation of books, including a large number on Alaska history.
The process of updating the library is still underway, and the school is actively seeking volunteers with computer experience.
For more information, contact Shannon Jones at 245-9231 or email pbear@gci.net.-Anchor report
News & Notes
New Refugees coming to AK
Catholic Social Services’ Refugee Assistance and Immigration Services will soon be welcoming families from Darfur, Togo, Mali and the Congo . These families are victims of civil war. They will need household goods to include bedding, small appliances, cleaning supplies, etc. Warm winter clothing in good condition is also greatly appreciated. For more info contact Lu at 222-7359 or email at lsmole@cssalaska.org.
Catalogue of Pre-1978 Vatican Photos Available
ROME, (ZENIT) — L’Osservatore Romano’s photo service is offering a free electronic catalogue of the Giordani Collection, including photos from 1930 to 1978.
Some half-million pictures were taken by Francesco Giordani during his near-five decade career. The catalogue, a 367-page Microsoft Word file, allows buyers to locate and purchase pictures based on the photographer’s careful annotations of the date and subject matter. Images are not included in the catalogue.
Four pontificates are recorded in the collection, as well as a host of other Church leaders, apostolic visits and government officials.
Using the catalogue, buyers can select the photos they want to purchase and request them in printed or digital form. Costs will vary depending on the number of photos and the difficulty in finding them. Copyright costs will also be included in the price.
Requests can be sent to the director of L’Osservatore Romano’s photo service, Guiseppe Colombara, by e-mailing giuseppe.colombara@ossrom.va.
Upcoming Retrouvaille weekends
Several Retrouvaille weekends are scheduled in the coming months. Retrouvaille helps couples through difficult times in their marriages, providing couples with tools of communication. This program has helped thousands of couples experiencing marital difficulty at all levels. For confidential information about the program or to register for the spring program beginning with a weekend Feb. 8-10, call 360-2227 or visit the web site at www.HelpOurMarriage.com.
49th Eucharistic Congress
Catholics from around the world will gather in Quebec City, Canada in June for the 49th Eucharistic Congress. The Congress is a 10-day diocesan pilgrimage that offers an opportunity for prayer, reflection and action with the universal church, centered around the Blessed Sacrament. Catholics from the Anchorage Archdiocese are invited to attend the conference. Currently, a group is forming with the Diocese of Juneau. The cost is estimated to be about $1,200 for airfare and lodging in Quebec City.
For more information and materials about the conference, contact Father Jim Oberle at the Chancery at 297-7778.
Town Hall Meeting with Archbishop
Archbishop Roger Schwietz will hold his second Town Hall meeting on Feb. 7 at 7 p.m. at the Lumen Christi High School library.
This meeting will focus on the finances of the archdiocese and will include representatives from the Archdiocesan Office of Stewardship. For more information log on to www.archdioceseofanchorage.org.
St. Mary School of the Yukon holds Anchorage reunion
Alumni and former staff and teachers from St. Mary’s School that once operated in the Yukon are holding a reunion on Feb 16 at St. Anthony Church, beginning at noon and concluding with the Native Mass at 5:30 p.m. A celebration will also take place after Mass with a potluck until 8 p.m. A group will hold a bake sale to raise money for the Tekakwitha Conference. People are asked to bring their school sweater, pictures and other memorabilia. For more information call Gemma Gaudino at 337-2583 or Sister Donna at 297-7777.
Centering Prayer workshop
Centering Prayer is a contemporary method of daily practice opening us to the gift of contemplation or "resting in God." Regular practice of Centering Prayer serves to deepen our relationship with Christ by allowing us to listen at ever deepening levels. An Introductory Workshop will be held Saturday, Feb. 23, in the Holy Family Cathedral Education Center, 9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. There is no fee for this workshop but donations to Contemplative Outreach are accepted. To register or for more information, contact Teri Perez at the Cathedral Office at 276-3455 or Kess Frey at 338-2894.
Evening of Christian music
A number of churches throughout the Eagle River/ Chugiak area are combining resources and talents to hold a special ecumenical concert at St. Andrew Church in Eagle River on Feb. 1. Billed as, "An Evening of Christian Music," musicians will perform Christian music ranging from traditional to contemporary styles, including bells, choral and harp. A reception will follow afterwards. For more information contact Debbie at 694-2170.
Lenten Mission at Holy Cross
Oblate Father Robert Morin will hold a five-day parish mission in the evenings at Holy Cross Church from Feb. 24-28. The retreat is open to all Catholics and is based on Lent, with a specific focus on God’s healing love, the cross and the challenge of discipleship. For more information contact Holy Cross Church at 349-8388.
Outdoor Stations of the Cross
Bring a spirit of adventure and awe for a luminaria-lit walk of the Stations of the Cross through the woods at Holy Spirit Center at 7 p.m. on March 1 at the Resurrection Chapel of Holy Spirit Center. After the Stations, the group will gather for hot cocoa and Taize prayer by candle light. Participants are encouraged to bring snowshoes. For more information call 346-2343 or log on to www.holyspiritcenterak.org.
Columns
Catholic schools ensure the future of the church
As we celebrate Catholic Schools Week this month, I am gratified by all that has happened in the past year to make this a memorable time for our Archdiocese and for Catholic education. One year ago, the National Catholic Education Association listed our three existing archdiocesan schools in their annual report: Lumen Christi Junior/Senior High School and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Elementary School both located here in Anchorage, and St. Mary School on Kodiak Island. This year, the report from NCEA will acknowledge the establishment of Our Lady of the Valley Catholic School, which opened its doors to the youngsters of the Mat-Su Valley on Monday, August 20, 2007.
After many years of waiting, valley parishioners realized their dream of a Catholic school. Through collaboration and stewardship of their time, talent and treasure, parishioners joined together, planned carefully and discovered a building with potential for a school. They then worked diligently to make this dream a reality for their children. Today, these young people are making great strides in their academic efforts and have joined our three other archdiocesan Catholic schools in their daily development of the truths that Jesus taught. The faith formation programs are based on the documents authorized by the Vatican II Council of Bishops, promulgated by the Holy Father and, ultimately, received the Nihil obstat and Imprimatur of the Catholic bishops in the United States. All of the children in each of our Catholic schools are continually challenged to live these truths and be the best they can be in order to make this world a better place for all of God’s people.
On Oct. 20, 2007, the four Catholic Schools united under the auspices of the Archdiocese of Anchorage and officially entered into a special relationship as the Archdiocesan Catholic Schools System. This, too, is another step toward my goal for Catholic education in the Archdiocese of Anchorage. Principals, teachers, parents and board members are now sharing their gifts and talents in the true spirit of collegiality and are truly recognized as authentic leaders in our church. To each of them I am deeply grateful. Through their guidance, they are mentoring and instructing our future leaders.
The true worth of Catholic education can never be fully estimated. In a society that has lost sight of moral values, Catholic schools across this nation are making amazing contributions to our world. The theme for this year’s Catholic Schools Week to, "Light the Way!" highlights and teaches the responsibility our children have to those who are the victims of poverty, racism and the countless evils of our day. They are learning to use the gifts provided to them through their baptismal call to find ways to help others in our society and world.
Finally, I want to personally thank all who are so generous in providing financial assistance, which has allowed parents to obtain a Catholic education for their children. Some of you have children in our school system, some not, but you understand and believe in the value of Catholic education. To all of you faithful stewards, we owe a deep debt of gratitude for making the way possible and for insuring the future of the church and the future of our nation.
The author is archbishop of the Anchorage Archdiocese.
Jesus in Islam
Catholics are increasingly encountering more Muslims. Although media images suggest the divide between Christianity and Islam is wide and growing wider, one important figure bridges the two religions. Islam calls him ‘Isa; Christians know him as Jesus.
In "Nostra Aetate," (Declaration on the Church’s Relations with Other Religions), Vatican II called specific attention to the Islamic understandings of Jesus and his mother. That text states: "Though they do not acknowledge Jesus as God, they revere Him as a prophet. They also honor Mary, His virgin Mother; at times they even call on her with devotion."
Whether in formal dialogues with Christians or in casual conversations, Muslims emphasize their love for Jesus. Jesus — ‘Isa in the Quran — is blessed by God in ways that even eluded Muhammad. Muslim understandings of Jesus are derived from the Quran as well as stories and sayings of ‘Isa Islamic literature from 8th through 18th centuries.
It is from these stories that the model human, beloved by Muslims, emerges. The central figure of Christianity is the object of comparable devotion in Islam. The ‘Isa of Islamic affection is at once the same and different from the Jesus of Christianity.
In the Quran, ‘Isa is identified by the titles of Messiah, Servant, Prophet, Messenger, Sign, Parable, Witness, Mercy, and Blessed, as well as the Word and Spirit of God. He is frequently identified as the "son of Mary." Christians would not question these designations. When comparing the Quran with the New Testament we find that both report of an annunciation by an angel to Mary (Maryam), the virgin whom God chose to be the mother of the Messiah before his conception (Quran 3:42-49, 4:158 19: 19-22, 66:12; Lk 1:25-35).
The Quran and the New Testament also report that Jesus healed and raised the dead during his ministry (Quran 3:49, 5:113; Lk 7:11-15; 13:10-17, Jn 11:43-44). Both identify his teachings as Gospel ( Quran 3:3, 5:46; Mark 1:1); both report his ascension to heaven (Quran 3:55, 4: 158, 5:117, 43:61; Acts 1:9-11); both anticipate his return as judge at the end of time (Quran 4:159, 43:61-67; I Thess 4:16-18, Mt 13:41-43).
While Islam appropriates the general story of Israel and Jesus, it frequently diverges from the Bible and there are significant differences between the accounts of ‘Isa in the Quran and that of Jesus in the New Testament. These differences include the account of his birth. The Quran never mentions Joseph; it reports that Maryam retreats into the wilderness and gives birth to her son alone under a date palm tree within reach of a stream (Quran 19:19-26). It also recounts that when she returns to her hometown with her newborn and is accused of being unchaste, Maryam points to the infant in her arms who eloquently defends his mother’s virtue (Quran 19:27-34). Most significantly, ‘Isa in the Quran is not the Christ of Christian Christology or Soteriology. The Quran is understood to deny that ‘Isa died on the cross (4:157) and ‘Isa in the Quran repeatedly rejects the Christian belief in his divinity (e.g. Quran 5:116). In the Quran Jesus is a Muslim prophet who rejects how Christian followers understand him.
Apart from the Quran, there are stories, which Muslim scholar Tarif Khalidi calls "the Muslim gospel." Some accounts develop Jesus’ role in the final judgment; others offer teachings similar to those in the Gospels. Some recast New Testament parables as real events in the life of Jesus; others attribute ascetic sayings and stories to Jesus that actually originated among Hellenistic sages. There are accounts in which Jesus takes a particular side in a dispute among Muslims. In some Shi’i and Sufi literature he emerges as more than human — almost indistinguishable from Jesus in the Gospels.
While these non-Quranic stories are akin to accounts of Jesus in non-canonical Gospels, they have become the basis for Muslim affection for ‘Isa. The ‘Isa who emerges from this literature is an ascetic saint, the lord of nature, a miracle worker, healer as well as a social and ethical role model.
As Islam continues to grow in American populations, Catholics will increasingly encounter Muslims. It is helpful to know that Jesus is a bridge that unites peoples of faith. George Dardness, a Catholic deacon and author of "Meeting Islam: A Guide for Christians," speaks of coming to a real love for the Muslim ‘Isa as a human exemplar.
The Muslim emphasis on ‘Isa’s humanity serves as a reminder to Christians, who affirm a Trinitarian monotheism and Jesus as the incarnate Son of God, crucified, risen, and ascended to heaven, that the Christ of our faith was indeed fully human and like unto us in all but sin.
The writer holds the Cardinal Newman Chair of Catholic Theology at Alaska Pacific University, where she is leading a community project called "Engaging Muslims."
Embrace life’s disturbances – they may be exciting
Some while back I happened to be reading an interesting book entitled "Disturbed Lives." It is a series of stories of contemporary Americans who confidently imagined that they had their lives together and could reliably predict the outcome of their futures.
But at a moment they least expected it, by pure chance, something happened: A person, an event, a circumstance turned their lives completely around and they ended seeing life from a completely different perspective.
Although they are not mentioned in the book, I was reminded of the lives of Thomas Merton, the Trappist monk and Father Henri Nouwen, the American priest. Both were brilliant scholars with promising professional careers, one at Columbia University and the other at Harvard.
But at a certain point they both put these careers aside: Merton entered the Trappist monastery at Gethsemani, Kentucky. Nouwen left Harvard with its fierce intellectualism and competition to live with the mentally disabled folks at Daybreak, the L’Arche Community in Toronto, Canada.
For both Merton and Nouwen, there was something missing or unfulfilling in the academic communities where they once imagined they would spend their lives. Hence, they made a radical break with those careers and, henceforth, their lives would truly be disturbed.
I should imagine that many of us (at least those of us old enough to have a bit of history) must often ask ourselves: "How did I ever end up doing what I am doing, living where I am living? How did I end up marrying the person I married?" For many, it must often seem as though all this occurred purely by accident. Perhaps we just happened to be in the right place at the right time. So many aspects of our lives often seem to have come about coincidentally. Indeed, even that possibility seems rather disturbing.
All this came to mind as I read the Gospel for this forthcoming Sunday which describes a moment in the lives of four fishermen whose lives were also "disturbed" when Jesus met them one morning after they had finished their night’s fishing. He simply invited them to follow him as he went about his task of preaching the kingdom of God.
Amazingly, they did follow Jesus and, seemingly, without question. Obviously, we do not know all the circumstances of that event and it is now part of history.
But it is interesting to ask what would have happened if they had said: "Hey, we enjoy fishing; it doesn’t pay much, but we like it. Thanks, but no thanks."
The interesting point to ask is, what the Church would look like today if the four fishermen had said "no." Obviously, they didn’t, but it is an interesting question.
My point is that even in the life of Jesus certain things seemed to have happened rather coincidentally. In this instance, four individuals took a wild chance, left their nets and changed the course of history and the life of the church forever. Could it all have gone in another direction? Obviously, yes.
But, of course, the four did in fact make a choice to follow Jesus and the result of that choice is what we happily live with today.
So, perhaps it must be said that we all live with our choices. Not to choose is to choose. There is no point in looking back into our lives and saying "what if?" It is the current moment, this present circumstance in our history that ultimately counts. Like the lives of those four fishermen, ours too will probably continue to be disturbed. But, hey, that sounds sort of exciting, doesn’t it?
The writer is Anchorage Archdiocese director of Pastoral Education. He also serves as canonical pastor and coordinator of parishes without resident priests
Why my brother wants to be a priest
Two-and-a-half years ago, my brother Mike, entered the seminary, to become a Jesuit. He is one of my best friends and is currently studying at St. Louis University for his master’s degree in philosophy and theology.
In his college days, before seminary, he was big man on campus and everyone seemed to know his name. He rarely, if ever, attended church and was the life of the party, while still pulling off a 4.0 as a business major. He earned his MBA with honors, worked for a Fortune 500 Company and then something changed.
"I wanted to be a chief financial officer," Mike told me recently. "That was my goal until I watched my grandma die of cancer."
He realized it was pointless to pursue all this wealth and said that there must be something greater.
"At my death, I can’t bring anything with me," he told me, "only the man that I am."
Mike started going back to church, almost daily. In the summer, he went on a discernment retreat at Holy Spirit Center, under the direction of Jesuit Father Vince Beuzer.
"I thought I was on the retreat to change career paths," Mike recalled. "Maybe fundraising or philanthropy, but it never crossed my mind to become a priest."
I asked him how he responded when he came to believe that God was calling him to be a Jesuit.
"Run for the hills," Mike replied. "I thought I was the last person in the world God wanted to become a priest. I was scared that I was hearing things and wasn’t discerning properly."
He was also scared of a radical life change.
I asked Mike what finally drew him to the priesthood.
"Doing something new was attractive — something courageous, something for God," he said. "The downside was that I would never marry and never have a career. Most of all, I had to leave my girlfriend in order to enter. That was difficult."
He continued, "My first year in the seminary was hard. I had to face my own darkness and realize the most important thing was my relationship with Christ. Everything else was insignificant. I began to have a radical reliance on Jesus."
When I asked about the most important thing he learned in two-and a half years of seminary, he didn’t even blink.
"To forgive," he said. "Someone very wise told me three key principles. First, accept the pain that sin from another person has caused you. Don’t marginalize it or negate it. Second, ask for the grace to forgive. Third, give God a reason why the person should be forgiven."
Mike continued: "Jesus on the Cross cried out, ‘My God, My God why have you forsaken me.’ Christ wasn’t denying how he felt. Christ then said, ‘Forgive them for they do not know what they do.’ You can’t pretend sin doesn’t hurt you. If you don’t express your emotions to Jesus, how can he lift the cross that another has placed on your shoulders?
When I asked what he is learning about the Catholic Church, he was crystal clear.
"Go back to our roots," Mike responded. "Go back to Paul and Peter, the Acts of the Apostles. They were willing to die for Jesus. They trusted so much in Jesus and had such zeal, that they were willing to be tortured at the hands of the Romans. The church started off to save souls, not to control or be a corporation but to share in community. It is scary to give up your life for Jesus, but when the chips are down, I wouldn’t chose another way of life."
Mike is scheduled to be ordained to the priesthood in June 2015.
The writer lives in Anchorage.
Overcoming World Youth Day obstacles
At the 1993 World Youth Day in Denver, CO, I waited in the field at Cherry Creek State Park with half a million other young adult Catholics. I didn’t know what to expect. I knew of Pope John Paul II but he was just another world leader to me.
Then he arrived.
Immediately the crowd changed. It was a phenomenon that I never felt before. You could feel his love and care for us but the experience was something more. The way the crowd reacted reminded me a lot of the Pentecost account found in the Acts of the Apostles. At that moment, I knew why I was Catholic and I knew that John Paul II was much more than a world leader, he was the Vicar of Christ and the Holy Spirit was with him.
That encounter 15 years ago completely changed my life. I knew the church was in great hands and I excitedly began to discover my Catholic faith. Over the years, I have continued to go to WYD and bring as many others along as possible. The many amazing encounters with the Holy Spirit for the pilgrims are certainly one of the best reasons to go to World Youth Day.
This last month has confirmed for me that the Holy Spirit continues to bless WYD. I found out six weeks ago that the cost of our trip went up a lot because of price gouging, fuel surcharges, and a weak U.S. dollar. When I first heard the news, I honestly thought our whole group might have to cancel. It was disastrous because it seemed there was little we could do.
Then it hit me: if Jesus Christ is summoning young people from all over the world to WYD, he did not stop inviting us just because of this setback. With a new found hope, we began to work on decreasing the cost of the trip and encouraging people to find creative ways to raise the funds. It has become abundantly clear that the Holy Spirit is working within the young church of Alaska.
When we first heard of the increased price, we had 170 people registered and I would have been excited if half of our group stayed committed to the pilgrimage. I am excited to share that the people of this archdiocese are responding to the challenge and we still have 135 pilgrims preparing for WYD. Obviously, we had some cancellations but nowhere near what was expected. I want to thank all the people who have prayed for our pilgrims and would ask that you continue to do so. May the Holy Spirit continue to bless WYD and our archdiocese. If you would like to go, contact me at rmcmorrow2@aol.com.
The writer is youth minister at St. Benedict’s Church in Anchorage
Editorial
Despite confusion, column raises key issues surrounding political duty
In January 2003, Geoff Kennedy wrote a column for the Catholic Anchor, criticizing Catholics who oppose abortion but fail to actively oppose other threats to human life such as the U.S.-backed death squads, which killed many Catholics in Guatemala and El Salvador during bloody civil wars from the late 1960s to the early 1990s.
The 2003 column prompted letters to the editor by local Catholics, Robert Bird, John Flemming and Raymond Rzeszut, all of who criticized various aspects of Kennedy’s column.
In the Jan. 11, 2008 issue of the Anchor, Kennedy wrote another column, "Pro-lifers should support a consistent life ethic," in which he referred to his 2003 column and the three responses they generated.
The Anchor regrets if any readers inferred from Kennedy’s recent column, that the three letter writers expressed any support for U.S.-backed death squads in Central America.
The letters by Flemming and Rzeszut condemned the Central American killings but opposed Kennedy for questioning the authenticity of pro-life Catholics who opposed abortion but did not actively condemn the civil wars in Central America.
For his part, Bird’s letter never even mentioned the civil wars, but focused on what he believed was Kennedy’s use of inappropriate language in association with the name of Jesus.
Despite confusions that may have resulted, Kennedy’s two columns do attempt to raise an important issue for Catholics: How should our religious beliefs about the sanctity of human life affect our politics and social activism?
There is perhaps no timelier answer to this question than the recent document by the U.S. Conference of Bishops, "Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship," (www.faithfulcitizenship.org).
In summarizing this document, the bishops state that "responsible citizenship is a virtue, and participation in political life is a moral obligation."
The bishops urge Catholics to carefully discern which public policies are morally sound, but they acknowledge that, "Catholics may choose different ways to respond to social problems."
Discernment in these matters, however, is not a private, individual process. Catholics must follow the dictates of their consciences but that conscience must be in "accord with human reason" and "enlightened by the teaching of Christ as it comes to us through the church."
The bishops then list several issues, which Catholics must always oppose because they are never compatible with love of God and neighbor.
The first issue cited, and the only one named as "a preeminent example," is that of abortion. Other evils, which are "always morally wrong," are listed as euthanasia, human cloning and destructive research on human embryos.
Thirdly, the bishops cite genocide, torture, racism and the targeting of non-combatants in acts of terror or war as acts that can "never be justified."
How Catholics actually go about opposing these evils is less clear. The bishops acknowledge, that political parties and politicians may not always share the Catholic Church’s comprehensive commitment to human dignity, which may cause Catholics to feel politically disenfranchised.
Still, we are obligated to act and the bishop’s cite "the basic right to life" as the bedrock issue that links all other human rights such as food, shelter, health care, education and meaningful work.
Unjust wars are certainly a grave assault on human dignity and human life but the bishops do not tell Catholics which wars they must oppose or how that opposition should manifest.
Kennedy is correct to urge Catholics to consider whether the wars which occurred in Central America are issues we should actively oppose. He is wrong, however, to condemn pro-life Catholics who know too little about those complex political and historical situations to actively condemn them or who after serious discernment come to a different conclusion regarding whether the wars were justified in a broader sense.
The abortion issue, though, is crystal clear. According to the Catechism: "Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception."
Letters to the Editor
| (This Column appeared 1/17/03)
In focusing on abortion we have failed in our duty to oppose all murder all the time The Alaska Right to Life man insists he’s not a "cafeteria Catholic" as he insists killing priests and nuns in Central America is necessary to protect our national security. The Human Life International man says murder of Catholic clergy for political reasons is only a political matter. Instead of condemning the slaughter of six Jesuits in their home in El Salvador in 1989, a Jesuit expresses doubts about his colleagues’ theology. Instead of condemning the murders of four U.S. church women in El Salvador, another priest says — without any evidence — they may have been running guns to rebels. Besides invoking "national security" and blaming the crimes on the victims, I’ve heard other avoidance techniques: Make Believe. The 270,000 priests, nuns and other Catholics killed in El Salvador and Guatemala weren’t murdered, just accidentally caught in a wartime crossfire. Besides, Catholic just war teaching allows soldiers to defend themselves against homicidal archbishops. Moral Relativism I. Fighting communism justifies breaking the Ten Commandments. Besides, the bad guys don’t obey them; so why should we? Moral Relativism II. Shooting priests and raping and murdering nuns aren’t as bad as killing fetuses because fetuses have never sinned. Lack of Time. We’re so busy fighting abortion that we don’t have time to oppose all murder. Those who insist that abortion is the most important pro-life issue remind me of the religious leaders who tried to trick Jesus into saying which is the most important commandment. Satan tries to trick us, too. He wants us to see morality not as right against wrong, but as political "right" against political "left." By getting abortion-only to fight consistently pro-life instead of fighting Satan, he divides and conquers us. The early Christians believed Jesus when He said He is the Way as well as the Truth and the Life. In other words, He is not only the end, but also the means. But for 30 years, we’ve believed politics, not Jesus, is the way to end abortion. We’ve tried gimmicks like the "litmus test," (ignoring all moral issues but abortion while voting) and stuffing courts with "conservative" judges. We have not opposed all murder all the time and followed Jesus’ injunction, "Reform yourselves." I understand why politicians are reluctant to do that. They depend on political spin — pretending they and their political allies are saints while demonizing their opponents. That explains why, for example, politicians Alexander Haig and Jeane Kirkpatrick supported the terrorists who raped and murdered U.S. citizens Jean Donovan and Sisters Maura Clarke, Dorothy Kazel and Ita Ford by saying, "Maybe they went through a roadblock." But what’s our excuse? We’re boiling hot about "conservative" moral issues like abortion and ice cold about "liberal" ones like murdering missionaries for defending the poor. As a result, we’ve become cafeteria pro-lifers whose hot-and-cold response to what Pope John Paul II calls "the culture of death" makes us lukewarm. To my knowledge, that hasn’t saved the life of one fetus in 30 years; instead, it’s made Jesus barf.
(Letter to the editor appeared 2/14/03) Denunciations are shocking What shocks and saddens me about Geoff Kennedy’s bitter denunciations of unnamed conservative phantoms is that the Anchor would give respectability to his paranoia by printing them (Guest Column, Jan. 17). His closing sentence is a disgrace to good taste and the judgment of the editors. It also reflects that somewhere along the line, he was not properly instructed in either catechesis or good manners. The Anchor has not hesitated to ask other writers to avoid generalizations and to always give the benefit of a doubt. Not too long ago, the editors apologized for printing an anonymous letter. In my opinion, another apology is due.
(Letter to the editor appeared 1/31/03) Focus on evil of abortion Guest columnist Geoff Kennedy sees fit to label Catholics as either conservative or liberal based on their attitudes about abortion and about those who suffer martyrdom over the issue of social justice in Third World nations (Jan. 17). I don’t know anyone who supports the murder of priests, nuns, or citizens of Latin America by governments, soldiers, or gangs of thugs. The methods that these murder victims used to support social justice may have indirectly fostered violence, but even so, a violent death should not have been their reward. By contrast, I know many Americans who support the killing of babies. The 270,000 innocents killed in El Salvador and Guatemala pales in comparison to the 1.3 million babies that are murdered each year in the United States. Whether "conservative" or "liberal," American Catholics are correct to focus our efforts on the evil of abortion in our beloved country. Let us remove the "plank" from our own eye first.
(Guest column that appeared on 2/14/07) Pro-life organizations have noble cause; they’re not the place to look for villains Geoff Kennedy, in his zeal to promote a worthy cause (our duty to oppose "all murder" all the time (Guest Column, Jan. 17), has somehow divined that the real culprits mitigating against this cherished goal are none other than pro-lifers who focus as intensely on the abortion issue as does he on the tragic loss of life in the endless civil wars that plague Central America. With references to such nefarious beings as "the Alaska Right to Life man" and "a Jesuit" that oppose abortion but apparently justify the murder of innocents in Central America, he twists the image of the average pro-lifer into the kind of "cafeteria Catholic" that you just love to hate! Sorry, Geoff, it just isn’t that simple to sully a church-backed movement — the right to life — and such noble organizations as Right to Life and Human Life International with one broad stroke. Not only is it uncharitable and mean-spirited, it’s also the surest way to "muddle" your message and turn off those who are, for all intents and purposes, allied with you in your noble cause. First of all, Right to Life cares not only for the life and well-being of unborn children, but also for the elderly and those with disabilities who are threatened by euthanasia, for the mothers who courageously elect to have their children and, most certainly, for the mother coerced by whatever circumstances to abort her child. Prayer — even for the perpetrators of abortion — is the main ingredient and the mortar that sustains and strengthens the right to life movement. And politics does yield, contrary to your august opinion, some positive results. Had it not been for the indefatigable efforts of pro-life political organizations and leaders in national, state and local politics during the past three decades, the culture of death could very likely have triumphed completely and thoroughly with nary a whimper from the American people. Also, for your consideration, know that I, in my 30 years of association with the right to life movement, have witnessed many pro-lifers who also participate in other fine organizations, like Crisis Pregnancy Center and Birthright (among others) that seek to help pregnant women in need. Finally, it’s been my experience that most pro-lifers, especially Catholics, lovingly embrace the teachings of the Holy Father to care for ALL (repeat, ALL) human life — not just the unborn — from conception to natural death. I commend you if your column was intended to heighten our sensitivity to the plight of the suffering innocents in the Central American conflicts, and to motivate all to oppose, more vigorously, all murder, all the time. But if your column was timed and designed to discredit the noble pro-life movement on one of its most solemn and sacred occasions, it deserves only condemnation. Lastly, there are many ways to effect the Almighty’s will upon this imperfect earth; thus, even if an individual so chooses to pursue one "good" over another, the objective should be the same — to prefer the Glory of God to the praises of men. |
Columnist, editor lack prudence
Making sense of Geoff Kennedy’s Jan. 11 column in the Catholic Anchor ("Pro-lifers should support a consistent life ethic") is tough enough, but when he harkens back to something he wrote and received responses to five years ago, it taxes both memory and patience.
While Kennedy denounces pro-lifers as hypocrites for not joining his causes, not once, even as a passing reference, does he ever denounced the act of abortion. He uses the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, not to condemn baby killing, but to denounce those who defend these children, because their signs, speeches and letters do not also mention the other injustices that mankind perpetrates.
Kennedy owes myself, Ray Rzeszut and John Flemming an apology. After reading his Jan. 11 column, any reasonable person would think that we had excused Latin American death squads that were subsidized by the arguably imperial government in Washington D.C. He associated our names with such accusations and the Catholic Anchor aided this presumption by printing his column.
Most people will not recall the vulgar language Kennedy used in reference to Jesus in his January 2003 column, or the lack of good taste and manners that he and the former editor of the Catholic Anchor manifested at that time. Readers will also not recall our three letters responding to Kennedy’s 2003 column. Instead, his recent Jan. 11 column forced readers to rely upon his out-of-the-blue rehash of a column and three responses written five years ago.
There’s an old parable about a man who repeated calumnies about someone, and later realizing that it was a mistake, went to apologize. The offended person asked the man to follow him to a church steeple on a windy day, carrying a pillow. Arriving, he told the slanderer to cut open the pillow and shake out all the feathers inside, whereupon they scattered into the wind.
"Now, go and pick up all those feathers and put them back into the pillow," he said.
"But that’s impossible," the offender said. "No one can do that."
And so it is with slander.
Column confuses politics and religion
The Anchor owes a sincere apology to the three good gentlemen slandered in the Jan. 11 column ("Pro-lifers should support a consistent life ethic") by Geoff Kennedy. I went back and read their responses to a 2003 column by Kennedy and nothing they wrote back then even vaguely warrants Kennedy’s judgmental attitude toward them. I know for a fact that all of them abhor atrocities committed in war.
Kennedy fails to make distinctions. For example, the church has never put abortion and war in the same category. Abortion is always a direct attack on innocent life. There is no prudential political decision involved in determining whether abortion is just in a particular situation; it is always unjust. War, on the other hand, can be a just response to a situation. It is not always clear when war is a just response, but our public authorities are charged with making this prudential decision, which involves the application of moral principles.
Even when atrocities occur in war (and they always do) this does not make the war unjust in the big picture. The fact that atrocities occur in war is one of the reasons that a just war is one that is only a last defensive resort.
Can we disagree with the decision that our leaders reach in declaring war (or in supporting an ally’s war)? Absolutely. But some humility is needed. We will never have access to all the information available to them, nor do we have the grace of state that they posses by nature of their office. Since the declaration of war is a prudential decision, they can’t look it up in the Catechism and see whether a particular declaration is absolutely just. They must do their best to apply all the principles.
As Pope John Paul II pointed out, God is the final judge of our leaders’ prudential political decisions; in the meantime, we vote with our consciences enlightened by church teaching.
Columnist mischaracterizes pro-lifers
Thanks for printing the column by Geoff Kennedy and his articulation of what’s wrong with anti-abortion Catholics, and three of them in particular (See the Jan. 11 column, "Pro-lifers should support a consistent life ethic,"). Five long years ago three people, whom most of Anchorage has never even heard of, dared to disagree with Kennedy, and now, thanks to a freedom of the press, he is able to promulgate the ugly truth about them. They were, to judge from Kennedy’s generous remarks, men driven by anger, hatred, stupidity and cowardice.
I know nothing about the disagreement Kennedy is still remembering, but I would suggest in general terms that any debate concerning the merits, or even the facts, of a war or terrorism situation, such as we have had in Central America, will prove rather more complex "on the ground" than it appears to a (frequently biased) media on another continent. It is hardly responsible, for instance, to equate all killing under such circumstances with murder. Certainly the Catholic Church has never done this.
War is ugly but sometimes necessary. And while it is one thing to distrust (as I do) one’s government, and to voice that distrust, it is quite another to publicly impute to private individuals the low motives which Kennedy has imputed to them.
Catholic schools enjoy support
On Sunday, Jan. 27, Catholic Schools Week 2008 will begin in 7,800 schools and in every diocese across this country. This is a very special time set aside to celebrate all that Catholic education makes possible for students of all races, cultures and faith traditions who have been welcomed into our Catholic school communities. The mission of our Catholic schools is to strengthen their relationship with God, to prepare them to lead a fulfilled life and to be the "light" that will brighten the future of the world’s poor and needy.
Here in the Archdiocese of Anchorage, dedicated and well prepared educators nurture the spiritual, academic, social, cultural and physical growth of each child. Because of their commitment to Catholic education, our principals, teachers and staff members are willing to share the financial sacrifices of parents by accepting less than their counterparts in public education. This generous spirit is a major factor in the excellence that permeates our schools.
We are blessed in many ways in this Archdiocese and we give thanks to God for all the parents, friends, volunteers, alumni, business leaders and so many others who give countless hours of time, talent and treasure to support our Catholic Schools. The week of Jan. 27th grants us a wonderful opportunity to say "Thank You" and to celebrate their goodness.
Superintendent of the Anchorage Archdiocese Catholic Schools