February 8, 2008 - Issue #3
Local News | Opinion/Editorials | Letters to the Editor
Prison visits
Outreach: Kenai man said Holy Spirit led him to action
Saying that he relied heavily on guidance from the Holy Spirit, Our Lady of Perpetual Help parishioner Scott Earsley jumped feet first into prison.
Prison ministry that is.
Earsley is now deeply involved an interdenominational Christian prison ministry at Wildwood Correctional Center in Kenai.
Last month, Wildwood opened its doors for the second Kairos Prison Ministry retreat with Earsley leading the way.
"I’m in a servant role. It was God working through me," Earsley explained. "(God) takes our efforts, no matter how broken or not completely selfless, and he uses them to bring the experience of love."
A key aspect of Kairos Prison Ministry International, Inc.’s mission is to share Christ’s love and forgiveness with inmates. Volunteers for Kairos teams gradually work into leadership roles with the non-profit ministry through progressive servanthood. They first learn the different aspects of the four-day retreat, before undertaking any leadership role.
Last year, when a family illness caused the initial retreat’s observational leader to drop out, Earsley, who began visiting inmates at Wildwood in 1994 after years of "ignoring God’s calling," was hoisted into the observational leadership post.
Since observational leaders automatically become the next year’s team leaders, Earsley is now head of a 40-person, inter-denominational Kairos team.
"Because I had only served on one (Kairos team) before this, I had to rely on other’s experiences," Earsley said. "That made me focus on ‘letting go and letting God,’ leaving control to the Holy Spirit."
Earsley said the Kairos goal is to "form church within the institution and transform the institution from the inside out." The retreat is just the start of a year-long ministry to the men, which includes prayer-and-share instructional times, weekly visits, monthly reunions and quarterly two-day retreats.
Participants in the retreat are not your regular chaplain crowd either, explained Karolann Whetsell of Soldotna United Methodist Church and a member of the Kairos support team. Sometimes, they just come because the food sounds good, she said with a laugh.
Regardless of thier motives, Kairos volunteers reach out.
"We target the negative leaders," Whetsell said, as she prepared one of the 96-plate meals required for each mealtime during the retreat. "We are happy to get them to come for the food to begin with."
In an effort to break down walls and share Christ’s love, more than 500 people joined a prayer chain for all those who were set to participate in the recent retreat. In addition, 13 different Christian denominations baked more than 8,000 cookies for the event and local youth made placemats for the mealtimes.
The retreat focused on sharing, singing and prayer. In a highlight of the weekend, volunteers gave individual letters of hope and encouragement to participating inmates.
"One participant has been trying to get his family just to send an empty envelope so that he knows that they are thinking of him," Earsley said. "He said that to get an entire bag of letters from people who didn’t even know him, and to feel so connected to them, is a gift that keeps on giving."
By the end of the retreat, inmates and retreat volunteers stood arm and arm, singing and praising God.
"Many said this was the first family they’ve really experienced, where they really felt safe," Earsley recalled.
In reflecting on the retreat, one participant wrote: "Jesus is working in my life again. Not that he stopped, (but) I had quit listening."
Another wrote: "The light and the love that the men carry back into the population confirm (that) each man has been to Jesus."
A week after the retreat, Earsley said he was still awed by the transformations he witnessed."I’m still struggling — I’m amazed," he said. "I go through periods of productivity, and then I just feel completely overwhelmed by the power of last weekend."
The Great Fast
Byzantine Rite: Lenten practice strengthens Catholics
The great main dome at St. Nicholas of Myra Byzantine Catholic Church in Anchorage is the only one of its kind in the world. Built in 1996, the dome contains thousands of tiny holes that allow light to radiates out in unique patterns. The design so distinct it has an official patent.
Mar. 8, 9 a.m., Akathistos (sung Marian prayer service) Tues. and Thurs., 12 p.m., Hours of Divine praises throughout Great Fast (approximately 30 minutes) Wed. and Fri., 7 p.m., Liturgy of Pre-Sanctified Gifts, throughout Great Fast Sun. 10 a.m., Divine Liturgy Sat. 6 p.m., Saturday Vigil |
Light radiating from the unusual dome will be a familiar site for many of Alaska’s Eastern rite Catholics as they journey on one of the most solemn times of the liturgical year — the Great Fast.
While the fast takes place during some of the darkest and coldest times of winter, the goal is that an interior light will grow in the hearts of each penitent.
As an approved Catholic Church, St. Nicholas is in full communion with the pope. It’s liturgy and practices differ, however, from the more common Roman rite, to which the majority of Alaska Catholics belong.
The Great Fast is similar to the Roman Lenten season, with a couple of key distinctions.
"The Lenten practices are more rigorous," Father Michael Hornick said of the Byzantine rite. Father Hornick is the canonical pastor of St. Nicholas and serves there with the consent of Anchorage Archbishop Roger Schwietz.
The Great Fast begins Feb. 4, on Pure Monday, two days before Roman rite Catholics begin their Lenten journey on Ash Wednesday.
Three key components define the Great Fast. According to the Byzantine Seminary Press Leaflet #13, these components include both an internal and external fast and a spiritual renewal. The journey is "marked with practice of virtues and good works," as well as self denial.
In the Byzantine tradition, there are two types of fasting, simple and strict. Strict abstinence is obligatory two times during the Lenten season — On Pure Monday and Great and Holy Friday. On these days, all meat and dairy is forbidden, including eggs and all egg and dairy product derivatives.
"Of course people can observe (additional) stricter fasts out of a spirit of penance if they want to, but they are not obligated beyond the requirements," Father Hornick said.
Simple Abstinence is observed on all Wednesdays and Fridays, and is similar to the Roman Rite in that they are meatless fasts.
But the fasts are not an end in and of themselves.
John Michalski, a cantor at St. Nicholas, said the goal of fasting is similar to the Roman rite, as a penitential time of spiritual growth.
According to Byzantine tradition, St. John Chrysostom taught that the value of fasting lies in the interior — that by fasting and penance the faithful withdrawal from sin and progress towards greater holiness.
One noticeable difference between the Roman Rite and the Byzantine rite with regards to Lent is the Liturgy (or Mass as Roman rite Catholics say). In the Byzantine tradition, the sacrifice of the Eucharist is only celebrated on Sundays with no other Eucharistic celebrations throughout the week.
During the weekdays of Lent, the Byzantine faithful gather for Hours of the Divine Praises on Tuesdays and Thursdays. On Wednesdays and Fridays they gather for the Liturgy of the Pre-Sanctified Gifts.
"Essentially it’s vespers with the distribution of Communion," Michalski said.
The Eucharist is a celebration of the Resurrection, he explained. With Lent being a penitential season, "Part of the suffering is you don’t go to Liturgy. It’s part of the penance."
The Byzantine rite offers a number of additional devotions during Lent.
One such devotion is a special prayer service to the Blessed Virgin Mary, honoring her motherhood in a hymn of praise known as Akathistos, which takes place this year on March 8.
"It’s a service that encapsulates the theology of Mary," Father Hornick said.
Michalski agreed, adding that the hymn is extremely beautiful and moving.
Parishioners at St. Nicholas are also encouraged to do a daily personal prayer service devotion to Blessed Theodore Romzha, the namesake of the parish’s mission in Wasilla.
Blessed Theodore was martyred by the communists in 1947 for defending Christian faith. Pope John Paul II beautified him on June 27, 2001.
Last year, the parish distributed pamphlets to all parishioners to assist them in the daily prayers.
"It’s takes about ten minutes a day to do the prayer service," Father Hornick said. "And is a special devotion to have during Lent."
Both Father Hornick and Michalski admit that the Lenten practices in the Byzantine rite are meticulous.
"Pre-sanctified liturgy is so different compared to the rest of the year," Michalski said. "It’s more solemn and rigorous."
But through the fasts and practices, Byzantine Catholics hope to strive for true internal conversion.
"Turning away from all wickedness means keeping our tongue in check, restraining our anger, suppressing evil desires and avoiding all gossip, lying and swearing," St. Basil the Great said of Lent."To abstain from these things – herein lies the true value of the fast."
Bishop Warfel welcomed as seventh bishop of Great Falls-Billings
GREAT FALLS, Mont. — More than 1,000 Catholics from eastern Montana welcomed Bishop Michael W. Warfel as the new bishop of the Diocese of Great Falls-Billings during a Jan. 16 installation Mass at the newly constructed Holy Spirit Church in Great Falls.
Anchorage Archbishop Roger Schwietz joined a small group of fellow Alaskans to witness the installation.
Bishop Warfel led the Diocese of Juneau, Alaska, from 1996 to January of this year. Archbishop Schwietz is temporarily overseeing the Juneau Diocese while the Vatican searches for a new bishop there.
Bishop Warfel took possession of his new diocese in a liturgy filled with song and ceremony. His symbolic chair, known as a cathedra, was transferred for the occasion from St. Ann Cathedral in downtown Great Falls to the new church.
Archbishop Pietro Sambi, apostolic nuncio to the United States, read the mandate from Pope Benedict XVI appointing Bishop Warfel to the Diocese of Great Falls-Billings and Archbishop John G. Vlazny of Portland, Ore., questioned the bishop regarding his willingness to receive the assignment as the seventh bishop of the diocese.
During the installation Mass, Archbishops Sambi and Vlazny escorted Bishop Warfel to the cathedra, where he received his crosier, the staff that represents his pastoral office.
Also attending the installation were Cardinal Roger M. Mahony of Los Angeles, 20 bishops and about 80 priests. The Native American elements of worship included an honor song, incensing at various points of the liturgy and drumming for the processional and recessional.
The Great Falls-Billings Diocese had been vacant since June 2006, when Bishop Anthony M. Milone retired at age 73 for health reasons.
In his homily, Bishop Warfel said the first thing he hoped to do as the new bishop was to "spend a lot of time getting around the diocese, listening and observing."
He said he hopes to work with Catholics in the diocese to carry out the mission of the church, which he described as "providing support and encouragement to the active membership of the church" and reaching out to Catholics who are "alienated from or feel disenfranchised from the church." He said the church mission likewise required Catholics to be united with other Christians and to reach out to those without faith.
The bishop also urged Montana Catholics to respond to the poor and vulnerable and address the causes of poverty and injustice.
"May we always remember that together, as a Eucharistic people, we are charged with the mission of sharing salvation in Christ," he said.
The diocese covers more than 94,000 square miles and serves about 51,000 Catholics in 66 parishes and 44 missions in the eastern two-thirds of the state.
‘Kite Runner’ soars with redemption
Book Review
Backlit by snowy mountains, brightly colored kites race through the sky, as children below feverishly work spools of string to gain the highest leverage above.
With this imagery, author Khaled Hosseini paints a picture of modern Afghanistan in his book, "The Kite Runner," (Riverhead Books, 2003). It is both a pre and post Taliban image.
Although playful, there is a darker side to kite flying than might first appear. The goal of these competitions is to remain the sole kite aloft. To achieve this end, flyers do everything in their control to bring other kites down, including coating the string with glass shards and sharp metal.
Thus the metaphor of life in Afghanistan. Hosseini describes a life that is wrapped around the Farsi terms of "nang" and "namoos" (honor and respect). Hosseini is successful in painting this picture, but even more, he highlights and brings home certain Catholic values in a vivid, and at times painful way.
It is in the sport of kite flying that the main antagonist, Amir, witnesses a brutal crime to his closest friend. Frozen by fear, Amir does nothing.
After standing by and doing nothing, Amir’s sin of omission eats at him, and like sin, leads to a further falling away and less than reputable decisions. That’s when the Catholic virtue of redemption shines through.
Later in adulthood, he is offered a chance for redemption, both figuratively and in reality as he travels back to the modern-day Afghanistan, controlled by the Taliban.
It is a chance that Amir could easily turn from. But a phrase from his childhood continues to haunt him, "A man who won’t stand up for himself, becomes a man who can’t stand for anything."
That phrase not only refers to the idea of redemption, but it also shows the importance of how the smallest gesture can bring about positive change.
In addition to redemption, Hosseini’s book also explores other themes, such as materialism.
In pre-Taliban times, Amir’s family is considered well-off. Yet, what constitutes wealth and affluence in Afghanistan would be considered middle class or lower in the United States. That becomes especially clear when Amir and his father move to the U.S. and navigate a foreign American culture.
Overall, the book offers strong messages through vivid storytelling, without ever falling into a preachy tone.
One word of caution: there are some horrific violent scenes in the book, which are very difficult to read. The book is most definitely geared for adults or older teens.
‘The Kite Runner’, by Khaled Hosseini is available at most bookstores, in paperback and hardcover.
The movie, by the same name, was released in Dec. 2007. It is rated PG-13 for violence, The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops rated it as A-III adults (though acceptable for older teens).
New calendar does more than keep appointments
Poster aims to build support for Global Solidarity Partnership
Most people check the calendar for daily reminders of what’s coming up — birthdays, meetings, anniversaries. Delegates from the Global Solidarity Partnership, however, are hoping a new kind of calendar will remind local Catholics of much more than pending appointments. They want people to think of what the partnership between the Archdiocese of Anchorage and the Archdiocese of Cotabato in the Philippines stands for: unity, respect and solidarity.
The partnership began in 2004. Alaska delegates later took their initial trip to the island of Mindanao, Philippines, to mark the anniversary of the partnership’s beginning. Just before local delegates took a third trip this past November, they met together to brainstorm how to get more people involved in the partnership.
This is when the idea for a new calendar was hatched.
"The calendar is meant to represent everything the trips have stood for; unity, act of helping, reaching out to others, recognition of others and the belief of solidarity," said Father Ben Torreto, a priest from the Archdiocese of Cotabato that came to Anchorage, on loan for three years as a result of the partnership. "Behind all these meanings there is a main belief of appreciation."
The full-color calendar contains a collage of photos taken during the first two trips to Cotabato, as well as some photos from the 2006 visit to Alaska by clergy members of Cotabato. Unity is the theme of the collage. The poster-size calendar has a photo of the first group of delegates that went in 2004, a woman helping another cross over some water, a warm greeting, the breaking of communion and even a fishing trip on the Kenai River.
A rickety wooden bridge runs down the center of the calendar — the connection between the indigenous people of the Manobo Tribe with the rest of the population of Cotabato. Alaska delegates also view the bridge as a link between two groups of people, much like the link being forged between Anchorage and Cotabato.
An image of a boat sits on the lower left hand corner of the calendar. It stands as a symbol of unity. The Anchorage Archdiocese seal is an anchor, an ancient symbol of hope in the church. That image is merged together with a poor fisherman’s boat in Cotabato to represent the unity between Alaskans and Filipinos.
"The multicolored sail represents the diversity of the ethnicity of the people involved in the Global Solidarity Project; Christians, Muslims and indigenous people" explained Father Torreto. "The dove by the boat represents the Holy Spirit that is helping this movement along."
Bonnie Cler, one of the delegates who made her second trip to Cotabato in November, strongly believes in this message.
"By being in relationship with one another, we begin to understand each other," she said.
The calendars are being distributed in Cotabato and in some parishes in Anchorage at no cost. For information on obtaining a calendar, contact Cler at 333- 5287.
Holiness will grow priesthood
‘That is the thing you can’t manufacture,’ says vocation director
Dominican Father Steve Maekawa crisscrosses the Western United States in search of men who might be called to the priesthood or religious life. The 40-year-old priest is the new vocations director for the Western Dominican Province, a post he’s held for the past 10 months.
His new job takes him to university campuses, vocation fairs, coffee shops, malls, parishes and, most recently, the snowy streets of Anchorage, Alaska. At most every stop, he helps men cut through the distractions of an increasingly secular culture as they attempt to discern whether God is calling them to the priesthood or religious life.
If someone feels drawn to the Dominicans, Father Maekawa is the lead contact for the Western Dominicans, assisting with everything from the initial application to the first steps of joining the novitiate.
During a two-week visit in Alaska last month, Father Maekawa met with several men in the Anchorage Archdiocese. The Anchor caught up with him at Holy Family Cathedral, where he provided pastoral assistance during his stay.
— How do you reach men today who might be interested in the priesthood or religious life?
: The first way is through the local Dominicans themselves — that is the primary way. The other way is actually the Internet and getting things off the Web. We get a fair amount of traffic to our vocations page. Guys read and compare the Dominicans to other orders. They zone in on it and then send me an email. This generation is very media savvy. In fact, keeping up with the different ways that young folks connect with the media is probably one of the biggest challenges for religious orders and different dioceses today. Technology keeps changing so you have to revamp your stuff. Some places in the country have beautiful Web sites and other places it is very confusing.
— How many men join the Western Dominican Province in an average year?
: We usually get about four per year. Last year six guys applied and we accepted four.
— It seems like the whole country is struggling to promote vocations to the priesthood. Is this something you experience as well?
: Sure. The numbers of guys we have in seminary right now are not even close to what we need for the replacement level. We are doing okay. We’re doing better than some places that are really suffering from priest shortages. We (in the Western Dominican Province) have 120 priests and permanent brothers right now and we have 25 guys in formation. We ordained four last year and we will ordain four next year.
— What challenges do you see in this generation for young men who might sense a calling to the priesthood or religious life?
: The fact of the matter is that 30 years ago our culture was much more disposed to Christianity than it is now. Today, there is a strong cultural gravity towards materialism, hedonism and just individual fulfillment. These values naturally lead to a general tendency to more worldly pursuits — the accumulation of money, wealth, relationships — whatever you want to call it.
The other thing is that the image of the priesthood has been in decline for decades now. The sex-abuse scandal of the early 2000’s didn’t help. Right now, in the eyes of the public and even in the eyes of many Catholics, there is zero prestige in becoming a priest. No one should become a priest because of the prestige factor but there was a time, not so long ago, when families and communities would be proud that their son became a priest. You don’t find that much anymore.
The third challenge is that families are smaller now and the idea that someone’s only son is going to become a priest is not so popular. Sometimes you even find Catholic families that are not excited about their son becoming a priest. These familial expectations can be a challenge. In order to join the order or seek the priesthood, you really do have to pretty much leave home and family and all that. You have to die to the world and accept that you might be misunderstood. People aren’t going to like you just because you choose to do this with your life.
— How do you respond to these kinds of challenges?
: The strategy is holiness. That is the thing you can’t manufacture; you can’t manipulate; you can’t purchase it. I think every individual has a certain amount of idealism. With our culture being so individualistic, the priesthood and religious life offer something bigger than you. It’s not about you — it’s ultimately about a relationship with God.
— Have you noticed any defining traits about those people who are seeking out the church?
: I think there is a perceived conservative shift in the young people who are highly interested in the church. It is often said that they tend to appear more traditional in their appearance and practices and vocabulary. A lot of that comes from the fact that these people are coming from an environment where there are so few things they can participate in that are eternal.
We don’t expect anything to last very long these days: microwaves, iPods, computers, cell phones, watches – we don’t expect any of them to last very long. Even when they do, we end up getting constant upgrades. Our world has lost a sense of groundedness and I think there is a group of people out there who want to return to a sense of groundedness.
Revert is a term among the Generation Y folks. They’ve gone away from the church for four or five years. They stopped going to church sometime in high school and returned after college.
When they come back, they tend to like many of the more traditional practices because, for them, they have found something that is lasting and eternal, something that the church has done for 2,000 years.Catechesis is pretty spotty in some places in the United States and some of these young people were never even taught how to pray the rosary. When they discover things like the communion of the saints or certain religious practices they get excited. To some older Catholics this might look like high piety. The Baby Boomer Generation might feel like they were saddled with things like holy cards, feast days and icons, which they got a heavy dose of early on. The younger generation, however, feels starved of that in a culture where those things could encourage their faith.
Church Fathers at Theology on Tap : Dr. Gregory Froelich will present a talk entitled "I will not leave you orphans: Scripture and the Early Church Fathers." This talk will also include an introduction to "Catena" (or Golden Chain). This collection of sayings from the Church Fathers on Scripture is woven together like a golden chain to provide a seamless commentary on Scripture. The talk takes place Feb. 21, 7-9 p.m. at the Snow Goose Restaurant in Anchorage. For more information, call 360-2323 : Dr. Froelich will speak on the same topics at Mat-Su Theology on Tap in Wasilla. This talk will be Feb. 20, 7-9 p.m. at the Hacienda Mexican Restaurant in the Fred Meyer parking lot. For more info, call 745-3498. |
Dusting off the early Fathers
Holy men still point way to salvation
Pope Benedict XVI is calling for laity to explore the teachings of early church Fathers, those ancient Christian writers who handed down the faith. Most recently, the pope has drawn particular attention to these early Christian theologians during his Papal Wednesday Audiences at the Vatican. Last month he focused on St. Augustine.
During these talks, the pope has suggested that the Fathers offer modern Christians certain gifts such as: antiquity, orthodoxy, holiness, and the approbation of the church.
Antiquity, or closeness to the Apostles, means these men lived during the earliest years of the church. Some were students of the Apostles themselves and each one can trace his lineage of faith back to the Apostles.
The second mark of the Fathers is that they are orthodox. Their rule of faith is always the church and they are witnesses to the living presence of the Holy Spirit on earth, which is the church.
Thirdly, the church teaches that the Fathers are holy. This holiness, however, apparently allows for a few excesses. For example, St. Jerome is well known for his irritability. These men are certainly human.
Their fourth mark is that they have the "approbation" of the church, meaning they are approved, accepted and venerated by the church. The church draws from them in theology, liturgy and organization. These men believed what they wrote and they lived it. That the church approves them for instruction, gives the faithful confidence to learn from the Fathers.
They also handed down the Scriptures themselves to future Christians by establishing the Canon of Scriptures. Hence, they are a link to the ancient church. They lived in the same circumstance of Jesus and the Apostles.
In reading Scripture, the Fathers provide another example.
Scripture is a witness to the church itself. The church is not witness to the Scripture. The church has handed down the Scripture and the church validates Scripture. By reading Scripture, the faithful find a connection with the church and a way to be incorporated within her.
But the Fathers are not interested in Scripture simply academically. Their commentaries are intended to inspire faith and holiness in all who read them.
The church has always maintained great respect for the early Fathers and she continually calls Catholics to read and return again and again to their wisdom.
Principal on the roof?
St. Mary’s fundraiser sends principal to the roof for a night
You’ve probably heard of "Fiddler On The Roof" or "Cat On A Hot Tin Roof" but few have likely heard of Principal on the Roof. Well, that’s exactly where one Kodiak principal wound up on a recent Monday morning to start the school day.
All Josh Lewis wanted to do was motivate his kids. So the first year principal of St. Mary Catholic School issued them a challenge: Sell $25,000 worth of raffle tickets as part of this week’s Catholic Schools Week, and I’ll move my office onto the roof for a day.
"There were a couple of students who asked me, ‘Well, Mr. Lewis we’re out here selling these tickets and what are you doing?’" Lewis recalled. "And I said, well, I’m encouraging you and I kind of got a look, like, whatever, what’s that all about? What are you doing to encourage us?
After a little brainstorming, someone suggested that the new principal spend a little time on the roof if students could raise a certain amount of money.
"I can’t even remember what student came up with it, but it sure spread like wildfire and all of the sudden I realized that I was obligated to do it," Lewis explained. "So there it is, turned into our first annual St. Mary’s ‘Raise The Roof Raffle.’"
Little did Lewis know that the kids would follow through on the challenge. In fact, students raised $27,006. Six more dollars than they needed to keep him on the roof overnight. In short, Lewis had to pack a tent, a tarp, his finest Helly Hansen gear, and a pair of Bunny boots.
The raffle drawing was for $2,000 worth of travel on Alaska Airlines. The drawing took place Jan. 29, and the winner was Berlinda Bunsey, an employee at Safeway, where many of the students sold tickets. Sixth grader Madison Moir took the honors of top ticket seller, with 232 sold. She said her secret was simple: "I went to Safeway, and I gave lots of my tickets to my dad, because he took them down to his work, and my mom too."
Moir says the idea of Lewis moving his office onto the roof for a day, provided some motivation, but so did raising money for her school.
"I think we’ll get new school supplies, and just the basic stuff that you need for school," she said.
The raffle was just one aspect of Catholic Schools Week, a nationwide event. The festivities in Kodiak kicked off with a Mass on Sunday, Jan. 27, led by St. Mary’s students. On Wednesday, the school held a peace service and international celebration. Each class researched a country that suffers from some sort of social conflict and gave a report about it. Patrick Anderson is an eighth grader at St. Mary’s. His class researched Sudan, which is experiencing a civil war in the Western region of Darfur.
"They’re not doing very good right now," Anderson said. "They think that one of the main reasons is that because they have two main classes in society and that’s very low or very high. You either own a major oil company or you work for one."
Anderson and a friend related some of what they learned to the Catholic education they are receiving at St. Mary’s. Each chose a Scripture that tied into their research on Darfur.
"He chose, ‘Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the land.’ And mine was ‘Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.’" Anderson said.
Catholic Schools Week concluded earlier this month with Kodiak students at St. Mary’s and Kodiak Christian School joining forces to build an eight-foot wide yurt of traditional Mongolian design. When it’s finished the yurt will be used as a reading area by both schools.
— This story was adapted from a radio report that first appeared on KMXT Public Radio for Kodiak Island. To listen to that report visit www.kmxt.org and click on "Principal on the Roof?"
Cast a vision of life, says Gov. Palin
Governor urges Alaskans to protect unborn
Editor’s note: The following excerpt was taken from a speech which Gov. Sarah Palin gave at the Captain Cook Hotel in Anchorage during the Nov. 24, 2007 Alaska Right to Life annual fundraising banquet. The excerpt is modified for length and clarity.
As your governor, nothing is closer to my heart than the most promising and precious ingredient in this sometimes mixed up world of ours. That is Alaska’s children – those born and those (yet) to be born.
The Scriptures that define my faith also guide my beliefs when it comes to the value of human life. Psalm 139, many of you know. It says that God knit us together in our mothers’ wombs, that we are wonderfully and fearfully made and that God’s eyes saw our unformed bodies, ordaining all of our days before even one of them came to be.
I serve a God who creates and cherishes life and I believe, from the core of my being, that he has created everyone for a good purpose and that we have a destiny from the very beginning. So I do cherish and I will defend innocent life. As a woman, as a mother, as an Alaskan, as your governor, I will protect and serve the future of Alaska – your children – both born and (those) yet to be born.
I’m not going to judge or condemn anyone. Everyone has a different style about getting their word and beliefs out there. I’m just not wired to do that. I am not calloused about the issue of unplanned pregnancy. I sympathize and I empathize with those who are in that situation.
Someone in less than ideal circumstances finds out they are pregnant and they think, "Oh no, in an instant, my plans are ruined, my dreams are broken."
I’m not calloused to that. In fact, I understand. So I want to help and encourage those who are in that situation. But helping and encouraging is really hard in our culture, because our culture places too little value on honor and commitments and selflessness…
Mother Teresa once said, "It is a poverty to decide that a child must die so that you can live as you wish."
Our willingness today, in this culture, to be short sighted and to not consider the value and potential in every human life — even in situations like an unplanned pregnancy where circumstances are not ideal — that is a symptom of a culture with skewed priorities, a culture that has lost its way…
A culture that chooses to do harm to innocent life for convenience, that chooses to harm its very future by harming the promising element that can provide the hope that we need — a child — points to a culture that has lost its vision…
We must challenge, out of compassion, that shortsightedness we see all around us in this world. Our girls and our young women (need) to see how precious and valuable they are and be challenged to love and respect themselves and to honor their bodies and to protect that life which we are so privileged to help carry. As women, we are strong enough and sacrificial enough to do this. It is the way we are created…
Men need to learn to extend their strength to others. They too must be encouraged to selflessly become more responsible and to sacrificially own up to their responsibilities in less than ideal circumstances…
Together we need to cast that vision of life to our culture. We have to do it together.
Many of you know that the Alaska Supreme Court recently overturned a decision that had been made by our state legislature – the representatives, the law makers, that had reasonably required girls, 16 and under, to obtain parental consent before terminating the life of her child.
Remember that Alaska’s parental consent law was carefully crafted with a judicial bypass provision for those in abusive homes; for those who just couldn’t go to a parent, such as at a critical time when a girl needed to tell an abusive parent that she was pregnant.
The legislature had already addressed that in this law. Alaska’s law was fully consistent with the U.S. Supreme Court precedent. In fact, right now, 26 states have parental consent laws and 15 states have parental notification statutes. We have nothing.
Yet our state supreme court struck down our act. The court rejected the legislature’s thoughtful balance, ignored our own case law and dismissed the legislature’s role in expressing the will of the people.
The Supreme Court, with their ruling, separated parents from their children, when these children are in their greatest time of need. They need parental guidance and support when they are facing such a critical decision.
Just because something is declared legal, does not make it right and it doesn’t make it best for the individual. What the courts intended to be a freedom for these young girls — to make this decision without parental consent, advise or guidance — actually erected a wall between the parent and the child. (This) totally cut the child off from their (parents’) wisdom and protection. That is the exact opposite of the law’s intent…
Our judges must interpret and defend the constitution and the laws that our legislature chooses to create and not seek to rewrite the laws.
This ruling, creating the situation where our kids are left to struggle alone in fear and heartbreak. I used the term, "outrageous," when I heard the ruling.
I know that some of you also have chimed in publicly and have expressed outrage and even confusion as to why Alaska’s Supreme Court would do this, when all these other states (allow) parental consent and parental notification.
As parents here in Alaska, we have to protect our children. It is our right and our responsibility. I call on you to support your administration and your legislature as we take the steps necessary to change what the Alaska Supreme Court just told us is best for Alaska, when we know it is not…
Those who do not see hope and promise, they kind of give up on this. That’s why I think we see rulings such as what we just saw. But those of you who do see hope and promise and believe purpose is given to our babies, let us make it our privilege and responsibility to peaceably act (and) speak up to protect children.Our voices must be heard because theirs are not. We must work together to cast that vision of life and hope for our culture through peaceful but powerful leadership…
Lt. Gov. challenges men to ‘authentic masculinity’
Editor’s note: The following excerpt was taken from a speech given by Lt. Governor Sean Parnell at the Captain Cook Hotel in Anchorage during the Nov. 24, 2007, Alaska Right to Life annual banquet. The excerpt was modified for length and clarity.
To restore a life-filled cultural view, we must begin with individual changes – individual changes of character and conscience…
I’ve taken this discussion to the men. I contend that masculinity has been warped.
We have misplaced the truth that being a boyfriend or a husband or a father means using strength to empower and protect and serve others, not to control or manipulate others.
(Masculinity) is not about getting our own way and our own selfish ends as men. Where men engage in self-seeking control and manipulation, is it any wonder that young women and girls get pushed to ever-increasing sexual exploitation?
Should we really be surprise when boys leave pregnant girlfriends or counsel them to get an abortion if they have never seen a man model honor, respect and personal responsibility?
Our boys must see authentic masculinity lived out by courageous men who ensure the well being of others first.
Our boys must see men honoring and protecting women as people of value rather than as sexual objects. Our boys must be told that courageous leadership means accepting responsibility and choosing restraint. (They must) respect women and girls by not putting them in places of compromise.
Now personally, I’m a work in progress. I don’t always look out for others first as I ought. But the good news is that I am not the man that I once was and I’m not the man I am going to be.
By God’s grace, by my own personal diligence and by my partnership with other men who want to live this way as well, we can begin to live lives that really reflect authentic, God-created, God-given masculinity in ways that will benefit my wife and our daughters and that will ultimately affect our culture at large.As we each accept responsibility for our words and actions and partner together to learn and teach the same character traits, we reject passivity. Then we experience personal change and have a positive impact on our culture.
News & Notes
Religious Profile
Editor’s note: This is the first in a series of short profiles that highlight the religious orders in the Archdiocese of Anchorage.
Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul
The Daughters of Charity are given to God in community for the service of their brothers and sisters who are poor.
There are three Daughters of Charity living together in community and serving here in the Anchorage Archdiocese.
* Sister Donna Kramer serves in Native Ministry in the Archdiocese
* Sister Mary Peter Diaz ministers to the Spanish-speaking community at Holy Family Cathedral
* Sister Kathleen Powers ministers in Outreach at St. Anthony Parish.
The first Daughters of Charity arrived in Alaska in September, 1999 at the invitation of Archbishop Hurley. They hope to continue to serve in the archdiocese in the foreseeable future.
For more info contact one of the sisters at their respective ministries.
Outdoor Stations of the Cross
An outdoor Stations of the Cross will be held March 1 at 7 p.m. The walk will meander through the woods at Holy Spirit Center and culminate at Resurrection Chapel.
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.
Male mentors needed
Adult male volunteers are needed at the Charlie Elder house to offer teens the chance to develop a healthy relationship with one or more adults, other than caregivers and teachers, who become friends, role models and advocates for them. Mentoring can take several forms, including tutoring, career exploration, life skills development, game playing and going to sports, entertainment or cultural events. Contact Melissa at 222-7344 or mbartley@cssalaska.org for more info.
Bible and religion courses at APU
The Cardinal Newman Chair at Alaska Pacific University invites adults to two courses on religion. The first course, Bible as Literature, is offered on Tuesdays from 6-9 p.m. from mid-February to April. The course focuses on how literary forms serve as a key to biblical interpretation. The second course, "Engaging Muslims: Religion, Cultures and Politics," focuses on Islam and includes discussions with the local Muslim community. Classes run on Wednesdays, 7-9:20 p.m. from Feb. 13 to April 23.
For information about fees and registration, visit http://em.alaskapacific.edu/.
Muslims and the future of Islam
* Reza Aslan will offer a free public lecture titled "The Future of Islam: Towards the Islamic Reformation" on Feb. 20 at UAA's Wendy Williamson Auditorium from 7-9 p.m.
* There will be a facilitated discussion on issues raised in Aslan's talk in Roon 307 of the UAA/APU Consortium Library on Feb. 21 from 11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
* Dr. Regina Boisclair will lead a discussion of issues raised in Aslan's talk on Feb. 21 at APU in Room 102 of Carr-Gottstein from 7-8:30 p.m.
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.
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.
Clare House to celebrate Anniversary
Clare House will celebrate their 25th Anniversary on Feb. 21. from 4-6 p.m. The community is invited to attend the blessing and open house at the home located at 420 W. 54th Ave. in Anchorage. Anchorage Archbishop Roger Schwietz will attend the blessings, along with founding members, supporters, volunteers and former clients and employees.
"Catholic Social Services’ Clare House has been providing help and creating hope in the lives of our clients for 25 years," said Susan Bomalaski, Executive Director of CSS in an email to the Anchor.
She added that the success of the house could not have happened without the support of parishioners across the Anchorage Archdiocese.
"The parishioners are always the first to respond to requests for food, clothing... supplies, volunteers and financial support," Bomalaski said.
Clare House is an emergency shelter for women and women with children. Besides serving as a 24 hour shelter, the house also helps women transition back into life from homelessness and offers counseling service for both substance abuse and mental health issues.
Last year, Clare House served nearly 700 women and children.
For more information, including volunteer opportunities, call 563-4545.
Empty Bowl Project tickets avaliable
Each year Beans Café holds a popular fundraiser called the "Empty Bowl Project," a soup lunch that includes a ceramic bowl made by a local artist.
This year, the event is scheduled for Saturday, March 15 at the Egan Center from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Doors will open at 9 a.m.
Tickets are on sale at four locations (Tastee Freeze, Borders, Great Harvest Bread Company and Cabin Fever) for $17 a ticket.
"We want this to be a family event that all people will come out and participate in," said Jim Crockett, Executive Director of Beans Café.
For more information call 274-9595 or log on to www.beanscafe.org.
Operation Rice Bowl
Operation Rice Bowl is the Lenten solidarity program of Catholic Relief Services, the official overseas relief and development agency working on behalf of the Catholic community in the United States. Seventy-five percent of donations to Operation Rice Bowl fund development projects overseas and Lenten education efforts in the U.S. The remaining 25 percent support hunger and poverty alleviation in dioceses across the United States. Rice Bowls are available at local parishes during the Lenten season.
Noon Vespers at Byzantine church
On Monday, Feb. 4, Lent or the Great Fast began for Catholics in the Byzantine Rite. For Byzantines, Eucharist is only celebrated on Sundays but the community will gather for communal prayer including noon vespers on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
"It’s a short service, only 20-25 minutes, St. Nicholas cantor John Michalski said. "It’s a great way to check out the Byzantine rite."
For more information about St. Nicholas of Myra’s Lenten activities, log on to their Website at www.ak-byz-cath.org.
Lenten Retreat for Women
The local chapter of the Catholic Daughters is hosting a one day Lenten prayer day retreat at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church on Feb 16, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Father Jim Oberle will be the facilitator of the retreat. The retreat is open to all women. For more information and registration info call Dona Boschee at 646-4626.
Lenten Mission at Holy Cross
Oblate Father Robert Morin will hold a five-day parish mission in the evenings at Holy Cross Church, 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.
Scripture and leadership training
The Archdiocese of Anchorage is currently in the second Season of Scripture and Leadership Training. This spring, SALT will focus on New Testament writing of St. Paul and the Gospel of St. Mark. For more information call 297-7741 or 762-5417 or email jgaugier@caa-ak.org.
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 aims to deepen one’s relationship with Christ by allowing one 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 (276-3455) or Kess Frey (338-2894).
Columns
Priesthood has been ‘truly precious’
As the years go by, and anniversaries pile up, one tends to become more and more reflective. This past December 20th I celebrated the 40th anniversary of my ordination to priesthood. On February 2nd of this year, I celebrated the 18th anniversary of my ordination as bishop, and in October of this year I will join my high school graduating class in celebrating the 50th anniversary of our graduation.
I want to pause for a moment and share some of my thoughts with you. As I look back over the years, I invite you to join me in thanking God for the marvels he has accomplished, not only in my life, but I am sure in yours also.
Looking back chronologically, my high school years were times of fun, hard work and discernment. I attended Cretin High School in St. Paul, Minnesota, a school staffed by the De La Salle Christian Brothers. I was fortunate to receive strong support from my family during those years as well as the background of their strong faith.
The Christian Brothers were excellent and challenging teachers. Even more, they were mentors who supported me in a growing realization that the Lord might be calling me to service in the church. It was during my last year of high school that I looked at various ways to serve as a priest or brother and felt called, most strongly, to the missionary and community life of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate. This community also staffed the parish where my family attended.
Entering the Oblate seminary was scary. I did not know if I was really called to be a priest. I figured that with time, I would find out, and I was always free to leave the seminary. However, during the ups and downs of those seminary years, I gradually came to discern my vocational call more clearly.
On December 20, 1967, in Rome, I was finally ordained to the priesthood. That was an awesome experience, which I remember clearly today. I had the feeling of being gifted by something truly precious in the priesthood. I have always been grateful for this gift.
The many ministries, which I experienced upon returning to the US after completing my theological studies, have also been a great blessing. I discovered, more and more, that I loved being a priest. I have never regretted that ordination. My priesthood brought me into the lives of many wonderful people as I shared their joys and sorrows, births and deaths, everything from graduations, to weddings, to farewells.
Much of my Oblate priesthood years were spent in formation work, and I had the opportunity to collaborate with marvelous Oblate priests and brothers and to get to know some very fine young men. Many friendships were developed during that period, which last today. The Oblates I met challenged me to greater dedication in my ministry. The experience of community with its joys and challenges were also a constant support.
All of this changed dramatically upon receiving a phone call from our apostolic nuncio, informing me that I had been chosen to become the next bishop of the Diocese of Duluth. This phone call took place in early December 1989. I was ordained in the Cathedral of Duluth on February 2, 1990. That ceremony was one of the most moving experiences of my life. I can still smell the chrism and feel it run down my neck and back as it was poured over my head by Archbishop Jack Roche of the Archdiocese of St. Paul- Minneapolis. The realization of being part of the universal church came to me, when shortly after the ordination, someone sent me a list of my apostolic succession of bishops who were prior to me in line of ordination, going back to the 15th century. That experience of the broader church, together with shepherding the people of the Diocese of Duluth was truly a great joy.
I particularly enjoyed working with youth apostolates in the diocese and through the National Bishops Conference.
The experience I cherish most during that time, however, is that of ordaining men to the priesthood. I felt that not only was I truly blessed to consecrate these generous self-giving men to the people of God through ordaining them, but I also felt humbled and challenged. When each placed his hands in mine and promised obedience to me and my successors, it never failed to remind me of my responsibility toward the priests with whom I am privileged to serve.
The joy of these ordinations reached its high point in my life when, as the Archbishop of Anchorage, I had the privilege to ordain Bishop Donald Kettler to be the bishop of the Diocese of Fairbanks. This directive from my Religious Superiors, to be the Archbishop of Anchorage has been the most exciting of my life. The God of surprises has given me the best. Working with the hospitable and generous people of this archdiocese has far surpassed any dreams I could have had of serving God’s people in a missionary environment. I could never have dreamed of anything better.
Looking at life through the lens of these anniversaries, I get some insight into where I am now. I find myself witnessing the weddings of children whose parents’ weddings I witnessed many years ago. Perhaps I could say that I am entering my grandfather stage of youth ministry.
As I slow down, however, I still find that I enjoy my priesthood immensely. To those who may feel the Lord is calling them to service in the church as a priest or sister, brother or deacon: do not be afraid to give this call a try. You may discover that you are truly following your heart and accomplishing the Lord’s will for you. If it is not the Lord’s will for you, he will still reward your generosity in giving it a try.
I share these thoughts with you after reading Pope Benedict’s recent encyclical on hope, "Spe Salve." We all truly have reason for hope. Jesus Christ has been part of my journey throughout the years, especially when I was called to a path I did not foresee. That same Jesus Christ is with you also.
The writer is Archbishop of Anchorage.
Build virtues with Lenten practices
Editor’s note: Anchorage Archbishop Roger Schwietz offered these comments during a Jan. 30 interview with the Catholic Anchor.
— What are some helpful ways for people to engage this season of Lent?
— We focus quite a bit on fasting during Lent, which is helpful, but we can also do more on the positive side through almsgiving and trying to help others by trying to become more sensitive to the poor and to those in need. There are helpful practices that we can concentrate on to assist us in our spiritual growth.
It used to be that, in religious life, we would try to concentrate on a single virtue each year. We would try to develop that virtue in our lives and each year we would choose a different one. In this, we tried to do something positive to grow in holiness. We might choose the virtue of humility or charity and reflect on that everyday.
— You focused on a single virtue for the entire year?
— Yes, but that seems to have fallen by the wayside. However, I think that especially during Lent, it would be helpful to do something like this. It could be alongside the self-denial things like fasting or giving up the movies. This would help us become more positive members of the family of God and would also help us grow in holiness.
Lent isn’t about trimming the waistline
I imagine the astonishment of Catholic folks when the announcements were made in their churches that services on Ash Wednesday were approaching.
"My God, Christmas is hardly over," they might have said, "and here they are already putting up Lenten banners. I’m not ready for all this."
I’m one of those Catholic folks: When I consult the Ordo that gives us dates for the various feasts and seasons of the church year, I’m a bit astonished that Lent is already upon us, especially this year when the First Sunday of Lent appears almost as early as it can in our calendar. Perhaps that means none of us are ever quite ready to embrace prayer, fasting and almsgiving all at once. It’s the only time in the church year we are truly asked to do something difficult! Never a pleasant thought!
Perhaps that is precisely why the church’s season of Lent never seems very pleasant: We’re being asked to do hard things!
Well, having already survived eighty-three Lents, I’m finally at the point where I say, maybe it’s not at all about doing hard things and feeling good about having done them. Maybe it is simply about doing one hard thing that has nothing to do with the waistline.
Here is my sense of it: If there is anything we Catholics need, whether during Lent or any other time of the year, it is the reminder simply to be quiet (quieter) in order to confront life’s meaning and our place in it. I believe that there is a deep and mysterious longing in our psyche to reflect seriously on life and our life’s habits from time to time. Even deeper than that, it may occasionally be healthy to ask ourselves the question, what does it mean to be human, to be the way I am? What does it mean for me to follow my heart’s desire? Actually, what is my heart’s desire?
Reflecting even more broadly, we could ask the question, why is the world the way it is and what is my part in all that? Whatever happened to the search for goodness, for honesty, truthfulness, to the search for justice and peace and all those other human and Christian values? Whom should we blame for the ills of our culture? Perhaps we already know that there is something amiss in our world but we would rather attribute it to human weakness, Original Sin or something such. That would absolve us of any further personal responsibility.
The story is told of G.K. Chesterton, the British philosopher and writer who once responded to a question in The Times of London, "What’s wrong with the world today?" Chesterton responded with a two-word answer: "Dear sir: I am." That answer reminds me of a line from the once-popular comic strip, Pogo: "We have met the enemy and they is us."
So, what do these philosophical wanderings have to do with Lent? I am not suggesting that they should distract us from the practice of those ancient penitential habits that have served us so well in the past. Rather I am suggesting the perennial and broader question: Why am I doing all this? How will it change the way I look at life as it occurs in the world around me and in my life as well?
Undoubtedly, most of us will be "giving up" something for Lent anyway. Not a bad idea, actually, but only if it is meant to remind us that there are other matters in life besides our waistline that cry out for our attention.
The writer is Anchorage Archdiocese director of Pastoral Education. He also serves as canonical pastor and coordinator of parishes without resident priests
‘Wiry little Irishman’ still inspires faith
One Sunday morning in 1925, Trinity Sunday to be exact, a man dropped dead on a Dublin street.
He was taken to a mortuary where the Sisters of Mercy came to prepare his corpse for burial.
A poor man lives and dies in obscurity, and that would have been this man’s fate, save for the fact that the good sisters discovered the man was covered with chains under his clothing.
According to a very old brochure (1st edition, 1926) produced by something called "The Catholic Truth Society of Ireland," the man, Matt Talbot, had "a cart chain tied twice around the body, and hung with religious medals; around one arm was a lighter chain, around the other, the cord of St. Francis; around one leg a chain similar to that which was around the arm; around the other, a rope was tied tightly."
To our modern sensibilities, this may sound peculiar, but to the sisters who cared for Matt’s body, the chains were a sign of religious fervor and penitential living.
And when one of the sisters looked into the matter, she discovered a life lived humbly but with a remarkable story of conversion and sanctity.
I’ve always been intrigued by Matt Talbot, since the time when I was very young and found a book about him tucked away in a closet on our farm.
Since this was long before the Internet, and I lived 10 miles from a minimally well-stocked library, I sought information about Matt from what I (as a little kid) considered a good source: I wrote to the President of Ireland.
Someone on Eamon de Valera’s staff sent me the funky little pamphlet I still have. Now the Internet has plenty on Matt.
Born in 1856 to a poor family in poverty-stricken Dublin, Matt quit school early to work. At the tender age of 12, he began drinking, and soon became a desperate addict: selling his own shoes for alcohol, stealing a fiddle from a man whose sole income was fiddling.
At the age of 25, humbled by what he had become, he took "the pledge," went to confession, and never drank again. By the accounts of his friends, a happy man devoted to his labor union, he led a life of monastic devotion.
Matt’s cause for canonization was formally introduced in Rome in 1947. In 1973 the church declared him "venerable." It was rumored in Talbot circles that Pope John Paul II, a man who canonized more saints than any before him, had a special interest in Matt.
The next step towards canonization is "beatification" which means the church has found one verifiable miracle — a measurable, physical miracle — attributed to the intercession of that candidate. A second miracle is required for canonization.
I’m not the only person in my family intrigued by Matt.
"Matt Talbot, being the stubborn Irishman he is, has never produced any physical miracles," writes my cousin Mary Costello, who has written about Matt and worked for his cause for years. "But we have literally thousands of stories about people who have sobered up due to their own prayers or the prayers of someone who loves them."
"I have a couple in my own life!" she added.
I have some intercessions pending with Matt myself. There’s something appealing about the wiry little Irishman — so he’s described — who spent his life looking for that fiddler to repay and never found him.
There’s a section on Matt Talbot in Kenneth Woodward’s book, "Making Saint," and at www.calixsociety.org, you can find information about my cousin Mary’s book, "A Little Book about Matt Talbot."
The writer is a stewardship and hospitality coordinator at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church in Anchorage
Dating, longing and God
The next words out of rector Father Paperini’s mouth were the last I expected from the Italian-American priest.
Instead of saying: "Don’t worry about it," he said, "Go find the saddest song you can, and start the grieving process."
We were having a conversation about my break-up with my ex-fiancée, whom I was apparently still wrapped up in.
"You need to mourn," Father Paperini said. "For you, the breakup of the engagement was like a spouse dying."
She was, and to a certain point still is, my world.
We were always together. The joke was, you’d call my cell phone and she would answer and vice versa. It was a very exclusive relationship, which is not uncommon today.
Kids at school, college, even 20 and 30-somethings…it seems like the moment dating begins, they might as well be married.
The health of that mentality is another topic for debate. But the reaction is normal.
That’s because we as humans are created in God’s image. And, since we were created in his image, he made us long for the infinite. It is a longing that only God can fill.
We are in an endless search to fill that longing, with anything we can. The cycle of addicts and "-olics" (alcoholic, workaholic, etc) is a clear sign of what happens when the hole is filled with something other than the infinite or God.
So it was with my ex-fiancé. In many ways, I put her on a pedestal and held her in an almost perfect light. It happens in many relationships and they ultimately fail, unless there is an element of the infinite.
The cool thing about God is that he always meets us where we are and draw us to himself. The journey, however, can sometimes be hard but we need to fill our longing with God — only he can satisfy.
This held true for me. I needed to mourn the loss of my fiancé, work through things, and even fall on my face a bit before I got it.
That is why it is so crucial that God play an integral part of our relationships, from guiding how the courtship goes, to the more important role of having couples pray together.
Sure, it is counter-cultural, especially for younger generations, but the spiritual element is crucial to any healthy relationship.
That is how we were created.
The writer is the assistant editor of the Anchor and teaches at Lumen Christi.
Editorials
The Muslim and me
I’ve always admired the person who will stay up long past midnight, fending off the seduction of sleep, in hopes that a crackling conversation just might offer a brief glimpse of the truth.
I think I encountered such a person the other day, when a young Muslim man approached me after a public lecture at Alaska Pacific University.
He wanted to discuss a presentation we had just heard about the often tumultuous relationship between Christianity and Islam.
Our post-lecture conversation was only the second time I had ever seen this person. The first was a few months earlier, when I interviewed him for an article about Muslims living in Anchorage.
Normally, the Muslim and I would move in very different circles. He is setting roots in a growing Anchorage Islamic community, while I spend much of my time immersed in local Catholic affairs.
In our two brief encounters, however, the Muslim gained my sincere admiration.
His religious clothing, full beard and serious demeanor are uncommon for a man just barely in his 20s. As a recent convert to Islam, he faithfully reads the Koran, prays five times a day and studies historical and religious developments within his religion.
Most impressively, he seems to do all this for the right reasons and his comments displayed a sincere desire to know the truth and follow after it with all his heart.
His approach to inter-religious conversation was refreshing. At the core, it wasn’t about breaking the ice and getting to know me. We did learn a bit about each other, but only because we were both willing to pursue a conversation that transcended interreligious niceties.
I am a recent convert to Catholicism. Three years ago, I joined the Catholic Church and embarked on a journey that is transforming my walk with Christ. My life is now infused with ancient sacraments, liturgical prayers and the wisdom of church fathers.
In my discussions with the Muslim, he asked me to articulate just what I believe about Jesus, despite the fact that he resolutely denies that Jesus is God or that his death on the Cross provided salvation for mankind.
These fundamental religious differences might normally bring a conversation to a screeching halt, but not for us. The Muslim and I lingered in the hallway, both a bit frustrated that the lecturer did not more openly highlight the differences between our respective religions’ views of Jesus.
The Muslim wanted to know why we Christians believe Jesus is God in the flesh. Why do we worship him?
At times, the discussion was tense, but there was also genuine respect as we explored the nature of mankind’s path to salvation.
I walked away from the conversation more convinced that ever that genuine brotherhood between Christians and Muslims will come through brutal honesty over the most important matters of salvation.
In our two conversations, I came to admire this young Muslim – not because he wants to merely understand me and get along peaceably in society. He has a more profound mission – to know the truth. To this end, he searches even with those from very different religious backgrounds.
I firmly disagree with my Muslim friend about the divine nature of Jesus but I walked away from our conversation inspired by his religious devotion and committed prayer life.In an age when so many people attempt to water down all religious and philosophical differences and distinctions for the sake of "getting along," the chance to affirm my distinctive Catholic beliefs to a devout Muslim was inspiring. It harkened back to those crackling conversations, when everything is on the line.
A light in the suicidal darkness
These 11 activists hadn’t planned on a philosophical debate about the merits of assisted suicide.
Convinced of their cause, they met last month at the Anchorage Senior Center simply to strategize ways of helping Washington State become only the second state in the country, after Oregon, to legalize assisted suicide.
Activists in Washington are currently gathering 225,000 required signatures to place a citizens’ initiative before voters in November. If the measure passes, it would allow doctors to issue lethal doses of drugs to those who want to end their lives.
Supporters in Alaska hope a victory in Washington builds momentum for similar moves across the country, including Alaska.
The Anchorage meeting was hosted by the Alaska Chapter of Compassion and Choices and included several board members from another local assisted suicide advocacy group called Final Exit Network of Alaska.
It became clear as the strategizing session began, however, that the discussion was veering from the planned agenda. Thanks to the presence of three local Catholics, the discussion turned to the moral and philosophical implications of assisted suicide, rather than the technicalities and logistics of advancing the proposed Washington law.
The meeting began with Al Sundquist, president of the local Compassion and Choices chapter, encouraging his fellow Alaskans to start contacting friends and relatives in Washington to urge them to support the assisted suicide measure.
This was when former Alaska attorney and long-time assisted suicide supporter Sylvia Short warned her fellow activists to guard their vocabulary when advocating for assisted suicide. She especially cautioned against using the word "suicide." Short referenced a Jan. 9 article in the Seattle Times, which described how assisted suicide backers there are working hard to purge the word from their vocabulary.
The Times article said activists from both sides "know that voters recoil at the word suicide, with its overtones of depression and irrationality."
"We should start changing our terminology because this is apparently a very human thing - people don’t want to talk about suicide," Short told the Anchorage group.
This comment flushed out the Catholics trio in attendance, which up until that point had remained fairly quiet.
"Call it suicide or hastened death, it is still the same thing," piped local Catholic Deacon Felix Maguire.
In the spirited exchange that followed, fellow Catholics, Father Eric Wiseman, of St. Anthony’s Parish, and Jim Curro, of the Knights of Columbus, joined McGuire in mounting a moral argument against killing oneself or helping another person kill themself.
Father Wiseman cautioned against legalizing assisted suicide because it officially undermines the value of suffering or frail human life and opens the door to ending life for all sorts of reasons, including the rationale that some people are "no longer useful for society."
Father Wiseman, Curro and Deacon Maguire maintained that a just society supports its most vulnerable citizens, whether they are handicapped, advanced in years or yet unborn. To view people as a financial or emotional burden, robs them of the love and hope that they desperately need, Curro argued.
But assisted suicide backers countered with the notion that some people really do become burdens on both themselves and others.
In 40 years as an attorney, Short said she worked with many people who just wanted to get their estates in order and die.
"They said it would be selfish to stay alive and inflict their pain and agony on other people," Short said. "Even if there was a cure for them, there were those who said, ‘If I’m cured, I’m still an aged person. Do I want to go on in this condition? I’m not contributing anything to life. I’m not making my family any happier. I’m nothing but a burden on them and society."
Thankfully the Catholics stood firm in the face of such despair and death. Deacon McGuire’s comment was striking in its brevity.
"Life is a blessing," he said.
Indeed it is - even when it is broken and bowed with age, even when the son must feed his aged father or the daughter clothe and bathe her frail mother - life is not always easy but it is always a gift from God.
We cannot allow our elders to think, even for a moment, that they are an unwanted burden on us. Caring for their life, when it grows frail and vulnerable, is our high calling. Letting go and accepting the limits and blessings of a long life is theirs.
As Deacon McGuire added:
"We need to transform our society and get a grip on what we are doing."
We also need many more bold Catholics who will lovingly shed light in the worst kind of darkness, which views suicide as a means to lasting peace.
Letters to the Editor
Oppose all murder
This response is to the editorial and several letters that appeared in the Jan. 25th issue of the Catholic Anchor in response to my Jan. 11th column, "Pro-lifers should support a consistent life ethic."
Murder, especially mass murder, is wrong. Despite the church’s insistence on the sacredness of both born and unborn life, some self-styled "pro-lifers" still actively support murder by making excuses for murderers and demonizing murder victims. Will this promotion of the culture of death discourage or encourage abortion?
A couple of letters and even the Anchor editorial blathered on about war even though my columns were clearly about murder, not war. In rare instances, war may be justified. Murder, however, is inherently evil and therefore never justified. The editorial wrongly accused me of condemning people for not knowing enough about the civil wars in El Salvador and Guatemala to oppose them. I condemn actions, not people. And the actions I condemned are not sins of omission — neither failing to oppose war nor failing to oppose murder — but sins of commission — actively supporting wars by making excuses for murderers.
I don’t know how to make it any simpler than this: There are two approaches to abortion: the Josef Stalin approach, which is to ban abortion and murder 20 million born people, and the Jesus Christ approach: oppose all murder all the time.
Which approach do the editorial and letter writers support?
Life is a gift
I would like to give my thanks to Father Eric Wiseman, Deacon Felix Maguire and Joel Davidson for attending the public meeting of "The Alaska Chapter of Compassion and Choices" (Jan. 13, at the Anchorage Senior Center) and defending the Life issue against those who support legalizing assisted suicide in Washington state and Alaska. Where were the rest of you? We were outnumbered 4 to 11. More support on your part is needed at their next meeting, the second week of February. Please come and show these older people that human life is not a burden on society.
Member of Alaska State Pro-Life Couple for Knights of Columbus
Editor’s note: Joel Davidson attended the Compassion and Choices meeting as a reporter but did not engage in the debate. For the time and date of the next Compassion and Choices meeting, contact Al Sunquist at 562-7522.
Priest shortage a sign?
Don’t you think that God’s hand might be seen in the Nov. 30, 2007 editorial "Life without Priests."
Many priests were not doing God’s work. They were sexually abusing thousands and thousands of young children. They were sinning to an ultimate degree with no thought for God’s work or priestly leadership and guidance.
However, I don’t suppose it is God’s concern that the priests’ and bishops’ actions have cost the Catholic Church tons of money.
I love my Catholic religion, but I am not too worried about the shortage of priests. God knows others can lead.
My church is Holy Cross, here in Rochester, New York. It is wonderful! God is here and our priests have been honorable. But the deacon here is also very capable of leadership.
Clergy must defend life
One cannot stress enough the importance of Catholics seeing and hearing their priests support pro-life issues. It seems very seldom we hear anything from the altar.
As I looked out at the crowd during the Knights of Columbus Interdenominational Prayer Service on Saturday, Jan. 19th, for the anniversary of Roe vs. Wade, I saw one very special priest and several nuns. Where were the rest of the clergy?
Right now, there is a move to get assisted suicide on a future ballot in Alaska. People need to hear about these issues from the Catholic Church.
We need clergy to support and teach the church’s position if we, as lay people, are to continue the battle for a culture of life and defend and protect the sanctity of human life from conception to natural death.
Member of Alaska State Pro-Life Couple for Knights of Columbus