March 21, 2008 - Issue #6
Local News | Opinion/Editorials | Letters to the Editor
Local News
Campus club shares faith
Newman Club wraps up first year at UAA
Like the parable of the mustard seed, a small but vibrant group of students hope their newly formed Newman Club on the University of Alaska Anchorage campus will grow into a large, vibrant Catholic presence.
"We’ve had a couple of Masses with 15-20 people and a lot of faculty," said member Natalia Balaban, a freshman majoring in Liberal Arts. "More than 30 people showed up for Ash Wednesday."
Besides holding monthly Masses on campus, members of the group also participated in outreaches at the Brother Francis Shelter and Bean’s Café, went on the Good Friday Faith Walk and formed a partnership with Catholics at Alaska Pacific University. APU and UAA are looking at possibly holding a year-end retreat.
Not bad for starters, members told the Anchor.
The newly created Newman Club is finishing its inaugural year, under the guidance of Father Luz Flores. He saw the need for a Catholic campus ministry while serving as a chaplain at Providence Hospital, across the street from the college.
Father Flores noticed a lot of college students and faculty attending Masses at the hospital.
When Anchorage Archbishop Roger Schwietz appointed him the new campus minister last year, Father Flores tapped one of the regular attendees at the hospital Masses to be the faculty sponsor for a brand new Newman Club.
Sponsor Tim McNibbet, the assistant athletic director at UAA, quickly agreed to Father Flores’ request.
"Because you can’t say no to a priest," McNibbet said laughing.
Now that it is an officially recognized club, McNibbet said the groups is filling a vital need on campus.
"UAA is such a diverse campus — it’s grown so far and so fast, that everyone’s lives are so busy," he said. "This is a way to create a Catholic community for those on campus, just like they had at home."
Club president Theresa Cho agrees. Cho is a freshman this year, majoring in biology.
"I found myself not making time for God and getting all caught up in the activity," Cho said. "But I try and make the time — and hopefully this can help other students."
Students say their biggest challenge with the club is getting word out that they even exist, mainly because of the sheer size of the campus and because UAA is primarily a commuter campus. But word is spreading.
Club member Balaban learned of the group from a personal invite by Cho.
"I was happy to join the group," she said. "I was looking to find other Catholics on campus. It is great to have an organization like this."
"She’s exactly the type of people we are reaching out to," Cho said, adding that personal invitations are the best way to recruit new members.
All told, about 20 people are signed up with the club.
Cho said the club’s leaders hope for greater growth in the future.
"Hopefully this grows into something bigger," Cho said. "I like to do more activities and more community service type programs."
"We want to let students know we are here," McNibbet added. "The ultimate goal is to create a strong sense of community for Catholics here."For more information on campus ministry at UAA or APU, call Father Luz Flores at 297-7726 or 441-5110.
Archdiocese misses audit in two areas
Sister Stoll: Archdiocese making more concentrated effort
The Archdiocese of Anchorage was one of 11 dioceses cited as non-compliant with one or more of the articles in the U.S. Bishops charter on protecting children.
In the recently released Annual Report on the Implementation of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People for 2007, the Anchorage Archdiocese failed in 2 of the 12 areas (or articles).
The audit was conducted last October, however, and the archdiocese is now officially compliant with one of the articles (4) it missed in the audit.
Article four deals with procedures for reporting suspected abuse and requires that authorities be immediately informed when abuse is suspected.
"That process is now clear throughout the archdiocese, and people understand what the procedure is," said Sister Jackie Stoll, the safe environment coordinator for the Anchorage Archdiocese.
The second area of concern, which is still being addressed by the archdiocese, is article 12, dealing with safe-environment education of all the personnel of the archdiocese. Sister Stoll said this area proved to be the most challenging for many dioceses, including Anchorage.
"Part of the problem is the transitory nature of all the people moving between parishes, Sister Stoll explained. "And the sheer numbers of people we are trying to educate."
She added that the archdiocese is making a more concentrated effort to reach the educational goal in the past year.
"We’ve initiated safe environment programs in schools and faith formation classes," Sister Stoll said. "I think we have a much better handle on how many volunteers, staff and clergy are taking the classes."
One group in particular that lacks safe environment education is priests, according to the audit.
"The reason for that is in part because at the time of the audit we had a lot of priests who were new to the archdiocese, " Sister Stoll explained.
She added that she is doing a mid-year audit on her own that asks parishes and schools compile numbers and data on who is completing the education programs."And I personally follow up with those parishes whose numbers aren’t as good as they could be," she said.The audit process was actually a learning experience for the archdiocese, Sister Stoll said. "Keeping the children safe, that is what this is all about," she added. "And protecting all of us from being victims of abuse."
New Catholics welcomed
Catholic outreach helps families flee from torture, rape, violence
The Anchorage Archdiocese expects to baptize more than 30 adults into the Catholic Church this Easter. That’s in addition to more than 30 other adults who are set to be received into full communion from other Christian denominations.
The numbers compiled by the office of Evangelization and Worship were not complete as of press time and other converts are expected to trickle into the church throughout the rest of the year. The overall picture, however, points to a local church that is growing — slow but steady.
New figures compiled by the archdiocese for submission to the Official Catholic Directory show that from 2006 to 2007 infant, minor and adult baptisms all increased, as did confirmations and Catholic marriages.
The largest jump came from adult baptisms, which rose from 37 in 2006 to 63 in 2007, a 40 percent increase. In addition, 2007 also saw 74 Alaskans from other Christian denominations come into full communion with the Catholic Church in the Anchorage Archdiocese. That’s nearly double from the year before. Together these groups accounted for 137 new adult Catholics in 2007.
"I would attribute the increase to the fact that we have a priest in most parishes and missions now. That was not the case in the past," said Father Jim Oberle, Director of Evangelization and Worship for the Archdiocese of Anchorage.
Having regular priests assigned to most of the 28 parishes and missions provides a sense of stability and strength to the local community, Father Oberle explained.
Archbishop Roger Schwietz added that many of the new priests have been able to build on leadership and outreach programs that were already present. He also pointed to the fact that many parishes seem to be taking the archdiocese’s five-year Pastoral Plan to heart.
"The whole thrust of what we have been going through with the Pastoral Plan is centered on evangelization," he said. "I think people have been taking this seriously and inviting others to be a part of the church."
Father Oberle pointed to the stability that comes when parishes can expect the same priest week after week.
"The fact that people see the same priest means they can develop a relationship with them," he said, adding that personal relationships with a priest often lead people to a greater desire for the sacramental life of the church.
According to numbers compiled for the Official Catholic Directory, the Anchorage Archdiocese grew by an additional six priests in 2007.
Father Oberle credited this growth Archbishop Schwietz’s efforts in recruiting outside priests to come and serve parishes and missions in Alaska.Last summer, Father Oberle moved to Alaska from San Antonio to serve Our Lady of the Lake Church in Big Lake. He said many local parishes and missions around the state extended great support to the recently arrived priests. Overall, there are approximately 32,170 Catholics in the Anchorage Archdiocese, roughly 8 percent of the overall population. Nationally, about 25 percent of the population is Catholic.
Catholic outreach helps families flee from torture, rape, violence
Alaska is becoming home to a growing number of refugees from the world’s worst war zones.
People fleeing torture, rape and government-sanctioned violence are increasingly moving into Alaska’s schools and neighborhoods.
When they arrive, Catholic Social Services is front and center in helping these arrivals establish a new life.
The CSS Refugee Assistance and Immigration Services program of CSS was notified that 34 refugees are arriving in Anchorage this year. Most of them fled violence, left family members behind and spent time in refugee camps to get here.
Just a few weeks ago, a family of six, originally from Darfur, arrived. They saw their home burned and their farmland taken by the notorious Janjaweed, a vicious militia backed by Sudan’s government to ravage Darfur.
Escaping with their lives, the family began a long exodus, on foot, which eventually ended in a United Nations refugee camp in Ghana. While seeking refuge in Chad, their third child was born, and later, waiting in Ghana, a fourth child arrived.
"Life goes on," said Luba Belavtseva-O’Hara, refugee resettlement coordinator for CSS.
She explained that the father of the family speaks a little English but for the most part, the family speaks a tribal language and also Arabic.
"In the beginning, they were frozen here," she said. "But the children were children, laughing and playing."
Now, she said, the family seems more comfortable and as they grow used to an apartment CSS found, which, for the family, includes First World oddities such as hot running water.
St. Anthony Church took the lead in providing household goods, linens, kitchen supplies, and gift cards for the family. As other families arrive, additional parishes and organizations are stepping up to help them establish homes.
For a family to go from Darfur to Alaska, they must take a long complicated road.
Catholic Social Services plays the leading role in refugee resettlement in Alaska. Karen Ferguson, the program director for Refugee Assistance and Immigration Services, is also the state refugee coordinator for Alaska, and her job connects her to a series of agencies that deal with the world’s burgeoning refugee population.
The United Nations High Commission for Refugees runs camps for the displaced, and attempts to find them homes in nations that are willing to help.
After a refugee family is picked for resettlement in the U.S., the Department of Homeland Security must first clear them and then their files are taken to the Department of State, where several agencies handle refugees, Ferguson explained.
Nationally, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops deals with more incoming refugees than any other agency in the country, by connecting incoming families with various state refugee coordinators.
"The minute we get the notice of arrival we gather donations and set up an apartment," Ferguson said. "Notice can sometimes be very short – as little as a couple of weeks."
With new refugees soon to arrive, CSS will be greeting a total of 14 refugees from Northern Sudan in the Darfur region, a family of 7 from Togo, at least three families from the Republic of Congo (former Zaire), and one person from Azerbaijan. On March 6, a couple arrived from Iraq.
These new arrivals speak diverse languages, including Zaghawa, Lingala, Mina, French, and of course, Arabic.
Ferguson stressed that the term "refugee" is a recognized U.S. government immigration status. It refers to a person who flees their country because of well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of political opinion, race, religion, nationality or membership in a particular social group.
Arriving families receive public assistance for 8 to 60 months, depending on the family. The local Refugee Assistance program locates apartments, pays a rental deposit, finds interpreters, and equips families with household goods. In addition to public assistance, a refugee is also eligible for work authorization.
"Some start working as early as their second month," Ferguson said, and most are employed within a few months.
Catholic Social Services has welcomed 533 refugees from 160 families, over the years.
For information on how to help or volunteer with the Refugee Assistance program, call 222-7359.
Archdiocese offers explanation regarding financial debts on major building projects
Editor’s note: In an effort to provide greater financial transparency, the Anchorage Archdiocese issued the following information, in question-answer format, regarding the financial status of major building projects throughout the archdiocese.
The archdiocese, through its staff, and with the approval of the archdiocesan Finance Council approves all loan and mortgage packages for parishes. Each parish is separately incorporated and therefore most lenders require the archdiocese to guarantee these mortgage loans.
As of June 30, 2007, there are seven active loans valued at $12.9 million. The archdiocese has guaranteed the loans for St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church, St. Benedict Church (for the school gym), Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, St. Patrick Church, Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Soldotna, Sacred Heart Church in Wasilla and St. Andrew Church in Eagle River.
Yes, there is a small revolving loan fund available. At the end of fiscal year 2007, two parishes had active loans from this fund, St. Peter Mission in Ninilchik and Our Lady of Guadalupe Church. The loan to Our Lady of Guadalupe is in addition to a larger mortgage loan that the parish has with the national office of the Knights of Columbus.
A feasibility study was conducted at the parish in the summer of 2001, followed by numerous parish meetings. These meetings led to a decision to go forward with the design and construction of a new church on donated property across the highway from the old church site. While this decision was not unanimous among all parishioners, there was sufficient agreement among a majority of parishioners to move forward with the project. There are always some people who, for valid reasons, are unable to support a parish-building project. The St. Andrew project was no different. However, a majority of St. Andrew parishioners feel they are better served by the larger and inspiring worship space that was constructed.
Yes. There are presently two integrated St. Andrew Church loans. The larger loan is with American National Bank in the amount of $7 million, which is secured by the new church building and guaranteed by the archdiocese.
The second loan is with First National Bank of Alaska and is secured by the old church site and additional security pledged by the archdiocese in the amount of $2.5 million. The archdiocese, after approval by the archdiocesan Finance Council, secured its guarantee of this loan by collateralizing the Pastoral Center office building in downtown Anchorage and two apartment buildings it uses to house priests and sisters in Anchorage. This smaller loan is slated to be paid off from the sale of the old St. Andrew Church site. At that time, encumbrances on archdiocesan properties will be removed.
The new St. Andrew Church was the largest project ever undertaken in the archdiocese. The costs for construction materials began to escalate almost as soon as construction began due to factors beyond the control of the contractor, the design firm, and all other parties involved in the project.
Due to factors like the rebuilding of Hurricane Katrina destruction, the booming Chinese economy and the Iraq War, costs for lumber and steel rose at a rate of almost 25 percent during this project. The end result was the need to find a mortgage loan that was much higher than originally anticipated. Additionally, part of the financial plan to fund construction of the new church involved selling the old church site on Artillery Road. To date, it has not sold.
Yes, the old St. Andrew site has a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) restricted use limitation, which accompanied the original government agreement to sell the land to the Diocese of Juneau. That agreement dates to 1960, before the founding of the Archdiocese of Anchorage. The restricted use requires the land to be used for church purposes or a similar use approved by the BLM. Thus, if a commercial business were to purchase the property, the restrictive use limitation would kick in and require the parish to purchase the restrict use endorsement from BLM, which would negatively impact net sale proceeds. If a qualified church purchaser, or similar not-for-profit organization, as approved by the BLM, were to purchase the site, that would also impact the sale proceeds to the parish, but in a positive manner.
The pastor and finance committee at St. Andrew’s made adjustments to their operating budget to reduce costs wherever possible. Parishioners were also asked to extend their original building pledge gifts or make additional contributions to meet these obligations. Thus far, even though things are tight, the parish is making payments on time.
Yes, there are a number of lessons learned. Among them is a realization that in a very short time, the construction market can change rapidly. As a result, the archdiocesan building guidelines are being revised to require a minimum of 50 percent of "cash-on hand" before parishes undertake a major building project. In some cases, parishes may be required to have even more than 50 percent of projected costs before the project is authorized.
While the number is high, the largest portion is the St. Andrew Church loan. Once the old church site is sold, that amount will be reduced to a level that the parish will be able to more comfortably address. Until that happens, the borrowing needs of all parishes will be carefully reviewed by the archdiocesan Finance Council to ensure that no parish finds themselves burdened by debt they may assume. The risk to the archdiocese and individual parishes is minimal. The archdiocese has never been required to make debt payments on behalf of any parish, nor has it ever asked a parish to assist in making payments for some other parish’s mortgage obligations.
Archbishop Schwietz is currently living in a rented house that is up for sale. The house that he lived in on Stanley Drive sold in 2006 to help pay legal settlements related to clergy sexual abuse that had taken place many years ago. Archbishop Roger Schwietz asked four people; John Conway, Pricilla Belanger, Mary Ann Swalling, and Chris Hodel to serve on a committee to help him plan and design a residence that would serve him and his successor bishops in the years to come.
The archbishop has consulted with the priests of the archdiocese as well as the four-person committee and has selected a site on the grounds of Holy Spirit Center. This property is already owned by the archdiocese, which eliminates a significant cost. The proximity to Holy Spirit Center would also allow visiting priests and others, who often stay at the archbishop’s residence, to bring their spiritual gifts to the Center and at the same time enjoy the Center’s unique setting.
An architect is developing conceptual designs, cost estimates, floor plans and elevations for the residence. The design will be modest and also energy efficient. It will need to be adequate for the archbishop but also allow space for gatherings and visitor bedrooms. Based on the design work, an initial cost estimate will be developed. At that point, the project will be postponed until enough financial and in-kind support is committed to complete the project.
It is our intent to solicit financial and in-kind support for the construction of the residence from a small group of people in the archdiocese who have expressed interest in helping with this project. There are no plans to make a general appeal to the larger archdiocese or to seek funds from parishes. There is also no intent to secure a large mortgage loan, though there may be a need to establish a small "bridge loan" to get through actual construction.
New Principal hired for SEAS school
Jim Bailey brings years of experience to Catholic School
A former Anchorage School District educator with decades of experience is set to take the baton as St. Elizabeth Ann Seton School’s new principal.
St. Elizabeth pastor Father Tom Lilly announced March 6 that he hired Jim Bailey to replace retiring principal Jim Carden. Bailey’s first official day on the job is July 1.
He brings an extensive educational background to the new post. Before a brief retirement, he worked more than 32 years for the Anchorage School District as a teacher, assistant principal and head principal. He retired as principal of West High School in 2006, but found that he missed working.
"I missed education, I missed the kids," Bailey said in a phone interview with the Anchor.
Bailey also said he was intrigued by the idea of guiding an elementary school.
"I did my administrative internship in an elementary school and always wondered if going the elementary way was a path for me, but life took me to middle and high school (administration)," he said.
Working in a new school isn’t the only life change in Bailey’s life. He is also in the process of officially entering the Catholic Church next Easter at Holy Family Cathedral.
"I’ve been going to Catholic Mass for 16 years," he said. "I was already in the process of becoming Catholic and a Catholic friend of mine told me I should look at applying for the principal position (at SEAS)."
In addition to education, Bailey is actively involved in the community, working with the Anchorage Museum, the Campbell Creek Science Center and Bridge Builders. He said he hopes to expand on SEAS strong relationship with the larger community.
"I think they have a big place in the community," he said. "I want to bring the community into the school as much as you can."
Bailey is impressed by what he already sees in place at SEAS and said his first priority is to listen to those who have been around a while.
"(I want to) talk to the parents, the teachers and find out what they want," Bailey said.
Bailey says he is open to new approaches and changes, and has a few ideas of his own, like more electives or even an international baccalaureate program on the elementary school level.
Although he’s leaving behind the quite life of retirement, Bailey said his wife and family are thrilled with his new job."My family and my wife are totally supportive of this," he said. "We are into this together."
Catholic school enrollments increase
Catholic elementary school enrollment jumped by 13 percent throughout the Anchorage Archdiocese last year, according to new figures sent out for the 2008 Official Catholic Directory.
With the opening of its third elementary school last fall, the archdiocese’s three elementary schools now include the new Our Lady of the Valley Catholic School in Wasilla, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Anchorage and St. Mary’s School in Kodiak. In 2007, these schools served a total of 317 elementary students, 32 more than a year before.
In addition, Holy Rosary Academy, a private K-12 Catholic school that operates in the archdiocese with the permission of the archbishop, saw its enrollment jump from 78 to 94 elementary students.
All total, elementary school numbers rose from 363 students in 2006 to 411 in 2007.
High school numbers remained relatively unchanged with 132 students in 2007, down only 2 students from the previous year. The archdiocesan-run Lumen Christi Jr./Sr. High School enrolled 80 high school students, while Holy Rosary Academy enrolled 52.-Anchor Reports
Oblates installed
St. Mary Science Fair
How can the sun provide for your electrical needs? What kind of wood makes the best baseball bat? When horse’s ears are pointing forward, are they interested or ready to bite you?
These are but a few of the 80-plus science fair projects that students in St. Mary School in Kodiak presented earlier this month at the annual Science Project Fair. Twenty Alaskan scientists took a day off to spend time with a group of young Kodiak scientists.
The science fair is a 20-year tradition at St. Mary’s.
"It’s a HUGE tradition for St. Mary’s students," said former kindergarten teacher Marilyn Kreta. "Every year, from early elementary through middle school ages, students come up with a topic, study, prepare, experiment, and present their findings."
The fair is part of the St. Mary’s overall science focus, which engages the scientific method in hands-on scientific study and exploration.St. Mary’s fourth grader Annika Fincher was the grand champion of the science fair and will compete in the State of Alaska Science Fair in Anchorage on April 12.
Grey Nuns of the Sacred Heart
Editor’s note: This is the fourth in a series that highlights religious orders in the Archdiocese of Anchorage.
Grey Nuns of the Sacred Heart
The mission of Grey Nuns is to be a sign of God’s constant and unconditional love for every person.
Currently two sisters are serving in Alaska. Sister Carol Bartol and Sr. Barbara Harrington.
Sister Bartol currently serves as pastoral associate at St. Mary Church and works at the parish thrift store. Sister Harrington is the parish administrator at St. Mary’s and also a pastoral associate.
The Grey Nuns came to Alaska in 1944 to run the local hospital in Kodiak. Ten years later the sisters opened the first and only Catholic elementary school in Kodiak. More than 50 grey Nuns have served in Alaska since 1944.
The sisters hope to continue to serve the Archdiocese in Anchorage as long as they can.For information about the Grey nuns, visit www.gnsh.org.
News & Notes
Love, sex and God
Rick and Eileen Aaron, Couple to Couple League Instructors-in-training, will describe a journey which has led them to more fully embrace the teachings of the church in regards to natural family planning. The free Theology on Tap event will be March 26, 7 p.m., at Hacienda Restaurant in Wasilla. For more information call Rick Aaron 745-3498.
Role of laypeople
Father Tom Brundage, Moderator of the Curia and the Judicial Vicar of the Archdiocese of Anchorage, will present a talk about the role of the laity in the mission of the church. The talk, entitled, "The Rights and Responsibilities of lay people in the Church according to Canon Law," will be held April 9, 7 p.m., at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Anchorage.
Mary consecration
The Legion of Mary will hold their annual consecration to Mary on Saturday April 12 at Holy Family Cathedral. Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament will follow the consecration, with a concluding reception afterwards. For more information, call 245-0074.
What is Catholic evangelization?
Catholic author Deacon Alex Jones from the Archdiocese of Detroit will share his inspirational story of conversion at the next Theology on Tap. Deacon Jones is a former Pentecostal preacher who converted to Catholicism. His conversion story is told in his book, "No Price Too High." Deacon Jones travels the country now, sharing his story and leading missions for Catholics. He will be speaking about evangelization in a presentation called, "Catholic Evangelization: "What it is and what it is not," at the Snow Goose Restaurant in Anchorage on Thursday, March 26. He speaks in Kenai on March 27. For more information, call 360-2323.
Parental consent law nears vote
A bill introduced to restore parental rights regarding health decisions of teenage children passed out of the House Finance Committee March 18. In November 2007, the Alaska Supreme Court ruled that a state law allowing parents to authorize or deny abortions for their teenage daughters was unconstitutional. House Bill 364 would challenge that ruling. The lead sponsor of the bill is Rep. John Coghill of North Pole.
Islam: past, present
Dr. Ingrid Mattson will present a talk entitled "Islamic Law and Life, Past and Present" on March 30. Dr. Mattson is the president of the Islamic society of North America, the director of the Islamic chaplaincy center and professor of Islamic studies at the MacDonald Center for Islamic Studies and Christian-Muslim Relations at Hartford Seminary.
Dr. Mattson’s Public lecture on Islamic Law and Life will begin at 2 p.m. in the Wendy Williamson Auditorium at UAA. For more information contact Mary-Margaret at (907) 564-8264 or religion@alaskapacific.edu.
Our Lady of the Valley Fundraiser
Our Lady of the Valley Catholic School in Wasilla will hold a formal dinner auction on April 12, 6 p.m., at Lake Lucille Inn in Wasilla. The auction benefits the pre-K-8 school in the Valley. For more information call 376-0883
Columns
Annual report reveals a generous church
In this issue of the Catholic Anchor, I am pleased to provide the annual report of the Anchorage Archdiocese. It reveals the wonderful generosity of your time, talent, and treasure, giving witness to your faithful stewardship in our community. The numbers in this report reflect more than just the finances of our archdiocese. They also reveal the sacrifice and generosity of parishioners who care deeply about our mission to bring Christ’s message to the "ends of the earth".
I am committed to transparency on the part of the Archdiocese and I ask the same of each parish. Each of you deserves to understand how the archdiocese and your local parishes use the financial resources you share. I hope this annual report and the accompanying questions and answers below help provide a general understanding of the archdiocese’s financial workings. It is also my hope that, together, we can give witness to what we hold in common.
Many things occur in the archdiocese and not all can be addressed adequately in the space of an annual report. For example, two missions, Our Lady of the Lake at Big Lake and St. Christopher by the Sea in Unalaska, were elevated to parishes this past year. Parishioners in those new parishes have good cause to celebrate as their communities grow.
We were also blessed when the Oblates of Mary Immaculate selected the Kenai Peninsula as a new mission site for their order. In doing so, the Oblates made a long-term commitment to serve our archdiocese with added priests. The first group began serving earlier this year.
One of the biggest accomplishments in the last year was the planning and opening of Our Lady of the Valley Catholic School in Wasilla this past fall. I thank Sr. Ann Fallon, OP and the many parents, volunteers, and parishioners of Sacred Heart, St. Michael, and Our Lady of the Lake parishes for helping realize the dream of a Catholic school in the Mat-Su Valley.
I also started a series of "town hall" meetings this winter and made several parish visits as well, where I heard many positive things about the life of our local church. I also encountered some questions. Two concerns involved the status of the St. Andrew Church building program and plans for the construction of a new archbishop residence at Holy Spirit Center.
Regarding the St. Andrew’s project, it is the largest construction program ever undertaken in the Archdiocese and has resulted in some challenges for the parish community. My staff and I continue to work with the pastor and his advisors in taking positive steps to meet these challenges.
As far as planning for a new archbishop’s residence, we hope to build a modest, functional residence that can accommodate me for the remainder of my time as archbishop of Anchorage and then my successors, and the many visitors to the archdiocese that we host as they serve our people. Both issues are addressed in greater detail in the article below.
I hope you find information contained in this issue of the Anchor helpful in understanding the finances of our archdiocese. I also welcome your feedback. Again, my sincere thanks to you for sharing your gifts and for being faithful stewards of our church. May the Blessings of the Risen Christ be with each of you.
The writer is Archbishop of Anchorage.
Child protection programs should be age-appropriate and ongoing
Catholic leaders in parishes and schools acknowledge a sad reality of modern life: Protecting children from sexual predators cannot be taken for granted.
The result: Education programs and new regulations to protect children are being instituted throughout U.S. parishes and Catholic schools.
What makes such programs healthy and effective?
Pam Church, vice president of parent education for Childhelp, an organization that addresses the needs of abused and neglected children, notes that education on child protection should be age-appropriate and ongoing.
"One-shot deals don’t work," she says. Children need to get the message that abuse is not their fault. They also need to be taught skills to promote their own protection. At the same time, education on protecting children should be "inviting and kind" with a focus on the message that "God wants people to be safe and have happy lives."
Parents, she says, should teach children on a regular basis about asserting themselves, just as they teach them to eat their vegetables. Parish and school child protection programs need to enlist parents, who have the best interests of their children at heart.
Training programs for teachers and other professionals should empower children to say "no" to those who would take advantage of them. For very young children, education should emphasize the dangers of inappropriate touching while acknowledging that "most touches are good touches and that most people don’t harm children." As children grow into early teen life, they should be encouraged to come forth with questions about the kinds of touch that make them feel uncomfortable.
"Why does it feel so icky?" "Why am I so confused?" These are the kinds of questions that children ask when they are being abused, says Church, who says that child protection programs should focus on encouraging troubled youngsters to come forward.
Monica Applewhite, former president of religious services for Praesidium, a Texas-based firm that consults with organizations developing child protection policies, says good child protection programs emphasize the urgency of acting to intervene in potentially abusive situations. One problem is that seemingly minor behavior that makes people uncomfortable is often socially awkward to point out. People usually feel there are two alternatives: dismiss the offending party or do nothing.
That’s why, she says, it’s important to have well-established rules regarding adult-children behavior in any educational or youth setting. For example, wrestling and making rude or suggestive comments can be red flags suggesting even more inappropriate behavior.
Those who violate these rules can be talked to gently once the regulations are in place. For example, an adult supervisor in a youth program can gently be told, "We have a policy against wrestling with children."
According to Applewhite, it’s easier to say that than to start accusing someone of being a sex abuser when there is no clear evidence.
"You can create an environment where abusers are not comfortable," she says. When regulations are in place, the early-warning behaviors of abusers can be curtailed. Good policies can define boundaries. The goal is not to ignore problem behavior.
Stereotypes of abusers need to be confronted. Often, notes Applewhite, there is a tendency to make sex abuse a simple case of bad people doing bad things.
Abusers are often, paradoxically, very concerned about children and often do valuable work. They can develop a reputation for good work with young people. There is even a tendency among some in a community to defend offenders once they have been exposed, because their reputations can be so positive.
The fact is, notes Applewhite, evil and good can exist in the same person.
Since appearance doesn’t provide many useful clues, detection "has to be about what the person does," says Applewhite. Serious warning signs include children spending the night alone with an adult authority figure, or children getting pot or alcohol from an adult.
Older children, she notes, can be taught about the patterns that sexual abusers will use to dupe their victims. Teens, she says, are wary of being educated simply about safety concerns. They will respond to an approach that counsels them about the dangers of being duped by a predator. No one in that age group wants to be known as an easy mark.
The author writes for many national Catholic publications. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops approved this particular column as a resource for child abuse prevention.
Editorials
Thank God for miracles
Catholicism might appear strange from the outside, especially this time of year, when confessional lines are longer, churches fuller, fish sales up, meat sales down and the faithful seem to be in church every other night of the week.
Then there’s the palm branches, Good Friday Faith Walks through downtown, foot washings, adorations of the cross and finally an evening vigil that ushers in celebration of the greatest miracle ever known to man.
What must the world think of all these modern men and women who leave behind their downtown offices and day jobs to observe ancient rituals of fire, incense, holy water and sacred oils?
It challenges the sensibilities of the 21st century rational mind.
And yet, through the eyes of faith it makes more sense than anything else.
Broken creatures need a healer. Trespassers need forgiveness. Victims cry out for justice; sin deserves judgment.
Either the world is a place where these longings are finally fulfilled or else they are mere figments of a long and deluded human dream.
Either we are merely animals with illusory spiritual longings or we are genuine spiritual beings who often wander astray like animals.
As Catholics, we affirm the latter. This is why Christ had to come – to lift our gaze, fill our void, and call us home.
This Easter, Christians the world over are celebrating the most outlandish event in human history. Christ, the God-man, died on Friday. But by Sunday morning all eternity had changed.
He is Risen…
That shaky first step
It’s been nearly four years since I stood before a Catholic priest and pledged, before God and everyone that I believed "all the Church teaches."
That single terrifying act took more than two years to make.
My wife and I had originally planned to enter the church on Easter Sunday 2004, along with fellow members of our RCIA class. But as Easter approached, I grew increasingly nervous about professing my full assent to all the official doctrines of the Catholic Church.
I didn’t even know all the doctrines. How could I possibly believe them?
Besides, I grew up as an Evangelical Protestant and had studied enough to know that Catholics were at least partly responsible for the 1066 split with the Orthodox Church. I knew, too, that Catholic abuses partly contributed to events that led to the Protestant Reformation. In light of this, I wondered how Catholics could still claim to be the one true church, most-rightly ordered down through history.
I also questioned Catholic teachings about the immaculate conception and ascension of the Virgin Mary and I had doubts about the doctrine of papal infallibility.
These and other questions burdened my mind as Easter Sunday 2004 finally arrived. My wife (who graciously waited to join the church until I was ready) sat with me in the pew that morning as we watched our fellow RCIA classmates enter into full communion with the church.
Over the next few months, I grappled with church history and theology and by mid-summer I was ready to join the Catholic Church.
So what changed between that Easter apprehension and the mid-summer conversion?
In hindsight, I think it had everything to do with ‘an inclination to believe.’
It’s not that all my doctrinal conundrums vanished or that I fully grasped why the church teaches everything she does. The difference was a willingness to act on hope – a hope that if I just waded into the faith, I would then begin to grasp these mysterious teachings and practices of the church. Reason took me as far as it could and yet reasonable questions remained. It was time to "taste and see" that which reason could only ponder from afar.
That’s not the same as shutting off my mind or asking God for a religious brainwash each time a doubt creeps in. Inclination is harder than blind devotion because it requires a wrestling between faith and reason.
Inclination begins, not with suspicion, but with great hope that God will reveal his truth if I only reach for it. It is a prayer: Lord I believe, help my unbelief.
This new openness required me to embrace things I did not fully understand and to accept teachings that seemed, at first, a bit arbitrary and even unnecessary. I had to fast and attend holy days of obligation. I had to sit before priests and confess my sins, again and again. In short, I had to agree to change without knowing exactly what the final product would look like.
The Catholic faith is loaded with official doctrines, laws and moral obligations. It might have been easier to pick and choose my favorite religious practices and forge a self-styled path with predictable spiritual outcomes.
But that would be like choosing the self-guided day-tour over following the wild mountain man wheresoever he leadeth. I doubt my own tour would have ever uncovered the riches of saints who pray for my salvation or the blessings of a pope who tirelessly serves and shepherds the church, or the mystery of the sacraments which heal and restore me to Christ.
All adventures require faith at the outset — faith that it is better to embark than to remain on the dock. To become Catholic, I had to trust that God protects and mysteriously works through his church.
I suppose it was only natural to feel a bit shaky when first stepping aboard.
Letters to the Editor
Mass needs clarity
With the greatest of respect, I would ask for clarification regarding Archbishop Roger Schwietz’s Feb. 22 column, which stated that women, who participate in the extraordinary form of the Mass, would be required to be "Churched" after childbirth and be refused admission to their children’s baptisms?
I can testify that my mom was at all six of her children’s baptisms and did not have to go through a purification after childbirth, prior to a return to church. I attended the Indult Mass for years in the Midwest and have friends who still attend the extraordinary form of the Mass. None have ever experienced these rules.
Kenai
Older Mass is a step backwards
I was disappointed with the Feb. 22 column by Anchorage Archbishop Roger Schwietz about re-establishing celebrations of the 1962 Latin Mass. I am old enough to remember when women were only allowed on the altar to replace the altar linens, which they of course had washed and pressed. And I’m not sure why a mother cannot be present at her baby’s baptism since she is the one who goes through the labor.
I love my church and I love the sacramental life of the church, but it saddens me to see my church go backwards instead of forward.
I am proud to be a woman in America because many countries forbid women from holding roles in their churches and societies. It seems like that is where the Catholic Church is heading. I hope not.
Soldotna
Don’t go back
I was raised with the old Latin Mass, but my six children were brought up with the more relevant English Mass. The thought of returning to those "400 rubrics required" to celebrate the 1962 Rite is both disturbing and questionable. I would ask Anchorage Archbishop Roger Schwietz to seriously consider the question posed on modern Christian T-shirts: What would Jesus do? I wholeheartedly believe he would want us to spend our time, money and resources doing his work and spreading his love in our communities by practicing the corporal and spiritual works of mercy, not rebuilding our church sanctuaries, teaching our priests Latin and sending our female servers, our lectors and our Eucharistic ministers back to their pews.
Soldotna
Editor’s note: In July 2007, Pope Benedict XVI issued "Summorum Pontifucum," which authorized wider celebration of the 1962 Roman Missal. The new norms for this Mass took effect September 2007.
After receiving the pope’s letter, however, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops sent a list of questions to the Vatican. These questions asked for greater clarity regarding the celebration of the 1962 Mass.
The Anchorage Archdiocese is waiting for Rome’s response to see if it clarifies how much of the larger 1962 rite must be observed in order to faithfully celebrate the 1962 Mass.
The archdiocese has also begun investigating a number of rituals, which are tied to the 1962 rite. Among them are questions as to whether subdeacons must be used during the old Mass and whether it is necessary to have three steps leading up to the altar. The archdiocese is also researching conflicting information regarding the necessity of purification of women after childbirth and whether mothers may attend their child’s baptisms under the old rite.
Questions raised in Archbishop Roger Schwietz’s March 8 column pertain to whether all of the rites surrounding the 1962 Mass must be observed in order to faithfully celebrate the Mass. The archdiocese is seeking clarification to these questions as it moves forward with celebrations of the 1962 Roman Missal.
Homily correct but for another crowd
Congratulations to the Leisles ("Working with Nature," March 8) for their decision to embrace natural family planning. While what they heard from Deacon Ken Donahue was appropriate for the ears of consenting adults, I attended that same Mass at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church with two young children in tow. As you might imagine, I had a vastly different reaction to the contents of his homily.
After Mass, I told Deacon Donahue that I thought his homily was inappropriate. I told him that if my two boys were just a couple of years older, my wife and I would be explaining to them what he said for the next two days. No one has the right to talk to my children about sex, I said. We’ll decide when they’re ready; we’ll make that decision. In addition, I wrote to our pastor later that day, telling him that "I have no idea how (Deacon Donohue) could possibly think it appropriate to give a PG-13 lesson on sex, procreation, and the evils of contraception in front of a congregation packed-full of children, my two young sons included." I feel sorry for all the parishioners who brought their children to that Mass and had to go home and explain Deacon Donahue’s doctrinally correct, yet wildly inappropriate talk.
Parents expect, nay, demand, the right to opt their children out of sex education classes. The cannot, however, opt-out of Mass. Had Deacon Donahue been addressing a Marriage Encounter group, the topic would have suited the audience. Alas, it was delivered to an all-ages audience.
Anchorage