On Wednesday, May 23 at 7 p.m., all are invited to join Holy Family Cathedral’s Theology and Literature book group for discussions on Catholic literature. Led by Dominican Father Augustine Hilander and Dominican Brother Justin Gable, the group will discuss Robert Hugh Benson’s “The Lord of the World,” named by the late Archbishop Fulton Sheen as one of the three most important pieces of apocalyptic literature from the last 100 years.
Participants may purchase a copy of the book for a discounted price at St. Paul’s Corner Cathedral Bookstore and Gift Shop in the Holy Family Center. The bookstore is open Fridays, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturdays, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Sundays, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
On Tuesday, May 22, at 7:30 p.m., Theology & Brew hosts a talk on the last four things: heaven, hell, death and judgment.
Augustinian Father Francis J. Caponi, associate professor of theology and religious studies at Villanova University, will address questions such as, “If we are in a state of mortal sin when we die, are we going to hell? What about others outside of our religion?”, “What does the Church say about the end of the world? What do we know about heaven and hell? How do we know?”, “What saints have had visions of the end of the world? Of hell? Of heaven? How did they describe them?”, “What do we believe happens in purgatory?”, “What do you say to someone who doesn’t believe in heaven or hell?”, and “Why don’t Catholics believe in the rapture?” And Father Caponi will explain why Catholic Christians have reason for “great hope” after death. more…
On Monday, May 21, at 7 p.m., all are invited to the next Dominican Forum lecture at the Holy Family Center on the campus of Holy Family Cathedral. The title of the talk is “Where does Jesus fit in?” Dominican Father Joseph Sergott is the previous pastor of the downtown cathedral and now pastor of St. Thomas More Newman Center in Eugene, Oregon — a Catholic campus ministry at the University of Oregon.
His upcoming talk in Anchorage will address how Jesus can be “lost” amid the shuffle of work, play, personal fulfillment and vacation. He will outline practical steps to “really and practically devote our lives to Jesus” and ensure Jesus isn’t “just one more thing” in a busy life.
The Dominican Forum offers lectures, workshops and seminars that engage the critical issues of the Church and society in the light of faith and scholarship.
A Swiss Guard recruit takes his oath during the swearing-in ceremony for 26 new recruits in Paul VI hall at the Vatican May 6. — CNS photo
VATICAN CITY (CNA/EWTN News) — Pope Benedict XVI encouraged the new class of recruits for the Swiss Guard to draw close to Christ as they embark on their roles as the pontiff’s guardians.
“To give love to others it is necessary to draw upon the furnace of divine charity, thanks to prolonged periods of prayer, constant listening to the Word of God, and a whole life centered on the mystery of the Eucharist,” he said May 7.
“The secret of the effectiveness of your work here in the Vatican, as well as in all your projects is, therefore, the constant reference to Christ.”
Pope Benedict addressed the Corp of the Swiss Guard a day after they welcomed 26 new recruits. The newcomers’ family and friends were also present for Monday’s papal audience in the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace as well as representatives of the Swiss civil authorities. more…
WASHINGTON D.C. — Celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, Girl Scouts of the USA is continuing to fall under scrutiny for its alleged connections to groups that promote abortion, contraception and homosexuality.
Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades of Fort Wayne-South Bend, chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth, said that the bishops are looking into concerns about the Girl Scouts organization.
In March, Bishop Rhoades penned a letter to his fellow bishops explaining that the committee recently met and discussed “a variety of the concerns” that have been voiced about Girl Scouts of the USA over several years, including “possible problematic relationships with other organizations” and “problematic programmatic materials and resources.” more…
ALASKA – The warmer temperatures aren’t keeping people from using emergency housing.
Catholic Social Services Executive Director Susan Bomalaski said the Brother Francis shelter saw a 38 percent increase during the month of April, which means an additional 90 people are looking for a place to sleep every night.
Once a year, Catholic Social Services (CSS) hosts the quarterly meeting of the pastoral staff from across the Anchorage Archdiocese. It is a wonderful opportunity to thank them for supporting our mission and to provide updates on new initiatives. more…
Washington D.C. — Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan is charging President Barack Obama with undermining the “very cornerstone of society” by supporting “gay marriage.”
Cardinal Dolan, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, described the president’s endorsement as “deeply saddening.”
The bishops “cannot be silent in the face of words or actions that would undermine the institution of marriage, the very cornerstone of our society,” he said in a May 9 statement. “The people of this country, especially our children, deserve better.” more…
What is the most important thing in your life? Would you die for it? Jesus asked his disciples this many times.
Where I live people of faith answered these questions with their lives many years ago. I have lived 18 years in the Gulag, the former prison camps of Stalin located in Far East Siberia, Russia, in a town called Magadan. The people came from the Baltic countries: Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Germany and the Ukraine. They were arrested and sentenced from 10 to 25 years of hard labor. This was, for many, a death sentence, but these prisoners were willing to suffer and die for their faith. more…
CatholicAnchor.org
Monsignor Eduardo Chavez Sanchez, postulator of the cause for canonization of Saint Juan Diego, traveled to Anchorage May 4-6 to speak about the impact of the appearance of the Blessed Virgin Mary as Our Lady of Guadalupe. The talk was titled, “The Woman Who Changed the Face of a Hemisphere.”
In 1531, the Mother of God appeared to Saint Juan Diego in Mexico, leaving her image on his cactus-cloth tilma. In the image, the Blessed Mother wears native dress and appears pregnant with her divine, unborn child, Jesus. Under the title of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mary is considered to have inspired the conversion to Christianity of about nine million indigenous people in a short time after her appearance — and put an end to the human sacrifices conducted in the native religion.
In this video, Msgr. Sanchez speaks to the Catholic Anchor about the role of Our Lady of Guadalupe in deepening a person’s relationship with Jesus Christ.
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