CatholicAnchor.org Open House at Holy Spirit Center The board of directors and staff of Holy Spirit Center will host an open house for the general public on Sunday, Feb. 12, from 4 to 6 p.m. For more than 40 years, the spiritual retreat center for the Archdiocese of Anchorage has offered individual ...

By ARCHBISHOP ROGER SCHWIETZ CatholicAnchor.org As we celebrated the feast of the Baptism of the Lord in January, right after the feast of the Epiphany, we began Vocation Awareness Week throughout the dioceses of this country. The occasion marks ways in which members of the Catholic Church are encou...

adn.com JUNEAU — An expansion of school choice programs available to Alaskans is one step closer to becoming a reality, but a 4-3 vote by the House Education Committee this week and concerns raised by legislators suggest the road ahead for the bill could be rough. Rep. Wes Keller, R-Wasilla, e...

CatholicAnchor.org The 16th annual World Day for Consecrated Life will be observed in parishes in the United States across February 4 and 5. The annual celebration was established by Pope John Paul II in 1997, to be marked each year on February 2, the Feast of the Presentation. The U.S. bishops vote...

Four men share hopes, challenges from seminary By EFFIE CALDAROLA CatholicAnchor.org For the first time in many years, the Anchorage Archdiocese is experiencing a boomlet in seminarians as four young men prepare for the priesthood. This is a welcome development for a diocese with one of the smallest...

CatholicAnchor.org Friday, Feb. 3 to Sunday, Feb. 5, Catholic Social Services will host its adoption workshop, which provides information on the adoption process and helps prospective mothers and fathers clarify their views on adoption and parenting. There will be opportunities to talk to adoptive a...

CatholicAnchor.org Feb. 5-7, Meetings, Mount Angel Seminary, Oregon Feb. 9, 9 a.m. Mass, Our Lady of Guadalupe Feb. 9, 6 p.m., St. Francis Awards Banquet, Hotel Captain Cook Feb. 11, 6 p.m., Lumen Christi Gala Auction, Egan Center Feb. 12, Noon, Scout Sunday Mass, Holy Family Cathedral Feb. 14, Noon...

CatholicAnchor.org The next first Saturday morning of reflection for women is Saturday, Feb. 4, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at St. Patrick Church. There will be a rosary, Mass, confession, a talk, time for reflection and light lunch. Father Dan Hebert will be celebrant. For more information and to re...

CatholicAnchor.org The Catholic Anchor is the official newspaper and news website of the Archdiocese of 
Anchorage. It publishes each month and is 
mailed directly to every Catholic home in the archdiocese for free. Total circulation is around 11,500. The 
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CatholicAnchor.org Feb. 1, 7 p.m., Christ in the City eucharistic adoration & young adult social, Holy Family Cathedral Feb. 4, 9 a.m., Saturday morning reflection for women, St. Patrick Feb. 4, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Father-daughter dance, St. Benedict Feb. 6, 8:30 a.m., Rosary for world peace, St. An...

By MARY LOCHNER CatholicAnchor.org The Anchorage Archdiocese is joining Catholic dioceses across the country this month to celebrate National Catholic Schools Week (Sunday, Jan. 29 to Saturday, Feb. 5). The annual observance is organized through the National Catholic Educational Association and the ...

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CatholicAnchor.org Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell issued a statement which was read aloud on Jan. 21 by a representative from his office at the 12th Annual Interdenominational Prayer Service for those wounded by abortion. The event marking the 39th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Roe v. ...

Urges Alaskans to work to pass pro-life laws, support women By JOEL DAVIDSON CatholicAnchor.org Alaska Lt. Governor Mead Treadwell challenged Alaskans to “build a culture of life,” by supporting adoptions, caring for women who find themselves in crisis pregnancy situations and by working...

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Says law would treat Catholics as ‘second class citizens' By JOEL DAVIDSON CatholicAnchor.org A new federal mandate forcing nearly all employers, including Catholic employers to provide health coverage that includes sterilization, abortion inducing drugs and contraception is a “heav...

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By FR. TAD PACHOLCZYK Making Sense Out of Bioethics Once I met a woman who had worked for years in fashion and modeling. Unsurprisingly, she was strikingly attractive. She was accompanied by her teenage daughter who, by contrast, was rather unremarkable to look at, maybe even a plain-Jane. After spe...

By FR. MICHAEL SHIELDS CatholicAnchor.org I remember a particular visit to a parishioner's home. He had two boys, ages three and six. The older boy spent hours building Lego towers. About the time he would finish, his younger brother, with a real glint in his eye, would run through it, knock it...

BY KATHLEEN GILBERT WASHINGTON, January 20, 2012 (LifeSiteNews.com) – After being deluged with complaints from outraged religious groups, Obama's health department has dug in its heels, saying its decision to force employers to provide abortifacient birth control drugs will continue as pl...

BY BEN JOHNSON BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, January 18, 2012, (LifeSiteNews.com) – On Tuesday, the Massachusetts Appeals Court threw out a lower court's ruling that would have forced a mentally ill woman to undergo an abortion and be forcibly sterilized against her will. Norfolk Family and Prob...

CatholicAnchor.org On Saturday, Jan. 21, 2 p.m., the 12th annual Anchorage interdenominational prayer service marking the anniversary of Roe v. Wade takes place at the Anchorage Memorial Park Cemetery on 9th Street and Cordova. The event marks the 39th anniversary of the 1973 Supreme Court decision,...

Everyday Stewardship By JULIE VAREE For CatholicAnchor.org Two words for the start of this New Year: “Get out!” First, get out a piece of paper and pen (because engaging in the act of writing, rather than typing, matters with this activity). Starting with a prayer for God's guidance...

By FR. ROBERT BARRON CatholicAnchor.org A team of sociologists, led by Catholic University professor William D'Antonio, recently published a survey that has gotten quite a bit of media attention, for it shows that many Catholics disagree with core doctrines of their church and yet still conside...

By EFFIE CALDAROLA CatholicAnchor.org I was blessed, when I moved to Nebraska, to stumble upon the “Ignatian Associates.” I discovered they were based in Milwaukee, Minneapolis – and Omaha. (They were conceived as an experiment by the Wisconsin Province of the Jesuits.) Every two y...

CatholicAnchor.org On Thursday, Jan. 19, at 7:30 p.m., all are invited to a talk on the issue of annulments of marriage and divorce. Canon lawyer Father Thomas Brundage will address misunderstandings about annulments and explain the process. The talk, hosted by Theology and Brew, is free and takes p...

Mat-Su Theology & Brew to look at role and limits of papal authority CatholicAnchor.org On Wednesday, Jan. 18, 7-9 p.m., all are invited to a presentation that will explore the following questions: Why do Catholics have a pope? What is his role and what are the limits of his power?” Canon ...

Those with questions about the faith welcomed CatholicAnchor.org In an effort to reach out to those who have left the Catholic faith for another Christian church, a new class is being offered at Holy Family Cathedral in Anchorage. The course, entitled “Biblical Explanation of the Catholic Fait...

CatholicAnchor.org The Health Ministry Team of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church will host a series of talks in January. The talks will take place Thursdays at 7 p.m. at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church, 2901 East Huffman Road. Schedule and topics: Jan. 5, “Temples of the Holy Spirit: Understanding...

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By SUSAN BOMALASKI CatholicAnchor.org The Christmas season brings back fond memories. I think of children, their excitement and anticipation of Christmas Day and how we have shared with them the account of Christ's birth and our childhood memories of the holidays. Strengthening families is a ke...

CatholicAnchor.org On Wednesday, Jan. 11, at 7 p.m. at the Wilda Marston Theater in the Loussac Library, all are invited to a screening of the second episode of “Catholicism,” a new nationally acclaimed 10-part, professionally produced movie series on the Catholic Church and its beauty, ...

CatholicAnchor.org A Jan. 6 letter from Anchorage Archbishop Roger Schwietz has asked Catholics across the Archdiocese of Anchorage to “prayerfully consider making a gift to this year's Catholic Home Missions Appeal,” which takes place the weekend of Jan. 7-8 and Jan....

CatholicAnchor.org Michael Tappel, a junior at Holy Rosary Academy, was one of two Alaskan students selected as delegates to the prestigious U.S. Senate Youth Program. Alaska Education Commissioner Mike Hanley announced the selection last month. Since 1962 the program has provided opportunities for ...

By FR. JOHN FLYNN, LC Zenit.org ROME — It's well-known that many young people stop being active church-goers. A recent book examined extensive research carried out by the Barna Group to find out why so many drop out as they move into adulthood. In “You Lost Me: Why Young Christians ...

Editorial By JOEL DAVIDSON CatholicAnchor.org There is nothing pleasant in recalling moral failures of leadership within the Judeo-Christian faith, or the Catholic Church in particular. Nevertheless, there may be times when it is helpful to consider God's faithfulness to his people and his chur...

By JOEL DAVIDSON CatholicAnchor.org An initiative to grant new legal recognition to people in Anchorage who identify themselves as gay or transgender will appear on the April 3 ballot. On Dec. 14, Anchorage City Clerk Barbara Gruenstein affirmed that enough signatures have been gathered to place the...

World-renowned artist donating labor for work on Marian statue By EFFIE CALDAROLA CatholicAnchor.org Progress continues on a new columbarium and cloister at St. Patrick Church in Anchorage. The cloister, which will be a courtyard filled with covered walkways, a Marian shrine, a memorial wall, and ot...

CatholicAnchor.org Holy Spirit Center offers ‘taste' of services Holy Spirit Center, a spiritual retreat center in Anchorage is sponsoring an open house for the general public on Sunday, Feb. 12, from 4 to 6 p.m. Located on the east Anchorage hillside for the past 25 years, the center off...

Survey: Despite low U.S. population, group is highly committed By PATRICIA COLL FREEMAN CatholicAnchor.org Anchorage resident Jean Bennett appears to be a typical busy lady at church. In addition to attending Sunday Mass, she sings in the choir, volunteers at the parish bookstore, and serves as an e...

Life on the Rock By JEN RANSOM CatholicAnchor.org It's been a while since I have questioned my faith. This past Advent put me to the test. Christmas preparations were exciting, especially with a three-year-old eager to learn. I incorporated so many wonderful traditions to build anticipation of ...

Help with meals and clinic part of outreach to homeless By MARY LOCHNER CatholicAnchor.org Iraq war veteran Samuel Paul Albers had come across hard times and was living at Brother Francis Shelter in March 2011 when he came down with a chest cold and sinus infection. But thanks to a free clinic which...

Orthodox, Protestants join Catholics for first of 10 movies CatholicAnchor.org More than 150 people turned out to watch a movie on the Catholic Church, followed by a priest panel discussion in downtown Anchorage. Protestants and Russian Orthodox Christians were among the audience for the Dec. 1 show...

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CatholicAnchor.org Sister Nan Ross, of the Sisters of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 83, died Dec. 19 at Marian Hall, Dubuque, Iowa. She was buried in the Mount Carmel cemetery. In the Archdiocese of Anchorage, Sister Nan taught elementary school at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton School from 1980 to 85. She serv...

Sister Jackie Stoll makes final vows with Adrian Dominicans CatholicAnchor.org Dominican Sister Jackie Stoll, who until recently served in the Archdiocese of Anchorage, professed her final vows with the Dominican Sisters of the Congregation of the Most Holy Rosary, of Adrian, Mich. Dominican Father ...

CatholicAnchor.org Jan. 1, Feast of Mary, the Mother of God (holy day of obligation) Jan. 3, 9 a.m., Women's basketball, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Jan. 5, 7 p.m., Talk on human sexuality and holiness, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Jan. 6, 1 p.m., Pro-life prayer vigil, in front of Dr. Susan Lemagie...

CatholicAnchor.org Jan.1, 9:30 a.m., Mass, Holy Family Cathedral Jan. 3-10, Region XII bishops' meetings, Seattle Jan.11, 7 p.m., Screening of “Catholicism” film, Loussac Library Jan.12, 9 a.m., Mass, Our Lady of Guadalupe Jan.13, Noon, Mass, Holy Family Cathedral Jan.15, 10 a.m., M...

Pioneering priest known for serving Alaska's poor By EFFIE CALDAROLA CatholicAnchor.org Father Francis Bede Wilks, who served as the first Dominican pastor of Holy Family Cathedral in Anchorage from 1974 to 1977, died November 25 in California after a lengthy struggle with Alzheimer's...

Christmas continues until Jan. 9 By RASHAE OPHUS JOHNSON CatholicAnchor.org Undecking the halls? Wait! ‘Tis the season for yet another week or more! This New Year, many Christians will celebrate the birth of Christ through the Twelve Days of Christmas until the true conclusion of the season, o...

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Alaska Star At a local church, a Christmas tree sits bedecked, not with flashy ornaments, but with paper ornaments representing donations from the congregation for pregnant women and mothers in need. At Christmas time, many congregations say they are taking time to reflect on the example of Christ i...

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CatholicAnchor.org Pro-life advocates plan to gather in Anchorage on Wednesday, Dec. 27, for the first annual pro-life candlelight service to be held in front of a local Planned Parenthood abortion clinic. “The service is a time to honor the sanctity of life, for both the born and unborn durin...

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By FR. LEROY CLEMENTICH, CSC CatholicAnchor.org A long time ago in another century, John Lennon of Beatles fame, wrote a song that I dutifully listen to over and over every Christmas. It is simply called: “Happy Christmas (War is Over).” Let me quote for you a scattering of the lyrics be...

CNA/EWTN News VATICAN CITY — After a leading German bishop questioned the church's teaching on divorce and remarriage, the Vatican's newspaper today published an essay by Pope Benedict XVI, then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, that called the teaching compassionate and pastoral because it...

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VATICAN CITY (CNA/EWTN News) — Pope Benedict XVI encouraged countries around the world to end the death penalty as a legal sanction at his Nov. 30 general audience. Addressing a group of pilgrims gathered in Rome for an international conference on the controversial topic, the pope said he hope...

LifeSiteNews.com WASHINGTON, D.C. — A report published yesterday by the Pew Research Center says that only 51 percent of adults in the United States are currently married. Compared to 1960 when 72 percent of all adults ages 18 and older were married, this represents a new low for the U.S., and...

Catholic News Agency VATICAN CITY — Cardinal Marc Ouellet, prefect for the Vatican's Congregation for Bishops, said that every bishop is required to proclaim the church's teachings to modern society. Bishops should be “capable of publicly defending the faith,” Cardinal Ou...

ROME (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Benedict XVI told inmates at Rome's largest prison that he supports efforts by the Italian government to reduce chronic overcrowding in the country's jails. “It is important that the institutions promote a careful analysis of the prison system today, verif...

Archbishop Schwietz expresses solidarity with Catholics in Philippines By JOEL DAVIDSON CatholicAnchor.org News of the Oct. 17 murder of a beloved Italian missionary priest in the Philippines reverberated all the way to Alaska where the Anchorage Archdiocese maintains a close partnership with Filipi...

CatholicAnchor.org The Anchorage of Archdiocese will host a conference for Alaska's Catholics in October 2012. According to Doug Stewart, archdiocesan faith formation director, the aim of the inaugural “Alaskan Catholics One in Faith” conference is to strengthen the faith and commun...

CatholicAnchor.org On Christmas Eve, Saturday, Dec. 24, all are invited to sing Christmas carols and attend Christmas Eve Mass at Brother Francis Shelter, the Catholic Social Services homeless shelter in Anchorage. Anchorage Archbishop Roger Schwietz will celebrate the Mass. The evening begins at 5:...

By FR. TAD PACHOLCZYK Making Sense Out of Bioethics Recently, an advisory committee of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta recommended that 9-to 12-year-old boys be vaccinated against the human papillomavirus (HPV), a virus transmitted through sexual contact. The goal of ...

By FR. ROBERT BARRON Word on Fire The Protestant theologian Paul Tillich once commented that “faith” is the most misunderstood word in the religious vocabulary. I'm increasingly convinced that he was right about this. The ground for my conviction is the absolutely steady reiteration...

By BISHOP EDWARD J. BURNS Tomorrow, Dec. 12, is the annual celebration of the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. For Catholics worldwide she is the patroness of the Americas, from Barrow, Alaska to the southern point of South America. Hispanic Catholics, especially Mexicans and Mexican-Americans have a...

By SUSAN BOMALASKI CatholicAnchor.org Prior to joining Catholic Social Services, I was the executive director of the Archdiocese of San Antonio's St. Peter-St. Joseph Children's Home. St. PJ's (as it is known by locals) was founded as an orphanage by the Sisters of Charity of the Inca...

CatholicAnchor.org Simbang Gabi is a series of special Masses leading up to Christmas. The celebration of the nine-day novena of Masses is one of the longest-running and most popular Catholic Filipino religious traditions. At the Masses, the faithful especially focus on the Blessed Virgin Mary in th...

CatholicAnchor.org Holy Family Cathedral Young Adult Ministry and St. Nicholas of Myra Byzantine Catholic Church will offer an evening of worship and reflection to welcome the last week of preparation for the Nativity of our Lord. The Dec. 17 event will begin at 7 p.m. at St. Nicholas of Myra Byzant...

CatholicAnchor.org Saint Nicholas will make an appearance at his namesake church in Anchorage on Saturday, Dec. 10, following the Divine Liturgy at St. Nicholas of Myra Byzantine Catholic Church in Anchorage. Children have been practicing a Saint Nicholas hymn which will take place during a special ...

By FR. MICHAEL SHIELDS CatholicAnchor.org I got into a jeep in Southern Sudan to travel 12 hours to Kampala, Uganda after spending a week with a Christian community that was learning about evangelization. My travels during my sabbatical year had led me to central Africa. Here in the heat, poverty an...

CatholicAnchor.org Wednesday, Dec. 14, from 7 to 9 p.m., Theology & Brew (Mat-Su) is hosting a talk on the future of relations between Muslims and Christians. Father Michael Shields of the Church of the Nativity, the Anchorage Archdiocese's mission church in Magadan, Russia, will reflect on...

By EFFIE CALDAROLA CatholicAnchor.org I decided when I left wonderful Alaska that I would take advantage of the positives of the Lower-48 — one of those being cheaper air travel to other parts of the country, plus the ability to drive to places I want to see without buying an “I drove th...

Effort aims to bring back fallen away Catholics Catholic News Agency ATLANTA, Ga. — Catholics Come Home has announced a major prime time evangelization initiative set to air on American TV networks beginning in mid-Advent and ending after Christmas. The initiative's advertising campaign a...

CatholicAnchor.org Editor's note: Below are reflections on the season of Christmas by Anchorage Archbishop Roger Schwietz. He shared these thoughts during a Nov. 9 interview with the Catholic Anchor. In once sense, there's no missing Christmas when it arrives, but the season can also be ob...

CatholicAnchor.org As a Christmas gift to those with tooth aches, Anchorage dentist Ken Wynne is planning to open his clinic to treat current Alaskan veterans and wounded soldiers. The free services will take place all day at the Dimond Family Dental Center in south Anchorage. Treatments will addres...

Group launches at Anchorage parish, seeks to expand to others By RASHAE OPHUS JOHNSON CatholicAnchor.org Two national clubs newly chartered in Alaska are using adventure and friendly competition to instill virtue and Catholic faith into youngsters. Conquest, for boys ages eight to 10, and Challenge,...

CatholicAnchor.org On Thursday, Dec. 15, Theology and Brew will host a talk by Doug Stewart, the new director of faith formation in the Archdiocese of Anchorage. All are welcome and admission is free. The talk begins at 7:30 p.m. at Don Jose Restaurant, 2052 E. Northern Lights, near Lake Otis Parkwa...

By PATRICIA COLL FREEMAN CatholicAnchor.org It's Christmas morning and under the tree in the living room, there's a shiny new bicycle with a basket or a floppy-eared, stuffed bunny, a miniature train choo-chooing on figure-eight tracks or a sturdy, little red wagon. That's the stuff o...

IVF complications grow By FR. JOHN FLYNN, LC Zenit.org ROME — Even as in vitro fertilization treatments are being sought by growing numbers of women, more and more evidence is surfacing to confirm the downsides of its use. Canadian doctor John Barrett described what he termed an “epidemi...

CatholicAnchor.org The tradition of displaying a Christmas crèche was begun by Saint Francis of Assisi. In 1223, while visiting the town of Grecio, Italy, the itinerant Catholic deacon wished to encourage the town's inhabitants to commemorate the Savior's birth with great devotion &...

By JAMES DECRANE Catholic Anchor.org In an age when the basic values of Christianity are increasingly under attack in entertainment, politics and the wider culture, a growing number of Catholic school students in Anchorage are learning to defend their core beliefs. Every Tuesday after school, a grou...

CatholicAnchor.org The 22nd annual National Night of Prayer for Life takes place on Thursday, Dec. 8, at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church. All are welcome to attend and pray, through the intercession of the Mother of God, for the establishment of a “culture of life” and the protection of the...

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What is the graver sin — smoking or abortion? Our local Catholic hospital, Providence Alaska Medical Center, has been in the news twice recently. In the first case, it was reported that hospital management decided to lease office space to abortion doctors. Hospital staff defended this by sayin...

By Fr. LEROY CLEMENTICH, CSC CatholicAnchor.org In my four years as a student at the University of Notre Dame, the curriculum required that all enroll in at least one philosophy course each semester. I must add that I would never claim to be a philosopher today in the professional sense of that word...

CatholicAnchor.org Editor's note: The Roman calendar — including feasts proper to the English-speaking world — can be found here. The feasts listed below are a sampling from December. December 3 – St. Francis Xavier 4 – St. John Damascene 6 – St. Nicholas 7 –...

By JOEL DAVIDSON CatholicAnchor.org Advent brings with it a unique opportunity this year. With a newly introduced translation of the Roman Missal — the words of the Mass — we are able to explore the depths of our liturgical riches with fresh eyes. But we don't have to. We could just...

CatholicAnchor.org Holy Rosary Academy soon hosts its annual winter Shakespeare production. This year, the school presents “Twelfth Night” in three performances. The dinner theater presentation is Wednesday, Dec. 7, at 6 p.m., in the gathering hall at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church. Ticket...

Columnist recalls strange encounter on Alaska islan By JEN RANSOM CatholicAnchor.org Last night two strangers visited me. Perhaps they were angels of the Lord. They certainly brought peace to my new home on Kodiak Island. I am reminded of Sarah and Abraham entertaining strangers only to find out lat...

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CatholicAnchor.org On Fri., Dec. 2, at 7 p.m., St. Patrick Church will host its 5th annual Advent benefit concert. Proceeds will benefit the Pregnancy Support Program at Catholic Social Services. Tickets are $7 a person and $20 a family. St. Patrick's is located at 2111 Muldoon Road. For more i...

CatholicAnchor.org Wasilla parish seeks gift donations for needy Sacred Heart Church in Wasilla is again hosting its “Gift Box” Christmas project. The parish helps local agencies provide Christmas gifts to those with mental illness and chemical addiction; those who are homebound and elde...

CNA/EWTN News BALTIMORE, MD. — Bishop Kevin W. Vann of Fort Worth will be in charge of welcoming and forming Episcopal priests who wish to become Catholic priests under the recently announced U.S. Anglican ordinariate. The appointment, which was made by the Vatican's Congregation for the ...

CatholicAnchor.org Editor's note: The Roman calendar — including feasts proper to the English-speaking world — can be found at ewtn.com/library/MARY/SAINTROM.HTM. The feasts listed below are a sampling of those occurring in December. Dec. 6 – Saint Nicholas Saint Nicholas was ...

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CatholicAnchor.org Anchorage Archbishop Roger Schwietz is scheduled to anchor the first priest panel Q&A after the screening of “Catholicism” on Thursday, Dec. 1 at the Wilda Marston Theater in the Loussac Library from 7-9 p.m. “Catholicism,” is a new nationally acclaimed...

CatholicAnchor.org Dec. 1, 9 a.m., Mass, Our Lady of Guadalupe Dec. 1, 7-9 p.m., Q&A session after screening of “Catholicism” movie, Wilda Marston Theater, Loussac Library Dec. 4, 10:30 a.m., Installation Mass for Father Leo Walsh, St. Benedict Dec. 8, 9 a.m., Mass, Our Lady of Guada...

CatholicAnchor.org Dec. 1, 6:30 p.m., Advent reflection, St. Andrew Dec. 1, 7-9 p.m., “Catholicism” movie, Wilda Marston Theater, Loussac Library Dec. 2, 1 p.m., Pro-life vigil, in front of Dr. Susan Lemagie's office, 425 E. Dahlia, Palmer Dec. 2, 7 p.m., Advent concert, St. Patrick...

New executive director aims to expand public outreach, education By JOEL DAVIDSON CatholicAnchor.org Speaking to hundreds of Alaska Right to Life supporters, including a number of elected officials, the new executive director of Alaska Right to Life revealed the organization's goals for the upc...

CNA/EWTN News BALTIMORE, MD. — Religious liberty and evangelizing in the increasingly secular American culture topped the list of issues that the U.S. bishops proposed as new priorities for their 2013-2016 strategic planning cycle. A discussion on conference priorities took place on Nov. 15, t...

40 Days for Life effort saw some opposition By JOEL DAVIDSON CatholicAnchor.org Praying in hostile territory in freezing temperatures for an end to abortion is not on most people's list of fun ways to pass the time. Add to that being the target of occasional angry insults and thrown objects whi...

CatholicAnchor.org ESPN sports analysts debate whether Tim Tebow’s moral stances have subjected him to religious discrimination. See the video here....

New guidelines address kneeling, sign of peace By JOEL DAVIDSON CatholicAnchor.org On Sunday, Nov. 27, Roman Catholic parishes across the United States and much of the English-speaking world officially begin using the newest translation of the Roman Missal — the sacred text for the Mass. In Al...

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By PATRICIA COLL FREEMAN CatholicAnchor.org Across the four weeks of Advent Christians in Alaska and around the world prepare for the coming of Christ — one straw of hay and one prayer at a time. Advent, which means “to come to” in Latin, is the period before Christmas in whic...

CatholicAnchor.org Editor's note: The following is an excerpt of an interview Anchorage Archbishop Roger Schwietz gave to the Catholic Anchor on Oct. 14. Here, he speaks of the new translation of the Roman Missal which Catholics across many English speaking countries will begin using on Nov. 27...

The meaning of the word ‘Catholic' The word “Catholic” means “universal.” The term was first used by Saint Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch (A.D. 35-107), who was appointed by Saint Peter, the Apostle. Saint Ignatius wrote, “Wherever the bishop appears, let the pe...

CatholicAnchor.org The Creighton method of fertility care now is available in Alaska. Kristen Coletti-Giesler, a family nurse practitioner in Delta Junction, has completed the first phase of specialized training in the morally acceptable and statistically proven method to manage fertility. The Creig...

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CatholicAnchor.org A steady crop of donated Alaska potatoes is becoming a seasonal culinary blessing for the hungry and often homeless Anchorage men and women who regularly turn to Beans Café for a warm meal. The donated potatoes are due in large part to the work of 17-year-old David Novcaski...

Priest panel to address audience questions after each monthly movie CatholicAnchor.org “Catholicism,” a new nationally acclaimed 10-part documentary, will premier on the silver screen in Alaska beginning Dec. 1. The films began showing on television markets across the country this fall. ...

CatholicAnchor.org A spiritual director to countless Alaskans and a celebrated priest across the state, Jesuit Father Vincent Beuzer died suddenly on Sunday, Nov. 13, at the Gonzaga University retirement house in Spokane, Wash. He was 83 years old. Father Beuzer was scheduled to return to Anchorage ...

By FR. MIKE SHIELDS CatholicAnchor.org I recently spent three weeks of my sabbatical praying in the high desert of the Sahara where Blessed Brother Charles de Foucauld (otherwise known as Blessed Charles of Jesus) lived and died (martyred by bandits in 1916). These are the same mountains in Algeria ...

CatholicAnchor.org#mce_temp_url# St. Patrick's Knights of Columbus Women's Auxiliary is selling Advent candles and wreaths in the gathering area after all Masses Saturday, Nov. 19, Sunday, Nov. 20, Thursday, Nov. 24, Saturday, Nov. 26 and Sunday, Nov. 27. The proceeds will go to the parish...

By FR. TAD PACHOLCZYK Making Sense Out of Bioethics In a recent column, David O'Brien, the Associate Director of Religious Education for Lay Ministry in the Archdiocese of Mobile, Alabama, recounts the story of Agnes and Jake, devout Catholics who conceived and delivered four children during th...

By JENNY MICHAELSON CatholicAnchor.org In the words of Mother Teresa, “To keep a lamp burning we have to keep putting oil in it.” I hope that all within the Archdiocese of Anchorage, see themselves as the oil in our continued response to issues of abuse and sexual misconduct within our c...

By FR. JOHN FLYNN, LC Zenit.org ROME — A couple of recent books provide insights into the current state of religion in the United States and what to expect from those coming into adulthood. The first, “FutureCast: What Today's Trends Mean for Tomorrow's World,” (Barna Boo...

By EFFIE CALDAROLA CatholicAnchor.org I know I'm not the only person who occasionally awakens in the wee hours of the morning and is suddenly, thoroughly awake. It's the hour of the night when all our worries seem dark, as pitch black as the night outside our window. It's the hour of ...

CatholicAnchor.org Dr. Sarah Hennemann is a Catholic doctor who practices medicine in Wasilla and Eagle River. On Thursday, Nov. 17, she will speak to Theology & Brew in Anchorage about some of the challenges that Catholic doctors face in practicing medicine in a manner that is harmonious with C...

By SUSAN BOMALASKI CatholicAnchor.org On Nov. 11, we will honor those who have served our country in the Armed Forces on Veterans Day. My husband and I are both veterans, as are many employees, volunteers and people we serve at Catholic Social Services (CSS). Because of our commitment to serving vet...

CatholicAnchor.org Theology & Brew (Mat-Su) is hosting a talk by Father James Barrand, pastor of St. Nicholas of Byzantine Catholic Church in Anchorage. Father Barrand will explore the topic: “Icons, Crucifixes and Holy Water – are they windows to the divine, religious trappings &hel...

By DENNIS FRADLEY Letter to CatholicAnchor.org To my knowledge the Catholic Anchor is the first news source in the state to provide comprehensive coverage of the extremely important school choice issue. Last month, your front page story and accompanying editorial spotlighted the benefits in store fo...

By BOB FLINT CatholicAnchor.org Two years ago, despite strong public opposition, the Anchorage Assembly passed an ordinance purporting to ban discrimination based upon sexual orientation. Mayor Dan Sullivan vetoed it. But that was not the end of the story. Two of the Assembly supporters were subsequ...

CatholicAnchor.org Alaska's largest Native organization is the latest group to back a proposed statewide school scholarship program that would allow parents to send their child to the school of their choice, whether government or non-government, including both religious and non-religious school...

CatholicAnchor.org Monday, Nov. 14, at 7 p.m., all are invited to a presentation on Purgatory by Dominican Father Michael Morris. Father Morris will discuss Purgatory using slides of artwork through the ages. Father Morris is a professor of art and theology at the Dominican School of ...

Eucharistic adoration in Kodiak St. Mary Church in Kodiak hosts eucharistic adoration on the fourth Wednesday of the month, 7-8 p.m. There are opportunities for confession during that time, as well. Singers sought for Latin Masses St. Andrew Church in Eagle River seeks choir members for the Latin Hi...

By JOEL DAVIDSON CatholicAnchor.org Last month, I was the lone Catholic around a table of 11 earnest Evangelical Protestant Christians. This group gathers in coffee shops and cafes as part of an ongoing study into the “Early Church for Today,” a rigorous look into what first century Chri...

CatholicAnchor.org On Saturday, Nov. 12, St. Nicholas of Myra Byzantine Catholic Church invites the general public to a holiday bazaar, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. The event will include food, vendor tables, an auction, bake sale, face painting and church tours. Church tours will be at 10 a.m., 12 p.m. and 2 p.m....

CatholicAnchor.org On Thursday, Nov. 17, Alaska Right to Life will host its annual fund-raising banquet. The keynote speaker is David Bereit, the national director of 40 Days for Life, an international pro-life campaign in which every spring and fall, pro-life advocates stand in front of abortion cl...

Benedictine visits Alaska to teach prayer method By JOEL DAVIDSON CatholicAnchor.org In mid-September, well-known Benedictine monk Father William Meninger traveled to Southcentral Alaska to give  talks and retreats on the practice of centering prayer — a form of contemplative prayer which...

By FR. LEROY CLEMENTICH, CSC CatholicAnchor.org What I am about to say may not appear as any astonishingly new insight into human behavior, but it has often occurred to me that all human beings on this planet tend to seek an explanation for their existence. We have a deeply imbedded yearning to disc...

By JOEL DAVIDSON CatholicAnchor.org The youth at St. Anthony Church in Anchorage have long been reaching out in charity to surrounding neighborhoods as well as the wider world. This fall, the parish youth group received an award for “outstanding” philanthropic contributions. The annual a...

CatholicAnchor.org “One People, One Earth” conference will be held on Saturday, Nov. 5, 1-5 p.m. at Lucy Cuddy Hall on the University of Alaska, Anchorage campus. Father Thomas Weise from the Diocese of Juneau will be one of the panelists. In a notice posted on the Anchorage Archdiocese ...

CatholicAnchor.org The annual St. Benedict Italian feast will take place Saturday, Nov. 12 at 6 p.m. The seven-course dinner is prepared by the church's youth, and proceeds will go toward travel expenses for the parish's young pilgrims to World Youth Day. For tickets, call 243-2195....

By EFFIE CALDAROLA CatholicAnchor.org The Archdiocese of Anchorage's Catholic School System has a new superintendent. Ben Eveland, a teacher and administrator with 32 years experience, is stepping into the position after the recent retirement of Adrian Dominican Sister Ann Fallon. Eveland said ...

By EFFIE CALDAROLA CatholicAnchor.org The exhibit, “Polish Heroes: Those Who Rescued Jews” is coming to the University of Alaska, Anchorage Nov. 5-20. The exhibit's promoter, Jerzy Maselko, a chemistry professor at the university, says the powerful presentation fills in the gaps in ...

Says it will give separated Orthodox greater confidence in ecumenical dialogues By JOEL DAVIDSON CatholicAnchor.org Bishop Gerald Nicholas Dino wants to dispel misconceptions about a small and ancient group of Eastern Rite Catholics. As head of the Byzantine Ruthenian Catholic Eparchy that extends a...

CatholicAnchor.org A sizable crowd turned out at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church on Oct. 29 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Catholic Daughters of America (CDA) Court St. Pius X #1866. Founded in 1961, the Anchorage group has a reputation for prayer and public service that now spans 50 years....

CatholicAnchor.org Volunteers and donations are sought for the annual “Thanksgiving Blessing” event. Each year, Catholic Social Services and St. Patrick Church join the Food Bank of Alaska and a number of area denominations and groups to provide the groceries for a traditional Thanksgivi...

CatholicAnchor.org Nov. 2, 7 p.m., Eucharistic adoration & young adult activities, Holy Family Cathedral Nov. 3, 6:30 p.m., Talk on new translation of the Mass, St. Andrew, Eagle River Nov. 3, 7 p.m., Eucharistic adoration, St. Michael, Palmer Nov. 4, 1 p.m., Pro-life prayer vigil, in front of D...

CatholicAnchor.org All married couples are invited to attend the upcoming Worldwide Marriage Encounter weekend, Friday, Nov. 4-Sunday, Nov. 6. Worldwide Marriage Encounter is an international marriage enrichment program. During weekend retreats, couples communicate with each other; no group sharing ...

CatholicAnchor.org Father Tom Brundage, pastor of St. Andrew Church, continues a fall lecture series in November: Thursday, Nov. 3, “Walk through the Mass with the new translation” (Nov. 10 celebration of the Mass with the new translation); and Thursday, Nov. 10, “Annulments &ndash...

CatholicAnchor.org Editor's note: The Roman calendar — including feasts proper to the English-speaking world — can be found here. Featured Saint Nov. 21 – Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary An ancient feast recalling that Mary, at the age of three, was brought by her pare...

CatholicAnchor.org Nov. 1, 8 a.m., Mass, Blessed Sacrament Monastery Nov. 1, 7 p.m., Season of Forgiveness presentation, Holy Spirit Center Nov. 3, 9 a.m., Mass, Our Lady of Guadalupe Nov. 4-6, Confirmation and weekend Masses, St. Christopher-by-the-Sea, Unalaska Nov. 7, 9 a.m., Mass, Our Lady of Gu...

CatholicAnchor.org According to a new survey, Alaska voters strongly favor school scholarships and other educational choices that would provide parents a range of options when it comes to educating their children. A school scholarship system allows parents to send their child to the school their cho...

Alaska moves from worst to first CatholicAnchor.org Alaska youngest babies — 0-28 days old — now have the lowest mortality rate in the nation. From rates as high as 8.3 deaths per 1,000 live births in the early 1980s, Alaska has improved to 2.27 deaths per 1,000 live births, according to...

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By JOEL DAVIDSON CatholicAnchor.org Despite the vast separation in geography, language and culture, Catholics living in the comfort and safety of the United States are being urged to not dismiss the rising persecution of Christians in the Middle East. In an Oct. 14 interview with the Catholic Anchor...

CatholicAnchor.org A new story from the University of Alaska, Anchorage student newspaper, The Northern Light, reports that a number of religiously devout students find it difficult to eat according to their dietary practices. Several Catholic, Muslim and Jewish students are featured. Read the entir...

UTRECHT, Netherlands (LifeSiteNews.com) – The Royal Dutch Medical Association (KNMG) has released new guidelines for interpreting the 2002 Euthanasia Act that now includes “mental and psychosocial ailments” such as “loss of function, loneliness and loss of autonomy” as ...

VATICAN CITY (CNA/EWTN News) — Pope Benedict XVI used his address to the new ambassador from the Netherlands to outline how the Catholic Church views its role in diplomatic relations. “In acting as a voice for the voiceless and defending the rights of the defenseless, including the poor,...

VATICAN CITY (CNA/EWTN News) — The Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace is calling for the creation of a new global authority which it hopes can make economic decisions based on the international common good rather than individual national interest. The document on the economy, which was u...

Points to Lebanon as model of Christian-Muslim cooperation NEW YORK CITY (CNA/EWTN News) — The leader of Lebanon’s Maronite Catholic Church says the world must not let the “Arab Spring” turn into a “winter” of civil war and minority oppression. “The so-calle...

Catholics do not worship saints. In fact, adoration is the worship and homage that is due to God alone. The saints are human, not divine, and adoration of the saints has never been part of Catholic teaching or prayer. Catholics do, however, venerate the saints. Veneration is the honor due to the exc...

November marks feasts of All Saints and All Souls CatholicAnchor.org On Nov. 1, Catholics celebrate the feast of All Saints — honoring all the saints in heaven — who are known and yet unknown by the church. According to canon law, the feast is a holy day of obligation, like a Sunday, so ...

CatholicAnchor.org Tickets are available at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church for the annual Oktoberfest dinner to be held on Saturday, Oct. 29 at 6 p.m. The price is $20 a person....

VATICAN CITY (CNA/EWTN News) — After Moammar Ghadafi’s death, Libya must chart a new course based on human dignity and the rule of law, the Vatican said in a statement released Oct. 20. “The news of the death of Colonel Moammar Ghadafi thus closes an overly long and tragic phase of...

HARRISBURG, Pa. (CNA) — The Catholic bishops of Pennsylvania are applauding Gov. Tom Corbett for approving school vouchers within the state and increasing the local Educational Improvement Tax Credit program. “School choice is the right choice for Pennsylvania,” Archbishop Charles ...

WASHINGTON, D.C. (LifeSiteNews.com) — The House of Representatives passed a measure Oct. 13 in a 251-172 vote to amend the federal health care bill to include protections against federal tax funding of abortion, as well as strengthened conscience rights for health care providers. The House cas...

By FR. MICHAEL SHIELDS CatholicAnchor.org Every year 105,000 Christians are killed because of their faith. This was a figure that the Organization of Security and Co-operation in Europe, a European Union commission reported in June. It also reported that every five minutes a Christian is killed for ...

CatholicAnchor.org The annual Mass and potluck for participants of the Alaska Federation of Natives convention in Anchorage takes place on Wednesday, Oct. 19, 12 p.m., at Holy Family Cathedral. For more information, visit contact Sister Frances Vista at fvista@caa-ak.org or 297-7777....

Faith & Insight By DOUG STEWART CatholicAnchor.org With the start of the school year, I look toward the future; it makes me think of the trials and tribulations that our teens will go through during their battle to become independent. How many of your teens would say that you sometimes treat t...

CatholicAnchor.org Father Tom Brundage, pastor of St. Andrew Church, continues a fall lecture series in October. The next talk is Thursday, Oct. 20, “Catholic Apologetics – How do we evangelize?” The talk runs 6:30-7:30 p.m. at the Eagle River parish....

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (CNA/EWTN News) — In an exclusive interview, the prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy, Cardinal Mauro Piacenza, addressed the “crisis” in the Catholic priesthood as portrayed by the media and said that each priest must respond by living his vocation faithf...

MADRID, Spain (CNA/Europa Press) — Spanish author Jesus Garcia said that although women in modern society can aspire to any number of careers, being a nun is considered “taboo,” even in some Christian families. “Not a single girl who says she wants to be a nun is told, &lsquo...

WASHINGTON, D.C. (CNA) — An Egyptian political scientist says the latest violence against Coptic Christians shows a harsh reality behind the “Arab Spring,” including a lack of control over rogue elements in Egypt’s army. “We’ve had a number of attacks against Chri...

CatholicAnchor.org It's that time of year again when parishes throughout the Anchorage Archdiocese host annual bazaars, which are significant fundraisers for area churches. Below is a schedule of upcoming bazaars: * St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Anchorage: Sat., Oct. 15, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. * Our Lady of ...

CatholicAnchor.org Saturday, Oct. 15, 12 p.m., all are welcome to a public Rosary Crusade to pray for America. The gathering takes place at Wasilla Lake. For more information, call Dot Maslyk at 376-0804....

CatholicAnchor.org On Saturday, Oct. 22, Holy Rosary Academy will host its annual dinner auction fund-raiser at the Marriott Hotel.  For more information and tickets, contact Catherine Neumayr at cneumayronice@yahoo.com or call the school office at 907-276-5822....

CatholicAnchor.org All are welcome to join a course on church history in the Middle Ages.  Led by Dominican Father Augustine Hilander of Holy Family Cathedral, the free classes run 7-9 p.m. on Mondays through Oct. 17, at Holy Family Center on the cathedral's campus....

CatholicAnchor.org The Theology & Brew season continues this fall with October presentations in Palmer and Anchorage. Dominican Father Augustine Hilander from Holy Family Cathedral in Anchorage will speak on the “Fires of Purgatory” Wednesday, Oct. 19, 7-9 p.m. at The Turkey Red rest...

CatholicAnchor.org Secular Franciscan Order to meet in Palmer Every second Saturday of the month, at 10:30 a.m., a group of the Secular Franciscan Order meets at the Shields Center at St. Michael Church in Palmer. The Secular Franciscan Order, formerly known as the Third Order of St. Francis, is an ...

By SUSAN BOMALASKI CatholicAnchor.org The life and words of Jesus Christ teach us that people uprooted from their homeland — refuges, migrants, immigrants — are special in the eyes of God. The baby Jesus and the Holy Family were refugees, escaping from the fear of Herod into Egypt. The c...

CatholicAnchor.org A new Catholic boys club has formed in Anchorage – the Conquest Club for boys. Conquest is a national network of clubs and camps directed by Catholic leaders. Meetings consist of athletic activities, outdoor skills, spiritual education, and prayer. The club is currently open...

By EFFIE CALDAROLA CatholicAnchor.org Not long ago I visited the Philadelphia Museum of Art with my daughter. What an amazing place – one of America's largest museums and so vast that one visit only scratches the surface. “Rembrandt and the Face of Jesus” was the special exhib...

CatholicAnchor.org In the Snow City Café's 5K race in August, Lumen Christi High School's new principal Tom Sorci won 2nd place in the 55 to 60 age group. Finishing the downtown race in 25 minutes and 38 seconds, Sorci secured a red ribbon and a “beautiful” coffee mug, h...

CatholicAnchor.org On Saturday, Oct. 15, the Secular Third Order Discalced Carmelites of Anchorage are sponsoring a celebration to honor two great mystic saints and Doctors of the Church – Saint Teresa of Avila and Saint Therese of Lisieux. The Catholic Church celebrates their feast days in Oc...

CatholicAnchor.org Covenant House International sponsors “Faith Community,” an opportunity for young people to live in community and volunteer a year of service working with youth in crisis. The program is similar to the Jesuit Volunteer Program. Covenant House provides emergency shelter...

CatholicAnchor.org Saturday, Nov. 5, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton hosts its annual auction fund-raiser dinner at the Dena'ina Center. Seats and tables are available, as is advertising space in the dinner booklet. For more information, to reserve space, purchase a booklet ad, or to make other donatio...

By FR. LEROY CLEMENTICH, CSC CatholicAnchor.org On a weekend when you have some spare time you may wish to try this experiment: Invite a small group of interesting people over for cocktails, hors d'oeuvres and lively conversation. As a sampling of interesting people, you may wish to assemble a ...

By LETICIA VELASQUEZ CatholicAnchor.org As the mother of a nine-year-old girl with Down syndrome and an advocate for  these lovely people, I would like to address Mrs. Caldarola's point in her September column (“Possible treatment for Down syndrome raises ethical questions”) in...

PEORIA, Ill. (CNA/EWTN News) — Catholic Charities of Peoria is withdrawing from Illinois state-funded social services because state laws and public policy have “increasingly clashed” with church teachings and the partnership is no longer a “viable option,” Bishop Daniel...

CatholicAnchor.org Calling all pet lovers! St. Francis of Assisi Mass will be held at Brother Francis Shelter on Sunday, October 9th at 10 am. Mass will be celebrated by Archbishop Schwietz. Brother Francis Shelter is located at 1021 E 3rd Ave. There will be a blessing of the animals at the end of M...

CatholicAnchor.org The Palmer Council of the Knights of Columbus is hosting its annual Oktoberfest party Saturday, Oct. 8 at St. Michael Church in Palmer. There will be authentic German food, music, beer, wine and root beer floats. There will also be a silent auction. All proceeds go to the Knights&...

WASHINGTON, D.C. (CNA/EWTN News) — With the campaign for the 2012 presidential race gaining speed, the U.S. Catholic bishops are saying that their 2007 statement on the political responsibilities of Catholics must not be misused or distorted to justify supporting candidates who fail to fo...

by JOAN FRAWLEY DESMOND National Catholic Register Bishop David Zubik of Pittsburgh organized a press conference Oct.5 to announce that he had been accused of sexual abuse while serving as the vice-principal of a Catholic school in the 1980s. At the press conference, Bishop Zubik emphatically denied...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (CNA) — Major internet media platforms and service providers have policies that hinder Christian evangelization and censor speech on controversial issues of the day like abortion and marriage, a new report says. “Christian ideas and other religious content face a clear a...

Washington D.C. (CNA/EWTN News) — Emerging threats to religious freedom have inspired the U.S. bishops to establish a new committee for its protection. Its chairman sees government taking God's place as the source of the “first freedom.” Bridgeport Bishop William E. Lori told ...