Inside - Diocese of Fairbanks

Ministering to the people of Northern and Western Alaska Diocese of Fairbanks

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November 2017

Inside:

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Volume 22 Number 7

Franciscan Jubilee Home Rosary Month Faith & Family Formation Fr. Chuck Peterson, S.J., Farewell Mass Amanda Angaiak: Called to Catholic Education ~1~

Bishop & Diocesan Calendar November Bishop at Mt. Angel 1-2 Seminary, Day of Reflection Clergy Days in Fairbanks 7-9 (Quarterly Days of Reflection for Clergy) Feast and Faith 8 Welcome Potluck for our 9 New Priests at Sacred Heart Cathedral 10-16 Bishop at USCCB General Meeting in Baltimore, MD 23-24 Thanksgiving Holiday (Chancery Closed) 27-29 Bishop at Mundelein Seminary in Mudelein, IL December The Nativity of the Lord 25 (Holy Day of Obligation) 26 to Chancery Closed for Jan 1 Christmas-New Years 29 - Bishop at Region XII Jan 7 Retreat The Diocesan Online Calendar may be viewed at:

http://dioceseoffairbanks.org

The Diocesan Mission Statement

We are people of God in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fairbanks. Blessed with a rich variety of backgrounds and talents, we strive to be a living reflection of the Universal Church. Through our baptism we continue Christ’s mission to further the kingdom of God through the human family. We share our living faith by proclaiming the Gospel in word and example. Together we celebrate Christ’s presence in worship and sacraments. In a spirit of justice, mercy and love, we dedicate ourselves not only to minister to the people in the urban and rural areas of our Diocese but also to minister to the world community.

Diocese of Fairbanks Newsletter

“Ministering” is a publication of the Catholic Diocese of Fairbanks which serves northern and western Alaska. Its purpose is to provide a regular opportunity for all ministries throughout the Diocese to share information so that our tremendous diversity may enrich our common mission of service to the people of our Diocese. If you have questions or suggestions for articles, please contact David Schienle at the Chancery at (907) 374-9500 or [email protected]. Newsletter prepared by David Schienle for Catholic Bishop of Northern Alaska.

Follow Us Online @ Diocese of Fairbanks

Diocese of Fairbanks Catholic Diocese of Fairbanks

Editor David Schienle

Contributors Rev. Robert Fath

dioceseoffairbanks.org WWW

Credits

Sr. Mariam Leaf Misty Mealey Leigh Scarboro Barbara Tolliver Patty Walter Bp. Chad Zielinski

Proofreaders Deb Leibee Misty Mealey Leigh Scarboro Barb Tolliver Rev. Ross Tozzi Patty Walter

Cover Image: Bishop Chad Zielinski, Bro. Bob Ruzicka, O.F.M., and Bro. Justin Huber, O.F.M., with parishioners of Our Lady of Snows Parish in Nulato, AK. Parishioners gathered for an Interior Region meeting and to celebrate the Franciscan’s Jubilees. ~2~

Message from Bishop Chad W. Zielinski My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, I’ve spent the past few weeks traveling through Alaska. In the words of the Jesuit priest and poet Gerard Manley Hopkins, our state is truly “charged with the grandeur of God.” As we take in the beauty so present in Alaska, we should recognize that it all flows from our Creator, who calls us to safeguard, steward, and share what He has created with each other. In Laudato Si (“Praise Be to You”), Pope Francis proclaims that every human person is part of God’s created order and that we’re called to live out an integral ecology that includes respect for the human person and responsible stewardship of our common earthly home. This began when our first parents were gifted with creation and it continues today when God makes sacred each human life at conception. Just like our natural world, which proclaims the glory of God, every cell in a growing child reflects the image and likeness of God, and is charged with beauty anxious to enter our world to announce His presence. The most sacred human life of all—Jesus—stirred all of creation even from the womb. We see this when Mary greeted Elizabeth and the unborn John the Baptist leapt for joy when he recognized he was in the presence of our Savior. It is remarkable to ponder that God—the “Word Made Flesh”—came to us through the same sacred order that sends each human person into this world. And through His life, Jesus shows us that all of life is sacred to God. He came as an infant, lived among the people, and gave His life as an offering to redeem creation and return it to the Father restored. His birth and earthly walk, as well as His suffering, death and resurrection, is a profound declaration that God is madly in love with us. Every human person, then, carries the sacredness of God within him or her. God calls us to recognize this dignity even in the hidden and marginalized, such as the unborn child, the physically and mentally challenged, the poor, the immigrant, the sick, and the elderly. We can take St. Vincent de Paul as a model, who saw the presence of Christ in every person; he even called the poor his “Lord and Master.” St. Vincent reminds us of our duty to protect all people, because within every person resides the Risen Christ. Pope Francis reiterated this in 2013 when he told Irish and British Catholics, “All life has inestimable value, even the weakest and most vulnerable. The sick, the old, the unborn and the poor are masterpieces of God’s creation, made in His own image, destined to live forever, and deserving of the utmost reverence and respect.” This month is Respect Life Month, in which we’re called to focus in a special way upon our need to protect the dignity of every human person against the threats of abortion, abuse, and euthanasia. It’s no coincidence that October is also the Month of the Rosary. Let us imitate our Polish brothers and sisters, who lined the borders of their country one million strong earlier this month to pray the rosary for peace. Through the rosary, we can engage the Mother of God’s help to ensure the image of God in every human person is protected from conception to natural death. Yours Sincerely in Christ,

†Most Reverend Chad W. Zielinski Catholic Bishop of Northern Alaska ~3~

The Office of Faith & Family Formation Rev. Robert Fath

November- A Time To Commemorate the Saints

As we near the end of October our children begin to get excited about the prospect of celebrating Halloween. While there is nothing wrong with allowing our children to trick-or-treat, we often miss the opportunity to help them understand the deeper and more important meaning behind what has become a secular celebration. The word “Halloween” finds its roots in “All Hallow’s Eve,” or the evening before All Saints. Thus, it is actually a time to commemorate the saints of the Church (November 1) and the

beloved dead of our families (All men, women and children of our Souls Day - November 2). Here are faith. some suggestions for honoring the 4. Pay a visit to the saints. Every saints as a family! parish has statues and images of different saints, and possibly 1. Honor the Queen of All Saints, relics for veneration. Go as a Mary, by praying a rosary (or family to spend some time with part of a rosary) as a family. them in person. 2. Read books about the lives of the 5. Help your parish plan and/ saints. Children love superheroes, or attend an All Saints Day so why not introduce them to the celebration. Instead of dressing great heroes of Christianity. up like ghouls and goblins, honor 3. Watch videos about the saints. the saints by dressing up like There are lots of videos for all them! ages that tell the lives of the holy

~4~

For The Family - Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI

Holiness, the fullness of Christian life, does not consist in carrying out extraordinary enterprises but in being united with Christ, in living his mysteries, in making our own his example, his thoughts, his behavior. The measure of holiness stems from the stature that Christ achieves in us, in as much as with the power of the Holy Spirit, we model our whole life on this… What is the soul of holiness?...What is essential? The essential means never leaving a Sunday without an encounter with the Risen Christ in the Eucharist; this is not an additional burden but

is light for the whole week. It means never beginning and never ending a day without at least a brief contact with God. And, on the path of our life it means following the “signposts” that God has communicated to us in the Ten Commandments, interpreted with Christ, which are merely the explanation of what love is in specific situations… We might ask ourselves: can we, with our limitations, with our weaknesses, aim so high? During the Liturgical Year, the Church invites us to commemorate a host of saints, the ones, that is, who lived charity to the full, who knew how to

love and follow Christ in their daily lives. They tell us that it is possible for everyone to take this road… I would like to ask all to open themselves to the action of the Holy Spirit, who transforms our life, to be, we too, as small pieces on the great mosaic of holiness that God continues to create in history, so that the face of Christ may shine out in the fullness of splendor. Let us not be afraid to aim high, for God’s heights. - Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, General Audience, April 13, 2011

Scheduling Christmas Masses this Year This year, the Fourth Sunday of Advent and the solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord falls on consecutive days, i.e., Sunday and Monday. This raises the question of which readings and prayers are to be used for Masses scheduled the evening of December 24. While both the Fourth Sunday of Advent and Christmas are days of obligation for the Christian faithful (cc. 1246–1247), when it comes to scheduling Masses, Christmas takes precedence (see Table of Liturgical Days in “Universal Norms on the Liturgical Year and Calendar” in the Roman Missal). This means that any Masses scheduled after 4:00 pm on December 24 are to use the readings and prayers for the Vigil Mass of Christmas. Another question is often raised when two days of obligation are celebrated consecutively: does a person have to participate in two Masses (one for each holy day), or can one’s participation at

the evening Mass preceding the second day of obligation satisfy both obligations? The short answer is that participation at two Masses is required to fulfill what are two obligations. However, it behooves us to stress the privilege of participating in the unique Sacrifice of the Eucharist as often as possible. While the Code of Canon Law prescribes that the day runs from midnight to midnight (c. 202 §1), the “Universal Norms on the Liturgical Year and Calendar” (UNLYC) states: “The liturgical day runs from midnight to midnight. However, the celebration of Sunday and of Solemnities begins already on the evening of the previous day” (n. 3). This norm from the UNLYC explains why Sundays and solemnities begin with Evening Prayer I. It does not, however, permit the Christian faithful to satisfy their obligation to participate at Mass the evening before the holy day. That concession, which was granted to ~5~

the dioceses in the United States by indult in 1970, was extended to the entire Church in canon 1248 §1: “A person who assists at a Mass celebrated anywhere in a Catholic rite either on the feast day itself or in the evening of the preceding day satisfies the obligation of participating in the Mass.” It is this concession that raises the question of fulfilling two obligations with one Mass. In reporting that the Congregation for the Clergy had responded in the Negative to the question of “two-for-one” Masses, the Bishops’ Committee on the Liturgy noted that the faculty to fulfill one’s Mass obligation the previous evening “is generally granted in view of rendering easier the fulfillment of such a precept, without prejudice of keeping every Lord’s Day holy” (Newsletter, November 1974).

Feast and Faith Young Adults (18-35), married or single, in the Fairbanks area are invited to join us each month at Miguel’s Authentic Mexican Restaurant on Airport Way for a free meal, fellowship, and a discussion on faith. On Wednesday, November 8th we are pleased to give you the

opportunity to gather with Bishop Zielinski and the diocesan priests of the Diocese of Fairbanks. This casual gathering will give you the opportunity to get to know the local clergy, their backgrounds, and their ministry. Have a burning question you’ve always wanted to

ask a bishop or priest? This is the perfect opportunity to do so! Join us beginning at 6:00 pm and bring a friend. For more information, contact Fr. Robert Fath in the Office of Faith and Family Formation at (907) 374-9511 or email family@ cbna.org.

Safe Environment Barbara Tolliver Safe Environment Coordinator The temperatures have gotten much colder, the rain has turned to flurries and the daylight is slowly diminishing. These telltale winter signs, however, will not dampen our spirits! We are off to a great start this year with our Youth and Adult Safe Environment training program. Many parishes and the Catholic Schools have already trained their teachers, volunteers and youngsters. Confirmed paperwork with dates and signatures have been collected and turned into this office. If you haven’t already done so, please get on it and turn in your

training information to me. We want to ensure that our youth are knowledgeable of what is good touch and what is not. Parents are the first teachers and we as a diocese are reinforcing what they have already taught them. Remember, 60% of child sexual abuse is from a known person to the family. And 30% of child sexual abuse is from a family member or relative. The remaining 10% of abuse is from an unknown person. Adults and children must know the warning signs to protect themselves and to gain our

assistance/trust as adults to help protect them. Everyone wins by attending the training. Background searches also weed out potential or past abusers. Be sure to check our Fairbanks webpage to learn more about our commitment to safety by reading the policies regarding safe environment, vulnerable adults and youth. Thank you for all who participate in the process and go through the background screening process. If you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to contact me at (907) 374-9516. Blessings in all that you do!

Background Search Update IMPORTANT NOTICE: To all parishes, schools and diocesan ministry personnel. We are now able to offer the option of using an online application for background checks. The volunteer or “potential” new employee’s name and email address must be submitted to your administration first. I am then contacted via “you” with the person’s name and

email address. I then send the person’s name and email address to our search company, CICS. The applicant will then receive an email from CICS. This way, the social security number, date of birth, address, etc., are collected online through CICS’s secure website---no more need to submit paperwork that has to be shredded by you or stored at the chancery. Finally, ~6~

when backgrounds are processed the results are now available to the person who applied, per their request when applying online. If you do not have internet or it is too slow, paper forms can still be submitted to me If you have any questions, contact Barbara T. Tolliver at (907) 374-9516 or via [email protected]. (If I’m away, David Schienle is the backup for input.)

The Alaska Governor’s Office and Alaska Children’s Trust present

pulling Together

a forum for people of faith

Safe Children and Healthy Families With a special appearance by First Lady Donna Walker

Thursday, November 9th, 2017 from 1:30pm to 4:00pm Pioneer Park, Exhibit Hall 2300 Airport Way, 99701

Please invite those working with children and youth (Youth Directors, Sunday School Teachers, Children’s Programming Directors)

*Potluck Dessert. Please bring one of your favorites to share.

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Making Faith “A Way of Life” At the Catholic Schools of Fairbanks Imagine a school where adults and children pray together each morning and afternoon…where teachers and students gather to worship the Lord…where everyone meets Jesus in the Eucharist during weekly Mass. This faith-filled environment is a reality at the Catholic schools of Fairbanks. By proudly living out the school’s Jesuit charism, staff members at Immaculate Conception School and Monroe Catholic High School are actively leading others to Christ--and finding themselves transformed in the process. Amanda Angaiak: Called to Catholic Education Immaculate Conception School (ICS), Fairbanks’ only Catholic elementary school, was started in the basement of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in 1946, with an initial group of 55 children. Today, the school has around 220 students, and is led by principal Amanda Angaiak, a mother of three children whose husband is also the principal of a local public school. Born in Montana, Amanda moved to Alaska with her family during her elementary years. Her parents were adult converts to the faith and she credits them for giving her a powerful witness of Catholicism. “My parents were truly searching for Truth, but they also taught me to be comfortable with mystery,” Amanda says. “I learned from them that some things like God or the Eucharist can’t be fully explained and that’s okay.” The family initially moved

Amanda Angaiak has served in the Catholic Schools of Fairbanks

to Sitka, a small city of about 8,000 people located on the southern half of Chichagof Island in southeastern Alaska. They soon became active members of St. Gregory’s Catholic Church, located just a few blocks from their home. Living on an island cultivated a closeness in the small Catholic community that Amanda still appreciates, especially among the handful of ~8~

Catholic teens whose presence invited her to remain close to Christ. For example, Amanda visited Poland her freshman year with a performing arts group. Though only five of the group’s 40 teens were Catholic, they all requested to attend Mass on Sundays during the trip. “The Mass was in Polish, of course, but we could still

The Angaiak Family: Two principals, one Monroe Catholic High School student and two Immaculate Conception students

Bishop Chad talking to Immaculate Conception students

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understand what was going on,” Amanda remembers. “It really helped me see the universality of our Church.” By the time she graduated from high school, Amanda “deeply loved Jesus” and knew she wanted to attend a Catholic university with the same strong sense of spiritual community she’d found in Sitka. She ended up attending the University of Notre Dame, where she majored in theology and anthropology. She met her husband, Michael, during her sophomore year. Remarkably, Michael was also from Alaska; his parents and extended family lived in Fairbanks. His family was deeply Catholic, too--Michael’s grandfather, Mike Angaiak of Tununak, was one of the first Alaska Native deacons ordained in the Diocese of Fairbanks in the early 1980s. Amanda’s strong desire to work for the Church remained with her throughout college, so after graduating from Notre Dame in 1996, she enrolled in a relatively new program at the university called the Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE). The program trained Catholic teachers to instruct in needy parochial schools across the country. Amanda wept when she opened the envelope containing information about her assigned school--she would be teaching religion to 9th graders at Bishop Kenny High School in Jacksonville, Florida. Kenny, a close family friend, was then the bishop of Amanda’s diocese. She saw the assignment to a Catholic school in Florida heralding the same name as an Alaskan bishop as a signal grace, a confirmation of both her faith and her vocational calling as an educator.

A year into the ACE program, Amanda returned to Alaska to help her father care for her mother, who was diagnosed with breast cancer. She is grateful for this time with her mother, who insisted that her daughter have the whole wedding experience despite her health problems. Amanda and Michael married in 1998 and moved to Fairbanks, where Amanda began substituting at Monroe Catholic High School. She was hired fulltime as the religious education coordinator at the Catholic schools in 2000. When the school’s principal stepped down three years later, Providence again intervened: Amanda had just applied to the Remick Leadership Program at Notre Dame to earn a Master’s degree in Catholic school administration. She was promoted to principal of ICS, and has spent the past 14 years guiding the school. Amanda is proud that ICS and Monroe Catholic High School together are the only K-12 Catholic school system in the province to have received a Jesuit endorsement. A Sacramental School Day Working at a Catholic school has brought Amanda even closer to Jesus over the years, she says, adding that Fairbanks Catholic schools have a “sacramental” character that confers grace on all who enter. At ICS, the whole community starts and ends each day with prayer; students also study faith and morals in age-appropriate ways on a daily basis. In addition, staff and students participate in a weekly spiritual “Examen,” a way of prayer developed by St. Ignatius. They also gather every Friday for Mass. And unlike many adults who

can struggle to engage at Mass, the children are thrilled to participate, according to kindergarten teacher MaryVail Butcher. “They sing with gusto, they shriek the responses,” says MaryVail, who has taught at ICS for more than 20 years. “The kids love to be there and my heart just swells to see it.” The school makes a special effort to ensure everyone can participate in the Friday Masses as fully as possible. Students, staff, and parents serve as lectors, ushers, or choir members, or take up gifts and read petitions. Non-Catholics who do not take Communion are invited to receive a blessing from the priest. “It’s beautiful for the children to see that everyone is welcome to participate in the Mass, even if they’re not engaged in the full sacramental life of the Church,” Amanda says. “I’m blessed to work with people committed to our mission to bring these children closer to Our Lord.” Faith at ICS is “a way of life,” Amanda insists. “We can’t divorce our faith from academics,” she says. “From a young age, we help students start paying attention to how God is speaking to them and guiding them personally.” In addition to bringing students closer to God, Amanda has witnessed the school have a positive spiritual impact on many parents through their participation in its liturgical life. “I’ll see a new mom sitting in the back at Mass in the beginning of the school year,” she says. “Over time, I’ll see her move up to sit with the kids and after that, I’ll see her actively participating.” Amanda sees these parents’ movement toward the ~ 10 ~

Fr. Ross Tozzi giving a blessing

altar as symbolic of their spiritual movement toward God. “It’s as if they’re working out whatever has been keeping them from getting close to God and it gets easier the more they come to our Masses.” On several occasions, the school has celebrated the entrance of whole families into the faith. A few years ago, a sixth-grade student was baptized along with her siblings and parents. Last year, a kindergartener was baptized. These are profoundly joyful occasions, Amanda says, who adds that the entire school community celebrates these individuals’ journeys into the Catholic Church. Kristy Parrish: Seeing God in the Everyday Not surprisingly, the school’s pervasively Catholic character also has had a positive spiritual effect on many staff members. Kristy Parrish works at ICS as an instructional

Franciscan Jubilee by David Schienle & Patty Walter

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On September 15th, Bishop Chad Zielinski helped celebrate the 60th Jubilee of Fr. Joe Hemmer, O.F.M., as a Franciscan priest and the 50th anniversary of Bros. Bob Ruzicka, O.F.M., and Justin Huber, O.F.M., as Franciscan religious brothers. For years the three Franciscans have served the interior villages in the Diocese of Fairbanks. Bro. Bob arrived in 1986, Fr. Joe in 1988, and Bro. Justin in 2000. Bro. Bob said, “We become part of the community, we feel every experience, from every baptism to every death.” Bishop Chad, on behalf of the people of Northern Alaska, extends his gratitude to the Franciscans for their ministry to the people of the diocese. The first Catholic presence in Alaska began with the Franciscans in 1779 when two priests accompanied the Spanish Arteaga and Bodega y Quadra expedition to Alaska. Fr. John Riobo, O.S.F., wrote about the voyage to his religious superior, “I sang a Mass of Thanksgiving ashore on Ascension Day (May 13,1779), and some Indians attended.” Weeks before, the expedition of two ships were separated by dangerous storms while trying to reach the Alaskan territory. In the bay of what they named Bucareli Bay (near today’s Craig, AK) the two ships

miraculously found each other after the storms. As part of the Mass of Thanksgiving a little girl was baptized after almost drowning when the canoe she was in with her mother capsized. Fr. Riobo recorded that the little girl soon recovered. This was the first Catholic Mass and baptism in Alaska. The expedition traveled the coast of Alaska up to Kodiak before severe illnesses forced the expedition to return home. A more permanent presence of Franciscans began in 1986 after Father Dismas Bonner, O.F.M., of

the Franciscan Friars of the Sacred Heart Province was invited by Bishop Michael J. Kaniecki, S.J., to spend several weeks in the Diocese. Fr. Dismas wrote a report to encourage friars to volunteer to go to Alaska. According to Bro. Bob, twelve friars volunteered and four were chosen. The first four Franciscans were Fathers William Cardy and Andre Schludecker, and Brothers Joseph Rogenski and Robert Ruzicka. Bro. Bob is the last of the original group. Today he works in the interior region with Fr. Hemmer and Bro. Justin.

Bro. Bob Ruzicka, O.F.M.

Brother Bob Ruzicka has spent 31 years in Alaska. He was born in St. Louis, Missouri. He entered the Franciscans at age 20. He also went to Chicago’s Washburn Culinary School for professional training as a cook. Later, while working in vocations and parish ministry, he continued cooking for the friars and others. Brother Bob says God was preparing him for Alaska all along. “It seemed like every place I went prepared me for the next place I was going,” he explains. Though drawn to missions, Brother Bob was not naturally attracted to Alaska at first, but he trusted God’s leading hand when he said “Yes!”

Fr. Joe Hemmer, O.F.M.

Fr. Joe Hemmer has spent 29 years in Alaska. He was born in Cornlea, Nebraska. While still in high school, he entered a boarding school seminary in Illinois. For the first half of his ministry years Father Joe served in various capacities: an inner-city high school teacher and principal, a chaplain, a supply pastor. Yet, while still in seminary, Father Joe had an interest in the missions, in “the Church in faraway places,” which he never forgot. When the Franciscans put out a calling for the Diocese of Fairbanks missionaries, Father Joe knew it was for him. He boarded a plane bound for the northern diocese in 1988. ~ 12 ~

Bro. R Justin Huber, O.F.M. Brother Justin Huber was born in Lakewood, Ohio. He entered the Franciscans at age 19. Before coming to Alaska in 2000, Brother Justin served in such varied locales as Zaire, Africa and the Appalachian Mountains of Tennessee. Besides ministerial work, Brother Justin is an accomplishs hands-on maintenance and repair work where ever he goes. He is gifted in mechanics, electronics, plumbing, and even locksmithing. According to his fellow friars, Brother Justin can do wonders with the repair and maintenance of heaters, a skill that comes in handy in Interior Alaska!

Sisters of St. Francis Recognition also needs to be made to the Sisters of St. Francis who have worked in the Diocese of Fairbanks for years. These women religious provide needed services and support to churches in the Yukon-Kuskokwim region of our diocese.

Sr. Kathleen Radich, O.S.F. Sr. Kathy Radich has spent 31 years in Alaska, including 20 years in the Diocese of Fairbanks. She is the Regional Coordinator for the YukonKuskokwim region. She made her first vows for the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia in 1975. Her first assignment was teaching in California. In 1986, she came to the Diocese of Juneau to be part of a team to administer to several parishes outside of Juneau. She worked in the Archdiocese of Anchorage for several years after earning a Master’s degree in Clinical Social Work. She came to the Diocese of Fairbanks in 1997.

Sr. Ellen Callaghan, O.S.F. Sr. Ellen Callaghan has spent 22 years in Alaska, including 20 years in the diocese. She is the Director of the Native Ministry Training Program (NMTP) and the parish facilitator for the churches in Pilot Station and Marshall. She atteneded a school operated by the Sisters of St. Francis in Philadelphia; after graduation she joined the order. She taught for 24 years. In 1995, she helped establish the first Alaskan convent for her order in Anchorage. In 1997, Michael Kaniecki, S.J., hired her as the director of NMTP. The program helps support parishes and parishioners in the region.

Sr. Marian Leaf, O.S.F. Sister Marian Leaf, O.S.F., has spent 11 years in Alaska. She is the Parish Facilitator in the Y-K Region. She works with the villages of Aniak (where she resides) Holy Cross, Kalskag, Pilot Station, and Mountain Village. Sr. Marian graduated from high school in 1973 and received a BA in sociology from Neumann College in Aston, PA. She entered the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia on January 15, 1978. In 1988, she received a Master’s in Social Work from Marywood College in Scranton, PA. Before coming to Alaska in 2006, she spent 12 years in Zambia, Africa. ~ 13 ~

Religious Communities in the Diocese The diocese would not have been founded without the assistance from men and women religious communities. Some of these religious spent more than 50 years working in the diocese. Several even gave their lives as missionaries. Please continue praying for these kind people and their religious communities that shared them with us.

1862-1863, 1872-1974 - Oblates of Mary Immaculate 1886-Present - Jesuit Fathers and Brothers 1888-1993 - Sisters of St. Ann 1902-1980 - Sisters of Providence 1904-1907, 1975-1998 - Brothers of Christian Instruction 1905-Present - Ursuline Sisters 1909-1910 - Sisters of St. Benedict 1932-1945 - Sisters of Our Lady of the Snows 1952-1962 - Oblates of St. Ursula 1952-2014 - Little Sisters of Jesus 1970-2012 - Benedict Monks 1974-2006 - Dominican Sisters 1976-1978, 1990-Present - Marian Fathers 1976-1983, 1987-1997 - Paulist Fathers 1976-1990 - Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace 1976-1996 - Sisters of Notre Dame 1977-1983, 1998-Present - Franciscan Sisters 1978-1981 - St. Columban’s Foreign Mission Society 1978-2009 - Sisters of St. Joseph Chambery 1979-2009 - Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus & Mary 1983-2013 - Sister of Charity of St. Elizabeth 1986-Present - Franciscan Friars and Brothers 1987-2006 - School Sisters of Notre Dame 1990-2006 - Xaverian Brothers 1992-2002 - Missionary Sisters of Society of Mary 1997-2001 - Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary 1997-2016 - Sisters of St. Joseph Ogdensburg 2008-2009 - Sons of Mary Mother of Mercy

1975 - Sacred Heart Cathedral - Group of religious sisters who ministered in the diocese

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1980’s - Nulato - Franciscan Fathers Bill Cardy and Andre Schludecker

1930’s - Nulato Sisters Mary Antonia and Mary Abigail

1960’s - St. Marys - Sr. Thecla Battiston

1913 - Saint Mary’s Igloo Jesuit Brothers Lemire and Dugal

Photography courtesy of Anna Rose MacArthur of KYUK, photographer Dean Swope

Fr. Chuck Peterson, S.J., Farewell Mass By David Schienle and Patty Walter

Photography courtesy of Anna Rose MacArthur of KYUK, photographer Dean Swope

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After serving many years in the Fairbanks Diocese, Fr. Chuck Peterson, S.J., is saying farewell as he transfers to a Jesuit retirement home in California. On October 1st, Fr. Chuck celebrated his farewell Mass at Immaculate Conception Church in Bethel. Parishioners gave him a traditional Yup’ik blessing for his journey. Fr. Chuck arrived in Alaska in 1963, spending two years teaching at Copper Valley School in Glennallen. He returned to Alaska in 1970 to help continue the establishment of an Alaska Native Permanent Deacon Program. Due to Fr. Chuck’s work, Alvin Owletuck of Marshall became the first Yup’ik permanent deacon in 1975. Many more would be ordained to the diaconate through the program. From the beginning, Fr. Chuck would move back and forth from assignments in and outside the diocese, always returning to Alaska. The following is a list of assignments Fr. Chuck had while ministering in Alaska: 1963-1965 Copper Valley School, Teacher 1970-1972 Alaska Native Permanent Diaconate Program and Pastor of Immaculate Conception Church in Bethel 1974-1976 Vocation Director for the diocese and Chaplain to Catholic Students at UAF 1978-1979 Pastor of Little Flower of Jesus Church in Hooper Bay and Blessed Sacrament Church in Scammon Bay 1981-1983 Director of the Center of Theology and Spirituality, Fairbanks 1985-1987 Administrator of St. Mary’s Catholic School 1987-1989 Pastor of St. Joseph’s Church in Nome 1990-1997 Director of Native Ministry Training Program at St. Mary’s Mission 2005-2017 Sacramental Priest/Pastor of Immaculate Conception Church in Bethel We would like to thank Fr. Chuck for his many years of faithful ministry to the people of the diocese.

Cooper Valley School 1964

Fr. Chuck with Deacons Nick Charles, William Tyson, Alvin Owletuck at a retreat in NYAC 1977

Fathers Chuck and Jim Sebesta in Bethel 1972

St. Marys 1981

Fr. Chuck at Immaculate Conception Church with Deacon Asuluk 2008

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Fairbanks Diocese Indian Priests Share Traditional Foods and Info about Catholicism in Their Home Country by Misty Mealey

Diocese of Fairbanks photo by David Schienle

Fathers Bala, Kaspar, Kumar, and Thomas On October 12, the diocese’s four priests from India hosted a lunch presentation to familiarize clergy and chancery staff with their home country’s unique culture and challenges. Father Kumar Pasala, Fr. Bala Gangarapu, Fr. Thomas Sagili, and Fr. Kaspar Mallavarapu served an elaborate buffet of traditional foods from southern India, and shared information with attendees about Catholicism in India. Lunch consisted of a dozen traditional Indian dishes prepared by

the priests themselves and included chicken curry, basmati rice, peanut chutney, tandoori chicken, and naan. Attendees also watched a short video about India that showcased the country’s vastness and cultural diversity. Father Kumar then talked about Catholicism in India, which the faithful there trace back to the apostle St. Thomas, who came to southern India to spread the Gospel in 52 AD. St. Francis Xavier also made an important contribution to ~ 17 ~

Catholicism in India when he came to the southwestern coast to help Portuguese colonists hold onto their Catholic faith in the mid-1500s. However, evangelization in India was difficult for St. Thomas and St. Francis Xavier; most of India’s billion people are Hindu or Muslim, and Christianity is culturally foreign. To help people more easily embrace the faith, Indian Catholics have retained many cultural traditions that were rooted in the dominant culture, says Fr.


Fr. Kumar sharing his culture with diocesan staff



Fr. Kumar talking about his cultural foods Kumar. Married Catholic women, for example, still wear the red dot or “bindi” on their foreheads, which is a traditionally Hindu practice. “Though we are baptized Catholics, we come from a country with a Hindu background and culture so we practice our faith in a way that resonates with the people,” explained Fr. Kumar. He added that Protestant Christians in India tend to eschew cultural practices and dress they associate with Hinduism or Islam, believing them to be contrary to the Gospel. Today, just

Diocesan staff sampling dishes from India

2% of Indians are Catholic and 1% are Protestant. Sts. Thomas and Francis Xavier’s visits to northern and southern India have helped the faith take root there, but Christianity has not been as well received in northern India, according to the Indian priests. In some places in northern India, a person cannot make the sign of the cross publicly without risking reprisal from their staunchly Hindu or Muslim neighbors. Catholics also have been denied jobs and housing because they offered an address ~ 18 ~

with a zip code associated with Christianity. Frs. Kaspar and Bala are from the Diocese of Hyderabad. Frs. Kumar and Thomas hail from the Diocese of Cuddapah in southern India, which has 187 priests. Because Indian Catholics view their faith as a gift from missionaries, Indian bishops tend to be supportive of sending their priests to missionary dioceses like Fairbanks, say the priests.

Home Rosary Month By Sr. Mariam Leaf, O.S.F.

Parishioners come together to pray the rosary

Cassandra passing out rosaries and prayer cards

Sometimes a long tradition begins with a spur-of-the-moment thought or an off-handed comment between two people. I like to think that the idea for the Home Rosary happened over a cup of coffee but considering who was involved, it might have been a cup of tea. Who’s to say it didn’t happen that way; it started 27 years ago! What we do know is that our long tradition here at St. Theresa’s in Aniak, Alaska had humble beginnings. It all started back in 1990, with a conversation began between Fr. Bill Cardy, O.F.M., and our then parish administrator, Nancy C. Morgan. Somehow a desire of doing something to celebrate October as the “Month of the Holy Rosary” gave birth to our tradition of the ‘Home Rosary Month’ throughout October. It must have been Nancy and Fr. Bill’s enthusiasm because it didn’t take long for the parishioners to hop on board and the very first ‘Home Rosary Month’ took off. Soon each calendar day started to fill in with requests to host a Home Rosary, while Joe and Dee Matters donated a huge statue of Mary which made a pilgrimage from home to home each night, where it was given a special place prepared just for the statue. Fast forward to 2017. As October approaches, signs go up in the stores, the post office, and now on people’s Facebook pages offering the opportunity to host a Home Rosary. As tradition has it, since October 1st is the feast of St. Theresa, our parish patron saint, the first rosary of the month is held in the church. Some people have specific dates they host every year such as birthdays or anniversary of someone’s death. When we gather in someone’s home, it’s not only the household members but, often, family members from around the village arrive to also “get in on the prayers.” We use a rosary card with all the reflections and prayers. It’s an important card because it can encourage those who are shy or not used to praying the rosary to gain confidence to lead one of the decades. When children are there, they like to hand out or collect the cards and rosaries; we caught Cassandra in the act when we were there (see picture above.) Those who participate in our Home Rosary month, like Cassandra’s mom, Janette, say they like the opportunity to pray with others for the needs and well-being of family members, especially young ones, the sick, and those who have died. Angie chimes in that it is an additional blessing to have the rosary in their homes since it is where the heartbeat of family life is best felt. Edith says she feels comforted and feels more connected when we gather in her home to pray as well as when she moves from family to family to pray with them. After 27 years of the Home Rosary, I recently asked a group gathered in Mona’s home, “Why, after all these years, do we keep this tradition going?” Bertha voiced our answer, “It’s because we’re faithful!” May we continue to be so. ~ 19 ~

The next Priest Clergy Days will take place November 7, 8, 9, and because we have been blessed with five new priests in our diocese, two from India, two from Nigeria, and one from Poland, we want to take the opportunity to welcome them all in a social setting. Parishioners from all parishes are invited to join us for Mass at 5:30 pm followed by a welcome celebration in the social hall at Sacred Heart Cathedral on Thursday, November 9th. We ask that you bring a potluck dish of your choice to share, and take this opportunity to meet Fathers Kumar, Thomas, Aiden, Alphonsus, and Szymon and give them a warm Fairbanks welcome. From the Archive: From Akulurak, AK, Ursuline Sisters and students on a picnic 1923

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Installation of Fr. Tom Kuffel and Fr. Yakubu Zirra Aiden at Immaculate Conception Church in Fairbanks


On Sunday October 15th, Bishop Chad Zielinski installed Fr. Tom Kuffel as Pastor of Immaculate Conception Church and Fr. Aiden as Parochial Vicar. Members of the parish council officially welcomed both priests as part of the installation. ~ 21 ~


Fr. Tom Kuffel, Bishop Chad Zielinski, and Fr. Yakubu Aiden ~ 22 ~

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Join us for Prayer and Mass

We will be Praying for our Country, Veterans and All First Responders A small reception will follow Mass

Sponsored by the 4th Degree, Knights of Columbus, Assembly 1515 Fairbanks, AK

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