ANCHORAGE, ALASKA
12-1-2011

In addition to the two retreats we reported on last week, the St. Therese, Patron of Alaska Mission in Anchorage has been a hub of priestly visits this year.

Though the mission officially receives a once-monthly visit from their itinerate pastor, Fr. Michael Goshie (flying in from Post Falls, ID), this has not stopped various SSPX priests from using their vacation time to make a visit to the breathtaking state of Alaska.

In fact, the mission often invites priests to come to Anchorage for some R&R as it also allows the faithful to take advantage of the spiritual and sacramental opportunities that usually become available through such visits—such as Mass, sick calls, confessions, catechism classes and as most importantly, helping to reinforce a good Catholic life amongst the youth. Of course the adults also enjoy the opportunity to meet the various priests of the SSPX while they take a break from their more usual hectic pastoral schedule.

Here we present a short itinerary of visits and some accompanying pictures.

News and images contribution from Theresa Nyholm-Bradley.

April 2011
Rev. (now Fr.) Laurent Desautard from St Mary's, KS came to assist Fr. Goshie and help the mission celebrate Holy Week. In preparation for the ceremonies, he helped with the schola and the training of the altar servers. He also spent time hiking and bowling with the boys visiting from the Blessed Virgin Mary Mother of God Academy Syracuse, NY.

Fr. Richard Boyle of Denver, CO came and offered extra Masses for the mission.

June
Fr. Patrick Girouard (stationed in Canada) has for the last five years taken his vacation to Alaska and given the mission daily Mass. In his spare time, he was able to devote himself to cooking and catching up on his reading. On one Saturday, he spent the day with the boys for an annual game of Axis and Allies— which  the boys look forward to every summer and have recently learned to play well against Father. [no picture]

District Superior of Asia, Fr. Daniel Couture, cut his vacation short to come to Alaska for celebrating the mission's 25th anniversary. A dinner with the faithful was held along with a beautiful cake featuring St. Therese on the front. He also gave a talk about the Asian mission, then he returned to Singapore.

July
The children look forward to the visit of Fr. Carl Sulzen (then in St. Mary's, KS, now in Ridgefield, CT) as he spends a lot of his time with them. During a bike ride in Anchorage they encountered a moose and a bear on the bike trail. Some boys also enjoyed a good day of fishing with him at Resurrection Bay. Of course the mission was also able to benefit from the daily Mass Fr. Sulzen offered.

From Kansas City, MO came Fr. Damien Fox (now in Calgary, Canada) and boys' high school teacher, Mr. Charles Binter. When the pair were not seeing the sights a motor home, Father offered daily Mass. The sick were visited and Father also went on hikes with the children of the parish.

August
Fr. Patrick Mackin (Walton, KY), Fr. Timothy Sick (Richmond, MI), Fr. John Bourbeau (St. Mary's), and Messers. Robert Bourbeau and Joe Brueggemann drove to the Arctic Circle and down south until the road ends in Homer, AK.  When they were in Anchorage and not out travelling the wilds of Alaska they gave the mission two Masses each day—a special treat!

October
From the Regina Coeli House in Platte City, MO came Fr. Pierre Duverger and Br. Rene, to give the mission's first men's and women's Ignatian Retreats in a fishing town of Seward, Alaska.