RBWords - Volume 26 - Number 4: April 2013
Something to Think About
As I write this, I am in Wrangell, Alaska, for the second of two parish missions. The first took place last week in Petersburg, AK, about 45 miles north of here. However, that 45 miles must be traveled by boat or air. The southeastern panhandle of Alaska has more than 1,000 islands. The Catholic Diocese of Juneau covers that panhandle. There are about 10,000 Catholics served by 12 parishes, 6 missions and ten priests in addition to the bishop in an area the size of Florida! The parishes in Petersburg and Wrangell were originally founded by Jesuit missionaries who named them after two Dominican saints: Catherine of Siena and Rose of Lima! No one seems to know why. The same pastor serves both parishes and commutes once a week back and forth by charter aircraft or occasionally by “water taxi.” There is also a system of ferries, but their schedules do not always fit the Mass schedules for the two parishes. When fog prevents flying, the parishioners celebrate a Communion Service!
Life is very different when the thought of going out of town means getting aboard a plane or a boat! Alaska Airlines serves all the major towns with 737 jet service once a day in each direction north-south between Seattle and Anchorage, stopping in Juneau, Petersburg, Wrangell and Ketchikan! Life is very different when the area averages about 90 days of sunshine a year! This is rain forest country and the rainfall is anywhere from 80 to 160 inches a year! Because everything comes by boat, barge or plane, prices are high, even if average incomes are fairly high as well. The scenery is stunningly beautiful.
In short, this is mission territory and Catholics here have to be flexible because the supply of priests is precarious and all activity is subject to the Alaskan rule: “weather permitting.” Although attendance is small by comparison in the lower “48,” the people have been great. I was invited by the pastor as a result of my online preaching. My mission is being videotaped and made available all over the diocese and to anyone who has the link. As soon as I know that link, I'll let y'all know and you can see what I came up to Alaska to do! IT'S SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT!
It Has Been Said
IT HAS BEEN SAID: Bishop Edward Burns of Juneau writes: “On my first trip to Tenakee Springs, Alaska to celebrate Mas at our St. Francis Chapel, I traveled by floatplane and learned that the people of the village gather when they hear the sound of the plane approaching, knowing that onboard is either a priest or the bishop. It became clear to me that the sound of the plane replaced the traditional church bell calling people to Mass.”