Roman Catholic Diocese of Fairbanks

Diocese of Fairbanks Dioecesis de Fairbanks
Location
Country	United States
Territory	Northern Alaska
Ecclesiastical province	Province of Anchorage
Metropolitan	Fairbanks, Alaska
Population - Catholics	(as of 2007) 18,000
Information
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Rite	Roman Rite
Established	August 8, 1962 (1962-08-08)
Cathedral	Cathedral of the Sacred Heart
Patron saint	St. Therese of Lisieux
Current leadership
Pope	Benedict XVI
Bishop	Donald Joseph Kettler Bishop of Fairbanks
Metropolitan Archbishop	Roger Lawrence Schwietz, OMI Archbishop of Anchorage
Website
cbna.info

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Fairbanks is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the northwestern United States, comprising the northern regions of the state of Alaska. It is led by a prelate bishop which serves as pastor of the mother church, Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in the City of Fairbanks. The diocese is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Anchorage.

History

The See of Fairbanks was established from the Prefecture Apostolic of Alaska on July 27, 1894 which was created from the Diocese of Vancouver Island. It was elevated to an apostolic vicariate on December 22, 1916. The Diocese of Juneau was carved out of the apostolic vicariate on June 23, 1951. On August 8, 1962, the apostolic vicariate was elevated to a diocese.

The first seven bishops of Fairbanks were missionaries of the Society of Jesus. On June 7, 2002, Pope John Paul II appointed Donald Joseph Kettler as the first non-Jesuit bishop of Fairbanks.

In February 2008, the diocese announced plans to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, claiming inability to pay the 140 plaintiffs who filed claims against the diocese for alleged sexual abuse by priests or church workers dating from the 1950s to the early 1980s. The Society of Jesus, Oregon Province, was named as a co-defendant in the case, and settled for $50 million. The Diocese, which reports an operating budget of approximately $6 million, claims one of the diocese’s insurance carriers failed to "participate meaningfully".^[1][2][3][4]

Diocese Demographics

As of 2007, the diocese contains 47 parishes, 27 priests, providing service to 18,000 Catholics, in an area of 409,849 square miles (1,061,500 km²). It also has 20 religious sisters, 18 religious brothers.

Ordinaries/Bishops

• Paschal Tosi (1894–1897)
• Jean Baptist Rene (1897–1904)
• Joseph Raphael John Crimont (1904–1945)
• Walter James Fitzgerald (1945–1947)
• Francis Doyle Gleeson (1948–1968)
• Robert Louis Whelan (1968–1985)
• Michael Joseph Kaniecki (1985–2000)
• Donald Joseph Kettler (2002–present)

Churches & locations

Services are provided in English. But due to the growing Hispanic population in Fairbanks, services are also provided in Spanish.

Alakanuk - Saint Ignatius Catholic Church Aniak - Saint Theresa Catholic Church - 1910 Barrow - Saint Patrick Catholic Church Bethel - Immaculate Conception Catholic Church Chefornak - Saint Catherine of Siena Catholic Church Chevak - Sacred Heart Catholic Church Delta Junction - Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church Emmonak - Sacred Heart Catholic Church Fairbanks - Immaculate Conception Catholic Church Fairbanks - Sacred Heart Cathedral - 1962 Fairbanks - Saint Mark's University Parish Fairbanks - Saint Raphael Catholic Church Galena - Saint John Berchmans Catholic Church Healy - Holy Mary of Guadalupe Catholic Church Holy Cross - Holy Family Catholic Church - 1888 Hooper Bay - Little Flower of Jesus Catholic Church Huslia - Saint Francis Regis Catholic Church Kalskag - Immaculate Conception Catholic Church Kaltag - Saint Teresa Catholic Church Kotlik - Saint Joseph Catholic Church Kotzebue - Saint Francis Xavier Catholic Church Koyukuk - Saint Patrick Catholic Church Little Diomede Island - Saint Jude Catholic Church

Marshall - Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church McGrath - Saint Michael Catholic Church Mountain Village - Saint Lawrence Catholic Church Nenana - Saint Theresa Catholic Church Newtok - Holy Family Catholic Church Nightmute - Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church Nome - Saint Joseph Catholic Church North Pole - Saint Nicholas Catholic Church Nulato - Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Church Nunam Iqua - Saint Peter Catholic Church Pilot Station - Saint Charles Spinola Catholic Church Ruby - Saint Peter in Chains Catholic Church Russian Mission - Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church Saint Marys - Church of the Nativity Catholic Church - 1972 Saint Michael - Saint Michael Catholic Church Scammon Bay - Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church Stebbins - Saint Bernard Catholic Church Tanana - Saint Aloysius Catholic Church Teller - Saint Ann Catholic Church Tok - Holy Rosary Catholic Church Toksook Bay - Saint Peter the Fisherman Catholic Church Tununak - Saint Joseph Catholic Church Unalakleet - Church of the Holy Angels Catholic Church

Education

The diocese has only 2 schools for education.

• Immaculate Conception Elementary, Fairbanks
• Monroe Catholic High School, Fairbanks

Charitable Organizations

Health Care

Due to the vast area, low population density, and financial restraints, the diocese has no hospitals.

• Hospital ministry - Catholic services to the sick & injured in existing hospitals & nursing homes.
• Stephen ministry - interdenominational companions for people in grief, illness, loss, family breakdown, etc.

Family support

Overseas assistance

Shelters

Social support

Media

The diocese provides communication to its community by:

• The Alaskan Shepherd, a newsletter
• KNOM radio. Established in 1971, KNOM is the oldest Catholic radio station in the country.

Resources

• Roman Catholic Diocese of Fairbanks
• Catholic Hierarchy Profile of the Diocese of Fairbanks

Footnotes

1. ^ "Fairbanks Catholic Diocese filing for bankruptcy". KTUU.com. WorldNow. 2008-02-15. http://www.ktuu.com/global/story.asp?s=7869569. Retrieved 2008-03-03. "More than 150 claims were filed against the church for alleged crimes at the hands of clergy or church workers between the 1950s and 1980s." 
2. ^ United Press International (2008-02-15). "Diocese of Fairbanks plans bankruptcy". ArcaMax. ArcaMax Publishing, Inc.. http://www.arcamax.com/newsheadlines/s-303367-132791. Retrieved 2008-03-03. "Robert Hannon, who serves as a special assistant to Bishop Donald Kettler and is the diocesan chancellor, told the Anchorage (Alaska) Daily News that officials believe bankruptcy is the fairest way to compensate victims." 
3. ^ Baldino, Megan (2008-02-15). "Diocese of Fairbanks to file for bankruptcy". CNA. Catholic News Agency. http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=11791. Retrieved 2008-03-03. "The negotiations allegedly failed because one of the diocese’s insurance carriers did not “participate meaningfully.” ... Robert Hannon, chancellor and special assistant to Bishop Donald Kettler, said bankruptcy would provide a way for church assets to be distributed fairly among abuse victims." 
4. ^ "Diocese hopes to continue operations despite Chapter 11 petition". Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. Archived from the original on 2009-07-20. http://www.webcitation.org/5iPe1d5zq.