Bishop Frank Caggiano arrived in Alaska on Wednesday afternoon after a nearly nine hours of flight from home. He was invited by the Archdiocese of Anchorage to offer a talk and celebrate Mass for the Alaska Youth Conference being held in Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Anchorage.
“The young people that I met are filled with life, energy and enthusiasm. My hope is to help them to answer Pope Francis’ call to become missionaries of mercy in their communities,” said the bishop. During his visit, the bishop was treated to an aerial view of the state on a Cessna aircraft.
“What has struck me about my brief visit to date is the sheer beauty of Alaska. From my vantage point on the plane ride from Seattle, I saw towering mountains still capped with snow, glaciers that sit majestically in the open water, green meadows that gently wind their way to the many rivers and inlets that form the coastland of Alaska. It was breathtaking to see! Since my arrival in Anchorage, I have been filled with a sense of peace that often eludes me in my busy, ordinary life. The beauty of nature has always been a way to encounter the power and majesty of God in our lives. My trip to Alaska has powerfully reminded me of this basic truth.”
The bishop leaves Anchorage today to attend the Annual Spring Meeting of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in California next week. He is often invited by other bishops across the country to speak to youth and young adults.
In November, 2013, he was appointed to a three-year term as episcopal advisor of The National Federation of Catholic Youth Ministry. He also presently serves on four committees of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB): Committee on Evangelization and Catechesis; Subcommittee on the Catechism; Orthodox Union Catholic Dialogue; Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth.
