On August 4, a group of Notre Dame alumni traveled to Anchorage, Alaska on a mission trip. Despite the breathtaking and spectacular landscape of this Last Frontier state, Alaska is an extremely poor state. In addition to the poverty, and even sadder still, Alaska, especially in the Anchorage area, is notorious for having one of the highest child abuse and abduction rates in the country. The ND group was assigned to a trailer park, whose playground consisted only of a slab of pot holed pavement. Each day, 30 to 40 kids, from age three to teenagers, would come running to our location and, despite the lack of swings, happily turned each member of the group into human jungle gyms.  Being out of school, where meals are provided for these kids, the ND alumns prepared and served lunch to the children every day.  Following lunch, the kids would sit down and in pairs each member of the ND group was responsible for teaching the kids a Gospel Value lesson from Scripture.  Following Bible story share time, the group would engage the kids in an arts and crafts-like activity that would help to re-enforce the Gospel message for that day in a more visible and practical way. ND also had a few opportunities to minister to families in the surrounding area, by way of preparing dinners and hosting park "carnivals". Many of these families confront the struggles of self destructive depression and the drug and alcohol culture on a daily basis. When not ministering to the needs of the people, the group also had quality time to see the awesome sites of Alaska, even having the opportunity to have a snow ball fight in August. We are very grateful to the many people who both financially and through prayer supported our Mission and made this incredible experience possible. A very special thank you to the intrepid Missionaries: Jessica Medoff, Brittany Barstein, Dianne Gutierrez, Christina Rodriguez, Eleni Stefanatos, James Piazza, Rachel Dorosh, Jessica Ormrod, Brian Mezzapelle and Fr. Cip.

The Forty Day Worship Initiative  

From September 4 to October 14, 2013, there will be 40 gatherings over 40 consecutive days at 40 plus locations across the state of Connecticut. The Body of Christ throughout Connecticut will gather each evening for 40 days, to exalt Jesus as Lord and asking for His kingdom to come to our state. On Monday evening, September 9 at 7:30 p.m. all people of all faith backgrounds are invited to gather at Christ the King Parish in Trumbull for a night of contemporary praise and worship music, concluding with intercessory prayer for our state.

Celebration of Mass