'Strong backbone' helps Alaskan parish survive pastor's death

Published: 2003-12-23

DILLINGHAM, Alaska (CNS) -- Dillingham's Holy Rosary Parish in southwest Alaska has been through a lot in the last few years. The search for a resident parish leader for Holy Rosary lasted more than 18 months after the death of their pastor of 11 years, Father Jim Kelley, in a March 2002 plane crash. That search ended in September when Brenda Moscarella, a lay woman with a history of Catholic service in Alaska, moved into the rectory next to the church to serve as pastoral administrator. During the search, Anchorage-based Holy Cross Father LeRoy Clementich filled in, flying weekend jaunts to Dillingham. In times of change, the parish relies on the "strong backbone and a solid core" of its members, longtime Holy Rosary parishioner Pearl Strub told the Catholic Anchor, newspaper of the Anchorage Archdiocese.

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