Christians likely will read from John chapter 20 in the New Testament today and raise their eyes toward heaven, remembering the day Jesus rose from the dead and ascended to be seated at the right hand of his Father for eternity.

Parishioners applaud the new clergy during the special service, which was held at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Soldotna.

Having seen a number of priests come and go, or not come at all, the past couple of years, it is little wonder many are asking how long the new Oblates of Mary Immaculate will be here.

A nagging shortage of priests in America manifested itself on the peninsula with Soldotna pastor Father Richard Tero being transferred to Seward 5 1/2 years ago, then being asked to return to celebrate Mass on the west side of the peninsula while continuing to be pastor of Sacred Heart in Seward. Father Bill Hanrahan pinch hit for Father Tero from time to time.

The Rev. Joe Dowling, the Rev. Andrew Sensenig and the Rev. Tony Dummer recieve hugs from Sister Joyce Ross and Sister Joan Barina (center, in black) during the installation ceremony.

Father LeRoy Clementich also made frequent visits to the Kenai parish from Anchorage, but no priests were assigned to the parishes for the long term.

Late last year, however, good news came to the area by way of an announcement from Anchorage Archbishop Roger Schwietz that three Oblates (pronounced AAHB-letts) priests and one brother were being assigned here to serve the Kenai, Soldotna and Homer parishes, as well as St. Peter the Apostle Mission in Ninilchik.

Archbishop Schwietz and religious Brother Craig Bonham „ also Oblates „ had been trying to come up with a way to bring greater sacramental and apostolic ministries to the peninsula when they came up with the idea.

The three priests are now on a mission to strike a balance between the religious community life and their apostolic outreach to the world, one of the founding traits of their order, according to the Catholic Anchor, the weekly newspaper of the Anchorage Archdiocese.

Earlier this month the Oblates were officially installed during a Mass at Our Lady of Perpetual Help concelebrated by the archbishop and Father Bill Antone, consulor of the Pacific Region Province of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate.

In keeping with the traditions of their religious order, the priests „ Tony Dummer, Andy Sensenig and Joe Dowling „ and Brother Craig, will live in community together at the Soldotna rectory on West Redoubt Avenue.

Although the founder of their order, St. Eugene de Mazenod, once remarked that to do everything by routine without changing anything meant doing as little and doing it as badly as those who preceded them, the newly assigned priests do not see a pressing need to change things as they currently are done in the parishes on the peninsula.

"I don't think anyone came here to make changes," said Father Tony, who is the moderator of the group. "That just takes time."

In fact, the actual management of the parishes will be in the hands of parish life directors and local parish councils.

"I think people expect us to lead," Father Tony said, adding that to be able to lead, the priests need to figure things out and have a good understanding of all the intricacies of the community.

Leadership by the Oblates, he said, will be in the form of "a rounded move, rather than a pointed front."

While the three priests and the brother will reside in Soldotna, the priests will rotate between the parishes on a three-week basis, spending one weekend in Soldotna, the next in Kenai and the next in Homer.

The priest assigned to Homer will say a 5 p.m. Mass in Ninilchik on Friday, a 5 p.m. Mass in Homer on Saturday, a 9 a.m. Mass in Ninilchik on Sunday and an 11:30 a.m. Mass in Homer on Sunday.

Before returning to the central peninsula, the Homer priest will celebrate 10 a.m. Mass in Homer on Mondays and Tuesdays.

The Oblates don't have a pat answer to the question about the length of their assignments on the peninsula, but say typically their order assigns them somewhere for three years, and the assignments generally are renewed for another three.

For Father Joe, having been ordained only last year, this is his first assignment.

"I want to stay here a long time," he said.

Father Tony, who has been a priest since 1984, believes this will probably be his last assignment.

Ordained in 1997, Father Andy is somewhere in between.

"I've been really impressed by the quality of people here," Father Andy said. "The weather may be cold, but the Alaskan people are always warm."

Although Brother Craig's first trip to Alaska came in 1984 when he and then-Father Schwietz drove up for a visit, his first assignment here came 6 1/2 years ago. He is now the superior of the Alaska District of the Oblates.

"We're primarily a clerical order," Brother Craig said. "But, early on, we were invited to serve as brothers doing grounds work and even blacksmithing when there was a need for that."

On the Kenai Peninsula, Brother Craig will be working with the altar server program and he will conduct an adult education Bible study in Ninilchik. Plans also are in the works for a Bible study at Wildwood Correctional Facility.

"And, I'll be keeping the checkbook balanced," he said. As a licensed pilot, he also just joined the Civil Air Patrol squadron in Kenai.

When asked to comment about the current shortage of Catholic priests, Father Joe said, "I think internationally, there are a lot of Asian seminarians, a lot of African seminarians and Latino seminarians. Worldwide, our vocations are doing great."

In Western Europe, the United States and Canada, things are not turning around as much, according to Brother Craig.

"Now, if someone raises the idea of a calling to (religious) vocation, people ask, 'Is there something wrong with you?'" he said.

"A lot of folks heard a lot of discouragement," he said. "It is starting to turn around, particularly in the U.S."

Oblate Consulor Antone said, "In the world, the Oblates are in 70 countries. We have approximately 4,300 members; 392 in the United States."

Commenting about recent abuse cases and huge monetary settlements involving priests, Antone said, "Certainly some terrible damage has been done. There are efforts to repair that. Hopefully (the settlements) are part of the healing process „ to help the people who have been damaged by abuse."

He said most of the cases that have already been brought forward stem from acts in the 1970s and 1980s, and it is the hope that there will not be many out of the 1990s and 2000s.

Partly because the settlements can aid in the healing process and because of the steps the Church has taken to prevent abuse in the future, the consulor believes the Church will be a better organization going forward.

"The cause is within the individual himself," Antone said. "It is not due to some sort of clerical culture. I think there's hope."

Brother Craig said, now background checks are routinely done on those wishing to become members of the clergy and on lay people in the church who work with youth. Safe Environment training also is mandatory.

He said he is very happy to be on the Kenai Peninsula.

"The thing I find most inspiring is the folks are so multitalented and multi-interested," he said.

Father Joe, who said this is his first time in Alaska, said, "I've enjoyed my time immensely „ the natural beauty and the beauty of the people as well."

Today, in Soldotna, he celebrates his first Easter Mass as a priest, according to Father Andy. "I wish I could be there."

Saying he is in awe of the people of Alaska, Father Tony said he finds people's sense of taking care of each other as "an expression of the Gospel."

Brother Craig said, "The parish community mission is to do the work of Jesus „ as prophet, priest, king „ and to be of service to our brothers and sisters in need.

"Priestly training is in theology and counseling," he said. "The parish life directors allow the priests to concentrate on that and not run the small business of a parish."

Father Andy said, "There's a tremendous amount of vitality here. We owe that to the parish directors."

Calling parishioners to stewardship through their time, their gifts and their talents is an integral part of the mission of the Oblates, according to Father Tony.

"Everything we have is from God."