The Catholic Post Month: January 2019

Bloomington group home from Panama and sharing World Youth Day experience

By: Tom Dermody - January 31, 2019 - Featured Article Bloomington, Central Catholic, Lauren Booth, World Youth Day

World Youth Day pilgrims from the Bloomington group (in yellow shirts) are pictured Jan. 26 at the Saturday night vigil at St. John Paul II Field near Panama City, Panama. Pope Francis led adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in the evening and, after hundreds of thousands camped overnight, returned to celebrate the gathering's closing Mass. (Provided photo)

BLOOMINGTON — Over the weekend they were praising Jesus with 700,000 new friends and Pope Francis on a sweltering field in Panama. On Tuesday the seven students and two teachers were back at Central Catholic High School here bracing for record cold, but warmed by the memories of their experiences at World Youth Day. And […]

Saint Thomas More group lays wreath at Arlington National Cemetery ceremony

By: Tom Dermody - January 31, 2019 - News Article Arlington National Cemetery, Kennedy Record, Saint Thomas More, Sister Bridget Martin, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, wreath

Four representatives of The High School of Saint Thomas More in Champaign had the honor of laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery during ceremonies on Jan. 17, the day before the school's contingent took part in the March for Life in Washington, D.C. From left are Sister M. Bridget Martin, FSGM, theology teacher and campus minister; Kennedy Record, Delaney Record, and Ashley Mills. (Provided photo)

CHAMPAIGN — It wasn’t until after taking part in the solemn wreath ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia on Jan. 17 that Kennedy Record realized she, two other students from The High School of Saint Thomas More, and a teacher had just experienced a once in a […]

Bishop Jenky leads prayers that ‘Gospel of Life with have victory in our time’

By: Jennifer Willems - January 31, 2019 - Featured Article Bishop Jenky, cathedral, Father Adam Cesarek, Father Alexander Millar, Legal Protection, Mass, Pro-life, Sister Lea Stefencova, Unborn

As the Mass for the Legal Protection of the Unborn began Jan. 25, a statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the patroness of the unborn, was carried down the main aisle of St. Mary's Cathedral in Peoria by Aaron Rapp of St. Joseph Catholic Newman Center in Peoria, and Kevin Ellis, Will Gustafson and Sam Menacher of St. John Paul II Catholic Newman Center in Normal. (The Catholic Post/Jennifer Willems)

In the midst of all the activity that surrounds the anniversary of Roe v. Wade each January, respect life advocates took time to pray quietly before the Blessed Sacrament at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Peoria and ask God for healing, forgiveness and the legal protection of unborn children. Bishop Daniel R. Jenky, CSC, celebrated Mass […]

Area students at national March for Life know they’re on ‘right part of history’

By: Tom Dermody - January 31, 2019 - Featured Article Central Catholic, D.C., March for Life, Marquette Academy, Peoria Notre Dame, Saint Thomas More, Schlarman Academy, Washington

The 46 students and chaperones from Central Catholic High School in Bloomington pose for a group photo outside the U.S. Capitol on the day they took part in the national March for Life in Washington, D.C. (Provided photo)

Whether it was their first time among the more than 100,000 at the March for Life in Washington, D.C., or their 16th, the immense annual peaceful demonstration against legal abortion left a lasting impression on the hundreds of high school participants and co-travelers from the Diocese of Peoria. “I really wanted to see the scale […]

Documentary shows how her last-minute decision for life impacted many others

By: Tom Dermody - January 31, 2019 - News Article adoption, documentary, I Lived on Parker Avenue, Melissa Coles, Sanctity of Human Life Rally

Melissa Coles, keynote speaker at the Sanctity of Human Life Rally on Jan. 24 in Peoria, speaks with Ken Goins, president of Central Illinois Right to Life, following the annual event. Coles' last-minute decision not to abort and later place her son for adoption is the focus of the documentary "I Lived on Parker Avenue." (The Catholic Post/Tom Dermody)

“How can I help?” Melissa Coles’ presentation at the Sanctity of Human Life Rally in Peoria on Jan. 24 had been memorable for many reasons. But the Indiana woman, whose last-minute choice 25 years ago not to abort her unborn child is the focus of a half-hour documentary, wanted her audience to leave Riverside Community […]

Meet the fifth-grade artist who designed Bishop Jenky’s 2018 Christmas card

By: Jennifer Willems - January 31, 2019 - News Article artist, Bishop Jenky, Christmas card, Isabella Schmillen, Peoria, St. Mark

Isabella Schmillen of St. Mark School in Peoria holds her winning artwork that was chosen for the cover of the Christmas cards sent out by Bishop Daniel R. Jenky, CSC. On the back she wrote her own sentiment: "Never forget to always love God." (The Catholic Post/Jennifer Willems)

She may only be a fifth-grader at St. Mark School in Peoria, but Isabella Schmillen is no novice when it comes to art. Anyone who received a Christmas card from Bishop Daniel R. Jenky, CSC, has seen her drawing of the Nativity, which put Jesus, Mary and Joseph under a sky filled with gold stars. […]

Gospel parable comes to life as $200 in gifts return $1,921 at St. Bede Academy

By: Jennifer Willems - January 31, 2019 - News Article Father Logan Zeglis, Father Ronald Margherio, Olivia Smith, parable, St. Bede Academy, talents

Sophomore Logan Zeglis and senior Olivia Smith got creative and had fun with their projects. (Provided photo)

PERU — Making the Gospel come alive often leads to programs involving committees, meetings, and great sums of money. But could you do it with $20? That’s what Father Ronald Margherio, OSB, challenged eight students and two teachers at St. Bede Academy to do between Thanksgiving and the time they returned from Christmas break on […]

McClain’s book offers daily prayers for Catholic schools, and inspiration for all

By: The Catholic Post - January 31, 2019 - Book Review Called to Pray, Catholic schools, Justin McClain, Matthew Vander Vennet, prayer

By Matthew Vander Vennet One request that St. Paul asks of us is to “Pray without ceasing.” (1Thes 5:17) In “Called to Pray: Daily Prayers for Catholic Schools,” recently published by Ave Maria Press, Justin McClain takes up St. Paul’s call and gives us the resources to do just that. One of the great benefits […]

Our unique call must be lived fully

By: The Catholic Post - January 31, 2019 - Living the Word

Shawn Reeves

By Shawn Reeves Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time/Feb. 3 Jeremiah 1:4-5,17-19; Psalm 71:1-2,3-4,5-6,15-17; 1 Corinthians 12:31–13:13; Luke 4:21-30 New beginnings are easy. Carrying them through to their conclusion often is not. My 17-year-old son is a purple belt in karate. He is the only student in his school at that level, and all other students are […]

Transfer of Pontiac station expands the network, reach of Catholic Spirit Radio

By: Jennifer Willems - January 31, 2019 - News Article Bloomington, Catholic radio, Catholic Spirit Radio, Normal, Pontiac, WPJC

The coverage map for Pontiac-based WPJC, 88.3 FM.

NORMAL — Catholic Spirit Radio of Bloomington-Normal, WSPI 89.5 FM, is undergoing network expansion. Public Reality Radio, WPJC, 88.3 FM was transferred to WSPI ownership on Nov. 30. The talk radio station in Pontiac was deeded to Catholic Spirit Radio by Goodrich Radio, which simulcasts its sister flagship station WPRR from Grand Rapids, Michigan. WPJC began broadcasting in […]

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