MACOMB — It didn’t take long for the St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Newman Center to embrace the Holy Year of Mercy. During the jubilee year’s first days, the center and volunteers from area parishes fed the hungry and gave drink to the thirsty on a grand scale to meet a little known or understood […]
Continue reading
An artist's rendering of the entrance to St. Ambrose Church in Milan after an addition is built as part of improvements funded by the "Restore and Renew" capital campaign.
MILAN — Construction of an addition to St. Ambrose Church and other parish facility improvements will begin in early 2016 thanks to the success of a “Restore and Renew” capital campaign. Parishioners have committed more than $760,000 to date, reported Father Charles Klamut, pastor, in a mid-December report. In addition to the church addition, the […]
Continue reading
Why this Eureka teen gave away her "Noah's Ark" Christmas present
EUREKA — Mary Gayed wanted a “Noah’s Ark” for Christmas. But the 15-year-old home-schooled member of St. Luke Parish wasn’t asking for a game or one of those play sets with a wooden boat and figures. She wanted real animals — a donkey, a couple of cows, 20 chicks, three pigs, two goats, and a […]
Continue reading
BLOOMINGTON — A Mass of Christian Burial was offered Dec. 30, 2015 at St. Mary Church for Father Gregg Petri, OFM, a native son of the parish who had served as parochial vicar and director of Hispanic ministry there since 2003. Burial followed in St. Joseph Cemetery. Father Gregg died on Christmas Day, Dec. 25, […]
Continue reading
New seminarian serving in U.S. Army deploys to Afghanistan
Deployment to the Middle East isn’t one of the usual steps for priestly formation in the Diocese of Peoria, but that seems to be the path on which God has set Monmouth native John Ayers. He wouldn’t have it any other way. “I’m not only going to Afghanistan to be a good soldier, but I’m […]
Continue readingThe Christ Child Society of Central Illinois would benefit most from donations of sleepers, size newborn and 0-3 months; baby gowns, size 0-6 months; onesies, size 0-6 months; and diapers, sizes N and 1. Items may be dropped off at the Family Resources Center, 415 N.E. Monroe, Peoria. In the Pontiac area, contact Shari Paris […]
Continue reading
Anne Kelley, president of the National Christ Child Society, admires a detail on a sleep sack with Judy Hayes, chapter president of the Christ Child Society of Central Illinois.
For love of the Christ Child, Mary Virginia Merrick made a layette to be presented to an infant in need, born on Christmas Day. That simple act of love and faith is repeated each day by the Christ Child Society, which she founded in 1887. Two chapters of the Christ Child Society cover the Diocese […]
Continue readingSTREATOR — It takes quite a bit of dough to make 2,000 rolls of rozek each year, but sales of the Slovak delicacy make a lot of dough and all of it goes to St. Michael the Archangel School. “We make about $20,000 a year for the school,” said Margaret Kmetz, coordinator of the parish […]
Continue reading
Assembling the povitica are (from left) Tricia Parkin, who is rolling up a loaf of the Croatian delicacy, while Karen Cole, Julie Hopkins, Penny Ross, Charlene Oberle and Anita Crum attend to other parts of the process.
MANITO — It smells like Christmas when you walk into the parish center at the new Immaculate Conception Church when povitica is being made. The Croatian bread has become much more than a sweet treat the Bread of Life Bakers make at Christmas, according to Joan Mattson. “Our bread is our sustenance,” she said. A […]
Continue reading
Members of the Servants of the Pierced Hearts of Jesus and Mary provide music ministry during a eucharistic cenacle, a time of prayer and adoration. (Provided photo)
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is part of a continuing series featuring religious communities and other forms of consecrated life around the Diocese of Peoria in honor of the Year of Consecrated Life. The celebration will run through Feb. 2, 2016, the World Day of Consecrated Life. —– The Servants of the Pierced Hearts of Jesus and […]
Continue reading
