Archives
By: Jennifer Willems - March 28, 2019 -
Featured Article
Cardinal Blase J. Cupich of Chicago gives the opening statement at a press conference hosted by the Catholic Conference of Illinois regarding extreme abortion legislation being considered by the Illinois General Assembly. It was held at the State Capitol in Springfield on March 28 and included (from left) Bishop Daniel R. Jenky, CSC, of Peoria; Bishop R. Daniel Conlon of Joliet; Bishop Thomas J. Paprocki of Springfield; Bishop David J. Malloy of Rockford; and Bishop Edward K. Braxton of Belleville. (The Catholic Post/Jennifer Willems)
SPRINGFIELD — Hoping to avoid the “devastating” impact proposed abortion legislation would have on women and their unborn children, as well as the conscience rights of health care professionals, the bishops of Illinois have called on lawmakers to reject the bills, which have been called “extreme.” “Who lives? Who dies? Who decides? The state and […]
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By: Jennifer Willems - March 28, 2019 -
Featured Article
anniversary, Catholic Women's League, Gail Kruse
Sister Lea Stefancova, FSJB, an archivist for the Diocese of Peoria, and Gail Kruse (right), secretary for the Catholic Women's League, accept CWL files that had been stored at Bradley University from Linda Aylward, special collections assistant. The Peoria Historical Society had taken the materials in 1996 and stored them as part of Bradley's collection. (The Catholic Post/Tom Dermody)
Tracing the history of the Catholic Women’s League is like getting a glimpse of the last 125 years in central Illinois — and the United States. It started with a small group of women who came together on Feb. 20, 1894, “to sew and see what could be done for those who needed help in […]
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By: Jennifer Willems - March 28, 2019 -
News Article
art, pilgrimage, St. Philomena School, Taryn Watkins
Artist Taryn Watkins, seen here with a favorite piece, likes to work in egg tempera, acrylic and oil, as well as water color. (The Catholic Post/Jennifer Willems)
Taryn Watkins has made some long and arduous pilgrimages in her young life, traveling 500 miles through France and Spain on the Camino de Santiago, and 1,200 miles from Canterbury, England, to Rome along the Via Francigena. There have been shorter pilgrimages, too, such as the mile she used to walk intentionally from where she […]
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By: Jennifer Willems - March 27, 2019 -
Uncategorized
SPRINGFIELD — After visiting their state legislators, those who attended Life Advocacy Day on March 20 joined more than 3,000 other pro-life advocates to raise their voices in opposition to extreme abortion legislation being considered in the Illinois General Assembly. The theme for the rally, sponsored by Illinois Right to Life Action, the Pro-Life Action […]
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By: Jennifer Willems - March 21, 2019 -
Featured Article
Cecilia Soñé, Life Advocacy Day, respect life, Zach Wichmann
State Sen. Chuck Weaver, R-37th, listens as Erin Earl, a member of the Teens for Life at Peoria Notre Dame High School, makes a point during a meeting on Life Advocacy Day in Springfield on March 20. Looking on is club moderator Diane Means and John Swann of Sherrard, Richland Grove Township supervisor and a member of the Knights of Columbus, Allouez Council 658, in Rock Island. (The Catholic Post/Jennifer Willems)
(Updated March 27) SPRINGFIELD — Legislators representing people from districts in the Dioceses of Belleville, Peoria, Rockford and Springfield received visits from hundreds of their constituents on March 20, who urged them to vote “no” on what is being called the most extreme abortion legislation ever introduced in Illinois. The Life Advocacy Day was sponsored […]
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By: Jennifer Willems - March 18, 2019 -
News Article
Alan Anderson, evangelization and faith formatoin, religious education, Sister Ana Pia Cordua
Directors of religious education and catechists from around the Diocese of Peoria take notes during the "Called to Teach" religious education summit. The gathering gave them a chance to network, as well as hear about the plans the Office of Evangelization and Faith Formation has to support them. (The Catholic Post/Jennifer Willems)
Using technology to stay connected, share resources and even “meet” virtually is part of a new approach to religious education that was unveiled by the diocesan Office of Evangelization and Faith Formation during “Called to Teach.” The “religious education summit” was held recently at the Spalding Pastoral Center in Peoria and included a talk by […]
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By: Jennifer Willems - March 17, 2019 -
News Article
Peoria Notre Dame, Randy Simmons, St. Patrick's Day
The Peoria Notre Dame Band prepares to step off from the mall in front of the Spalding Pastoral Center in Peoria on March 17. They led representatives from 11 more Catholic schools in who marched in the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Peoria in honor of principal Randy Simmons, who died Feb. 19. (The Catholic Post/Jennifer Willems)
Catholic schools from the Peoria area and surrounding communities had their own gathering of the clans March 17 as they marched as one behind Bishop Daniel R. Jenky, CSC, through the streets of downtown Peoria for the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. They did it to honor the memory of one of their own — Randy […]
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By: Jennifer Willems - March 14, 2019 -
News Article
Pi, Pi Day, Sally Kincaid, St. Philomena School
Eighth-grader Eddie Couri of St. Philomena School in Peoria demonstrates -- for only two minutes -- his ability to recite 2,034 of the digits that make up the mathematical constant known as pi. It took him 25 minutes to reach his record-breaking total on March 14, Pi Day. Pi begins with 3.14159. (The Catholic Post/Jennifer Willems)
Most people probably would rather spend 25 minutes eating pie than reciting as many digits as they could for pi, the mathematical constant that is used to determine the area and circumference of a circle. Then again, most people aren’t Eddie Couri. An eighth-grader at St. Philomena School in Peoria, Couri was able to recite […]
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By: Jennifer Willems - March 13, 2019 -
Featured Article
Father Hepner, Holy Family, Nicholas Conner, Peoria Notre Dame, Seminarian, vocations
Nicholas Conner, a graduate of Holy Family School in Peoria and Peoria Notre Dame, was accepted as a seminarian for the Diocese of Peoria last year and is studying at Mount St. Mary's Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland. (Photo by Nellie Photography)
Nicholas Conner tried to ignore it, but God’s call to explore the priesthood wouldn’t go away. “In moments of prayer and contemplation, that’s how it would always come back,” said the Peoria native and graduate of Holy Family School and Peoria Notre Dame. “I could never shake it.” Now he doesn’t want to. Accepted as […]
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By: Jennifer Willems - March 13, 2019 -
News Article
Father Stirniman, Martens, St. Patrick, Traveling Vocations Crucifix, Wapella
Clint Martens holds the Traveling Vocations Crucifix that has been hosted in his family's home on several occasions since Vocatoin Awareness Week last November. With him and wife Judy are their daughters Claire Martens (left) and Abby Davis of Atwood. (The Catholic Post/Jennifer Willems)
WAPELLA — It comes as no surprise to the members of St. Patrick Parish here that there is a need for more vocations to the priesthood and religious life. For many years, the lively little parish in De Witt County had a resident pastor, who also served as chaplain at Central Catholic High School in […]
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