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For impoverished children, joy will arrive in 1,014 boxes from around our diocese

By: Jennifer Willems - November 21, 2018 - Featured Article Boxes of Joy, Brimfield, Cross Catholic Outreach, Father Andru O'Brien, Nympha White, St. Joseph, Tina Windish

Father Andru O'Brien blesses the shipping boxes containing nearly 300 Boxes of Joy that were filled at St. Jude Parish and School in Peoria. The effort was organized by Marilyn Rusk, who stands to his right. The parish's donation helped to triple the number of Christmas packages that were sent to Cross Catholic Outreach from St. Joseph in Brimfield, which served as a drop-off site for the second year. (Provided photo)

Cross Catholic Outreach was hoping to put a Christmas smile on the faces of 70,000 children through this year’s Box of Joy program, and parishes around the Diocese of Peoria provided 1,014 of those smiles. The program invites people to fill a shoebox-size container with gifts for a girl or boy in one of three […]

Pair’s ‘Bearded Wisdom’ podcast shares faith, humor at U of I . . . and beyond

By: Jennifer Willems - November 21, 2018 - Featured Article Bearded Wisdom, Champaign, Heath Morber, podcast, Shawn Reeves, St. John's Catholic Newman Center

Shawn Reeves, left, director of religious education at St. John's Catholic Newman Center at the University of Illinois in Champaign, and Heath Morber, director of music, have a rapport that makes their new podcast, "Bearded Wisdom," easy to listen to. (Provided photo)

CHAMPAIGN — It’s not often that talk about baseball cards leads to a deeper discussion about faith, but somehow Shawn Reeves and Heath Morber make it work during their new podcast, “Bearded Wisdom.” “Providing insights on Catholic culture and faith,” the podcast is part of Catholic Illini ministry at St. John’s Catholic Newman Center. Reeves […]

Spreading the good news about benefits of state’s tax credit scholarship program

By: Jennifer Willems - November 21, 2018 - Featured Article Catholic schools, Invest in Illinois, Jerry Sanderson, Peoria Notre Dame, tax credit scholarships

Dr. Anthony Holter, executive director of Empower Illinois, gives an overview of the Invest in Kids Act during a workshop for Catholic school leaders on Nov. 15 at Peoria Notre Dame High School. (The Catholic Post/Jennifer Willems)

Committed to making the second year of the tax credit scholarship program better than the first year, leaders from Empower Illinois recently worked with Catholic school principals, pastors and teams from around the Diocese of Peoria to deepen their understanding of the Invest in Kids Act and help them brainstorm ways to spread the word […]

‘Alleged miracle’ story a highlight of PDCCW convention Oct. 27

By: Jennifer Willems - November 7, 2018 - News Article alleged miracle, Bonnie Engstrom, Fulton Sheen

Bonnie Engstrom stands in front of a photo of Venerable Fulton J. Sheen as she concludes her presentation on the alleged miraculous healing of her son, James Fulton Engstrom, that is attributed to Sheen's intercession. (The Catholic Post/Jennifer Willems)

CHAMPAIGN — Even after eight years, Bonnie Engstrom gets choked up when she tells the story of her son’s birth and the role she believes Venerable Fulton J. Sheen played in his miraculous healing. “Officially this is an alleged miracle,” Engstrom was quick to point out at the beginning of her talk at the 2018 […]

First year of tax credit scholarships sees ‘overwhelming demand’; donors sought

By: Jennifer Willems - November 7, 2018 - News Article Anthony Holter, Empower Illinois, Invest in Kids Act, tax credit scholarships

(UPDATED Nov. 9, 2018, to reflect a change of location for the Nov. 15 training meeting from the Spalding Pastoral Center to Peoria Notre Dame.) The first year of tax credit scholarships awarded as part of the Invest in Kids Act is coming to an end, but the work is just beginning for schools, parents […]

Overall Catholic school enrollment slips in diocese, but bright spots evident

By: Jennifer Willems - November 7, 2018 - Featured Article Catholic schools, enrollment, Jerry Sanderson, Kewanee, Visitation School

Sheila Cromien, principal of Visitaton Catholic School in Kewanee, and Father Johndamaseni Zilimu, pastor, sit in the middle of the school's students and teachers as the academic year begins. While enrollment has dropped in diocesan schools, Visitation's principal and pastor have worked to increase enrollment there by nearly 55 percent over the last five years. (Provided photo)

Enrollment in the 42 Catholic schools of the Diocese of Peoria has declined by 307 students since last year, but there are some bright spots to be found among the numbers. With 8,185 elementary students and 2,026 secondary students, the schools enroll a total of 10,211 children. The total last year was 10,518, with 8,427 […]

Women connect, encourage one another at convention in Champaign

By: Jennifer Willems - November 7, 2018 - Featured Article Diocesan Council of Catholic Women, Joann Hillebrand, Kim Padan, National Council of Catholic Women

Bobbi Hynes of St. Mary, Bloomington, shares a concern about those who are leaving the church as part the morning session at the 2018 biennial convention of the Peoria Diocesan Council of Catholic Women. Speaker Joann Hillebrand said the National Council of Catholic Women was formed nearly 100 years ago to "unite the efforts of women in the church, in family and in society." (The Catholic Post/Jennifer Willems)

CHAMPAIGN — All organizations struggle from time to time. The same is true of the National Council of Catholic Women, said former president Joann Hillebrand of Oakbrook. “There are times where you’re barely existing, where you’re having difficulty getting people to come to your meetings, having parishes affiliate. Stick with it. Eventually you’ll be strong […]

The Post seeks stories, photos of Nativity sets for ‘Christmas Greetings’

By: Jennifer Willems - October 30, 2018 - News Article

This Fontanini Nativity scene was featured last year as part of the Community Festival of Nativities in Peoria. What Nativity set holds special meaning for you and your family? The Catholic Post file photo/Jennifer Willems

For many people, the celebration of Christmas would not be complete without their Nativity set — or some cases, Nativity sets. Churches and schools around the Diocese of Peoria will be displaying at least one, and for this year’s “Christmas Greetings” section, The Catholic Post would like to know about yours. Where did it (or […]

Sophia’s Kitchen in Peoria seeks help for Christmas basket packing on Dec. 15

By: Jennifer Willems - October 30, 2018 - News Article

As the need grows for Christmas baskets filled with food for the patrons of Sophia’s Kitchen in Peoria, so do the number of volunteers who want to make that happen. That’s a blessing, according to Claire Crone, program director. It has also become a challenge as the parish center at St. Joseph Church, where Sophia’s […]

Benedictine retreat house in Rock Island becomes a ‘center of compassion’

By: Jennifer Willems - October 29, 2018 - Featured Article Benet House Retreat Center, Sister Bobbi Bussan, Sister Joyce Rupp

The new Compassion Team at Benet House Retreat Center in Rock Island is shown with Sister Joyce Rupp, OSM (second from left), who trained them. Team members are Jan Gull, Sister Bobbi Bussan, OSB, director of Benet House, and Elaine Olson. Provided photo

ROCK ISLAND — If the world is going to be at peace, it may be compassion that turns things around. The Sisters of St. Benedict of St. Mary Monastery are doing what they can to support that by making their Benet House Retreat Center a “center of compassion,” according to Sister Bobbi Bussan, OSB, director. […]

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