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St. Joseph Church, Brimfield, a regional drop-off site for ‘Box of Joy’ campaign

By: Jennifer Willems - November 2, 2017 - News Article Brimfield, Cross Catholic Outreach, Father Verrier, gifts, St. Joseph, Williamsfield

Children in Guatemala celebrate receiving "Boxes of Joy" through a campaign sponsored by Cross Catholic Outreach. This year, St. Joseph Church in Brimfield is a regional drop-off center for the boxes, which are to contain gifts for impoverished children in the Caribbean and Central America. (CNS/Cross Catholic Outreach)

BRIMFIELD — Providing holiday hope and joy to poor children halfway around the world may seem like a daunting task, but members of St. Joseph Parish in Brimfield and St. James Parish in Williamsfield are determined to do what they can, one child at a time. The Brimfield church has become a drop-off center for […]

Cathedral hosts Red Mass for those in legal profession, civil service

By: Jennifer Willems - October 23, 2017 - News Article cathedral, lawyers, Red Mass

Jaron Bromm, an attorney for Caterpillar Inc., proclaims the second reading at the Diocesan Red Mass on Oct. 15 at St. Mary's Cathedral in Peoria. (The Catholic Post/Jennifer Willems)

Red is the color traditionally associated with the Holy Spirit and the Spirit’s guidance for civil servants, elected leaders and public officials, especially those in the legal profession, was sought more than once at the Diocesan Red Mass last Sunday. Bishop Daniel R. Jenky, CSC, was the celebrant for the annual liturgy at St. Mary’s […]

Local ‘friends’ organize to offer help and hope to needy in Tanzania

By: Jennifer Willems - October 19, 2017 - News Article Dan Smith, Father Deus Byabato, Jeanne Smith, Rafiki Wa Bukoba, Tanzania

"Rafikii" means "friend" in Swahili, so Rafiki Wa Bukoba means "Friends of Bukoba." Dan and Dr. Jeane Smith of Peoria established the foundation after a trip to Tanzania in 2011.

People who visit the remote villages of Tanzania in East Africa won’t find the World Bank or multinational corporations doing business. What they will see is the church, which has provided a foundation in faith, as well as health care and education for more than 100 years. “Back home, the people are very poor. They […]

Christ Child Society one of four ‘families’ for new circle president Kathy Stomberg

By: Jennifer Willems - October 18, 2017 - News Article Christ Child Society, Kathy Stomberg

Kathy Stomberg, a member of St. Anthony Parish in Bartonville, is the new president of the Christ Child Society of Central Illinois, which supplies layettes to babies and families in need through 14 area hospitals. (The Catholic Post/Jennifer Willems)

Kathy Stomberg doesn’t sew, but she has managed to stay busy since joining the Christ Child Society of Central Illinois four years ago. She must have done something right — she has been elected to serve as the organization’s president for the next two years. The word “cheerleader” doesn’t appear in the job description, but […]

‘Keeping the faith’ a major step toward success during freshman year at college

By: Jennifer Willems - October 13, 2017 - Featured Article College, FOCUS, Newman Center, university

Andrew Bilgri, Lisa Hallen and Eric Parks said one of the most important lessons they learned during their freshman year at college was to make their Catholic faith a priority "Being surrounded by people who are faith-oriented changed everything," Parks said. (Provided photos)

Colleges often provide a list of items freshmen will want to bring for their dorm room, but some of the most important things they’ll need to make a success of their first year probably aren’t on that list. Those who “survived” freshman year and thrived advised students to bring a Bible, a rosary and their […]

Hundreds March for Mary in rain at diocese’s culminating Fatima celebration

By: Jennifer Willems - October 12, 2017 - Featured Article Bishop Jenky, Cecilia Soñé, Fatima, March for Mary, Mother Adela

Those who filled St. Mary's Cathedral in Peoria for the March for Mary raise their candles and sing as the statue of Our Lady of Fatima, which was carried throughout the church, returns to the sanctuary. Despite the rain that fell on the pilgrims during the march, coordinator Cecilia Soñé said the experience left her in awe. "The miracle of the sun would occur not as the 'sun' but the 'Son' in the holy sacrifice of the Mass." (The Catholic Post/Jennifer Willems)

If prayers for a sunny day went unanswered last Saturday, they may have been only a few of the petitions that weren’t during the March for Mary through the streets of downtown Peoria. The event was the Diocese of Peoria’s culminating celebration for the 100th anniversary of the Blessed Mother’s appearances to three shepherd children […]

Poised and ready, Peru Catholic School executed its emergency plan Sept. 25

By: Jennifer Willems - October 4, 2017 - News Article

A police-requested evacuation went smoothly at Peru Catholic School and the building became a headquarters for local and state law enforcement after an incident in the school neighborhood on Sept. 25. (Photo from perucatholic.org)

PERU — It was the call no principal wants to get. Peru Catholic School went on a “soft lockdown” early in the day on Sept. 25 after Amy Perona, principal, was notified that the Peru Police Department would be executing a home eviction in the neighborhood. While they didn’t anticipate a problem, they heard the […]

Safety assessments coming to diocesan schools for emergency preparedness

By: Jennifer Willems - October 4, 2017 - Featured Article emergency plan, Kickapoo, preparedness, Schools

During a recent drill, the 19 students in Kathy Mazander's class at St. Mary School in Kickapoo were quietly huddled behind a desk with the lights off and the door locked within seconds. They didn't respond, even when principal Rick Pantages knocked on the door and rattled the handle. That's the goal, he said. In addition, reflective film has been placed on all the windows, so a potential intruder would not be able to look into the classrooms from the outside. (The Catholic Post/Jennifer Willems)

Every Catholic school in the Diocese of Peoria is expected to have an emergency preparedness plan in place and hold drills for a variety of situations, including if there is an active assailant in the building, tornadoes, fires, and even earthquakes. To make certain the schools have everything they need, consultants have been hired to […]

Diocesan pilgrims travel to Oklahoma for beatification of Fr. Stanley Rother

By: Jennifer Willems - October 4, 2017 - Featured Article beatification, Danny McShane, Father Stanley Rother, Msgr. Jason Gray, Oklahoma City, Sr. Loretta Matas

Sister M. Loretta Matas, DSF, of Lacon venerates the relic of Blessed Stanley Rother before the Mass for his beatification begins in Oklahoma City. The regional superior of the Daughters of St. Francis of Assisi, she said to have the beatification take place in the United States was a blessing for the whole church. (The Catholic Post/Jennifer Willems)

OKLAHOMA CITY — No one knows what will be asked of them when they make a commitment to follow Christ. Certainly Father Stanley Rother could not have known that he would be called to make the ultimate sacrifice when he volunteered to serve in the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City’s mission in Guatemala. But on Sept. […]

Post editor shares ‘unique perspective’ of pro-life reporting at Respect Life Dinner

By: Jennifer Willems - October 4, 2017 - Featured Article abortion, Respect Life Dinner, The Catholic Post, Tom Dermody

Tom Dermody, editor of The Catholic Post, shared some of the memorable stories from his 38 years of covering pro-life activity in the Diocese of Peoria as keynote speaker of the annual Respect Life Dinner on Oct. 1. (The Catholic Post/Jennifer Willems)

While food for thought is always served along with an excellent meal at the annual Respect Life Dinner in Peoria, guests also received helpings of praise, hope and encouragement when Tom Dermody, editor of The Catholic Post, exchanged his notebook and camera for a spot behind the microphone. More than 150 people gathered at Barrack’s […]

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