Figure skater Gracie Gold didn’t just walk out on the ice and expect to do a triple axel the first time she laced up skates. Skier Ted Ligety didn’t get to the mountaintops of Sochi, Russia — and the gold medal podium — without first swooshing down hundreds of others. And who would dare try […]
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By: By Sharon Priester Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time, March 2 Isaiah 49:14-15; Psalm 62:2-3,67,8-9; 1 Corinthians 4:1-5; Matthew 6:24-34 This week’s first reading begins with, “The Lord has forsaken me; my Lord has forgotten me.” The Israelites in exile are discouraged, ready to give up. There probably have been times in our lives that […]
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Photo Caption: Msgr. Swetland, a priest of the Diocese of Peoria, now serves as vice president for Catholic identity/mission at Mount St. Mary University in Emmitsburg, Md, and hosts a Catholic radio call-in show. PONTIAC — Msgr. Stuart Swetland will return to the Diocese of Peoria Feb. 23-25 to help Catholics in the Pontiac vicariate […]
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Photo Caption: Father James Marchionda, OP, a composer of more than 100 sacred music compositions, will lead the mission at Blessed Sacrament Parish on the theme “A New Moment for Catholic Spirituality.” MORTON — Father James Marchionda, OP, a popular preacher and composer of more than 100 sacred music compositions, will offer a parish mission […]
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Photo Caption: This “Theotokos, the God Bearer” icon was created in colored pencils by Jill Rodts of Milan, coordinator of “Art of Faith” set for Feb. 22-23 at Farrell Hall of St. Pius X Parish. ROCK ISLAND — The work of Catholic artists and musicians from throughout the region will be featured in the third […]
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Photo Caption: Bishop Daniel R. Jenky, CSC, greets Pope Francis following the pope’s meeting on Jan. 30 with a delegation from the University of Notre Dame. Bishop Jenky is a university trustee. VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Catholic universities must give “uncompromising” and “unambiguous” witness to church teaching and defend themselves from all efforts to dilute […]
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Photo Caption: Showing the uniforms of American Heritage Girls are Giuliana Piccione of St. Mary, Metamora, and Sarah Brabec of St. Jude, Peoria. There were new faces, and uniforms, at this year’s diocesan Scout Mass on Feb. 9. Nearly 30 girls from newly formed American Heritage Girls troops representing St. Jude Parish in Peoria and […]
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ROANOKE — A funeral Mass was celebrated on Feb. 11 at St. Joseph Church here for Deacon Andrew Heckman, 45, a permanent deacon of the Diocese of Peoria. Deacon Heckman died on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2014, at the University of Chicago Hospital in Chicago, where he had undergone a heart and kidney transplant on Feb. […]
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By: By Sharon Priester Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Feb. 16 Sirach 15:15-20; Psalm 119:1-2,4-5,17-18,33-34; 1 Corinthians 2:6-10; Matthew 5:17-37 Just recently, as my husband and I were watching the news, Scott Pelley introduced an “On the Road” segment by Steve Hartman titled “N.C. man finds silver lining after ALS diagnosis.” I was struck by […]
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Editor’s note: Following is the full text of the homily given by Msgr. Charles Beebe at the funeral Mass celebrated Feb. 11 at St. Joseph’s Church in Roanoke for Deacon Andy Heckman. Deacon Heckman’s obituary appears here. —– The life of each one of us can be thought of as a series of stories which […]
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