Thirty-five priests and deacons gathered last Thursday at the Spalding Pastoral Center in Peoria to learn ways to be effective mediators of Christ’s love and healing for women and men who suffer from post-abortion trauma. “Make us instruments of your peace and witnesses of your love, especially for those who carry the cross of abortion,” […]
Continue readingMONMOUTH — The coat was amazing, the costumes colorful, and the performances polished, but the most remarkable aspect of Immaculate Conception School’s production of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” was that all 142 students were involved. “Every child from kindergarten through eighth grade will participate somehow, some way,” promised Alisa Ramer, director and accompanist, […]
Continue readingThe Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing will hold its spring open house on Saturday, April 4, from 9 a.m. to noon at the college, 511 N.E. Greenleaf St., Peoria. Tours of the campus, which is adjacent to OSF Saint Francis Medical Center, will be available, along with information about the new doctor of […]
Continue readingROCK ISLAND — Women are invited to experience life as a Benedictine Sister at St. Mary Monastery, 2200 88th Ave. West, over two weekends, March 27-29 and May 8-10. Those who attend will have an opportunity to discover how the Benedictines are different from other religious communities in terms of community life and prayer. While […]
Continue readingRating: O (R) NEW YORK (CNS) — The following is a capsule review of a movie recently reviewed by the Office for Film & Broadcasting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Glossy remake of horrormeister Wes Craven’s influential, low-budget thriller from 1972 pits the parents (Tony Goldwyn and Monica Potter) of a 17-year-old girl […]
Continue readingWASHINGTON (CNS) — “Adopt-a-seminarian” programs to support and encourage young men studying for the priesthood are pretty common in U.S. dioceses, and programs like that for young women could help foster vocations to religious life, said Benedictine Sister Michelle Catherine Sinkhorn. Sister Michelle is co-director of vocation ministries at the monastery of the Sisters of […]
Continue readingPORTLAND, Ore. (CNS) — Oregon’s annual report on assisted suicide showed that doctors helped 60 patients take their lives in 2008. That marked the highest annual total since the Oregon Death With Dignity Act went into effect 11 years ago. In all, 401 Oregonians have died by the legal lethal prescriptions, which are legal only […]
Continue readingYAOUNDE, Cameroon (CNS) — Pope Benedict XVI, on his first full day in Africa, encouraged Cameroon’s bishops to be strong preachers of the Gospel and vigilant shepherds on matters of priestly formation and behavior, liturgical dignity and Christian marriage. Emphasizing the church’s missionary task, the pope said bishops must first of all be religious educators […]
Continue readingOne week after 4,000 Catholics filled the Capitol Rotunda for the first “Catholics at the Capitol” gathering, the Illinois House’s Human Services Committee voted out a bill Wednesday that should motivate action from Catholic households around the state. The Reproductive Health and Access Act — dubbed Illinois’ version of the “Freedom of Choice Act” being […]
Continue readingBy: By Barbara Roedel Third Sunday of Lent, March 15 Exodus 20:1-17; Psalm 19:8,9,10,11; 1 Corinthians 1:22-25; John 2:13-25. (When the First Scrutiny is celebrated, these readings may be used: Exodus 17:3-7; Psalm 95:1-2,6-7,8-9; Romans 5:1-2,5-8; John 4:5-42) Last week the disciples got a peek at who Jesus was and what he was about in […]
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