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The final procession -- including Msgr. Philip Halfacre, pastor, and Father Ignacio Cárdenas, parochial vicar -- leaves St. Stephen Church in Streator at the conclusion of the 10:30 a.m. Mass on Oct. 1. The church is now permanently closed for safety reasons following the discovery of a badly deteriorating foundation. All liturgical activities of St. Michael the Archangel Parish are now taking place at St. Anthony of Padua Church. (The Catholic Post/Tom Dermody)

Ella Griffith, a freshman at Central Catholic High School in Bloomington, shows the newly installed Hallow app on her phone. Bishop Louis Tylka has provided the popular prayer app to all Catholic high school students in the diocese to help remind them to pray, teach them new ways to pray, and deepen their prayer lives. (The Catholic Post/Tom Dermody)

The Chorale Seraphique (“angelic choir”) led the assembly in song -- and dance -- at a Mass celebrating the 20th anniversary of the welcoming of the African Catholic community at Christ the King Parish in Moline on Sept. 24. The choir and most of the assembly wore ceremonial dress with fabric from Africa created especially for the occasion. (The Catholic Post/Paul Thomas Moore)

Members of the Nelson family of Macomb are shown at St. Paul School during an assembly in their honor on Sept. 11. On Sept. 8, after three years as foster siblings, David, Victoria, Mylee, Anthony, and Mystori officially joined Zachary and Elizabeth as children of Brandon and Kelly. The Nelsons are praying the Illinois Invest in Kids Act Tax Scholarship Program will be extended so the six younger children can continue to attend St. Paul School together. From left are Laura Cody, principal of St. Paul School, and Nelson family members Anthony, 10, father Brandon, David, 5, Elizabeth, 9, Mylee, 9, Victoria, 6, Zachary, 11, and mother Kelly. Mystori, 12, not pictured, is in junior high. (Provided photo)

St. Stephen Church in Streator, built in 1908, has been the primary worship site of St. Michael the Archangel Parish since it was formed in 2010. A badly deteriorating foundation means the edifice will be permanently abandoned following a final Mass on Oct. 1, with future parishes Masses taking place in St. Anthony Church. (Photo from stmichael-streator.org)