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These are among the parishes that Coadjutor Bishop Louis Tylka has pledged to pray for by name in January 2021. The full January list is found at the end of this story, and The Catholic Post will publish Bishop Tylka's specific parish and religious community prayer intentions and corresponding dates each month.

Catholic schools around the Diocese of Peoria used a variety of ways to keep students engaged after they returned to remote learning only on Nov. 18. At Visitation Catholic School in Kewanee, for example, principal Wayne Brau and the teachers took turns reading books to the students, with videos posted to the school's Facebook page. Here, Mr. Brau shares his favorite book, "The Story of Ferdinand." Teachers may be reading stories directly to the students again as permission has been given to start in-person instruction on Jan. 5.

As “elves” Philip Lee and Ben Wilson look on, Bishop Daniel R. Jenky, CSC, reads “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” which is better known as “’Twas the Night Before Christmas,” by Clement Clarke Moore. (The Catholic Post/Jennifer Willems)

Nurse Savanah Crull receives the Pfizer COVID -19 vaccine from Clinical Practice Coordinator Hannah Harrison at OSF HealthCare St. Joseph Medical Center in Bloomington on Dec. 18. (OSF HealthCare photo)

Deacon Joe Knapp, pastoral care manager at OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria, blesses a new OSF facility in this Catholic Post file photo. While there are heartbreaking things within hospital walls -- especially in this time of pandemic -- "our fellow mission partners spread a lot of light because they live the mission,” says Deacon Knapp.

Bishop Tylka lifts the monstrance containing the Blessed Sacrament during a Holy Hour of diocesan prayer in a time of pandemic last December at St. Mary's Cathedral. (The Catholic Post/Tom Dermody)

Father Andru O’Brien, parochial vicar for St. Jude Parish in Peoria, celebrates an evening Mass in the church parking lot last month. St. Jude is among the parishes in the Diocese of Peoria planning parking lot Masses or Communion services on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day as one option to celebrate Jesus’ birth as a parish community while also keeping people safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Courtesy photo/Daryl Wilson)

The theme of the 2020 Annual Diocesan Appeal is "Know, Love, Serve." It was conducted primarily through direct mail this year because of the pandemic.

Dr. Victor Chan, chief of emergency services at OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria, receives the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine on Dec. 15. Looking on is Robert Anderson, president of the medical center. (Provided photo/OSF Newsroom

Coadjutor Bishop Louis Tylka celebrates a Mass at the tomb of Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen at St. Mary's Cathedral in Peoria on Dec. 9, the 41st anniversary of the media pioneer's death. Assisting are seminarians Deacon Nicolas Wilson, left, and Deacon Austin Bosse. The Mass followed a nine-day novena praying for Archbishop Sheen's canonization cause. (The Catholic Post/Tom Dermody)