Archives

Diocesan Summer Institute returns June 4 as free gift with Year of Mercy theme

The Diocesan Summer Institute is back. “Into the Depths of Mercy” is the theme for the gathering, which will be held Saturday, June 4, from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Peoria Civic Center. It is being relaunched at the request of Bishop Daniel R. Jenky, CSC, who is offering it as a gift […]

Continue reading

‘Jesus princesses’ celebrate, learn God’s plan at diocese’s Mother-Daughter Tea

Lucy Twait embraces her daughter Lilly as she shares the special qualities and gifts the girl has brought to their family. Members of St. Luke Parish in Eureka, they took part in a Mother-Daughter Fertility Appreciation Tea at the Spalding Pastoral Center in Peoria on April 30. (The Catholic Post/Jennifer Willems)

Tea, finger sandwiches and cookies were served with smiles and some serious talk last Saturday as a roomful of “Jesus princesses” learned why their dignity as daughters of God should be respected and safeguarded. The Mother-Daughter Fertility Appreciation Tea brought the girls and their mothers, godmothers, grandmothers and “aunties” to the Spalding Pastoral Center in […]

Continue reading

‘Pint size heroes’ make St. Mary School blood drive the tops in McLean County

As Kelly Gentsch, a fifth grade teacher at St. Mary School in Bloomington, prepares to give blood during a drive the school hosted on April 29, she answers questions from her children Maddie and Cole. The technician is Rayscha Hardwick. (The Catholic Post/Tom Dermody)

BLOOMINGTON — In just eight years, a blood drive hosted by St. Mary School has become the largest annual one-day donation event in McLean County. “I can’t believe what it’s become,” said Susan Bassi, a physical education and health teacher, as she stood in the school gym where the American Red Cross had set up […]

Continue reading

Year of Mercy bags boost home prayer for Epiphany School families in Normal

Molli Wey and Summer Clark look over the materials in the Year of Mercy bag before the Epiphany School third-grader takes it home. She's the first one in her family to get the bag and said she was looking forward to praying the rosary. (The Catholic Post/Jennifer Willems)

NORMAL — It’s not unusual for homework and other important information to go home with the students of Epiphany Catholic School each week, but that looks a little different during the Jubilee Year of Mercy. Msgr. Eric Powell, pastor, and religion teacher Karen Overby collaborated to develop 10 Year of Mercy bags filled with prayer […]

Continue reading

Students design award-winning compost project, invite other schools to follow

LJ Higgs drops a banana peel into the compost bin after lunch hour at St. Jude Catholic School in Peoria. The bin is part of the "Kids Can Create Compost" project that repurposes more than 100 pounds of food scraps a month. (The Catholic Post/Tom Dermody)

While they are very good with robot design, members of the First Lego League team from St. Jude Catholic School in Peoria – known as the Firecrackers – are also making noise for their skills in cooperating with God’s design for the planet. A composting project the eight-member team organized at their school helped the […]

Continue reading

Chillicothe group promotes prayers for bringing non-practicing Catholics back

For their work to organize the Mary and Monica Helpers at St. Edward Parish in Chillicothe, Gail Kruse and Diane Hahn received the Imperative Award at the DCCW's Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon April 14. They are pictured with Msgr. Dale Wellman, DCCW spiritual adviser. (The Catholic Post/Jennifer Willems)

CHILLICOTHE — Established as a way to pray people back into the practice of their faith, the Mary and Monica Helpers at St. Edward Parish created a prayer book that members can personalize with their own holy cards, prayers and petitions, according to Diane Hahn, president. Two of the prayers are specific to the group, […]

Continue reading

Mother-Daughter Tea on April 30 specially invites girls ages 10 to 13

Dr. Jillian Stalling (left) and Shirley Plaag will speak at the Mother and Daughter Tea on April 30 in Peoria.

Body and soul will be fed at the Mother and Daughter Tea that will be held on Saturday, April 30, at the Spalding Pastoral Center in Peoria. Planned for 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., it is being co-sponsored by the Respect Life Ministry of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Peoria and OSF FertilityCare. Cecilia […]

Continue reading

Seminarian Nic Wilson creates bust of Bishop Spalding for museum exhibit

Seminarian Nic Wilson shows a picture of Bishop John Lancaster Spalding as he poses with a likeness of the Diocese of Peoria's founding bishop that he created in clay. This was his first attempt. A second version is now a part of a new exhibit at the diocesan museum honoring Bishop Spalding on the centennial of his death.

The bust of Archbishop John Lancaster Spalding that peers at visitors to his new exhibit at the Museums of the Diocese of Peoria is surrounded by artifacts more than a century old, including a chalice from 1878 and vestments the first Bishop of Peoria wore at his episcopal silver jubilee in 1902. The age of […]

Continue reading

WIU Newman Center students fill CCD teaching need at St. Bernard, Bushnell

Sophie Peterson, Joe Hoerdeman and Maggie Wallace are students from the St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Newman Center at Western Illinois University who are completing a year of teaching CCD at St. Bernard Parish in Bushnell. (Provided photo)

BUSHNELL — When St. Bernard Parish here switched from a home-based faith formation program to a classroom setting for religious education a year ago, Father Dominic Vitaliano turned to college students at Western Illinois University in Macomb to help fill a need for teachers. It turned out to be a winning idea, not only for […]

Continue reading

Sisters from Colona, Atkinson parishes carry on family tradition of service

Marian Mitchell (left) of St. Patrick in Colona, and Verna May of St. Anthony in Atkinson are sisters who were among the volunteers honored by the Peoria Diocesan Council of Catholic Women this year. (The Catholic Post/Jennifer Willems)

EDITOR’S NOTE: Following is a snapshot of two of the 45 volunteers honored by the Peoria Diocesan Council of Catholic Women during its annual Volunteer Appreciation Mass and Luncheon on April 14.  Click here for a story on the event and a complete list of honorees. Ever since she retired, Marian Mitchell of St. Patrick […]

Continue reading
SPALDING PASTORAL CENTER | 419 NE MADISON AVENUE | PEORIA, IL 61603 | PHONE (309) 671-1550 | FAX (309) 671-1595
© Copyright 2026 - The Catholic Post || All Rights Reserved || Design by TBare.com