Photo Caption: Johnnette Benkovic opened and closed her keynote talks at the Conference for the Widowed and Divorced with prayer. By: By Jennifer Willems There is no escaping the cross and that’s OK by Johnnette Benkovic. “Whatever our circumstance is in life, whatever cross God entrusts to us, God wants to use it for our […]
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Photo Caption: Nikki Chandler of St. Patrick’s Parish, Washington, chats with speaker Johnnette Benkovic after the inaugural Mother-Daughter Tea hosted by the diocesan Office of Evangelization on June 15. By: By Jennifer Willems No matter what they might have been feeling when they came to the Spalding Pastoral Center in Peoria to have tea with […]
Continue readingBy: By Jennifer Willems When it comes to winning souls for Christ, witness is much more effective than a war of words, according to lay evangelist Johnnette Benkovic. “The idea is not to convince someone. You may know the best thing for them is faith, but you have to respect where that person is,” she […]
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Photo Caption: This billboard message is seen by hundreds of drivers every day along Route 51 north of the DeWitt County village of Wapella. By: By Jennifer Willems WAPELLA — Be sure to look up as you drive north on Route 51 coming out of Wapella. The members of St. Patrick’s Church have a special […]
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Photo Caption: Bishop Jenky extends his hand in blessing over Stevan Sanchez of St. Hyacinth’s Parish, LaSalle, before they have their photo taken at the diocesan Mass for First Communicants on June 9. By: By Jennifer Willems It didn’t take long for the little hands of the children who had made their First Communion this […]
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Photo Caption: Sister Roberta Houlihan, CSJ, and Sister Mary Shryock, CSJ, at the piano in their house on Wagner Lane in Peoria, near Holy Family Church. By: By Jennifer Willems Moving from a six-bedroom house to a room with closet space for three habits presents certain challenges, but nothing that Sister Roberta Houlihan, CSJ, and […]
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Photo Caption: Clockwise from lower left, newly ordained priests Father Johnathan Steffen, Father Joel Phelps, Father Timothy Hepner, and Father Daniel Gifford process from the cathedral after the May 26 Mass. By: By Tom Dermody The ordination of four new priests for the Diocese of Peoria on May 26 not only filled St. Mary’s Cathedral […]
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Photo Caption: All Catholic churches in the Diocese of Peoria will ring their bells at 11 a.m. on July 4 as one of the promotions of religious freedom planned during the June 21 to July 4 “Fortnight for Freedom.” The ringing of church bells and Sunday homilies devoted to the subject are just two ways […]
Continue readingCatholic around the Diocese of Peoria will be urged to enroll in a new statewide informational effort called the Illinois Catholic Advocacy Network, or “I-CAN,” during the approaching “Fortnight for Freedom.” Cards explaining the network and encouraging sign-up have been sent to every parish. Those taking part will receive occasional email updates from the Catholic […]
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Photo Caption: Wearing her baptismal robe, Michelle Neumann of St. Maria Goretti Parish in Coal Valley receives Communion at the June 3 Mass for new Catholics. By: By Jennifer Willems The minute she got the letter inviting her to the Mass for New Catholics at St. Mary’s Cathedral last Sunday, Michelle Neumann made a call […]
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