By: By Jennifer Willems “I can be a little imp,” Edie Pearson admits with a laugh that is familiar to anyone who is acquainted with her. In fact, she is known as “Edie Elf” for her regular e-mail reminders of how many months it is until Christmas, which start to arrive almost as soon as […]
Continue readingBy: By Jennifer Willems It’s true that the Year for Priests ended last weekend, but it wasn’t evident last Wednesday as 29 priests were honored for their years of service to the people of God in central Illinois, and two newly ordained priests were welcomed. Bishop Daniel R. Jenky, CSC, celebrated the annual Jubilarian Mass […]
Continue readingBy: By Tom Dermody MACOMB — As a NASA engineer involved in the Apollo and shuttle projects, Roy Runkle formerly launched rockets into space. Now, as a newly ordained priest at age 70, the Macomb native says with a smile that he is “launching souls to heaven.” This Father’s Day weekend had special meaning for […]
Continue readingBy: By Tom Dermody “St. Vincent de Paul School, Mary Davis speaking.” For 37 years, that greeting has welcomed callers to St. Vincent de Paul School in Peoria. At the end of June, Mrs. Davis — who has served six principals as school secretary and been the gatekeeper for thousands of students and visitors — […]
Continue readingCOAL VALLEY — As a member of the Moline High School cross country team, Eric White has been in a lot of races. On the morning of Saturday, June 26, the 17-year-old incoming senior will be leading two runs in Coal Valley, but the “winners” will likely be people he’ll never see. Eric, a member […]
Continue readingURBANA — Love was in the air last Tuesday night at the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts at the University of Illinois, and Father Stan Fortuna, CFR, did his best to fan the flames. In this case, the flames belonged to the Holy Spirit and it was a greater love for God and their […]
Continue readingPersons attending the first Diocesan Conference for the Widowed and Divorced on Saturday, June 26, at the Spalding Pastoral Center in Peoria will return home with more than knowledge gained from keynote presentations and workshops. They’ll also receive a newly produced, 11-minute DVD in which Bishop Daniel R. Jenky, CSC, offers a “Message for the […]
Continue readingBy: By Tom Dermody (Note: To view dozens of photos from this event, click on the “Post Photos” icon at left.) For the Olsen family from St. Patrick’s Parish in Washington, coming to the annual diocesan Mass for First Holy Communicants has become a “family tradition.” This year James and Amy Olsen’s son Jameson was […]
Continue readingTouching, “well-written” and “uplifting” were among the adjectives judges used to describe a story by Catholic Post assistant editor Jennifer Willems that earned second place honors for Best News Writing (Local/Regional) from the Catholic Press Association of the United States and Canada. In the story, headlined “Family is received into the church at 8-year-old’s funeral” […]
Continue readingBy: By Tom Dermody STREATOR — Msgr. John Prendergast said nearly everyone who came to a Red Cross Relief Center set up at St. Stephen’s gym and cafeteria after a tornado ravaged the nearby neighborhood last Saturday night shared a similar thought: “Thank God I’m alive.” “Anything after that, everyone realized, is all a blessing,” […]
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