The Catholic Post Tag: Peoria Notre Dame - Page 2

Catholic schools honor memory of one of their own on St. Patrick’s Day

By: Jennifer Willems - March 17, 2019 - News Article Peoria Notre Dame, Randy Simmons, St. Patrick's Day

The Peoria Notre Dame Band prepares to step off from the mall in front of the Spalding Pastoral Center in Peoria on March 17. They led representatives from 11 more Catholic schools in who marched in the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Peoria in honor of principal Randy Simmons, who died Feb. 19. (The Catholic Post/Jennifer Willems)

Catholic schools from the Peoria area and surrounding communities had their own gathering of the clans March 17 as they marched as one behind Bishop Daniel R. Jenky, CSC, through the streets of downtown Peoria for the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. They did it to honor the memory of one of their own — Randy […]

Gradual process took him to seminary and now he tells others: ‘Be not afraid’

By: Jennifer Willems - March 13, 2019 - Featured Article Father Hepner, Holy Family, Nicholas Conner, Peoria Notre Dame, Seminarian, vocations

Nicholas Conner, a graduate of Holy Family School in Peoria and Peoria Notre Dame, was accepted as a seminarian for the Diocese of Peoria last year and is studying at Mount St. Mary's Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland. (Photo by Nellie Photography)

Nicholas Conner tried to ignore it, but God’s call to explore the priesthood wouldn’t go away. “In moments of prayer and contemplation, that’s how it would always come back,” said the Peoria native and graduate of Holy Family School and Peoria Notre Dame. “I could never shake it.” Now he doesn’t want to. Accepted as […]

Bishop appoints Sister Sara Kowal, SCTJM, as principal of Peoria Notre Dame

By: The Catholic Post - March 13, 2019 - News Article Peoria Notre Dame, principal, Randy Simmons, SCTJM, Sister Sara Kowal

Sister Sara Kowal, SCTJM

Bishop Daniel R. Jenky, CSC, has appointed Sister Sara Kowal, SCTJM, to serve as principal of Peoria Notre Dame High School for the remainder of the current academic year. The announcement was made March 6. Sister Sara, who has taught theology and directed campus ministry at the school for seven years, was to have succeeded […]

#PNDtogether: A grieving community unites in prayer, love, remembrance

By: Jennifer Willems - February 27, 2019 - Uncategorized Bishop Jenky, Father Kyle Lucas, grief, Peoria Notre Dame, Randy Simmons, Sister Sara Kowal

In the week between Randy Simmons' Feb. 19 death and Feb. 26 funeral, students at Peoria Notre Dame High School found creative ways to support and encourage one another, and pay tribute to their beloved principal. (Provided photo)

The morning after his death, Randy Simmons was remembered during an all-school Mass at Peoria Notre Dame High School, where he had served as principal for six years. Bishop Daniel R. Jenky, CSC, was the main celebrant for the liturgy and in his homily he called Simmons “a gifted educator” and man of strong faith. […]

Emotional week as Peoria Notre Dame mourns death of principal Randy Simmons

By: Jennifer Willems - February 27, 2019 - Featured Article Father David Richardson, funeral, Peoria Notre Dame, Randy Simmons

Bishop Daniel R. Jenky, CSC, joined the Peoria Notre Dame High School community Feb. 20 to offer a Mass in remembrance of principal Randy Simmons, who died unexpectedly on Feb. 19. Many of the priests from Peoria-area parishes concelebrated and provided spiritual support and comfort to the students after the liturgy. (The Catholic Post/Jennifer Willems)

After an emotional week for the Peoria Notre Dame High School community, family and friends, principal Randy L. Simmons was laid to rest on Feb. 26. A funeral Mass was offered at St. Philomena Church in Peoria, with Father David Richardson, pastor, as the celebrant and homilist. Several priests, including Father Kyle Lucas, chaplain at […]

The full text of Bishop Jenky’s homily at Peoria Notre Dame all-school Mass Feb. 20

By: The Catholic Post - February 20, 2019 - Uncategorized Bishop Jenky homily, Mass, Peoria Notre Dame, Randy Simmons

Bishop Daniel R. Jenky, CSC, joined the Peoria Notre Dame High School community Feb. 20 to offer a Mass in remembrance of principal Randy Simmons, who died unexpectedly on Feb. 19. Many of the priests from Peoria-area parishes concelebrated and provided spiritual support and comfort to the students after the liturgy. (The Catholic Post/Jennifer Willems)

EDITOR’S NOTE: The Peoria Notre Dame High School community gathered Feb. 20 for a rosary and Mass to remember principal Randy Simmons, who died unexpectedly at home the previous day at the age of 61. (See related stories here.) Bishop Daniel R. Jenky, CSC, was the main celebrant for the all-school Mass, which was offered […]

Sr. Sara Kowal, SCTJM, named to succeed Randy Simmons at Peoria Notre Dame

By: Jennifer Willems - February 6, 2019 - Featured Article Peoria Notre Dame, Randy Simmons, Sister Sara Kowal SCTJM

Randy Simmons is pictured on Feb. 1 with Father Kyle Lucas, chaplain of Peoria Notre Dame, and Sister Sara Kowal, SCTJM. (The Catholic Post/Jennifer Willems)

Catholic Schools Week came to an end at Peoria Notre Dame High School with a new beginning as Sister Sara Kowal, SCTJM, was welcomed as the new principal. The applause was led by Randy Simmons, the principal at the college preparatory school for the last six years, who will be retiring at the end of […]

Area students at national March for Life know they’re on ‘right part of history’

By: Tom Dermody - January 31, 2019 - Featured Article Central Catholic, D.C., March for Life, Marquette Academy, Peoria Notre Dame, Saint Thomas More, Schlarman Academy, Washington

The 46 students and chaperones from Central Catholic High School in Bloomington pose for a group photo outside the U.S. Capitol on the day they took part in the national March for Life in Washington, D.C. (Provided photo)

Whether it was their first time among the more than 100,000 at the March for Life in Washington, D.C., or their 16th, the immense annual peaceful demonstration against legal abortion left a lasting impression on the hundreds of high school participants and co-travelers from the Diocese of Peoria. “I really wanted to see the scale […]

Randy Simmons, Distinguished Principal of the Year, shows love and lives faith

By: Jennifer Willems - January 18, 2019 - Uncategorized Distinguished Principal, Peoria Notre Dame, Randy Simmons

Randy Simmons holds an impromptu meeting with John Alwan, Ben Ramsey, Sarah Rashid, Luke Carroll and Quinn Pallardy in his office at Peoria Notre Dame High School. "If you truly love what you do, really not work," he said. (The Catholic Post/Jennifer Willems)

In his “Leadership Development” class at Peoria Notre Dame, Randy Simmons tells the juniors and seniors, “You never have to work a day in your life if you’re passionate about what you do. The money comes and it goes, but if you truly love what you do, it’s really not work.” He speaks from experience. […]

Spreading the good news about benefits of state’s tax credit scholarship program

By: Jennifer Willems - November 21, 2018 - Featured Article Catholic schools, Invest in Illinois, Jerry Sanderson, Peoria Notre Dame, tax credit scholarships

Dr. Anthony Holter, executive director of Empower Illinois, gives an overview of the Invest in Kids Act during a workshop for Catholic school leaders on Nov. 15 at Peoria Notre Dame High School. (The Catholic Post/Jennifer Willems)

Committed to making the second year of the tax credit scholarship program better than the first year, leaders from Empower Illinois recently worked with Catholic school principals, pastors and teams from around the Diocese of Peoria to deepen their understanding of the Invest in Kids Act and help them brainstorm ways to spread the word […]

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