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Springfield March for Life video – We had 700 students and lay Catholics from across the diocese attend our Springfield March for Life Jan. 21. Teachers, feel free to show this recap video in your classrooms to get students excited for next year's march.
Nominate a teacher for the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Award – Do you know a Catholic school teacher who strives for academic excellence with a focus on the Catholic mission? Know a teacher who left a lasting impression on you or your child? Know a teacher who goes above and beyond for his or her students and who lives authentically Catholic? Nominate that teacher for the diocesan wide St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Award! Nominations are due by March 5. Go to dio.org/schools/eas.
Download this: EAS_2022.png to promote it in your parish/school
Virtual Learning Community for Faith Formation - Registration for the next cycle for online courses through the University of Dayton’s VLCFF program is now open. Certificate programs are available for catechesis, leadership in ministry, youth ministry and more! As a diocesan partner, you can register for courses at a discounted cost of $50 for 5-week sessions and $40 for 3-week seminars. English and Spanish courses are available. All courses in the VLCFF can be used to help with the Catechist Formation Process. Visit https://oldsite.dio.org/catechesis/approved-formation-programs.htm for more information. Or contact Kyle Holtgrave at (217) 698-8500, ext. 154.
The Twelfth Point: Learn About Religious Emblems - The Greater Saint Louis Area Council Boy Scouts of America, in collaboration with the Catholic Committee on Scouting and other faith groups, is hosting an online event on March 8, 2022, to get you kick-started in pursuit of a religious emblem. This council-wide event for all Scouts, parents and leaders is presented in two sessions. A 15-minute introductory session will discuss the basics of the religious emblem program for Boy Scouts of America. Then there will be break out groups based on faith tradition to better understand and begin your journey to earn the emblem of your faith. To learn more, visit the Diocesan Catholic Committee on Scouting website at https://scouts.dio.org/diocesan-committee/religious-activities.html
Confirmation/first holy Communion at Cathedral - A reminder to visit dio.org/confirmation for information about confirmation and first holy Communion taking place at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Springfield. FAQ's, videos for parents and students, and other resources are available there. As your parish/school gets close to your date, please utilize this page to help parents and students prepare for the trip.
Parishioners who created holy artwork - Catholic Times is working on an article for later this year where we would like to feature lay Catholics in our diocese who have produced beautiful works of art that are now displayed in churches in our diocese. Whether it's a painting, icon, etc., if you have a parishioner whose talented piece is now in your church, please let us know so we can feature that piece of art and the person who created it! Please email Diane Schlindwein, Managing Editor at Catholic Times: . Thank you!
Send us your new parishioner/no longer parishioner updates - A reminder that when you have a new parishioner or someone who is no longer a parishioner, to please email those address updates to our subscription team. Email Cindy ( ) and Laurie (). Every parishioner in our diocese is supposed to receive Catholic Times, so we appreciate you sending us these updates. Thank you!
Rite of Election: The Rite of Election will be celebrated the weekend of March 5/6, 2022 at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. The Continuing Call to Conversion will not be celebrated. An informational packet and forms was sent to pastors, parochial administrators, parish secretaries, and RCIA coordinators; if you did not receive them, they are available at https://oldsite.dio.org/worship/catechumenate.html#election-and-call. The forms were due in to the Office for Divine Worship and the Catechumenate by February 10th. They may either be sent through postal service or e-mailed to . If you have not yet sent them in, please do so immediately to allow time for the compilation of the names and the checking of their pronunciation.
Change to Breaking Bread: Recently, parishes who use Oregon Catholic Press's (OCP's) Break Bread hymnal/missal received a letter informing them of changes to Breaking Bread in 2023, namely the inclusion of the Sunday readings and the Mass propers for Sundays and weekdays. The Office for Divine Worship and the Catechumenate requested a clarification regarding the weekday propers during Ordinary Time since the Roman Missal does not contain specific propers for the weekdays in Ordinary Time. This was response was given: "For the weekdays for ordinary time, we do use the antiphons from the previous Sunday, as the Roman Missal suggests, and the readings of the day from the weekday lectionary. In addition, we have all of the Feasts, Memorials, and Optional Memorials. For Saturdays, we also recommend the optional Mass in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary, when it is not superseded by a memorial or feast."
Collection for the Church in Central and Eastern Europe (CCEE): This collection will be taken up on Ash Wednesday. Donations are used to train seminarians and lay leaders, support pastoral and catechetical centers, support social service programs, youth ministry and schools, help with church construction and renovation, and aid evangelization efforts through Catholic media. Visit the USCCB website for a Parish Resource Guide Please use the bulletin announcements provided to promote the annual collection for Aid to the Church in Central and Eastern Europe (CCEE)
Lenten Resources for Teachers: Catholic Relief Services has Lenten Resources for teachers to use for the Rice Bowl campaign. Resources include communication tools, lesson plans and activities for grades 1-8, and prayer resources.
February Word of Life: February’s edition of Word of Lifeis now available. Word of Life is a monthly resource for parishes. The resource is available in both English and Spanish, in both PDF or Microsoft Word formats. Each monthly issue contains information such as: intercessions for life, quotes for your bulletin, and art for your bulletin, webpage or Facebook page.
Gospel Mass and Soul Food Luncheon: In recognition of Black History Month, all are invited to a Gospel Mass and soul food lunch in Springfield, hosted by the Black Catholic Commission. Sunday, Feb. 27, Mass starts at 11 a.m., St. Aloysius Church on Springfield’s north end. The soul food lunch follows Mass and is $5 per person. Please RSVP for the lunch Coordinator-Donna Moore: 217-321-1161, .
Ground Zero Tour: Illinois Right to Life presents its “Ground Zero Tour”, Wednesday, February 23, 2022, 6:00 pm, Atrium at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Springfield. Illinois Right to Life is determined to restore protection to preborn babies and their mothers throughout the Midwest. Join us for an evening of food, fun, and a revolution for life! The event is free, but seating is limited. Register today at: https://illinoisrighttolife.org/groundzerotour
Rachel’s Vineyard Retreat: There will be a Rachel’s Vineyard Retreat for people affected by abortion March 25-27, 2022, at the Villa Maria Retreat Center. The cost is $150, but scholarships are available for those not able to pay the full registration fee. Please let others know about this healing opportunity. For more information go to: oldsite.dio.org/plasm/project-rachel.html , call 217-698-4456, or email
Short Tidbit from Project Rachel: Appendices – The Role of the Priest with Those at Risk of Aborting Due to an Adverse Prenatal Diagnosis. Helpful Responses (continued) – Parents who were given a negative prenatal diagnosis offer the following suggestions as helpful comments in accepting their situation with trust in God:
-Every life is created by God and has a purpose.
-These special babies bring with them many spiritual gifts and grace.
-If your baby doesn’t make it to term, there is a Baptism by desire.
-No matter how long your baby lives, he will be your child for all eternity.
(Information from Project Rachel Manual, p 84)
Applications for Tutus Tuus teachers - Applications are now open for those wanting to become Totus Tuus team members this summer. Please visit our website at dio.org/youthministry/tt for more information.