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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.
Catholic Times second collection - Please announce the Catholic Times second collection opportunity to your parishioners in your bulletins, website, or other social media platforms the weekend of 15-16 if you haven’t done so already.
Your parish mailing list - Over the past several months, Cindy Callan and Laurie Weakley from Catholic Times have contacted every parish in our diocese asking for each parish's mailing list so the Catholic Times mailing list is up to date. Thank you to the parishes who worked with Catholic Times to get this accomplished to ensure the right people and new parishioners receive the magazine. We understand this was a major task, so to avoid having to do a major review of your parish mailing list in the future, a reminder to please send all address and name updates to Cindy ( ) and Laurie (), including if a parishioner is no longer part of your parish, or if a new parishioner joins your parish. Every parishioner in our diocese is supposed to receive the magazine, so we appreciate you sending us these updates. Thank you!
Day of Prayer for Life: January 22nd, the anniversary of the Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade, has been designated by the Bishops of the Diocese of the United States of America as a “day of prayer for the full restoration of the legal guarantee of the right to life and of penance for violations to the dignity of the human person committed through acts of abortion” (General Instruction of the Roman Missal, 373). One of two Masses may be offered on this day prior to 4:00 p.m.: either the Mass “For Giving Thanks to God for the Gift of Human Life,” for which white vestments are worn, or the Mass “For the Preservation of Peace and Justice,” for which violet vestments are worn.
Holy Hour for Life: The Committee for Divine Worship of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has an order of worship for a Holy Hour for Life available at https://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/prayers-and-devotions/adoration/holy-hour-for-life. This may be fittingly celebrated on January 22nd.
Sunday of the Word of God: On the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, January 23rd, the Church will observe the Sunday of the Word of God. The Holy Father Pope Francis established this day through his Apostolic Letter Aperuit illis, issued motu proprio, on 30 September 2019:
CANCELLED - Through the Doorway: Due to concerns regarding Covid-19, Through the Doorway, which was scheduled for January 23rd in Belleville, has been CANCELLED. Refunds will be processed in the coming days.
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 will soon be sent to pastors, parochial administrators, and to parishes; please be on the look out for this information.
National Gathering on Christian Initiation: The next National Gathering on Christian Initiation: A Conference for Catechemunal Ministers and Pastoral Leaders will be held in Chicago July 13-14, 2022 and will focus on the theme, “Evaluating and Revitalizing the RCIA in Your Parish.” For more information, visit www.NGCI.org or contact Michael Ruzicki at or (773) 579-4900 ext. 3531.
Collection for the Church in Latin America - Please inform parishioners about the upcoming collection for the Church in Latin America, the weekend of January 23rd. Gifts help fellow Catholics in Latin America and the Caribbean who are rich in spirit, but lacking in material resources, to participate more fully in the life of the Church. Collection proceeds support training for seminarians and religious men and women; pastoral care of the sick; formation for lay leaders; family and youth ministries; and religious education for all age groups. Visit the USCCB website for a Parish Resource Guide about the special collection.
CRS Rice Bowl Order Reminders: Has your parish and school updated your Rice Bowl orders for Lent 2022? If you have not, you can update your order and contact info in one of three ways:
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.
MCA Annual Christmas Art Contest: Entries for the Missionary Childhood Association (MCA) annual Christmas Art Contest, for students from K-8th grade, must be submitted to the diocesan Office for the Missions by January 30th. General information and entry form can be found at: MCA Artwork Contest Entry Form (missio.org). For more information contact Donna at 217-321-1161. Please share this information with school principals and art teachers.
9 Days for Life Novena: Sign-up for the 9 Days for Life annual novena, January 19-27, 2022, for the protection of human life. Each day’s intention is accompanied by a short reflection and suggested actions to help build a culture of life. Participants can download the novena or sign up to receive the daily prayers via email or text message. Resources are also available to promote and share the novena in your parish, school, or ministry!
March for Life in Springfield: The Diocese of Springfield in Illinois invites you to join us for a diocesan-wide pro-life Mass and march event on Friday, January 21, Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Springfield. We will begin with Mass at 10 a.m. followed by an 11 a.m. march to the Illinois State Capital. The Mass and march are intended for 7th-12th graders, college students, and adults. Please RSVP . Download a flyer.
Monthly Pro-Life Intercessions and Bulletin Quotes: January’s edition of Word of Life is 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.
Short Tidbit from Project Rachel: Appendices: The Role of the Priest with Those at Risk of Aborting Due to an Adverse Prenatal Diagnosis: Advice to Priests – Mary Kellett, a Catholic mother of eleven, who founded Prenatal Partners for Life after her youngest child was diagnosed in utero with trisomy 18, offers this advice to priests in counseling parents:
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 oldsite.dio.org/youthministry/tt for more information.
March for Life in Springfield - The Diocese of Springfield in Illinois invites you to join us for a diocesan-wide pro-life Mass and march event on Friday, January 21 in Springfield at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. We will begin with Mass at 10 a.m. followed by an 11 a.m. march to the Illinois Capital. Like last year, the diocese has decided to forego a trip to Washington, D.C., and focus on a local march. The Mass and march are intended for 7th-12th graders, college students, and adults. RSVP here: https://oldsite.dio.org/youthministry/mfl
Click here to download a flyer to give to students and families.