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Collection Letter for Catholic Communication Campaign (CCC) - Please announce the Catholic Communication Campaign (CCC) collection in your bulletins, website, or other social media platforms the weekend of May 8/9, 2021 and gather it on the weekend of May 15/16, 2021. The proceeds gathered should be forwarded to our Office for Finance within thirty (30) days. Thank you so much for your pastoral support of this appeal! Click here to read Bishop Paprocki's letter.
PSR submissions from each parish/school needed - Catholic Times is accepting PSR articles or photos for its annual PSR issue (which will be in September to time with Catechetical Sunday, but asking for information now before this PSR school year ends). We invite parishes to submit either a PSR article (300 words or less) about your program or a good story or a PSR photo with short caption by May 21 using the online form: https://ct.dio.org/psrissuesubmission Photos should be 300 dpi or better and sent as image files (such as .jpeg or .pdf). Please do not imbed the photo in a Word document. For articles, include your parish name, town, as well as the author. For questions, call (217) 698-8500, ext. 118, or outside of Springfield (800) 677-8708.
Confirmations/First Holy Communions at Cathedral – Confirmations and First Holy Communions for third-graders will take place at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Springfield beginning July 1. They will be scheduled on Tuesday evenings for parishes within 50 miles of Springfield and on the first, third, and fifth Saturdays of the month for parishes more than 50 miles from Springfield. Go to dio.org/confirmation for answers to frequently asked questions and to learn why Bishop Paprocki is making this change.
Dive Deep - This is not what these new priests envisioned: They have been priests for less than a year but have only known priestly life during a pandemic. How are our new priests coping? What has been the biggest challenge and biggest reward? Dive Deep sits down with Fathers Dominic Vahling (Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Springfield) and Michael Meinhart (St. Boniface in Edwardsville). Go to dio.org/podcast so listen and subscribe.
Click here to download a graphic to include in your bulletins
4:40 for seminarians - Six months ago, the diocese launched a campaign called 4:40 for 40 Seminarians. We invited the entire diocese to pray a Hail Mary every day at 4:40 so that, with the help of Mary, we can have 40 men answer the call to be a seminarian for our diocese. If you have been faithfully praying every day, thank you! If you are just hearing about this, we invite you to jump on board. May is the month of Mary and we know with her help, anything is possible! PRAY BIG!
Click here to download a graphic to include in your bulletins
Building the Kingdom, One House at a Time - SPRINGFIELD DEANERY CHECK THIS OUT! Build # 114, the Catholic Build, is moving right along! Spring weather is challenging and occasionally volunteer days will be changed, extended or re-scheduled. Check the Habitat VolunteerHub website to see opportunities that are available, knowing that there is a possibility that the schedule might change. As always, food provision is an important part of a build site. If you are available to assist with food provision or being a Site Host (check volunteers in and out of the build site), please contact Susan Carrigan at or 217-523-2710, ext. 213 Catholicbuild.com
Click here to download a graphic to include in your bulletins
Weekend of May 1/2: Bishop Paprocki has granted permission for the liturgical texts and readings from the optional memorial of St. Joseph the Worker, or from the Solemnity of St. Joseph the Husband of Mary, or from the Votive Mass of St. Joseph to be used throughout the weekend of May 1st and 2nd as a fostering devotion to the Protector of the Church in this Year of Saint Joseph.
Bulletin Shorts for Early Summer in Ordinary Time – Year B can be found at: oldsite.dio.org/worship/liturgical-year.html.
OCP Grant: The Oregon Catholic Press Parish Grants Program is currently accepting applications through May 30, 2021. Awards from the Parish Grants Program are available to Roman Catholic parishes and campus ministry programs provided they did not receive a grant in the previous year. Grants must be used for liturgical and/or musical purposes. For more information, please visit ocp.org/parish-grants or call (800) 548-8749.
Job Opening at the Catholic Pastoral Center: Parish Finance Administrator - The Diocese of Springfield in Illinois is seeking a highly qualified and enthusiastic individual to take on the role of Parish Finance Administrator. This role assists the Finance Officer in organizational management by interpreting and utilizing parish managerial accounting and financial information. This position oversees support of parishes through supervising parish audits, developing finance policies, establishing internal controls for parishes, and executing an accounting review program. More information including requirements and how to apply can be found at dio.org/jobs.
REMINDER: Rice Bowl Collection - Please send funds collected for the Rice Bowl to the Office for the Missions.
Missionaries - The Office for the Missions is interested in identifying missionary religious and laypersons from our diocese that serve in foreign lands. If you know of someone who fits this description please contact Donna Moore at , or 217-321-1161.
Repeal of Parental Notification of Abortion Law - Our bishops have written a letter to the Catholic faithful, urging them to take action against the repeal of the parental notice of abortion law. The Diocesan Pro-Life Resource page contains the letter from the Bishops in English, Spanish and Polish, along with a way to identify one’s lawmakers, and other resources. Please urge your parishioners to contact their lawmaker and tell them to vote “No” on House Bill 1797 and Senate Bill 2190. If the law is repealed it will eliminate a critical safeguard that protects young girls from abuse of human traffickers and rapists.
Pre-Cana in Spanish - The Diocese of Belleville is having a Pre-Cana session in Spanish. The next Pre-Cana class for Hispanic couples is being offered October 16, 2021. If you know of any Hispanic couple that is interested in attending have them contact Carlos and Efrend Garcia at: 618-632-1755, cell phone: 618-520-3404, or .
Short Tidbit from Project Rachel: The Diocese: Project Rachel and Related Programs: – How to Begin (or Strengthen) a Project Rachel Ministry in Your Diocese – Diocesan Training: In diocese with active Project Rachel ministries, about 10% of priests choose to become involved in the Project Rachel referral network. Ideally, however, all priests should be trained because all will likely hear confessions of those who have been involved in abortion. All priests need to know how to be most effective in assisting post-abortive women and men during the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and they need to know how to refer people to the Project Rachel network for ongoing support. (PR Manual pg 60)
Formation in Preparation for Quinceanera - Is there a young woman in your parish ready to celebrate her Quinceanera? A six month formation program is available through St Alexius Parish. The formation is available in person and virtually. Formation gatherings occur the 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month for one-hour. For more information contact Sr Ema,