Mon - Thurs: 8:00 - 5:15
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(217) 698-8500
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Orientation to Emblems and Religious Awards for Scouts - The Catholic Committee on Scouting is hosting a webinar to introduce some of the religious emblems and awards that are available for Scouts and adult leaders to earn. This event will be hosted via Go To Meeting on Tuesday, July 13 at 7 PM and is open to adults and Scouts. Various religious programs will be discussed and there will be plenty of time for question and answer throughout the session. For the meeting link, please contact Kyle Holtgrave at (217) 698-8500, ext. 154 or email . Information about the diocesan Catholic Committee on Scouting can be found at http://scouts.dio.org .
Virtual Learning Community for Faith Formation - Did you know that obtaining a Certificate in Catechesis from the University of Dayton’s Virtual Learning Community for Faith Formation (VLCFF) satisfies all the requirements for advanced level certification in the diocesan Catechist Formation Process? Classes for the next cycle are open now and include several of the required courses for the certificate. Visit https://oldsite.dio.org/catechesis/approved-formation-programs.htm for more information about VLCFF and how courses align with the Diocesan Catechist Formation Process.
Catechesis for Persons with Special Needs - Resources for adapting catechesis for persons with special needs is available on the diocesan website at https://oldsite.dio.org/catechesis/special-needs.html. We must remember to remain committed to “providing a welcoming, accessible and inclusive environment for all parishioners, visitors, volunteers, and employees” so that everyone can participate fully in the life of the parish (see Book 5 §750 of diocesan policies). Contact the Office for Catholic Education at or (217) 698-8500 ext. 154 for further assistance.
Are you a priest and have a Mary garden, flower garden, or vegetable garden - Catholic Times is looking for information on priests in the Springfield diocese who have a Mary garden, flower garden, or vegetable garden so that we can run a summer feature in the magazine. Please send contact information to Diane Schlindwein or Andrew Hansen: or before July 13. Thank you.
Parish mailing lists – This summer, please work with Cindy Callan who handles subscriptions for Catholic Times to go over the mailing list of your parishioners. Catholic Times wants to ensure all new parishioners receive the magazine and anyone who has moved away or died doesn’t keep receiving the magazine to avoid unnecessary costs. Whomever in your parish handles your mailing list, please email Cindy at letting her know that you are the contact person for this. Then, Cindy will email you the mailing list Catholic Times has on file for your parish. We then ask you to review that list Cindy sends you and to add any parishioners who are not on the list and delete anyone who is no longer an active parishioner. We understand this is can be an arduous task, but we thank you very much for helping us keep our mailing lists as accurate as possible.
Dive Deep - Two brothers. One vocation. A sit down with the Trummer brothers - Fathers Michael and Chris Trummer, two brothers from Effingham County. Their stories to the priesthood are pretty incredible and they involve a funny story. Dive Deep sits down with the Trummer brothers. Go to oldsite.dio.org/podcast to listen and subscribe.
Springfield Diocesan Counsel of Catholic Women - Women living in the Springfield Deanery, which now consists of Macon, Sangamon, Cass, Morgan, Menard, and Christian Counties, are invited to a brunch on Aug. 4. from 9:30 a.m. to noon at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Springfield to learn about the mission of the Springfield Diocesan Counsel of Catholic Women, how to get involved, and the group’s participation in the Water for Life Catholic Relief Services project. Father Peter Chineke, parochial vicar at the Cathedral and the Spiritual Advisor of the Springfield Deanery, will share his vocation story. Please RSVP to Janet Zimmerman, Springfield Deanery President, by July 27: or 217-494-4743.
Bulletin Shorts for Late Summer in Ordinary Time–Year B can be found at oldsite.dio.org/worship/liturgical-year.html.
FY20-21 Annual Parish Financial Report - The FY20-21 Annual Parish Financial Report is due to the Office for Finances by 7/31/20. Instructional documents are available on the Office for Finances website at oldsite.dio.org/finance/parish-forms.html. Please contact Joe Szerletich at with any questions.
Annual Anti-Harassment Training - All paid staff should be receiving emails from Virtus when their anti-harassment training anniversary date it approaching. Please remind them to complete the required training and have any new employees complete the training as well. For more information, please contact Erin Danaher at or Debbie Maynerich at .
COOP Collections - As a reminder: The manner of taking up the collection for COOP Missionaries is determined by the pastor. Parishioners should make donation checks payable to the parish. The missionary should not take envelops or the funds collected from the parish, nor a list of names of contributors. Please do not publish the address of the mission organization in the bulletin. Envelopes with the groups’ mailing address are not allowed. No missionary group may employ professional soliciting agencies while making an appeal in the parishes of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois. At the time of the appeal, no subscriptions to magazines or periodicals are to be promised or solicited. No child sponsorships or other relationships may be solicited. Parish bookkeeper please submit a check for the proceeds collected to the Office for the Missions within thirty (30) days of the missionary’s visit.
Missionary Childhood Donations (MCA) - To be eligible for any award recognition during October’s Mission Mass, schools need to turn in all MCA funds collected for the 2020-2021 school year by August 1, 2021. Checks should be made out to the Office for the Missions and mailed to the attention of the Office for the Missions. Any questions, contact Cindy Callan: 217-321-1137.
Catholic Social Teaching – Care for God’s Creation - Pope Francis has declared September 1 as a day of prayer for creation. In anticipation of this day of prayer you may want to invite Fr. George Knab, OMI, to give a talk or parish mission on the theme of Care for God’s Creation. Fr. Knab can be reached at .
Short Tidbit from Project Rachel: Launching and Promoting the Project Rachel Ministry: Promoting the Project Rachel Ministry – Radio ads can be aired at night (when advertising costs are lower) and still reach many who have experienced an abortion loss, because of their frequent difficulty in sleeping. In some areas, radio advertising may be available at a reasonable price, and in some cases, it may be donated as a public service. (PR Manual pg 61)
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,
Rachel’s Vineyard Retreat - There will be a Rachel’s Vineyard Retreat for people affected by abortion August 13-15, at the Villa Maria Retreat Center. Please let others know about this healing opportunity. Scholarships are available for those not able to pay the full registration fee. A flyer is available at the following link: oldsite.dio.org/plasm/project-rachel.html
Parishes and Schools should continue to host LIVE Protecting God’s Children training sessions. - Now that the State of Illinois has entered Phase 5, allowing for businesses, conventions, large-scale events, and other venues to operate at full capacity, live session trainings are no longer limited. While online Protecting God’s Children training remains an option, in=person trainings are still necessary for some. Facilitators, please contact the Office for Safe Environment with the location, date, time, and materials needed for your upcoming live training sessions. Thank you so much for your continued efforts in our mission to protect children and young people.