Springfield resident in training to head national Catholic women's group

Springfield resident Rebecca Woodhull was recently installed as the president-elect of the National Council of Catholic Women (NCCW) at their ChIicago convention. She will serve in that capacity until September 2013, when she will be installed and serve as president for two years. Finally, she will serve two more years after that as past-president.

The Springfield Council of Catholic Women is hosting its first celebration of Women of Distinction in the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois on Saturday, June 23 at Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. All parishes in the Springfield diocese are invited to name a woman from their parish Council of Catholic Women, Altar Society or Catholic woman's group to be honored with the Our Lady of Good Counsel Award. The day will include a 10:30 a.m. Recognition Mass celebrated by Bishop Thomas John Paprocki in the Cathedral, followed by a luncheon in the Atrium.

EFFINGHAM — Effingham Catholic Charities will hold a Catholic Charities Hoedown Feb. 4, at the Effingham KC Corral. The event will begin at 6 p.m. with a social, followed by a chuck wagon supper at 7 p.m. Jeans and western wear are the encouraged dress.

The National LIFE (Living in Faith Exchange) Runners pro-life group not only has a new Springfield Chapter, but Bishop Thomas John Paprocki of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois is the 2012 national chaplain.

PITTSBURGH, Pa. — Sister Joan Albaugh, CDP, formerly known as Sister Mary Donald, of McCandless Township, Pa., died there on Dec. 24.

Are you stupid?

That may be a question Facebook should consider adding to its application process, especially after some teens were incriminated by their social network activities.

It has been reported that Jerzy Kluger died in Rome on Dec. 31 at the age of 90. We are aware of Jerzy Kluger because he was the childhood friend of one Karol Wojtyla, who is better known as Pope John Paul II, supreme pontiff from 1978 to 2005 and recently beatified.

Q I am an 8th-grade teacher in a public school. I am devoted to the rosary and pray it daily. I have several Hispanic students who wear the rosary around their neck. I tell them that the rosary is meant to be prayed, not to be worn as jewelry. When I ask them about the prayers involved in the rosary, they have no idea what I'm talking about. So I ask them to take it off.

Am I wrong? (Georgia)

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Benedict XVI's early January address to the Vatican diplomatic corps, an annual tradition that reaffirms the Holy See's commitment to its relations with foreign states, comes after an especially trying year for Vatican diplomacy.

Starting today, we move back into Ordinary Time for six weeks until Lent is on us once again. The Christmas season is history, though we hope its spirit lingers on.

Daily Scripture readings for the weeks of January 15 and 22.

 Daily events occuring throughout the Diocese.

Bishop Paprocki's public schedule for the weeks of January 15 and 22.