UMUHU OKABIA, Nigeria — Michael Ndebueze Ndeanaefo, father of Father Aloysius Okey Ndeanaefo of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois, died Feb. 18 at Onitsha, Anambra State, Nigeria.

ALTON — Marquette Catholic High School in Alton has seen significant progress in meeting the $3 million goal of its ongoing capital campaign.

NOTRE DAME, Ind. — Sister Margaret Lorraine (M. Henrica) Devine, a Sister of the Holy Cross, died April 12, age 85.

The 2012 Liturgical Arts Festival of Springfield will be held Saturday, May 5, through Tuesday, May 8 at various venues in the Springfield area. The theme is "Come, Creative Spirit."

Daily events occuring throughout the Diocese.

Bishop Paprocki's public schedule for the weeks of May 6 and 13.

Priests in the Springfield diocese will join Bishop Thomas John Paprocki for the annual priests' jubilee celebration on Tuesday, May 8, at Villa Maria Catholic Life Center at Lake Springfield.

MARYVILLE — Knights of Columbus Council 6625 is bidding a sad goodbye to historic Buffalo Park at the end of this month. The Knights have owned and operated the park since 1975, holding meetings, bingo and fish fries there for decades.

The Office for Marriage and Family Life will host a Diocesan White Mass at 10 a.m. on Sunday, May 27 at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Springfield. Bishop Thomas John Paprocki will celebrate the Mass, which will be followed with a lunch and presentation in the Cathedral atrium.

EFFINGHAM — More than a half-dozen choirs from St. Anthony Parish in Effingham will be featured in an All Choirs Concert at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 25 in St. Anthony Church, 101 E. Virginia Ave.

The Diocese of Springfield in Illinois has received, along with most other U.S. dioceses, notification that in accordance with the most recent audit, the diocese is in compliance with the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People.

Daily events occuring throughout the Diocese.

Bishop Paprocki's public schedule for the weeks of April 22 and 29.

Seminarians David Curtin and Hyland Smith will be ordained transitional deacons by Bishop Thomas John Paprocki at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, April 28, at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Springfield. Curtin is from Cathedral Parish and Smith is from St. Michael Parish in Greenfield.

RAYMOND — Two days of on-going formation for priests in the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois focused on the explosion of pornography, including child pornography, which has happened within the last decade as Internet technology and social media technology has proliferated.

ALTON — Father Robert L. Heintz, a priest of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois, died March 26 at the Fountains in Godfrey.

COLLINSVILLE — The women of Ss. Peter and Paul Church in Collinsville are sponsoring their seventh annual Women's Day on Saturday, April 28. The day, which is open to women over age 16, is entitled "Lady in Blue, Teach Us to Pray" and will be held at the Collinsville K.C. Hall on Rt. 157.

ALTON — Former European pop star and current Christian performer Tajči will be performing a free concert on Sunday, May 6, at 2 p.m. at St. Mary Church in Alton. Sponsored by Saint Anthony's Foundation, the event is open to the community at no cost; a freewill offering will be available to benefit the Sisters of St. Francis and their mission at Saint Anthony's Health Center.

Troy Jones from St. James Parish, Riverton, earned the rank of Eagle Scout, and his Eagle Scout Court of Honor was held at St. James.

EFFINGHAM — Effingham Catholic Charities is teeing up for its 13th Annual Austin Luckett Memorial Golf Tournament to be held Friday, May 11 at the Cardinal Golf Course. It is a fund-raising event for the Effingham-based charity.

BRUSSELS — Christmas Eve 2011 brought tragedy to many Blessed Trinity parishioners when the historic Immaculate Conception (St. Mary's) Church burned, but this Easter the mood is much brighter among the people in Brussels and Southern Calhoun County. Not only are parishioners celebrating the resurrection and the Easter season, but they are rejoicing about recently announced plans to rebuild their beloved St. Mary's.

Official appointments from the Office of the Bishop

Daily events occuring throughout the Diocese.

Bishop Paprocki's public schedule for the weeks of April 8 and 15.

SPRINGFIELD — St. Joseph School, a 135-year-old fixture on Springfield's near north side, will close at the end of the 2011-2012 academic year.

During Holy Week, which begins on Palm Sunday (April 1), Lent ends and the Paschal triduum — a single three-day celebration of the Paschal mystery — begins with the Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday evening.

ALTON — Joseph J. Molloy, father of Father Joseph Molloy of the Springfield diocese, died March 6 at Rosewood Care Center. He was 89 years old.

Madison County Catholic Charities will hold its 12th annual benefit starting with a 6 p.m. cocktail hour, on Saturday, April 14 at Julia's Banquet Hall in East Alton. This year's event will once again benefit the Catholic Charities MedAssist Program which provides critical medication for severe health conditions such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes.

The International Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Our Lady of Fatima will be coming to the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois next month. It will travel around the diocese from Tuesday, April 10 through Monday, April 30, said Emma Brandon of Springfield, who helped secure the statue's presence.