The Office for Vocations of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois will host a “Thinking of Priesthood” day for men, ages 18-30 on Thursday, Dec. 27 at the Villa Maria Retreat and Conference Center in Springfield.   Read More

Just in time for holiday decorating and gift-giving, the 2018 Official City of Springfield Ornament was recently unveiled at a press conference in the Governor’s Mansion. Springfield Mayor James Langfelder; Maxine Bergman, executive director of St. Joseph’s Home; and Justin Blandford, curator of the Governor’s Mansion, participated in the unveiling event. This year’s ornament features the recent renovation of the Governor’s Mansion and the Illinois Bicentennial. It is the 26th ornament in the City of Springfield series that celebrates hometown landmarks and events. This 2018 ornament is unique because it is the result of a partnership between St. Joseph’s Home… Read More

TANZANIA — While many college-age students are returning to their families for the holidays, Sacred Heart-Griffin High School (Springfield) graduate Isabella Farris is spending her first fall and winter since her 2018 graduation far, far from her home. Isabella, known as Izzy to her family and friends, is in the midst of a “gap year” that has her stationed — for now — in Tanzania, East Africa. In Tanzania, Isabella is volunteering at the St. Nicholaus Children’s Center. The center is a Catholic residential home for orphaned, disabled and vulnerable children, operated by the Bukoba Catholic Diocese and founded by Stefanie Köster, director… Read More

EFFINGHAM — With .8 million raised to date, Sacred Heart Parish in Effingham announced Dec. 3 it has far exceeded its own idea of what was possible in its Renew & Rejoice capital campaign. In September, parish boosters announced an ambitious goal of .3 million needed to renovate and expand the church’s worship space and enable Sacred Heart Parish to complete all of their plans with no long-term debt. Read More

Albany, N.Y. — Sister Mary of the Incarnation Driscoll, OP (Mary Elizabeth), passed away on Nov. 15. She was the daughter of James and Nancy Driscoll of Yonkers, N.Y. After graduating from St. Clare Academy in 1957, Sister Mary entered the Franciscans where she taught fifth-graders and studied history at Fordham before becoming a registered nurse. She transferred to the Society of the Sacred Heart in 1972. There she studied Scripture with Sister Kathryn Sullivan, RSCJ, worked in Bellevue’s emergency room, and went to Kenya as a midwife and with the aid of the people, built a dispensary. Read More

This first element involved in establishing a plan of life is to realize one very important fact: Holiness is for you and everyone else. It is possible? Yes, sanctity is not just for the priest, nun or monk living in some cloister somewhere. It is for you as well, and you must take advantage of the means available to achieve this marvelous destiny.   Read More

Bishop Paprocki's public schedule for the weeks of December 9 and 16. Read More

Daily events occuring throughout the Diocese.Catholic Times  Read More

Daily Scripture readings for the weeks of December 9 and 16. Read More