Easter Sunday Mass times throughout the dioceseWhat is the Triduum? During Holy Week, which begins on Palm Sunday (April 2) and includes the Chrism Mass (April 4 at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Springfield), Lent comes to an end before the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday, which is the beginning of the Easter Triduum. The three chronological days are liturgically one day and from what the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops calls “the summit of the Liturgical Year.” These three days witness the most exalted liturgical celebrations of the year and help us to… Read More

Her exposure to faith was ‘nonexistent,’ then great-grandparents changed everythingThe conversion story of Lianna Garrison of TroyBy ANDREW HANSENEditor  Thirteen-year-old Lianna Garrison of Troy didn’t have a typical childhood. She experienced much heartache from her parents. God or any faith for that matter was nonexistent.  “I was being raised by people that weren’t ready to take on the responsibility of raising children,” Lianna said. Fortunately, she and her younger sister, Laraina, were able to get out of what was a tough situation and moved in with their great-grandparents, Lisa and Ron Frey. Since that move a few years ago, the… Read More

Thousands descend upon Springfield to give voice to the voicelessIllinois March for Life included hundreds from our diocese and full Sangamon Auditorium for MassBy ANDREW HANSEN Editor   If the size of the crowd didn’t catch people’s attention, the joy from the crowd did. For the first time the Illinois March for Life took center stage in downtown Springfield, bringing with it thousands of pro-life advocates from every corner of Illinois, including hundreds from the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois. The list included bishops, Catholic schools, Newman Centers, priests, religious, and lay Catholics. “It’s really motivational and inspirational to see everyone standing… Read More

This summer, the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois is excited to have Totus Tuus, a fun and faith-filled experience for children coming once again to several parishes across the diocese in June and July. Totus Tuus is a weeklong Catholic youth program dedicated to sharing the Gospel and promoting the Catholic faith through evangelization, catechesis, Christian witness, and eucharistic worship. The program inspires in young people a true longing for holiness, a deep desire for daily conversion, and an openness to their vocation.  Two teams of college-aged teachers are traveling to a different parish each week, hosting the five-day catechetical… Read More

“Hey Father!” Explain all these vestment colors?Vincent in Springfield  The use of color in the Sacred Liturgy is as old as Catholic worship itself. The Church’s choice of colors is not random, though. Moving through the mysteries in our liturgical year allows these colors to help us focus our prayer and worship. Until the time of Pope Innocent III (1198-1216), there was no standardized scheme or codification for the use of liturgical colors. Pope Innocent III promulgated the use of four colors: white, red, black, and green. The exact shades of these colors depended on the dyes that were available… Read More

By  DIANE SCHLINDWEINManaging Editor  “A mother is never defined by the number of children you can see, but by the love she holds in her heart,” says grief author Franchesca Cox. No doubt, that’s how countless women feel after having suffered a miscarriage.  Marie Fleck and her daughter Sarah Williams are two of those women. It has been about 25 years since  Marie and Greg Fleck, who are members of Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception Parish in Springfield, lost two babies in subsequent miscarriages. Fleck, who says she is the mother of seven — two in Heaven, was naturally devastated by… Read More

‘I felt like I wanted to be part of the Church’The conversion story of Jordan White of Coffeen By ANDREW HANSEN Editor Growing up, Jordan White was exposed to Catholicism, attending Mass occasionally with his grandparents. He remembers, even as a child, that he was intrigued and thought the Mass was “very interesting.” Despite that interest, years went by, but it wasn’t until Jordan met his girlfriend and her mom, attending Mass with them, that he was finally nudged toward the faith. “I felt like I wanted to be part of the Church,” White said. “I had prayed for things, and… Read More

Eighteen diocesan schools eligible for ,000 match for scholarship donationsYour donation also gives you 75 percent tax credit Empower Illinois is excited to share two generous donors are sponsoring a scholarship donation match for eligible Catholic schools in the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois. Gifts made through Empower Illinois for the Invest in Kids Tax Credit Scholarship Program at eligible schools will be doubled up to ,000. “Matching gift opportunities inspire greater giving within local communities and help even more students find their best-fit school,” said Anthony Holter, Empower Illinois president. “With five kids remaining on the waitlist for every… Read More

Father Mike Schmitz on what many get wrong about God, prayer  By ANDREW HANSEN Editor  Two of America’s most popular podcasts are about Catholicism and are hosted by a priest. Let that sink in. Father Mike Schmitz, a priest of the Diocese of Duluth and chaplain for the Newman Center at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, is the host of the popular podcasts, The Bible in a Year (released in 2021) and The Catechism in a Year (released in January). His podcasts have reached No. 1 on the charts, racking up hundreds of millions of downloads. He is also a national speaker,… Read More

Is there any benefit to praying in a sacred language such as Latin, Greek, Hebrew, or Aramaic? Is it true that exorcisms are more effective when the priest prays in Latin? – Jake in Springfield  In answer to the first question as to whether there is any benefit to praying in a sacred language such as Latin, Greek, Hebrew, or Aramaic, I would say yes, at least in part. When I say, in part, I mean that it is beneficial that some parts of the Mass are prayed in these ancient languages, such as the Kyrie eleison (Lord, have mercy) in… Read More

SPRINGFIELD - The author of a new biography about the late Cardinal Francis George, O.M.I. of Chicago will offer the book for purchase and have a book signing and presentation at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception atrium on March 19 at 11 a.m. Michael Heinlein's Glorifying Christ: The Life of Cardinal Francis E. George, O.M.I. provides not only a factual record of the life of Cardinal George, but also a compelling narrative of the cardinal's extraordinary virtue and humility befitting a true servant of God. A native Chicagoan, Cardinal George was told as a young man that he would never be a… Read More

By DIANE SCHLINDWEINManaging Editor The Springfield Diocesan Council of Catholic Women (SDCCW) is sponsoring a Lenten retreat Tuesday, March 28 and Wednesday, March 29 at the Villa Maria Catholic Life Center in Springfield. The subject of the retreat is “Our Journey of Faith.”  The SDCCW retreat is a tradition and features spiritual presentations, prayer, Mass, rosary, the sacrament of confession, and fellowship. The retreat begins with registration and a light breakfast at 9 a.m. on March 28 and concludes after lunch on March 29.  This year’s retreat speaker is Kim Padan. After the birth of a stillborn son, Padan and… Read More

By DIANE SCHLINDWEINManaging Editor Thanks to her strong faith, as well as the encouragement of her spiritual director, her parents, and her friends, Maggie Deckard had a book of poetry published when she was just 22 years old. Deckard’s book, Becoming, contains a collection of 31 poems that are close to her heart and bare her soul. They include words that she hopes will “serve as a safe place for women to go to, a place of consolation.” “If my book can do that in some way — then it is a privilege,” she says. Deckard first starting writing poetry in… Read More

I see that St Patrick's Day falls on a Friday during Lent again this year. So, I assume Bishop Thomas John  Paprocki will not give us permission to enjoy corned beef in our Irish celebrations. Would it be a mortal sin to travel to a nearby diocese where their bishop grants a dispensation, allowing Catholics to enjoy their corned beef that day?- Nancy in Springfield Dear Nancy, You must be quite the devotee of American custom that you would be willing to drive outside of our diocese to enjoy corned beef on St. Patrick’s Day. Would it be a mortal sin… Read More

House opened in November 2022 and welcomes women/children in need By ANDREW HANSENEditor MATTOON — It was a dark, cold night in Mattoon last December. For a mother of four girls living in the city, the night represented her year. “I’ve had an extremely difficult year,” the mother, who wished to remain anonymous, said. “I’ve lost everything. I need help getting into my own place.” Another young woman, also living in Mattoon, who also wished to remain anonymous, felt empty. “I moved to Illinois in 2022,” she said. “I didn’t have much and was struggling to find a secure, safe, and… Read More

By ANDREW HANSENEditor As a child, Allison Jayne Meinhart of Dieterich remembers attending Baptist and Methodist churches. Despite that non-Catholic background, Meinhart says that she had always been intrigued by the Catholic faith especially the structure and prayers. Little did she know that her marriage to her husband, Anthony, and two children would be a catalyst for her joining the Catholic faith. “I watched my son (Gavin) be baptized and confirmed in the Catholic Church,” Meinhart said. “We then had our daughter (Mabri) and again baptized her in the Catholic Church. I went to sign my daughter, Mabri, up for… Read More

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Lent, a holy time of preparation, begins Feb. 22By DIANE SCHLINDWEINManaging Editor  Lent is the 40-day penitential season of preparation for the celebration of the Lord’s Resurrection at Easter, which falls this year on April 9.  It begins on Ash Wednesday (Feb. 22) and ends at sundown on Holy Thursday with the beginning of the paschal Triduum (Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday — April 6-8).  Pope Francis has said, “Lent is a path: it leads us to the triumph of mercy over all that would crush us or reduce us to something unworthy of our dignity as God’s children.” … Read More

What does a priest feel during Mass?Anonymous in Jerseyville Humility is what priests surely feel most when presiding at Mass — their sense of unworthiness to fill this role in The Lamb’s Supper. We, who often preach about God’s unfathomable mercy, rely on this mercy ourselves as we stand at His holy altar. There, we echo His consecration words: “This is my Body … . This is my Blood … .” Nothing captures what a privilege this is — so yes, humility is key.  Humility is also involved as a priest homiletically sheds light on Sacred Scripture and preaches on unspeakably beloved figures such as our… Read More

Does one complete the Sunday Mass and holy day obligation by attending by watching via TV or computer? I am handicapped. I walk with a cane and have partial use of my right leg and arm due to a stroke. There is always the fear of falling. I cannot drive. The Masses have a Spiritual Communion Prayer, and my wife brings holy Communion to me on occasion.- Mike in Troy The Code of Canon Law states, “On Sundays and other holy days of obligation, the faithful are obliged to participate in the Mass” (canon 1247). The faithful are those who… Read More