Although overall enrollment in Catholic schools in the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois is down a bit this academic year, enrollment is up in some schools, says Jean Johnson, superintendent of Catholic schools. One school in particular, Marquette Catholic High School in Alton, has seen tremendous growth.

Bishop Thomas John Paprocki of the Springfield diocese will preside at an "Evening of Repentance and Prayer for Those Harmed in the Church" at 7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 12, at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Sixth and Lawrence streets in Springfield.

When the new translation of the Roman Missal is implemented on Nov. 26-27, the First Sunday of Advent, some of the words Catholics say may change, but what will remain the same is the reality of Christ, present to his church in every time and place, under the form of bread and wine in the holy sacrifice of the Mass.

The still-faltering economy is adding unwanted stress to low-income families as they prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas in 2011. So as the holidays approach, food pantries across the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois are asking for assistance from the public to aid those who will come to them for help.

Just in time for holiday decorating and gift-giving, St. Joseph's Home of Springfield has released its 19th city ornament.

The ordinary work of the devil can be found in the temptations that people face every day, while the devil's extraordinary work is possession, Bishop Thomas John Paprocki said Oct. 18, during a Theology on Tap program sponsored by the Springfield Young Adult Mass (YAM) ministry.

DECATUR — Holy Family Parish in Decatur will hold a Day of Spirituality on Saturday, Nov. 19, from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The cost is $10, which covers a catered lunch from La Gondola.

DECATUR — St. Mary's Hospital recently donated more than $10,000 to the WSOY NewsTalk 1340 Community Food Drive.

DECATUR — Sisters in Christ, an apostolate of prayers, evangelization and mutual support for women interested in growing in their spiritual lives, is celebrating its 25th anniversary. Father Richard Chiola, spiritual director of the Sisters in Christ, celebrated the 4:30 Mass, on Oct. 29, at Holy Family Parish in Decatur, with some 20 past and present Sisters in Christ and some of their family members in attendance. A memorial service for 13 deceased members was held after Mass in the Holy Family Parish Hall, where a catered banquet was served.

KANSAS CITY — Bishop Thomas John Paprocki finished the Kansas City Marathon on Oct. 15 in four hours, eight minutes and 39 seconds. It was his 18th marathon and he finished 13 minutes and 8 seconds better than his 2010 time at the Denver Marathon.

Villa Maria Catholic Life Center in Springfield is getting a new roof.

As a priest and associate director of the Office for Vocations, Father Daren Zehnle is naturally familiar with this quote from the Bible: "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest" (Matthew 9:39). Moreover, with a record number of seminarians under the sponsorship of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois (the diocese presently has 20 seminarians); the Office for Vocations is not pausing in its efforts to help young men discern a priestly vocation, Father Zehnle says.

Over 500 Catholic school and PSR students, adults accompanying them, missionaries and supporters attended the annual Mission Mass and awards presentation at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Springfield on Oct. 13.

In honor of its centennial, Catholic Daughters of the Americas' Court Madonna has chosen eight organizations to each receive a $100 contribution for its services at the local, state, or national level. The recipients include: Hospital Sisters Mission Outreach, Habitat for Humanity House #85, St. Martin de Porres Center, Springfield Right to Life, St. Katharine Drexel Parish, Covenant Network, Eternal Word Television Network/EWTN, and The Archdiocese for the Military Services USA.

Catholic Charities agencies in Joliet, Springfield and Belleville might still stand a chance of providing foster care and adoption services for the state of Illinois if a Senate bill introduced in the General Assembly fall veto session makes it onto the Senate floor for debate. Proponents are optimistic the Senators would want to clarify the "religious freedom protection" intent of the bill, and pass it on to the House to concur.

The Hospital Sisters of St. Francis welcomed 11 new Franciscan associates Oct. 2 during the morning liturgy at St. Francis of Assisi Church at the Franciscan Motherhouse near Springfield.

VANDALIA — "The Real Freedom of Choice: Heaven or Hell" will be the theme of the 14th annual conference sponsored by Our Sorrowful Mother's Ministry to be held Oct. 28-30 at the Mother of Dolors Parish Center, 705 W. St. Clair St. in Vandalia.

Ninety congregational leaders, all Dominican sisters and leaders of the Dominican Sisters Conference (DSC), held their first gathering at Sacred Heart Convent Sept. 30-Oct. 3 in Springfield.

EFFINGHAM — Catholic Radio WGMR 91.3 went on the air in Effingham Sept. 29, the Feast of the Archangels – Saints Gabriel, Michael and Raphael (hence the station's call letters). The station is on the air 24-hours, seven days a week, and can be heard within a 30-mile radius of Effingham.

LISLE — The Illinois Department of Human Rights has found that there is not substantial evidence to support charges filed by former Benedictine University employee Sharon (Laine) Tadlock that she was terminated because of her sexual orientation.

SHERMAN — Fathers in Faith and Family, a half-day Springfield area Catholic men's conference will be held Saturday, Nov. 5, at St. John Vianney Church in Sherman.

CARLINVILLE — Following a 22-year tradition, Elaine Vonderheide, with the assistance of several volunteers, welcomed over 50 individuals to Family Camp at Lake Williamson Christian Conference Center Sept. 24-25.

It was a beautiful day both outside and inside the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception on Sunday, Sept. 25. That afternoon 150 couples from throughout the diocese — many accompanied by children and grandchildren — came to take part in the annual anniversary celebration for couples married 50 years or longer. In all, about 500 people attended the celebration, which was opened with an hour-long musical prelude.

Court denies stay; state begins to transfer adoption and foster cases to other agencies

The Thomas More Society has until Oct. 26 to file an appeal in the Illinois 4th District Appellate Court in Springfield on behalf of Catholic Charities agencies in Springfield, Belleville and Joliet, if the agencies have a chance to remain in the field of providing foster care and adoption services for the state.

In light of ever-increasing threats to marriage, the bishops of Illinois have recently created a Defense of Marriage Department within the Catholic Conference of Illinois (CCI).

As the implementation date of the new translation of the Roman Missal draws near, Catholics are wondering how the changes will affect them and their parishes.

FESTUS, Mo. — Ginny Camacho, Bob Nytes and Nick Venvertloh, all members of Great River TEC in the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois, were among the recipients of the 2011 Spirit of TEC Award at the annual TEC Conference.

This fall Bishop Thomas John Paprocki will travel to the seven deaneries of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois to attend a series of Andrew Dinners. During the dinners, which begin this week and continue through November, he will speak with men about the priesthood of Jesus Christ.

Confirmation students at both St. Peter Parish in Petersburg and Holy Family Parish in Athens raised funds to purchase a new Mass kit for a Catholic community in Ghana. The fundraising was led by Lisa Reeves, director of parish ministries at the two parishes, and assisted by Father Christopher Brey of St. Augustine Parish, Ashland, and several other parishes.