MT. PULASKI — Musician and composer John Michael Talbot will offer a three-evening mission at 7 p.m. nightly from Tuesday, June 8, through Thursday, June 10, at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, 317 S. Lafayette St. in Mt. Pulaski.

Books for hospitalized kids is goal for St. Aloysius student

She may be young, but Mackenzie Newhouse is already a girl with a mission. At just 12 years old she has founded a charity that helps hospitalized children. She calls her charity Mackenzie’s Pages of Hope, or MPoH.

Deacon Stephen A. Thompson and Deacon Paul Kala will be ordained priests for the Springfield diocese on May 29 at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Springfield. Cardinal Francis George, OMI, of Chicago will preside at the 10:30 a.m. Mass.

SHERMAN — Father Joseph G. Kromenaker, retired priest of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois, died May 10 at St. John’s Hospital in Springfield. He was age 87.

On Corpus Christi weekend, June 4-6, a set of panels of the Vatican International Exhibition of Eucharistic Miracles of the World will be on display in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception Atrium, at Sixth and Lawrence streets in Springfield.

SHERMAN — St. John Vianney Knights of Columbus Council #14024 in Sherman won an award for best church program at the Illinois Knights of Columbus State Convention, held May 1 in Peoria. Grand Knight Dan Blentlinger said that the project comprised a new, more visible sign for the entrance to the parish as well as the reconstruction of a nearby Marian shrine.

CHICAGO — A young priest who spent half of his life living, learning and serving in Quincy before finally being buried there, may one day be a saint.

The archdiocese of Chicago has recently introduced Father Augustine Tolton’s cause for sainthood. Sometimes known as Augustus — and commonly called “Gus” — Father Tolton was the first American priest of African descent to serve in the United States.

The Class of 1960 from all Springfield Catholic grade schools will have a 50th reunion Saturday, June 26, at Piper Glen Golf Club in Springfield. The 10 Catholic grade schools open at that time include: Blessed Sacrament, Cathedral, Little Flower, Sacred Heart, St. Agnes, St. Aloysius, St. Cabrini, St. Joseph, St. Patrick and Ss. Peter and Paul. Information was sent to all graduates the planning committee was able to locate.

CHARLESTON — St. Charles Borromeo Church will begin a new tradition for the greater Charleston community the weekend of June 12-13. The parish will host a fun run called “Run for the Son” on Saturday, June 12, followed by its first-ever summer festival from noon to dusk on Sunday, June 13.

Four Catholic schools in Springfield are offering summer sessions for students, with fees dependant on the number of days and/or hours students attend. Previous enrollment at some of the schools is not necessary. Schools offering sessions include: St. Aloysius, St. Joseph and Little Flower Schools and Sacred Heart-Griffin High School.

Students at St. Agnes in Springfield recently participated in the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Math-A-Thon® program and raised $4,148 to help kids battling cancer and other deadly diseases at St. Jude, one of the world’s premier pediatric cancer research centers. The Springfield community supported St. Agnes students by making donations in honor of their participation in the program.  

GLEN CARBON — With construction set to begin soon for the new Father McGivney Catholic High School in Glen Carbon, its first principal is hired. Mike Scholz, currently assistant principal at St. Thomas More Catholic High School in Champaign, will officially start his new job July 1 as principal of the new school set to open in the fall of 2011.

Little Flower and St. Aloysius schools cooperate to perform Annie, Jr.

Over 100 students from Little Flower School and St. Aloysius School, both in Springfield, took to the stage for three evening performances of Annie, Jr. on April 29, 30 and May 1. Additionally, school faculty members and students were treated to a premiere daytime performance that week.

Because of limited space, seating will be by ticket only

Celebrations welcoming the Most Rev. Thomas John Paprocki as ninth bishop of Springfield in Illinois will begin with evening prayer at 7 p.m. on Monday, June 21, at the Cathedral Church of the Immaculate Conception in Springfield.

With 10 regional planning meetings completed and just two more to be held, Marlene Mulford, chancellor and director of pastoral planning in the Springfield diocese, says response so far has been very promising.

BEARDSTOWN — A mobile unit from the Mexican consulate was at St. Alexius Parish Hall April 22 to 24 to help Mexicans living in the area obtain Mexican passports and dual citizenship for their children who are U.S. citizens. Each week two mobile units from the consulate move about the United States, with this particular unit covering the states of Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin.

Now that Pope Benedict XVI has given  approval to the new English translation of the Roman Missal dioceses in English-speaking countries throughout the world — including the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois — are preparing for its use.

CHATHAM — Parishioners at St. Joseph the Worker Parish might feel like they are celebrating in a new worship space this Easter season, thanks to John Kennedy and all the people who helped with the Easter decor in 2010.

Pope Benedict XVI has appointed Auxiliary Bishop Thomas J. Paprocki of the Archdiocese of Chicago to be the new bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Springfield in Illinois. He succeeds Archbishop George J. Lucas, who was named archbishop of Omaha last June. He will serve approximately 146,000 Catholics in 131 parishes in central Illinois.

Several hundred people — priests, deacons, family members, classmates and friends — gathered April 10 at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Springfield to celebrate diocesan seminarian Brian Alford’s ordination to the transitional diaconate.

Within a few days of each other two Springfield Dominicans received recognition, one at the national level, and another in a six-county region of Illinois, for their respective outstanding service and leadership skills to foster and enhance quality education.

GILLESPIE — , pastor of St. Joseph’s Parish in Benld and Ss. Simon and Jude Parish in Gillespie, will celebrate the 50th anniversary of his ordination in May 2010. To give spiritual dimension to the occasion, Msgr. Auda has scheduled a mission for his parishioners and the Catholic community beginning Sunday, May 9.

EDWARDSVILLE — In a step toward ecumenical cooperation, two churches here that share a city block have also shared the beginning of the most solemn liturgy of the year.

Catholics are accustomed to showing up for Mass on Saturday evening or Sunday and seeing the parish pastor or parochial vicar walk out into the sanctuary to celebrate Mass. Sometimes, in a parish with a deacon, he is there as well.

QUINCY — St. Rose of Lima Church is hosting an international exhibit on the Eucharistic Miracles of the World on the weekend of April 10-11.

VANDALIA — Teenage boys slightly outnumbered teenage girls at a co-ed Theology of the Body teen retreat held March 26-28 at Mother of Dolors Parish. The retreat for eighth-graders through high school seniors is based on the teachings of Pope John Paul II regarding God’s plan for love and life and how a person’s body reflects the language of the love of God.

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. This month adults should call attention to better understanding their responsibility to protect children from abuse, both as citizens of the state of Illinois, and as members of the church community.

The following information provides a review and reminder of who is a mandated reporter and what role that reporter plays in carrying out the child protection effort. The information here is taken from both the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois Policy on Sexual Abuse of Minors by Church Personnel and the Department of Children and Family (DCFS) Services Web site.

ALTON — Marquette Catholic High School will venture down the yellow brick road to the Nazarene Community Center in Roxana to perform The Wizard of Oz, April 9-11. Shows will be at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, with a 2 p.m. matinee on Sunday, April 11. The cast of 30 features MCHS and other students from the community in all the whimsical Oz roles in a special arrangement with Tams-Whitmark Licensing.

St. John’s Hospital in Springfield will embark upon the largest construction project in the hospital’s 135-year history, pending approval of St. John’s two Certificates of Need (CON) by the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board. St. John’s plans to build a new centralized surgery department, renovate four floors of patient rooms in the patient tower, tear down some two- and four-story buildings on the hospital’s campus, move the hospital’s main entrance from Carpenter Street to Madison Street to face downtown Springfield, and create an outdoor healing garden with fountains across from the main entrance, on the east side of the Pavilion.