Year three of Why Catholic? will soon be under way in parishes throughout the Springfield diocese. Sessions 7 through 12 on "Life in Christ, Walking with God" are scheduled to start the week of March 6 and conclude the week of April 10.

Mary Starmann-Harrison has been named new president and chief executive officer of Hospital Sisters Health System according to a Feb. 11 announcement by Sister Jomary Trstensky, OSF, chair of the members of Hospital Sisters Health System. Starmann-Harrison currently serves as regional president and CEO of SSM Health Care of Wisconsin, which operates St. Mary’s Hospital in Madison, and St. Clare Hospital & Health Services in Baraboo, among other health care facilities in south central Wisconsin.

Franciscan Father Albert Haase will lead a three-night mission March 7-9 at the Menard County parishes of St. Peter in Petersburg and Holy Family in Athens. The theme of the mission will be “Signed and Sealed with the Cross: A Parish Mission.”

Simple Lenten meals from Operation Rice Bowl

Sample the food of the Operation Rice Bowl featured countries with your family and friends by preparing a simple, meatless recipe shared with us by the people we serve around the world. This year, the recipes are from the countries of Haiti, Indonesia, Senegal, Honduras and Kenya. During Lent or throughout the year, you may want to try recipes from a collection of simple, meatless meals from past years.

St. Aloysius Catholic Church in Springfield will be hosting a parish mission beginning with evening prayer and a potluck dinner on Sunday, Feb. 27, 4-7 p.m. at the church. The parish mission will continue Monday, Feb. 28 through Thursday, March 3, from 6-9 p.m. The mission will meditate on the “Four Marks of the Church: One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic.”

Thinking about vocations is part of growing up Catholic, says new associate vocations director

Even before he was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois in 2005, Father Daren Zehnle was dedicated to helping young people learn about religious vocations. That’s why he feels so at home in his newest dual role as episcopal master of ceremonies for the Springfield diocese, working with Bishop Thomas John Paprocki, and as the associate director for the Office for Vocations.

David Curtin, a seminarian for the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois at St. Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology in St. Meinrad, Ind., was one of 17 students who received the ministry of acolyte Feb. 8 at the school’s St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel. Archbishop Daniel M. Buechlein, OSB, of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, presided at the installation.

A program on “Climate Change and Our Catholic Faith: Church Teachings and Our Response” will be offered at various locations throughout the diocese as a late winter/early spring opportunity. Dan DiLeo, project manager of the Catholic Coalition on Climate Change, and members of Pax Christi Springfield will facilitate.

Quincy, Mt. Sterling students celebrate Catholic Schools Week at all-schools Mass

QUINCY — More than 1,200 students from Quincy’s four Catholic grade schools — Blessed Sacrament, St. Dominic, St. Francis Solanus, and St. Peter — plus Quincy Notre Dame High School and St. Mary School, Mt. Sterling, came together at the QND gymnasium on Jan. 31 for Mass celebrated by Bishop Thomas John Paprocki. The liturgical celebration marked the start of Catholic Schools Week.

Pro-life advocates from throughout the Springfield diocese who participated in the annual March for Life in Washington, D.C., last month, returned home inspired by the scores of young people they witnessed standing up for the unborn.

In fall 2010, Bishop Thomas John Paprocki appointed a team of three priests, whose names are to be kept confidential, to investigate reports of demonic possession within the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois. The bishop, as chair of the Committee on Canonical Affairs and Church Governance of the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops, organized a national meeting of bishops and priests to study the revised rite of exorcism of a person, place or thing.

GODFREY — Seven boys and girls were winners in the Godfrey Knights of Columbus Council #7804 free-throw competition held Jan. 30 at St. Ambrose School gymnasium.

ALTON — St. Mary Parish will host the third annual Catholic Women's Breakfast on Saturday, March 26, beginning with Mass at 8 a.m. at the church, 519 East Fourth Street. Bishop Thomas John Paprocki will preside.

EFFINGHAM — When Maggie Seiler, a former student at St. Anthony Grade School, became ill and was hospitalized for 12 days at St. Louis Children’s Hospital last November, her former classmates offered to have a fund-raiser to help offset her family’s medical costs.

Young Catholic choristers from parishes and schools throughout Illinois and Missouri will gather at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Springfield on Saturday, Feb. 26 for a choral festival and Mass sponsored by the American Federation Pueri Cantores. Nichol DelGiorno, liturgical music coordinator and liturgy director at Cathedral, will host the event.

EFFINGHAM — At a Jan. 15 gala dinner sponsored by the Greater Effingham Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Msgr. Leo Enlow accepted the 2011 Citizen of the Year award from the Effingham Daily News. The daily newspaper presents the award each year to a person who has made a difference in the Effingham community.

Parishioners and friends of St. Katharine Drexel Parish in Springfield helped to start off a significant anniversary year by attending a successful fund-raiser dinner on Jan. 15. The dinner, which included a silent auction and entertainment, was held at Springfield Knights of Columbus Council 364.

Hospital Sisters Health System and the Chiara Center will host the second annual Spirituality in Health Care conference on March 16 at the Chiara Center on the grounds of the Franciscan Motherhouse near Springfield. The conference will be on “Mission, Metrics and Mercy.”

Over 425 young people and adults from throughout the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois are preparing for a pilgrimage to Washington, D.C., to participate in the March for Life, Monday, Jan. 24.

Priests and parish life coordinators of the Springfield diocese will meet Feb. 22-23 at the Decatur Conference Center and Hotel as part of ongoing study days on the implementation of the new translation of the Roman Missal.

On Jan. 12, at the request of Bishop Thomas John Paprocki, people from throughout the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois were asked to take time to remember and pray for the victims of the Haiti earthquake that happened one year ago.

The St. Louise de Marillac Ladies of Charity in Springfield recently presented $10,000 to Catholic Charities for the Foster Children’s Program. Money for the annual gift was raised through monthly dinner meetings and donations.

Father Mark L. Poorman, CSC, has been appointed executive vice president and associate professor of theology at the University of Portland, effective July 1. In the newly restructured position of executive vice president, Father Poorman’s responsibilities will include general oversight of the divisions of university operations, financial affairs, university relations, and supervision of the student life division.

Bishop Thomas John Paprocki plans to confirm catechized Catholics from the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois —those who have received catechetical formation and have been baptized and are receiving Holy Eucharist yet haven’t been confirmed — at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception on Pentecost Sunday, June 12, at 10 a.m.

EFFINGHAM — Catholic Charities of Effingham will roll out the red carpet for its annual benefit, “Lights, Camera, Action,” Feb. 5 at the Teutopolis Knights of Columbus Hall.

Just over two dozen women — many of them young mothers — worked together this fall to make ornaments for Jesse Trees to share with their families. Springfield Blessed Sacrament parishioner Molly Bruening led the project, posting it on Facebook and presenting the idea to her Bible study group that meets at Christ the King Parish.

Legislation could pose potential conflict with religious liberty, bishops say

Despite strong opposition from the state’s Catholic bishops, the Illinois House passed legislation Nov. 30 requiring recognition of civil unions and giving people in same-sex partnerships most of the legal rights of married couples.

A remark by Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn on the issue of civil unions prompted a terse rebuke from Bishop Thomas John Paprocki of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois.

Hospital Sisters Health System (HSHS) — a multi-institutional health care system that sponsors 13 hospitals in 12 communities across Illinois and Wisconsin and an integrated physician network — unveiled its new logo early this month.