Parish churches and school buildings across the diocese have undergone a number of updates and renovations during 2013, said Greg Fleck, director of the diocesan office for Property, Buildings and Cemeteries.

The year 2013 was an important time for the youth of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois, says Kyle Holtgrave, associate director of youth and young adult ministry in the Office for Catechesis.

The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception was filled on Sunday, Dec. 8 for the bestowal of diocesan honors as the Springfield diocese commemorates 160 years of the Catholic faith in central Illinois.

INDIANAPOLIS — Over 100 people from the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois were on hand to take part in the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC), held Nov. 21-23 in Indianapolis. They were there with the over 23,000 people from all 50 states, the military archdiocese and the U.S. Virgin Islands who participated in the biennial event that gathers together Catholic teenagers, youth ministers, diocesan leaders, pastors and seminarians.

JACKSONVILLE — Freshmen at Routt Catholic High School have begun their four-year high school experience with plenty of prayer, thanks to their theology teacher, Maureen Bradish.

Chiara Center in Springfield will host the annual Franciscan Nativity Festival Dec. 6-8 at 4875 LaVerna Road, on the grounds of the motherhouse of the Hospital Sisters of St. Francis. Specific dates and times for the festival, which is free and open to the public, are: Friday, Dec. 6 from 2-7 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 7 from noon-4 p.m.; and Sunday, Dec. 8 from noon-4 p.m.

The Serra Club of Springfield, along with Dr. David Mack and the Marian Center of Springfield, are sponsoring the 21st annual Novena of the Immaculate Conception from Saturday, Nov. 30 through Sunday, Dec. 8. The novena, which honors "Mary, Our Mother" will begin each evening at 7 p.m. at Christ the King Church, 1930 Barberry Drive in Springfield.

In a show of a real Christian spirit and great sportsmanship, Sacred Heart-Griffin High School welcomed the players, students and fans of the Washington Community High School Panthers to the SHG Athletic Complex on Nov. 23 for the Class 5A playoff semifinal game.

On Dec. 6, Catholics celebrate the feast of St. Nicholas, the patron of children and sailors as well as Russia, Sicily and Greece. Born in the fourth century in a province of Asia Minor — now known as Turkey — Nicholas was eventually named the bishop of Myra.

St. Aloysius School students celebrated Veterans Day with some special visitors who shared stories of their military service in a program called "A Salute to American Veterans." On hand to talk to the students were SPF 5 William Owens, who served in U.S. Army Special Forces during the Vietnam War, and Capt. Sandra Gilmore of the U.S. Army Reserves.