VANDALIA — Rich in history, Vandalia served as the state capital of Illinois from 1819 until 1839 when a young legislator named Abraham Lincoln led the effort to move the seat of state government to Springfield where it remains today. Located just off Interstate 70, one of the busiest highways in the country, Vandalia, population 7,000, is the unlikely home to a worldwide ministry of prayer, healing and reconciliation.
Our Sorrowful Mother’s Ministry was established almost 20 years ago and continues to be nurtured by co-founders Debbie Pryor and Vanessa Keck.
“It’s definitely a ministry of mercy,” said Keck. “The people that come here are in need of help and we’ve tried to give them hope and healing and to send them back home with a plan.”
With the help of more than 20 community members, OSMM holds monthly retreats to inform and engage retreatants in the faith of the Catholic Church. More importantly, according to its mission, is that they bring people “closer to our Lord and our Blessed Mother through the Holy Mass, adoration and prayer” and strives to help others have an “encounter with God.”
Crucial early support
Co-founder Pryor credits one courageous diocesan priest for his critical early support of the ministry almost 20 years ago.
“When no one believed in us, Father Steve Sotiroff was our biggest supporter, our backbone ... he never took his eyes off of the ministry the whole time he was in Vandalia,” said Pryor.
Eventually, Father Sotiroff moved on from Mother of Dolors Parish and it was then that an important new form of assistance came on the scene.
Enter Sister Susan
“God has put people in our lives to help us take the next step,” continued Pryor as she described Sister Susan Pieper who stepped up to help the ministry after Father Sotiroff’s departure from Vandalia for his new assignment in Maryville.
The Apostles of the Interior Life arrived in the United States from Italy in September 2000 to establish their first house at the Univerity of Illinois in Champaign. A month later, they were introduced to Dr. Kenneth Howell who taught at the university and worked at the Newman Center there. “He invited us to come to Vandalia for a Catholic conference called the ‘Celebrate Your Faith’ conference,” said Sister Susan. “We would give some talks and be available for spiritual guidance. We accepted, and as they say, ‘the rest is history.” The Apostles of the Interior Life continue to come every year to the annual conference and haven’t missed one since 2000.
“Debbie and Vanessa and their ministry are very dear to us,” Sister Susan said. “After so many years of being with them through thick and thin I can confidently say that the finger of God is here.”
In addition her spiritual mentoring at the conference, Sister Susan serves as spiritual director to Pryor and Keck.
Friends in high places
In addition to Father Sotiroff and Sister Susan, Pryor and Keck credit Archbishop George Lucas of Omaha for his early vote of confidence during his time as Bishop of Springfield in Illinois. His successor, Bishop Thomas John Paprocki is held in similar high regard.
“Bishop Paprocki has given us many blessings and has given us his support which is solid gold,” Pryor said. “We admire him so much because he ‘stands’ on his beliefs, and that’s what we try to do here.”
Pryor’s observation proved correct during Bishop Paprocki’s presentation to the ministry’s 19th annual conference on Oct. 29. He stated again his analysis of the presidential condidates that were on the Nov. 8 ballot. More importantly, Bishop Paprocki spoke about how Catholics deal with the moral issue of our time: abortion.
“ ... just as our country’s approach to slavery has defined us a nation committed to the proposition that ‘all men are created equal,’ including people of different races. It is still within our power to steer our nation away from the ‘culture of death’ and come instead to be defined as a nation committed to the ‘culture of life.’”