"God Belongs in My City," a prayer walk to unite Christians in the city of Springfield, will be held Saturday, Aug. 24. Participants will meet at Comer Cox Park at Capitol Avenue and Martin Luther King Jr. Drive at 10 a.m. and march to the Illinois State Capitol.

An interfaith prayer vigil for compassionate immigration reform will be held at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 26, at Sacred Heart Convent's Aquinas Center, 1237 W. Monroe St. in Springfield. The prayer vigil, which will include participation from other faith traditions, is sponsored by the Hospital Sisters of St. Francis, Ursuline Sisters and Dominican Sisters of Springfield.

This coming fall and winter, the Office for Catechesis of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois, in conjunction with local parishes, will offer faith formation courses for adults in locations across the diocese. These courses, which are open to everyone, are designed to help Catholics grow in their faith, respond to questions about the church, and make faith-filled decisions in their lives.

Thirty-five individuals from the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois will have much to remember about the summer of 2013. That's because they were with the millions of pilgrims at World Youth Day in Rio De Janeiro.

ALTON — The Sisters of St. Francis of the Martyr St. George will celebrate the profession of first vows of three novices and reception into the novitiate of four postulants during Mass at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 14 at St. Mary's Church, 519 E. Fourth St. Bishop Thomas John Paprocki will be the main celebrant and will be joined by other clergy.

The University of Notre Dame Club of Central Illinois, in partnership with the ECCE Speakers' Series at the University of Illinois-Springfield (UIS), will host Professor Richard Garnett as its 2013 Hesburgh Lecture series speaker at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 17, in Brookens Auditorium on the UIS campus.

As summer winds down, contractors are busy at work making sure children at Little Flower School at 900 Stevenson Drive on Springfield's south side are comfortable this academic year and beyond. The school is getting new HVAC units in all the classrooms and several areas of the school are being updated and remodeled.

Totus Tuus (translation: Totally Yours) wrapped up its final week (July 22-26) of Catholic summer parish missions geared for youth in first through 12th grades.

About 50 people — adult and young adult leaders and high school participants — were on the campus of Benedictine University at Springfield from July 14-19 for Catholic Leadership Institute (CLI), which is sponsored by the Office for Vocations.

Over 60 individuals, both middle school youth and adult leaders from Catholic parishes in Illinois and several surrounding states, were in Springfield from July 15-19 as volunteers in the Just5Days service program.

EFFINGHAM — Theresa Rutherford, former chief operating officer for St. Mary's Hospital in Decatur, has accepted the position as president and chief executive officer of St. Anthony's Memorial Hospital in Effingham. She began her service on July 15. St. Mary's and St. Anthony's are both affiliates of Hospital Sisters Health System (HSHS).

Crowd prays for preservation of religious freedom

Over 300 people, many holding signs or waving American flags, gathered for the diocesan Fortnight for Freedom Prayer Rally at noon July 3 at the foot of the Lincoln statue on the east lawn of the Illinois State Capitol Building.

On June 26, the United States Supreme Court struck down the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) meaning that the federal government will now have to recognize so-called same-sex "marriage" in states that provide for it. On that same day, the Supreme Court also declined to take up the defense of Proposition 8 in California in the case of Hollingsworth v. Perry.

A group of 48 students from Sacred Heart-Griffin High School in Springfield, a 2013 graduate, campus ministers Sister Linda Mary DeLonais, OP, and Phil Seck and 10 adult chaperones from the Springfield area spent a week in June in Steubenville, Ohio on JOSHUA (Journeys of Service Helping Upper Appalachia).

A program for Catholic men that has been up and running across the nation is now becoming available to men in the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois. That Man Is You! (TMIY) is a 26-week interactive multimedia men's program divided into two 13-week semesters.

For the first time ever, a Catholic HEART Workcamp has been held in Springfield to reach out to community organizations which help those in need. Teens and their chaperones from around the country participated in the camp which lasted from June 30 to July 6.

The Diocesan Councils of Catholic Women (DCCWs) of Springfield in Illinois, Belleville and Peoria are holding a National Council of Catholic Women (NCCW) leadership program on Sunday, Aug. 4 at Villa Maria Catholic Life Conference and Retreat Center at 1903 E. Lake Shore Dr. in Springfield.

Rebecca Woodhull, a Springfield native and member of Cathedral Parish of the Immaculate Conception, has been named president of the National Council of Catholic Women (NCCW) in Washington, D.C. On May 31, she received a blessing during Mass from National Spiritual Advisor Father James Stembler of the Corpus Christi diocese.

Rebecca Woodhull, a Springfield native and member of Cathedral Parish of the Immaculate Conception, has been named president of the National Council of Catholic Women (NCCW) in Washington, D.C. On May 31, she received a blessing during Mass from National Spiritual Advisor Father James Stembler of the Corpus Christi diocese.

Hundreds of people attended a June 22 Mass celebrated by Bishop Thomas John Paprocki at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Springfield. The Mass liturgically began the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Fortnight for Freedom locally and celebrated the third anniversary of Bishop Paprocki's installation as Bishop of Springfield in Illinois.

The Springfield in Illinois Diocesan Council of Catholic Women (DCCW) has awarded $500 scholarships to four high school senior girls. The annual scholarship awards are given to young women who best exemplify the values of the DCCW by bringing spirituality, leadership and service to their school, parish and community. For 13 years the DCCW has acknowledged and rewarded outstanding young leaders who are willing to use their gifts and talents to serve Christ and his church.

The Springfield in Illinois Diocesan Council of Catholic Women (DCCW) has awarded $500 scholarships to four high school senior girls. The annual scholarship awards are given to young women who best exemplify the values of the DCCW by bringing spirituality, leadership and service to their school, parish and community. For 13 years the DCCW has acknowledged and rewarded outstanding young leaders who are willing to use their gifts and talents to serve Christ and his church.

During the 10 a.m. Mass June 16 at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Springfield, Bishop Thomas John Paprocki formally accepted seminarian Michael Friedel as a candidate for the diaconate and priesthood for the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois.

NOKOMIS — Singer songwriter Julie Carrick will present "Living Our Catholic Creed," a catechetical artistry concert on Sunday, June 30, at 6:30 p.m. at St. Louis Church, 311 S. Elm St.

Twenty-seven central Illinois organizations that help the poor have received grants from the Diocesan Campaign for Justice and Hope (DCJH) sponsored by the Springfield diocese. The awards were made by Bishop Thomas John Paprocki at a luncheon June 3 at the Catholic Pastoral Center in Springfield.

Springfield priest prepares for new work at Rome's Pontifical North American College

While July 1 brings new assignments to many parish pastors and priests, no pastor in the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois will be moving further this summer than Father Peter Harman.

Paul Palazzolo and Michele Brahler Reavy were inducted into the Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin Hall of Fame during the May 19 graduation ceremony for the SHG Class of 2013. The two alums, Palazzolo from Griffin High School in 1984, and Brahler Reavy from Sacred Heart Academy in 1980, were recognized for the exemplary ways in which they have integrated the mission of SHG into their lives.

ALTON — "Can you beat the bishop?" That was the challenge given to students and participants of the sixth annual Marquette Catholic High School 5K fun run and walk in Alton in May.

DECATUR — A 5K "Run and Walk for the Talk" will take place Saturday, June 22, at Nelson Park in Decatur.