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.
The annual chrism Mass for the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois will be held at 6:30 p.m. on the Monday of Holy Week, March 29, in the newly restored Cathedral Church of the Immaculate Conception in Springfield.
Mezzo-soprano Nichol DelGiorno, with Garrett Allman at piano, will perform a benefit concert to support relief efforts in Haiti at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 19, at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Sixth Street and Lawrence Avenue in Springfield.
During the month of February, parishes in the Springfield diocese are scheduled to begin Phase I in the 2010 Pastoral Planning Process, according to diocesan chancellor and director of pastoral planning Marlene Mulford.