March 2008
 A n n o u n c e m e n t s   

 St. Thomas    &    St. Patrick's

         Prayers for the Sick Listing . <<<< Archives >

Parish Mission Coming!

Nov. 16, 17, 18, 19
St. Patrick's Church
NOV 9 BLOOD DRIVE There will be a blood drive on Thurs. Nov 13 at the Elkhart Christian Church from 2-6 pm.  Regular info can be found on the flyers & poster back of the church.
NOV 9 FORE! Initial plans are being made to hold a golf outing next year to help raise money for the Youth Group's Mission Trip.  A date has been set, which is May 22, 2009, at the Oaks in Riverton.  It will include a dinner after the outing.  Volunteers will be needed to help form committees to organize the event.  This will take a lot of planning, and the planning needs to begin as soon as possible, so if you are interested in helping, please contact Elise Anderson at 415 6893 (cell) or 732 2161 (wk), or anderson.elise@yahoo.com
NOV 9 YOUTH GROUP FUNDRAISER The Youth Group is planning a home tour for the Christmas in the Village Festival to be held on December 6th in Elkhart.  anyone interested in showing their home for the tour, please contact Nancy Davis or Theresa Moore.  Thanks for your support!  ALSO, THERE WILL BE A COOKIE WALK FROM 2 TO 4 PM.
NOV 9 TURIN TRIP Good news about the Turin trip in 2010.  We now have enough people committed to be able to reserve the bus.  We still have room for more people, so if you're thinking about going, please contact Madonna Boyle.  Since we have the bus reserved, and we are working to get our reservation to see the Shroud, you don't have to rush about reserving your place.  However, we will be opening the trip up to those outside the parish very soon, and when it fills up, no more reservations will be taken.
NOV 9 PANCAKE BREAKFAST The annual St. Thomas pancake & sausage breakfast during Christmas on Vinegar Hill is almost upon us.  Sign-up sheets are now out in the back of the church.  Please sign up as quickly as possible, to assist those planning the event.  Thank you.
Oct 26  UP-COMING AREA EVENTS Here are some events in the surrounding area that are coming up soon:
     Chestnut:  The Chestnut United Methodist Church is holding its annual Soup and Auction on Saturday, Nov. 1st, from 4:30 to 7 pm.  The menu includes chili or vegetable soup, dessert, and beverage.  Cost:  $6 adults, $3 children under 12.  Carryouts are available.

     Latham:  The Latham United Methodist Church Fall Dinner will be held on Sunday, Nov. 2nd, from 11 am to 1 pm.  The menu includes turkey and dressing, potatoes and gravy, green beans, salad, dessert, roll and drink.  Cost:  $8 adults, $4 children 3-12, and free for children under 3.  The church is located at 241 Walnut St. in Latham.  Phone:  674 3749

     Middletown:  the Middletown Presbyterian Church Fall Harvest Brunch will be held on Sunday, Nov. 2nd, from 10 am to 1 pm.  The menu includes ham, bacon, sausage, biscuits and gravy, belgian waffles, breakfast pizza, scrambled eggs, cottage fries, ham & beans with cornbread, desserts, coffee cakes, fresh fruit and drinks.  Cost:  $7 adults, $3.50 children 4-12, and free for children 3 and under.
Oct 26 MASS INTENTIONS We are very low on Mass intentions at St. Patrick's and St. Thomas, so it you would like to request Mass intentions, this would be a good time to do so.
Oct 26 ALL SAINTS' DAY - This year, All Saints' Day, Saturday, Nov. 1st, is NOT a holy day of obligation (and I will refrain from comment).  Therefore, there will be no additional Masses scheduled for either Friday or Saturday.  Oh well, as we used to say in Brooklyn when there was a baseball team there, "Wait 'til next year!"
Oct 20 YOUTH GROUP FUNDRAISER The Youth Group is planning a home tour for the Christmas in the Village Festival to be held on December 6th in Elkhart.  anyone interested in showing their home for the tour, please contact Nancy Davis or Theresa Moore.  Thanks for your support!
Oct 20 CAREER OPPORTUNITY The Knights of Columbus is seeking a Field Agent for a career opportunity representing their insurance program.  We offer a complete benefits package with this full-time position.  In order to qualify, one must be eligible for membership in the Knights of Columbus.  For more information, contact Jeff Schaecher, General Agent, at 309 793 4218 or email:  jeff.schaecher@kofc.org
Oct 8 Mission Trip Sunday The Youth Group will be having a potluck on Sunday, October 19, 2008 at 6 pm at St. Patrick's to thank everyone for their continued support of Catholic Heart Workcamp, and specifically for this year's trip to Bluffton, SC, this past June.  There will be a slide show of the trip, as well as both students and adult chaperones giving witness to the graces received while serving.  I hope you will join us.  Meat dish and drinks will be provided.  Please bring a dish to pass.
Oct 8 Covered Bridge Festival Tour Madonna Boyle is planning a bus trip on Monday, Oct. 13th, (Columbus Day) for the annual Indiana Covered Bridge Festival.  The bus will be stopping at Rockville, Bridgeton, and Mansfield.  The bus leaves from the American Legion Hall parking lot in Mt. Pulaski at 7 am and will be returning from Mansfield at 5 pm.  The cost is $40 per person.  You may contact Madonna at 674-3709 or 855-3709.
Oct 8 Youth Group Fundraiser The Youth Group is planning a home tour for the Christmas in the Village Festival to be held on Dec. 6th.  Anyone interested in showing their  home for the tour, please contact Nancy Davis or Theresa Moore.  Thanks for your support.
Oct 8 Memorial Hospital Help We need your Help!  Each year, around 100 volunteers provide over 9,000 hours of service to help Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital fulfill its healthcare mission.  ALMH offers a number of volunteer opportunities to fit every interest and skill set - from staffing the front office information desk to helping departments with special projects.  Volunteers may work several hours a week or just occasionally.  If your are interested in volunteering your time, please contact Volunteer and Special Services Manager:  Lynne Metz - at:  217 732 - 2161, ext. 75185 to participate in our next informational orientation.
Oct 8 Pocket Calendars Annual pocket calendars are now available at the back of the church.  Please feel free to take as many as you would like to have.
Sept 10 Speaker Coming On Tuesday, Sept. 16th, at 6:30 pm, St. Patrick's will host Dr. jack Cluney as a guest speaker.  Some of you may recall Dr. Cluney's talk a couple of years ago at the Elkhart Christian Church on Satanism in today's world.  This time, Dr. Cluney will be sharing his faith journey.  The talk, entitled, "I ran into Jesus at the Holiday Inn," is sub-titled, "An Irish Catholic's Journey to meet Christ!"  The talk promises to be both rewarding and entertaining.  All are welcomed to attend.
Sept 10 CCD Registration Registration for CCD classes and the Youth Group will continue at both St. Patrick's and St. Thomas on this weekend, September 6-7.  Classes begin next weekend, September 14th.
Sept 10 Diocesan School Survey As part of the strategic planning process for Catholic schools in the Diocese of Peoria, surveys are being used to gauge the perceptions of both current parents and of all other parishioners about our Catholic schools.  Both of these surveys are scheduled for September 14-27.  the surveys are web-based and may be accessed at any time between these dates.  Current parents will receive directions about completing the parent survey through the schools their children attend.  Any other member of a Catholic parish in the Diocese is invited and encouraged to complete the parishioner survey between September 14-27.

To Participate:
1) Go to the website www.cdop.org
2) Click on the parishioner survey button
3) Take the survey!
The process will take only 15 minutes or less.  It is hoped that a large number of Catholic adults will participate in both surveys.  Providing feedback about Catholic school education will assist schools in planning for the future.
Sept 10 Turin Trip Update The Archdiocese of Turin has announced preliminary dates for the exhibition of the shroud of Turin in 2010.  the dates are April 10 - May 15.  As you can see, it isn't much time, so getting our reservation in as quickly as possible is a must.  If you are planning on going, please get your rreservation form (available at the back of the church) to Madonna Boyle right away.  We will be reserving places on the trip to parish members until Sept. 15th.  After that, it will be opened to others on a first-come, first-served basis, so it you are planning to go, please be sure to make your reservation before September 15th.
June 29 A Prigrimage to Turin? Pope Benedict has announced that there will be a solemn exhibition of the Shroud of Turin in the Spring of 2010, 15 years sooner than the next scheduled exhibition in 2025.  Although details haven't been released, it is likely that the Shroud will be exhibited in Turin Cathedral, where it is kept.  In fact, the Pope has even said that he would like to see the Shroud during this exhibition.  I thought it might make a wonderful pilgrimage, and I think it's a good idea to start early.  I suspect that if we can get 20-25 people, we can form our own tour group.  If you think  you might be interested, let me know.  I'll contact a tour company to inquire as to what would be necessary to organize a tour.
June 29 Mass Intentions If you want a Mass offered at a particular time, please be sure to get your request in at least a month early, as some dates fill up quickly.  St. Patrick's is running low on Mass Intentions, so this would be a good time to request Masses.
June 29 Springfield Conference The Diocese of Springfield is sponsoring a two-day conference at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in November.  The keynote speaker will be popular youth apologist Matthew Kelly.  See the posters at the back of the church for more information.
June 29 Chicken Dinner The annual St. Patrick's Chicken Dinner is scheduled to be held on Sunday, July 27th, this year.  Sign-up sheets are now available.  Please sign up as quickly as possible so that planning may go smoothly.
June 1 CCD CLASSES CCD classes will meet at St. Patrick's on June 8th.  Classes at St. Thomas are finished for the year.
June 1 YOUTH GROUP Youth Group meetings are concluded for this year.  The annual summer Youth Group Mission Trip will be June 14 - 21.
June 1 SUMMER INSTITUTE The annual Summer Institute for the Diocese of Peoria is approaching.  This year's featured speaker is George Weigel, prominent Catholic columnist and biographer of Pope John Paul II.  In addition to other speakers, there will be a special presentation by Jeff Cavins and Tim Gray of their popular Bible study, this one called Adventures in Revelation.  Be sure to register in time!
June 1 IS CATHOLICISM SCRIPTURAL?   One of the common criticisms of Catholicism from some non-Catholics is that many Catholic beliefs and practices are not found in Scripture.  If you haven't been sure of how to respond to these criticisms, Catholic Doctrine in Scripture by Gregory Oatis should be a great help.  A very handy volume to have around.
June 1 WHY ARE PRIESTS CELIBATE?  In the book store, Fr. Andrew Apostoli's new book: When God Asks For an Undivided Heart:  Choosing Celibacy in Love and Freedom.  Also a valuable book for someone who might be considering a religious vocation, and who wonders whether he or she would be able to live a celibate life.
May 18

GRADUATES - SPRING GRADS OF ST. PAT'S & ST. THOMAS

High School
Emily Bobell
Jaymie Curry
Paul Foley
Pat Gleason
Richard Hebenstreit
Chris Newman

 

 

 Grade School
Mark Foley
Carly Powell

 

 

 

 

 College
Nicole Bensko (Masters)
Brett Bracey
Susan Cochran
Casey Davis (Doctorate)
Nick Davis
Bethany Gleason
C.C. Hudson
Joseph Moore
Mary Olson
Erin Schmidt
   
May 18 PRAYER PARTNERS NEEDED  Prayer partners are needed for each member of the youth group going on this year's Mission Trip, and for their adult chaperones.  If you are interested in being a prayer partner, please contact Nancy Davis at 947 - 2706.
May 18 CHICKEN DINNER  The annual St. Patrick's Chicken Dinner is scheduled to be held on Sunday, July 27th, this year.  Further information will be forthcoming.
May 18 FIRST COMMUNION  First Holy Communion is quickly approaching.  This year, First Communion will be on Sunday, May 18th at St. Thomas, and on Saturday, May 31st at St. Patrick's.  Our First Communicants are as follows:
    St. Patrick's  -  Jordan Ginter
    St. Thomas - Cory Beccue
May 18 ST. THOMAS GRADUATES  Graduates who attend St. Thomas Aquinas will be honored on Sunday, May 25th.  Please be sure to be at Mass on that day.
May 18 MAY BREAKFAST The annual St. Patrick's May Breakfast, during which we honor graduates, will be held this year on May 18th.
May 4 NEW ISSUE OF MAGNIFICAT  The May issue of Magnificat is now available in the bookstore.
May 4 SENIOR'S ECUMENICAL LUNCH  The next Senior's Ecumenical Lunch will be on Wednesday, May 14th, at St. Patrick's.
May 4 NEW TRUSTEE  Congratulations to Mark Miller, who has been appointed by Bishop Jenky as a trustee at St. Thomas Aquinas.  Mark has recently served on the Finance Council, so he will bring that experience to his new position.  We look forward to his service as trustee.
May 4 FIRST COMMUNION  First Holy Communion is quickly approaching.  This year, First Communion will be on Sunday, May 18th, at St. Thomas and on Saturday, May 31st, at St. Patrick's.  Our First Communicants are as follows:
St. Patrick's - Jordan Ginter
St. Thomas - Corey Beccue
Apr 20 ADA COMING  It is almost time to begin the Annual Diocesan Appeal drive.  Please keep an eye on the bulletin for further developments.
Apr 20 CHICKEN DINNER  We need someone to head up the dinner organization, along with committee heads.  There will be a meeting on Tuesday, April 22nd, at 7 pm to get things organized.  I'd like someone to volunteer to head up everything before that.  Please speak to me or call the office if you are willing to do so.  It is urgent that we get this started and promoted properly, so please help us.
Apr 20 MAY BREAKFAST  The annual St. Patrick's May Breakfast, during which we honor graduates, will be held this year on May 18th.  Because that day is First Holy Communion for St. Thomas Aquinas, we will honor St. Thomas's graduates on the preceding Sunday, May 11th.  If you are a graduate this year, please be at Mass on that day so that we can honor you.
Mar 30 SALE!  We have special items on sale at the church bookstores.  There are books, DVD's, and videos at 40-50% off retail prices.  Quantities of most items are limited, so once they are gone, we won't have them any longer.  Keep checking the book tables for new items.
Mar 30 Missing Chairs  We have had 20-30 folding chairs missing from St. Patrick's for quite a while.  If you have borrowed chairs and forgotten to return them, please do so.  If we continue to lose chairs, we may have to restrict their use by others, which we would rather not do.  Your help is greatly appreciated.
Mar 30 Candles  The prices of our church 14-day candles (the ones surrounding the Holy Family statue at St. Patrick's) has gone up to $10 per candle.  The cause of this dramatic increase is that the candles are 51% beeswax and 49% paraffin.  Paraffin is a petroleum distillate, so as the price of oil goes up, so does the price of our candles - and just as quickly.
Mar 30 Graduates  In May, we honor our junior high school, high school and college graduates.  Please call the office with names of their graduates so that we don't miss anyone.
Mar 30 Sausage, Biscuit & Gravy Breadfast  The Youth Group will sponsor this breakfast at the Talk of the Town in Elkhart on Sun., April 13, 2008 from 7 - noon.  All proceeds will go toward the Bluffton Mission Trip in June.  Thank you in advance for supporting this fundraiser and annual St. Thomas and St. Patrick Youth Group Mission Trip.
Mar 16 Mission Trip Payment  The next payment of $100 is due for the Mission Trip.  It must be submitted by March 25th.  Please either drop it into the collection (clearly marked for Mission Trip) or give it to Nancy.
Mar 9 Protecting God's Children Workshops  April 5, April 8, April 17, May 7, May 15 [Different times & different places - check the Sunday Bulletin - or call: Domine King at 309 - 452 - 2585]
Mar 9 Msgr. Higgins ILL Msgr. Ed Higgins, whom many of you may remember from his time at Holy Family in Lincoln, and from our sesquicentennial, has had a recent setback and is now in a nursing home:  Liberty Village of Princeton, 140 N. 6th St., Rm 106, Princeton, IL 61356
Mar 9 Intentions of the Holy Father Each month, the Pope offers intentions for which the entire Church can join him in praying.  For March, these are his intentions:
     GENERAL - that the importance of forgiveness and reconciliation between individuals and
                         peoples may be understood and that through her testimony the Church may
                         spread Christ's love, the source of new humanity.
      MISSION - that Christians persecuted because of the Gospel in various parts of the world
                         and in various manners may be sustained by the strength of the Holy Spirit      
                         and continue to bear witness courageously and openly to the Word of God.
Feb 24 St. Patrick's Yearbook Since the St. Patrick's Yearbook is for the Sesqui-Centennial, it will be a historical yearbook.  We wish to have pictures of as many former parishioners, throughout the history of the parish, so if you have any pictures of family or friends that we can use, please label them and turn them in.  When we are finished, they will be returned, so be sure that they are carefully marked.
Feb 24 St. Patrick's Day Because Easter is so early this year (March 23rd), we will have to celebrate St. Patrick's Day on Sunday, March 9th.  On that day, the Mass schedule will be reversed, with the 8:30 Mass at St. Thomas, and the 10:30 Mass at St. Patrick's.  As usual, the church will supply the meat and drinks.  Everyone is asked to bring a family-sized dish to pass.
Feb 24 New Magnificat The March edition of Magnificat, which also includes a special supplement for Holy Week, is now available in the bookstore.
Feb 24 National Catholic Singles Conference Join over 500 men and women all over the country for the 5th National Catholic Singles Conference, April 25-27, 2008, at the Marriott Resort in Lincolnshire, IL (Archdiocese of Chicago).  The weekend includes talks by dynamic national speakers (Fr. Thomas Loya, Dr. Philip Mango, Fr. Richard Simon, Vicki Thorn, and others), social events, times of prayer and more.  Registration by March 1st is $140 ($99 for students); after March 1st, registration is $160 ($120 for students).  Partial scholarships are available for those in financial need.  Space is limited, so register soon.  For more information and to register, visit:  www.NationalCatholicSingles.com or call 815 828 5094.
Feb 17 Sesqui-Centennial Yearbook We have finally been able to make arrangements for the St. Patrick's Sesqui-Centennial Yearbook.  This will be a special yearbook, and we intend to make it a permanent keepsake.  The dates for taking pictures will be in March.  There will be additional information in the bulletin each week, so please keep looking for it.
Feb 17 St. Thomas Yearbook Since the St. Thomas Sesqui-Centennial isn't for a few more years, we will be having a separate yearbook for St. Thomas this year in conjunction with the St. Patrick's Sesqui-Centennial Yearbook.  The dates for taking pictures will be in March.  Please keep looking in the bulletins for specifics.
Feb 17 St. Patrick's Day Because Easter is so early this year (March 23rd), we will have to celebrate St. Patrick's Day early.  Sunday, March 16th, the day before the actual St. Patrick's Day, is Palm Sunday, so we can't celebrate on that day.  As a result, our St. Patrick's Day celebration will be on Sunday, March 9th.  That isn't too far away, so start getting ready!
Feb 17 K of C Ladies Auxiliary The Knights of Columbus Ladies Auxiliary will hold their monthly meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 20th, at 7 pm at the K of C hall in Lincoln.
Feb 17 Women's Retreat A Women's retreat is scheduled for the weekend of March 14-16 at King's House of Retreats, Henry, IL.  Please check the Sunday bulletin for more information.
Feb 17 Bishop's Festival Letter It is customary for bishops to issue Festival Letters each year.  This year, we have been provided a few copies of Bishop Jenky's Festival Letter.  If you would like a copy, they are available at the back of the church.
Feb 17 EWTN Pilgrimage the Marian Center in Springfield will be having its 18th Pilgrimage to EWTN from Sunday, April 6th to Wednesday, April 9th, 2008.  the price for the trip is $395 based on double occupancy.  If you are interested in attending, please contact the rectory for further details, or call Joseph Kohlrus at the Marian Center at 217 744 3610.
Feb 17 Catholic Post  It is time once again to renew subscriptions to the "Catholic Post", the newspaper for the Diocese of Peoria.  Many of you should have received renewal envelopes already.  If you haven't, you can pick one up a the back of the church, or you can simply put a check for $25 in an envelope and write "Catholic Post" on the envelope.
Jan 30 YOUTH GROUP The Youth Group will be participating in a national initiative to raise awareness about world hunger - called the Super Bowl of Caring.  The students will be in the back of the churches collecting monetary donations and canned goods at all masses on Super Bowl Sunday weekend, which is Feb 2-3.  all donations will remain LOCAL.  The group decided to donate all contributions to St. John's Breadline in Springfield.  This program was started in 1990 by a youth group and since that time has raised over 42 million dollars to fight world hunger.  See the insert in today's bulletin for more information.  Also, take a minute to look at the posters in the back of the churches for facts you might not know about hunger in our world.
Jan 30 EWTN PILGRIMAGE  The Marian Center in Springfield will be having its 18th Pilgrimage to EWTN from Sunday, April 6th to Wednesday, April 9th, 2008.  The cost of the trip is $395, based on double occupancy.  If you are interested in attending, please contact the rectory for further details, or call Joseph Kohlrus at the Marian Center at 217 744 3610.
Jan 30 MEN'S RETREAT  A men's retreat is scheduled for the weekend of Feb. 8-10 at King's House of Retreats, Henry, IL.  Fr. Gabriel Bullock, O.S.B. will be the Retreat Master.  His theme this year is:  "Further Growth in Masculine Spirituality".  The retreat will begin with registration from 7-8 pm on Friday evening, and will end around 1 pm after Mass.  The cost is $120 per person.  Please make your reservation by writing to King's House, P.O. Box 165, Henry, IL 61537, or phone 309 364 3084.
  Jan 18 YOUTH GROUP The Youth Group will meet on Wednesday, Jan. 23
Jan 18 MANIFICAT LENT COMPANION Magnificat has published a daily prayer and meditation companion for the season of Lent.  Copies are now available in the bookstore.
Jan 18 YOUTH GROUP SKI TRIP This year's ski trip is scheduled for Feb. 16th & 17th.  More details will follow in the bulletins.  Remember, as well as youth group members, the trip is open to college age students, also.  The more the merrier, plus it helps to keep the per-person cost reasonable.  Contact Nancy Davis for more info.
Jan 18 TRIVIA NIGHT APPROACHES The Youth's Group Annual Trivia Night will be held on Saturday, February 9th, at St. Thomas Aquinas.  Further details will be forthcoming.   (Hmmmm...Feb. 12th is Lincoln's Birthday.  Too bad we already had an Abraham Lincoln category two years ago.)
Jan 18 LENT Lent will be here before you know it.  Ash Wednesday is on February 6th.  Due to the compression of this year's schedule, various conflicts, and injuries (most specifically my injury), we will not be having the Wednesday morning Communion Service and donuts.  Instead, we will have a Mass as the regular time.  The full Lenten schedule will be in next week's bulletin.
Jan 18 MEN'S RETREAT A men's retreat is scheduled for the weekend of February 8-10 at King's House of Retreats, Henry, Illinois.  Fr. Gabriel Bullock, O.S.B., will be the Retreat Master.  His theme is "Further Growth in Masculine Spirituality".  The retreat will begin with registration from 7-8 pm on Friday evening, and will end around 1 pm after Mass on Sunday.  Cost:  $120 ea.  Please make you reservation by writing to King's House, P.O. Box 165, Henry, IL 61537 or phone 309 364 3084.
Jan 18 CONGRATULATIONS As you may be aware, one of the Youth Group's fundraisers this year was a football sweepstakes.  We're happy to announce that Jerry Turner of Mt. Pulaski was a $200 winner in the sweepstakes.  Be sure to participate in the sweepstakes when it comes around again next year!
   
   
 

Visit the "Bookstore" There is a selection of books, videos, DVDs, and CDs for sale on the table at the back of the church.  The prices, which are marked, are all substantially below retail (usually around 30%).  If you wish to purchase any, pout the payment in one of the small manila envelopes, seal it, and either leave it on the table or drop it in the collection basket.  I hope you find some items you like. 

1st Mondays

Blood Drive The Central Illinois Community Blood Center holds blood drives in Lincoln on the 1st Monday of every month.  These are held from noon to 6 pm at the Logan County Paramedics Building, 1300 N. Postville Road in Lincoln.  Please see the brochure in the back of the church for further information.

 

Liturgical Volunteers Needed I would like to expand our core of altar severs, lectors, eucharistic ministers, and sacristans.  Altar servers must be in at least 5th grade.  Other than that, there are no other age or gender restrictions on any of these ministries.  If you are interested in performing one of these ministries, please put you name on one of the sign-up sheets at the back of the church.  Signing up is not a commitment, but merely an expression of interest.  Instructional classes will be held for these ministries.  

< Click here for more information on the above ministries >

  Bibles for Prisoners I want to thank everyone who contributed to the fund to purchase bibles for the prisoners at Logan Correctional Center.  Through your efforts, we have been able to order bibles in both English and Spanish.  I can assure you that the prisoners are not only hungry for such spiritual nourishment, but are also grateful to those of you whose efforts make a difference in the lives of many of these men.
  SUPPORT ADOPTION As a part of National Adoption Month, please join Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Peoria in supporting adoption in Central Illinois.  Through this enormous act of compassion, adoptive families are offering love and hope to children in need. If you or anyone you know are interested in adoption, please contact the Catholic Charities in your area. 
Sundays CHOIR PRACTICE Choir practice at St. Patrick's will be on Sundays after PSR classes.  See you there.
  PSR/CCD PSR/CCD classes are moving ahead on schedule.  Many thanks to the teachers who are putting in a lot of their spare time to make this a success.
  Fulton J. Sheen Holy Cards As some of you may already know, the cause for the potential canonization of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen has been officially opened.  The Diocese of Peoria, of which Archbishop Sheen was a native son, is spearheading the effort.  The diocese has produced some holy cards, and some of these cards are available at the back of the church.  Please take at least one, and join your prayers to this cause.  If we run out of cards, I'll try to get some more.  [Fr. Tom]
  Contact the bishop Anyone wishing to contact Bishop Jenky, can reach him at the following address and phone number:  Most. Rev. Daniel R. Jenky, CSC.  607 NE Madison Ave.  Peoria, Il 61603  (309) 671-1561