Special Vicariate Masses Scheduled!

The Peoria Diocesan Council of Catholic Women continues our recent tradition of having Masses said across the diocese for a special intention.  This year, that intention is for the concerns of human trafficking and immigration, which are closely linked.  We thank Jennifer Willems for including this information in the September 1st edition of The Catholic Post.  We are including the listing here so you can easily find it even when your paper is in the recycling bin!

Joining to pray in community at Mass for these causes is one way we all can petition God and bring attention to the need for God's guidance and mercy as decisions are made on matters of immigration and human trafficking.  Current board members heading this effort are Melissa Appell, Human Trafficking Concerns Chair and Barbara Harzman, Immigrations Concerns Chair.


Macomb Vicariate:  Friday September 13, 5:30 p.m. at Immaculate Conception Church,
                                         125 North Fayette Street in Carthage

Galesburg Vicariate:  Tuesday September 17, 7:00 a.m. at Immaculate Conception Church,
                                          200 West Broadway in Monmouth

Peoria Vicariate:  Friday September 20, 8:00 a.m. at St. Mary Church,
                                  119 St. Mary Street in Princeville

Ottawa Vicariate:  Sunday September 22, 7:00a.m. at St. Michael the Archangel Church,
                                     513 South Shabbona in Streator

Danville Vicariate:  Wednesday September 25, 7:15 a.m. at St Paul Church,
                                      1303 North Walnut Street in Danville

Kewanee Vicariate:  Tuesday October 15, 5:30 p.m. at St. Anthony Church,
                                       204 West Main Street in Atkinson

Bloomington-Lincoln:  Friday October 18, 5:00 p.m. at St. Patrick of Merna,
                                        1001 North Towanda Barnes Road in Bloomington

Pekin Vicariate:  Monday November 4, 6:00 p.m. at St. Joseph Church,
                                303 South 7th Street in Pekin

LaSalle Vicariate:  Monday November 18, 7:30 a.m. at Holy Family Church,
                                    311 North Woodland Avenue in Oglesby

Champaign Vicariate:  Tuesday November 19, 6:00 p.m. at St. Elizabeth Church,
                                            100 Church Street in Thomasboro

Pontiac Vicariate:  Saturday December 7, 8:00 a.m. at St. Mary Church,
                                     119 East Howard Street in Pontiac

Rock Island Vicariate:  Saturday March 7, 7:00 a.m. at St. Pius X Church,
                                           2502 29th Avenue in Rock Island


Collections at the Masses will go to Catholic Charities to support their efforts to minister to immigrants.

Miracle Approved!

Social media has been buzzing all day with amazing news...

Pope Francis has approved the miracle attributed to Venerable Fulton Sheen's intercession!

Here is a portion of the text of the press release from Most Reverend Bishop Daniel Jenky, C.S.C.:

Bishop Jenky stated:

“It is truly amazing how God continues to work miracles. I am so grateful that the Vatican acted so quickly after last week’s transfer of Sheen’s remains from New York to the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception in Peoria.”

Now that the miracle has been confirmed by Pope Francis, the Diocese of Peoria can formally begin planning for the Beatification of Archbishop Sheen, which will take place in Peoria. According to the current practice of the Vatican, a Beatification is celebrated in the local diocese where the Cause was instructed. Once the date for the Beatification is granted by Pope Francis, Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu, Prefect for the Congregation of the Causes of Saints, would come to Peoria to preside at the ceremony.

Although the date of Beatification is not known at this time, Bishop Jenky hopes and prays that the date of Beatification will be announced very soon. Bishop Jenky continues to be hopeful that Venerable Archbishop Fulton Sheen will be Beatified during this 100th anniversary year of his ordination to the priesthood in Peoria.

You can read the full statement  HERE

Venerable Archbishop Fulton J Sheen, pray for us!

May Crowning at St Valentine's!

Peoria Diocesan Council of Catholic Women

cordially invites you to a

Spring Day of Reflection

“Venerable Archbishop Fulton Sheen and Our Blessed Mother”

Thursday May 9, 2019

St. Valentine Church, 1109 Pulaski Street Peru IL 61354

Rev. Msgr. Richard Soseman, Spiritual Director

Schedule:  9:30 ~  Registration with Coffee, Tea, and Sweet Rolls

                   

9:45 ~  Welcome and Opening Prayer

10:00 ~ Presentation by Rev. Msgr. Soseman

 11:00 ~ Holy Mass

 12:00 ~ Lunch

   1:00 ~ Exposition

              (Confessions will be heard; Rosary & Divine Mercy Chaplet)

  1:45  ~ Benediction

  2:15 ~  Closing Processional with May Crowning

                                      Please bring flowers from your home garden

Cost:  $18.00, which includes Lunch.    Men are welcome to attend.

Please make reservations by Monday May 6, 2019

Send payment to Jane Harris

932 West Oakview Drive, Peoria IL  61615

Checks made out to Peoria DCCW.

For more information, please contact Mary Anna Meyer  at (309) 691-3874

He is Risen!!

The entire Peoria Diocesan Council of Catholic Women Board of Directors wishes you and yours a very Blessed Easter season!!

2019 Volunteer Appreciation!

Our annual Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon is just around the corner!  Each parish in the Peoria Diocese is encouraged to honor 2 volunteers (women only, please) who have served faithfully in any capacity.  Our event will be held Friday April 26, 2019.  We will have Rosary & Mass in the Cathedral, and the rest of the event will be at the Spalding Pastoral Center.

Please click on the links below to download registration forms and a full schedule.

Use THIS FORM to list everyone who will be attending.  Husbands, friends, and pastors are welcome to join us!

Use THIS FORM to give us information about your honorees.

Here is the SCHEDULE for the day.

Call to Action! Life Advocacy Day & More!

(This article was also published in The Catholic Post on March 17th.)

The State of Illinois is at risk of falling more into a culture of death with two dangerous bills being proposed in our state legislature. HB2489 and HB2467 threaten lives of unborn children and religious liberties of health care providers. Here are just some of the details of these bills.

HB2495, the “Reproductive Health Act,” makes multiple changes to the state’s abortion laws:

•  It allows abortion at any gestational age, for any reason. It repeals the “partial-birth” abortion ban (dilation and extraction) and may allow for clinics to let surviving babies die after a botched abortion.
• It requires every health insurance policy offered in the state to cover abortion at no extra cost, with no exemptions.
•  It removes conscience protections from doctors and facilities, including Catholic hospitals, which do not wish to perform or refer for abortions.
• A quote from the bill states: “A fertilized egg, embryo, or fetus does not have independent rights under the laws of this State.”

HB2497 repeals the Illinois Parental Notice of Abortion Act, which would allow a minor to have an abortion, medical or surgical, without her parents knowing about it. This entices young girls from neighboring states, sometimes with an abuser, to cross state lines and procure abortions here.

TAKING ACTION

Please take the following steps right away to combat this attack on unborn life and religious freedom.

First, pray! Pray for legislators to have the wisdom and courage to stop these bills from being passed, and pray for the mothers, fathers, and unborn children who would be directly impacted by this legislation.

Second, spread the word about these bills, in your parishes and on social media. It may not be popular, but as faithful Catholics we must speak up.

Third, gather a group from your community to attend the “Vote NO on HB2495 and HB2467 Rally” at the State Capitol on Wednesday, March 20. Catholics from the Dioceses of Peoria, Belleville, Rockford and Springfield will also take part in a Life Advocacy Day on March 20, while those from the Archdiocese of Chicago and Diocese of Joliet will travel to Springfield on April 3 for a Life Advocacy Day. For more information, go to illinoisrighttolife.org, call (312) 422-9300, or contact the Cecilia Soñé, director of the Respect Life Office of the Diocese of Peoria, at csone@ccdop.org or (309) 671-1550.

Fourth, file witness slips online. This is a way to let legislators know you oppose these bills. It takes less than five minutes to complete. Here are the steps to do this:

• Go to this website for HB2495, gsslcms.org/opposehb2495
• Fill in your information. Put “Self” in the fields for “Firm/Business,” “Title,” and “Persons, groups represented in this appearance.”
• Click on “opponent” under “Position.”
• Click on "Record of Appearance Only" under “Testimony.”
• Click on “I Agree to the ILGA Terms of Agreement."
• Click on “Create (Slip).”

Go to this website for HB2467, gsslcms.org/opposehb2467, and repeat the steps above.

Other action steps include contacting your state representative and state senator to express your strong opposition to these bills. Phone calls and letters are helpful, along with online petitions. You do not need a computer to express your opinion.

Finally, pray again, and without ceasing. Thank you for supporting the dignity of human life!

MARY ANN Hughes is the vice president/secretary of the Peoria Diocesan Council of Catholic Women and serves as its Chair of Pro-Life Concerns. She attends St. Mary Church in Westville.

Happy Birthday Bishop Jenky!