Also In This Issue...
New assignments for 39 priests are announced, listed here
New assignments for 39 priests to take effect over the next four months were announced this week by Bishop Daniel R. Jenky, CSC.
Among the highlights of the changes, listed in full below, are:
-- The granting of senior status to four diocesan priests, while two religious order priests are returning to their communities.
New parishes being created for Spring Valley, Fairbury region
Two new parishes are being created in the Diocese of Peoria on July 1.
In Spring Valley, the parishes of Immaculate Conception, St. Anthony’s, and Sts. Peter and Paul are merging to form a new Parish of the Nativity of Our Lord.
Meanwhile, the faith communities of St. John’s in Fairbury, St. Rose in Strawn, Sts. Peter and Paul in Chatsworth, and St. James in Forrest will merge to form a new parish to be called St. Andrew’s.
Three Salesian priests coming to serve in Champaign area
By Jennifer Willems, The Catholic Post
CHAMPAIGN -- There’s something about this city and the followers of St. John Bosco that just seem to go together.
This summer three Salesian priests will take up residence at Holy Cross Church in Champaign to serve as pastor and parochial vicar, help with Spanish Masses at St. Malachy’s in Rantoul, and serve as assistant chaplain at St. John's Catholic Newman Center. No names were available at press time since the details of the appointments had not been formalized between Bishop Daniel R. Jenky, CSC, and Father Thomas Dunne, SDB, provincial of the Province of St. Philip the Apostle of the Salesians of Don Bosco.
Father Stephen Willard, the current pastor of Holy Cross, has been named pastor of St. Patrick’s in Washington and St. Monica’s in East Peoria. The changes take effect July 1.
104 jubilarian priests, sisters and deacons honored in section
The May 26 issue of The Catholic Post included a 24-page special section honoring 104 priests, women religious and permanent deacons who have devoted their lives to the people of God and are observing special anniversary years in 2013.
They include natives of this diocese, as well as those who are working in central Illinois now or have ministered here in the past. All of them are held in high esteem by the people they’ve served in ways too numerous to count.
The entire section, compliled by Jennifer Willems, assistant editor of The Catholic Post, may be viewed on our e-Edition by clicking here. Simply scroll past the regular edition pages to find the Jubilarian section.