Celebrate Memorial Day by attending the Memorial Day Field Mass – You are invited to the Memorial Day Field Mass at Calvary Cemetery in Springfield on May 27 at 9 a.m. The Mass will be at the Father Howard Altar. Bishop Thomas John Paprocki is the celebrant. Accompanying Bishop Paprocki in procession will be priests and members of the Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus. Limited seating will be available under the tent. Lawn chairs are welcome. Transportation will be available to assist visitors from the main gate to the Mass site. Call the Calvary Cemetery office at 523-3726 Monday – Friday from 8 a.m.- 4 p.m. with any questions.
What you never knew about the process of becoming a priest – What does a diocese look for in a man who wants to become a priest? What are red flags? What evaluations occur? What about the cost of education and what exactly do seminarians learn? Becoming a priest is a lot more than than an application and going to school. Dive Deep sits down with Brian Alford, Director of the Office for Vocations for the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois. Go to youtube.com/diospringfield or search “Dive Deep” on all the major podcast platforms to listen and subscribe. Dive Deep is the podcast of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois.
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The Curia is hiring! – We are looking for passionate individuals for the roles of Director, Office for Safe Environment, Safe Environment Assistant and Internal Auditor. Please visit dio.org/jobs for more information.
Attend the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage coming to cities in our diocese – You are invited to a once-in-a-lifetime experience being called “our national Emmaus moment,” after the biblical passage in which Jesus walked with two of his disciples along the road to Emmaus. The National Eucharistic Pilgrimage is an unprecedented pilgrimage in which Catholics will pray and publicly follow Jesus in their cities through Eucharistic processions. The Diocese of Springfield in Illinois is excited to be included in one of the national routes July 8-12. Cities include Collinsville, Alton, Quincy, Girard, Springfield, Effingham, and Teutopolis. Go to dio.org/procession to learn more and register!
Click here to download a pdf of the map and schedule
Attend the National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis July 17-21 – This summer, join tens of thousands of passionate Catholics will travel from every corner of the U.S. to experience the healing power of Jesus Christ, present in the holy Eucharist at the National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis. Soak in the Presence of Jesus alongside people of all walks of life – a vivid image of the universal Church. You will participate in beautiful liturgies, lifting your voice in prayer alongside world-class musicians, hear from the most influential Catholic speakers of our day, and make history as part of the first National Eucharistic Congress in nearly 100 years. This is the beginning of a new chapter of faith in America. Will you be there? Register at eucharisticcongress.org.
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Eucharistic Revival Award – The National Catholic Committee on Scouting has created a new patch award for Scouts of all ages to help us on our journey through the Eucharistic Revival. By learning about the Eucharist and participating in various spiritual experiences, Scouts can earn the main Eucharistic Revival patch and up to eight additional rockers to circle the main patch. For more information about how to earn these awards, please contact the Diocesan Catholic Committee on Scouting at (217) 698-8500, ext. 154, or email scouting@dio.org.
Looking for spring/summer work? – Calvary Cemetery in Springfield is hiring seasonal trimmers for the spring and summer. These are part-time, temporary positions (mornings and early afternoons). $14/hour. Must be 18 to apply. Call (217) 523-3726 or email director@calvary.dio.org for information.
Project Rachel: Help for women and men to heal from the pain of abortion. For assistance call 1-877-RACHEL-5.
Webinar about Assisted Suicide – Learn more about why legalization of assisted suicide is not good for Illinois. Join a weekly, 30-minute, informational webinar every Thursday, 12:30-1:00 pm. Email dmoore@dio.org to get a link to join the webinar.
Retreat for married couples offered – Worldwide Marriage Encounter presents weekend experiences for married couples to rekindle romance, enhance meaningful communication, and deepen and renew commitment. Sign-up now! For more information or to apply, go to wwme.org or call Terry & Eric Engholm at 314-649-7317. Next ones:
8/2/2024 – 8/4/2024, St. Peters, MO
9/27/2024 – 9/29/2024, St. Peters, MO
10/11/2024 – 10/13/2024, Springfield, IL
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STEWARDSHIP BULLETIN REFLECTIONS
May 5, 2024
6th Sunday of Easter
“This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” – John 15:12-13
Do you love Jesus? Do you consider Him your friend? Jesus says that if we love Him we would be willing to offer whatever we have to Him, not because we want praise and glory, but simply because we love Him. Does your giving seem mechanical out of obligation or do you share freely out of love?
May 12, 2024
Ascension of Our Lord
“Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.”
– 1 John 4:15
How strong is your faith? When you have an opportunity to either defend or clarify a question about our Catholic faith, do you do it? Or, do you remain silent so that others don’t think you are weird? Pray for the courage to be strong in all circumstances and to joyfully share your witness with others.
May 19, 2024
Pentecost Sunday
“There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; there are different forms of service but the same Lord; there are different workings but the same God who produces all of them in everyone.” – 1 Corinthians 12:4-6
All of us are blessed, regardless of our own individual circumstances. God has given each of us many gifts. How we use those gifts is our gift back to God. For God’s plan to work, each must do what we are called to do. Guess what? We are not all called to do the same thing! For God’s plan to work you have to do what God is calling you to do and I have to do what God is calling me to do.
May 26, 2024
The Most Holy Trinity
“The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ…” – Romans 8:16-17
If we are heirs to the kingdom of God, shouldn’t we work to build up His kingdom? Shouldn’t we be good stewards of our inheritance, using our time in prayer, our talent in charitable works and our treasure to care for the Church that God has left to us? Our Church is a treasured heirloom from God. Do we treat it that way?
June 2, 2024
Feast of Corpus Christi
“Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them and they all drank from it.” – Mark 14:23
Jesus, the perfect steward, gave thanks, just before He gave Himself up for us, completely for our salvation. He offers us the same chance to drink from His cup. In the bread and wine, we meet Christ personally. If we follow Him, drinking from His cup means we offer our own self-sacrifice, using all of our gifts for the benefit of others and to do His work on earth.
June 9, 2024
10th Sunday in Ordinary Time
“If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.” – Mark 3:24
Within your parish community, do your ministries collaborate with each other or do they compete against each other? Do your parish ministries work for the greater glory of God or do they work for the glory of the people running them? The primary goal of parish ministry is not to increase Mass attendance, increase the number of volunteers or increase offertory. The primary goal is to be one Body of Christ that helps people take one step closer to Jesus. If it’s not doing that, it’s not worth doing.
June 16, 2024
11th Sunday in Ordinary Time
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive recompense, according to what he did in the body, whether good or evil.” – 2 Corinthians 5:10
We are all accountable for all of the gifts God has given us – our time, our talent and our treasure; everything we have and everything we are. Each of us is accountable not only for our own life but for the lives of others as well. One day God will ask each of us what did we do with the gifts we were given. How will you respond?
June 23, 2024
12th Sunday in Ordinary Time
“The he asked them, ‘Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?’” – Mark 4:40
Do you really trust God? Is God your first choice or last resort? Is your faith something you just do on Sunday or do you live the Gospel message every day of the week? Many of us know about God. How many of us have a personal relationship with Him? Start now, open your heart to receive our Lord. Talk and listen to Him every day. Move your discipleship from head knowledge to heart knowledge.
June 30, 2024
13th Sunday in Ordinary Time
“…as a matter of equality your abundance at the present time should supply their want, so that their abundance may supply your want, that there may be equality.” 2 CORINTHIANS 8:14
One of the tenants of living a grateful and generous lifestyle is giving without expecting anything in return. It is important that we not only grow, nurture, and share our gifts; but that we also teach our children and encourage others to do the same. This is the communal aspect of our Catholic faith. We are the “Body of Christ.” We are called to be dependent on each other and not live in isolation.
