Dec. 8, 2022 Parish Link

Pray along to a Diocesan-wide Rosary Dec. 8 - To honor Mary on the feast of the Immaculate Conception (Dec. 8) and to pray for a Eucharistic revival during the diocesan-wide Year of the Eucharist which starts Dec. 8, join Catholics from our parishes and schools as the faithful from every corner of our diocese prays a part in the holy Rosary.

Go to www.youtube.com/diospringfield and/or www.facebook.com/diospringfield on Dec. 8 at any time to watch and pray with Catholics from our 28 counties!

Year of the Eucharist - The diocesan-wide Year of the Eucharist starts Dec. 8. https://www.dio.org/revival/ is the main website. You will also see the tab called "Learn" (https://dio.org/revival/learn/). This tab has articles that you can use however you wish (bulletin, in the classroom, print-outs, etc.). There are also several videos you can use as well.

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops also has a page for resources you can use. Go to The Eucharist | USCCB

SEEK Conference in St. Louis Jan. 2-6 - World-class speakers, fellowship, prayer, entertainment, and more will encourage participants to answer a new call to greatness, holiness, joy, and mission through the SEEK Conference. This five-day event, hosted by FOCUS takes place at the America's Center Convention Complex in St. Louis, Jan. 2-6 (although attendees can attend single days). SEEK23 attendees will step away from daily distractions and participate in prayer, adoration, Scripture, and the sacraments celebrated by hundreds of priests and bishops, Thomas John Paprocki of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois. Registration is open at https://seek.focus.org/. Catholics in the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois also receive a discount as a neighboring diocese of the Archdiocese of St. Louis (you will receive it when you type in your zip code)

Free episode of The Chair highlights the rich story of our diocese from yesterday to today - The story of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois is featured in an episode of The Chair, a television series celebrating the best of Catholicism in the United States. To watch the FREE episode and others, go to thechair.com/watchnow. Note, you’ll have to create a FREE account to watch. You can use a bulletin annoucement to promote it/talk about it with people.

New diocese contact for subscriptions - Please send all new updates (names and addresses of your parishioners) for subscriptions for Catholic Times to Ruth Staab (rstaab@dio.org) and/or Laurie Weakley (lweakley@dio.org). This includes new parishioners, people who moved out of your parish, or those who have died. As a reminder, if you do this regularly, you will not have to send us massive updates later on. Thank you!

Traveling Monstrance: During the Diocesan Year of the Eucharist (Dec. 8 2022- Dec. 8 2023) parishes of the diocese are encouraged to increase their devotion to the Eucharist. To this end, we are inviting parishes to consider adding a special time to increase devotion to the Eucharist at Adoration and will be offering a special traveling monstrance for each parish to use for Adoration at their parish. The monstrance was dedicated to the Right Reverend H.D. Junker, D.D. Bishop of Alton, IL by the German Catholics of Quincy, IL .Parishes may request the monstrance on a specific date by signing up here: https://dio.org/revival/signup/.

Nativity Scene: When setting up a Nativity scene in a church, parishes are reminded that it “must not be placed in the presbyterium” (Book of Blessings, no. 1544). The General Instruction of the Roman Missal describes the presbyterium as “the place where the altar stands, where the word of God is proclaimed, and where the priest, the deacon, and the other ministers exercise their offices” (no. 295. Note that the English translation of this passage uses the word “sanctuary,” but the Latin text uses presbyterium). Consequently, the Nativity scene should not be placed in the sanctuary. Rather, “a place should be chosen that is suitable for prayer and devotion and is easily accessible by the faithful” (Book of Blessings, no. 1544).

Year of the Eucharist: The Office for Divine Worship and the Catechumenate has compiled A Resource for the Diocesan Year of the Eucharist which parishes may utilize to help plan events throughout this year: https://dio.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Year-of-the-Eucharist-Resource1.pdf

Proclamation of the Birth of Christ: The proclamation of The Nativity of Our Lord Jesus – found in Appendix I of the Roman Missal – “may be chanted or recited, most appropriately on December 24, during the celebration of the Liturgy of the Hours. It may also be chanted or recited before the beginning of Christmas Mass During the Night. It may not replace any part of the Mass.”

Order of Penance: Four publishers will publish editions of the Order of Penance. These editions may pre-ordered at the following address:

• Catholic Book Publishing will publish two versions of the ritual book, as well as a trifold for penitents:

• • Regular edition: https://catholicbookpublishing.com/product/1638
  • Pocket edition: https://catholicbookpublishing.com/product/1639
  • Trifold for penitents: https://catholicbookpublishing.com/product/1640

• Liturgical Training Publications: https://ltp.org/products/details/OPRE/order-of-penance
• Magnificat: https://bookstore.magnificat.net/the-order-of-penance.html
• Midwest Theological Forum: https://www.theologicalforum.org/Category/118/Product/636/The_Order_of_Penance?utm_source=Midwest+Theological+Forum&utm_campaign=66dfbe7f06-EMAIL_ORDER_OF_PENANCE_20221028&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_4d03dd79d1-66dfbe7f06-292608621

The Order of Penance will ship on or about January 25, 2023. The liturgical book may be used beginning on Ash Wednesday, February 22, 2023. The book must be used beginning Divine Mercy Sunday, April 16, 2023. Beginning April 16, 2023, the former Rite of Penance may not be used.

Minimum Wage Increase - A reminder the Illinois Minimum Wage will increase from $12 per hour to $13 per hour on January 1, 2023. More information can be found here: Hourly Minimum Wage Rates by Year - Fair Labor Standards Division (illinois.gov).

MCA Annual Christmas Artwork Contest - Calling All Young Artists – Missionary Childhood Association (MCA) has an annual Christmas Artwork Contest for students from K-8 grade.  Entries should be sent to the Office for the Missions, 1615 W. Washington St, Springfield, IL  62702 no later than January 31, 2023. Local, diocesan winners will be submitted to the National Office of the Missionary Childhood Association. National winners will be on display in the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. Throughout Advent and Christmas 2023.  General information, guidelines and entry form can be found at: MCA Artwork Contest Entry Form (missio.org). Please share this information with school principals, art teachers, and DREs.

Accept stock gifts easily! - If you have a donor who would like to give stock this year, please provide them this link: https://www.freewill.com/stocks/dioceseofspringfield and if they have any questions to contact Rachel Langdon at rlangdon@dio.org or 217-321-1113.

Parish bulletin graphic to support year-end gifts - Parishes wishing to support year-end giving through stocks, legacy gifts, or qualified charitable contributions have a secure and easy way to do this through the FreeWill tool. Check out resources and a downloaded graphic to place in your bulletin by following this link: FreeWill Parish & School OneDrive Folder.

Parish Resources for the Diocesan Year of the Eucharist - NEW Pastoral Resource is available for parishes now! Go to https://dio.org/revival/parishes/ and click the link under the "On-Demand Resources" or click here for the full text: Parish Eucharistic Revival Resources

Parish Signup for the Traveling Monstrance for the Year of the Eucharist - We are hoping that each parish in the diocese will encourage an increase in devotion to the Eucharist through adoration by using our Diocesan Year of the Eucharist traveling monstrance. Each deanery will have a time during the next year in which the monstrance will be in that area. Parishes are asked to coordinate pick-up/drop-off with neighboring parishes. To sign-up your parish, go to: https://dio.org/revival/signup/

Reminder! Year-End Gifts Due by December 31! - Don't forget to remind your donors that if they would like to receive a 2022 tax deduction for their gifts, they need to be post-marked to your community by December 31, 2022. Credit cards gifts and ACH online donations need to be made and time-stamped by midnight, December 31.

Flocknote available to parishes - The Diocese of Springfield has partnered with Flocknote in a desire to help support parishes in their ongoing communication efforts. The cost of Flocknote is covered by the diocese! What’s Flocknote, you ask? Well, it’s an easy-to-use, safe-environment-compliant tool to supercharge your parish communications. It also provides a library of Catholic templates and resources that you can share with your parishioners. Check out this 60-second video to learn more! If you'd like to get your parish started, you can do so here: flocknote.com/parish-champion. Danny Dilone is our Flocknote point of contact and he is reaching out to all of our parishes via phone and email. We really encourage you to take advantage of this easy and helpful tool!! He will help you with the simple onboarding process and will provide continued support. If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to contact Debbie Benz (dbenz@dio.org) or you can schedule a call with Danny at: https://calendly.com/flocknote/30min.

Promote Planned Giving! FreeWill available to parishes at no cost  - $70 Trillion is being passed on during the Great Wealth Transfer and the promotion of planned giving and gifts of non-cash assets is more important than ever! The Diocese of Springfield has partnered with FreeWill to help parishes educate their donors on the benefits and value of planned giving, specifically via bequests, gifts of stocks, and Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs). The cost of FreeWill is covered by the diocese!

Would you like to partner with the PVMA office to launch planned giving at your parish and/or school? As part of launching planned giving at your parish we will:

1. Provide training and resources on: What is planned giving, why is it important, and how does it work; FreeWill products and how they work; Best practices for marketing and stewarding planned gifts

2. Provide written content to educate your parishioners on the value and benefits of planned giving as well as the promotion of giving in this manner including: Print & Bulletin content; Social Media content; Email campaign content

3. Help you create an acknowledgement process to appropriately thank and steward your planned gift donors

To sign up, CLICK THIS LINK! Any questions or concerns, please contact Rachel Langdon at  rlangdon@dio.org or 217-321-1113.

DCJH Collection - Please send DCJH donations to the diocesan finance office.  If you have any questions, contact Cindy Callan, 217-321-1137. 

Save the date for Illinois March for Life - The Illinois March for Life will occur in Springfield on March 21, 2023. More details will follow, however, with the overturn of Roe v. Wade, the attention of the pro-life movement is now on statehouses, so this march will include more people than the past.

Here is a graphic you can use to spread the word.

Rachel’s Vineyard Retreat - Rachel’s Vineyard Retreat for people affected by abortion January 20-22, 2023, at the Villa Maria Retreat Center.  The cost is $150.  Scholarships are available for those not able to pay the full registration fee.  Please let others know about this healing opportunity.  For more information call 217-698-4456, or email projectrachel@dio.org.

Word of Life - December's edition of Word of Life is now available.  Word of Life is a monthly resource for parishes.  The resource is available in both English and Spanish, in both PDF or Microsoft Word formats.  Each monthly issue contains information such as:  a feature reflection for the month, intercessions for life, quotes for your bulletin, and art for your bulletin, webpage or Facebook page.