• Our Youth Celebrating the Light of Christ
      Confirmation Class of 2012
      Youth Lock-In 2012
      Confirmation Retreat 2011
      CCD End-of-Year Rosary and Pizza Party
      CCD End-of-Year Rosary and Pizza Party
      CCD End-of-Year Rosary and Pizza Party
      Vacation Bible School Arts and Crafts
      Vacation Bible School - Spreading the Word to our Youth
      Vacation Bible School - 2012 edition of the Nativity
      Only a Minute to Win It at VBS
      Sunday Social 2012
      Happy Faces Ready for Ice Cream!
      Sunday Social 2012
      Enjoying a Chance To Relax After Mass
      Youth Group
      Advent 2012
      Sunday Social 2012
      Father Cyr and Alex sharing some time with Youth Group member, Tristen
      Enjoying Taste of Italy 2012
      Christmas Eve Mass 2012
      Chalice and Crib
      Ash Wednesday 2013
      Ash Wednesday 2013
      Assisting Fr. Cyr on Maundy Thursday
      1st Communion 2013
    • Hiring Communications Coordinator Position

      The communications coordinator for St. Patricks  & St. Josephs will solicit, organize and edit material submitted by parishioners for the bulletin, newsletters, and online media. Will would work directly with the pastor in all communication aspects for the parish. Should be able to help answer questions about using and interacting with website and social media from parishioners.
       
      Required Skills:
      Good communication skills
      Ability to meet tight deadlines and work under pressure
      Experience creating newsletters and news articles
      Must be a standing parishioner of St. Patrick's or St. Joseph's
      Experience with Microsoft Word
      Working knowledge of social media sites
       
      Recommended Skills:
      Experience using Microsoft Publisher
      Basic website design
      Marketing experience
      Experience editing for style and consistency
       
      Please send your resume to Fr. John Cyr at frjohncyr@stpatstolono.org before May 29th. 

    • Catholic Connected: Beyond the Pew
      The Year of Faith:  Encountering Christ through the Sacraments.
      Presenter:  Elizabeth Ficocelli
      Saturday, June 1, 2013   7-9pm
      The High School of St. Thomas More
      3901 North Mattis Ave, Champaign IL

      Come celebrate being Catholic!
      - All-area Choir concert and Sing-along
      - Keynote Speaker Elizabeth Ficocelli
      - Reception
       
      Free-Please RSVP to your parish office by May 28th.
      - From your parish you can request a "Ticket/Nametag" to wear the evening of June 1 as a way to build community  among area Catholics.
      - Free-will collection will help support Catholic Connected events.
    • Celebration of Faith in the Arts
      As part of its Year of Faith efforts, the Diocese of Peoria is sponsoring aCelebration of Faith in the Arts, a one-day event on Saturday, June 1, beginning at 9:00 a.m. at the Spalding Pastoral Center in Peoria.  The diocesan Office of Catholic Schools, The Office of Catechetics, and the Office of Evangelization would like to invite our parish families to join us in this celebration.  The schedule for the day is as follows, and you can come and go as you please:
       
      9:00 a.m. – Remarks by Bishop Jenky
       
      9:30 a.m. – “Parents As the First Teacher” presentation with break-out session (optional workshop)
      Dr. JoAnn Paradise, consultant for Our Sunday Visitor
       
      11:45 a.m. – Lunch
      Provided by Parish Vendors, proceeds to go to the Parishes
       
      ART SHOW:
       
      8:30 A.M. – 3:30 P.M.
       
      3:00 p.m. – Awards for Artwork
      Created by CCD and Catholic Schools students
       
      ENTERTAINMENT (throughout the day):
      The Isle of Erin Dance Group and Flynn Irish Dancers
      Parish Music groups
      Face Painting and Crafts for Children
      Babysitting Provided
       
      4:00 p.m. – First Communicant Mass
      Cathedral of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception
                (Optional:  Sunday obligation)
       
      If you would like to attend the workshop with Dr. Paradise, you will need to register.  The brochure is attached.
       
      Let us enjoy the beauty of our Faith as evidenced in the Arts…please join us!
    • Net Retreat Video
      Check out a video of the NET retreat members.  

      http://youtu.be/aub2ZXvpAwg
    • USCCB Action Alert
      Protect Conscience Rights and Religious Liberty: Urge Congressional Support for H.R. 940

      Dear Friend:

      The Obama Administration's contraceptive / abortifacient / sterilization mandate will begin to be enforced against nonprofit religious schools, charities and health care providers on 
      August 1. In the days to come, Congress must decide whether to address this problem through must-pass legislation before that deadline. 

      Members of the House should be urged to include the Health Care Conscience Rights Act (H.R. 940) in the next bill needed to keep the federal government operating.

      Materials on the need for better conscience protection are available at www.usccb.org/conscience. 

      Resources include new fact sheets and four "voices of conscience" -- video testimonies of women who spoke at the House of Representatives press conference last month about the need to enact H.R. 940.

      Please act today to protect conscience rights and religious liberty! 

      Recommended Actions:
      • Send an e-mail to your Representative through theUSCCB's Action Center.
      • Call your Representative. Contact the U.S. Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121, 
        or call your Representative's local office. 
        Additional info may be found on Representatives' web sites at www.house.gov.
      • Learn even more on this printer-friendly version of thealert.
      Suggested Message: "Please include the Health Care Conscience Rights Act (H.R. 940) in upcoming 'must-pass' legislation. Government must not force Americans to violate their religious and moral beliefs on respect for life when they provide health care or purchase health coverage."

      Thank you!

    • ADA Goals
      2013 ADA goals:
      Ivesdale $14,796
      Tolono $24,102

      ADA weekend will be Apr 13-14; Time to show our love and support to the Bishop and the Diocese! God loves a cheerful giver, a good catholic, a good parish. Thank you for your generosity!
    • Ask Congress to Support H.R 940
      Ask Congress to Support H.R. 940, the Health Care Conscience Rights Act!

      Take Action!
      New bill would protect religious freedom and rights of conscience
       

      Dear Friend of Religious Liberty:

      Thanks in large part to your efforts, this week, Rep. Diane Black and fifty other House members introduced a new bill called the “Health Care Conscience Rights Act,” H.R. 940, which would protect Americans’ First Amendment rights by providing a full exemption for all those whose religious beliefs run counter to the HHS mandate.  The bill would also protect institutions and individuals from forced participation in abortion.

      Here’s a video highlighting a few stories of people this bill would help.  Also, check out Archbishop Lori andCardinal O’Malley’s letters supporting the bill.

      Can you spare a few minutes to contact your Members of Congress?  Urge them to support House bill H.R. 940 and help ensure its enactment as part of “must-pass” legislation.  Members of the House should also be asked to co-sponsor the bill.  Call using the "Take Action" link or click here to email your two Senators and Representative!

      Join with us in calling on Congress to protect the right of all people and groups to participate in life-affirming health care—without violating their consciences.

      Please contact your Congressional representatives today and urge them to support H.R. 940 to protect religious freedom and the moral convictions of all!

      For more information or to join the postcard campaign, go to NCHLA’s action alert.

      Thank you for all that you do in support of life and liberty!

      -Your Religious Freedom and Conscience Protection Team

      P.S. Please forward this to friends and family who share your concern to protect the rights of all to participate in health care!  They can click here to sign up for our email list or text the word FREEDOM to 377377 for mobile updates.

    • Can you memorize these?
      The Seven Precepts of the Church

      The Catechism of the Catholic Church lists 5 precepts. The last two are mentioned elsewhere in the catechism but
      are not listed as precepts. And they are equally important. The original seven are listed here for historic value.

      I. To attend Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation, and resting from servile works.

      II. To observe the days of abstinence and fasting.

      III. To confess our sins to a priest, at least once a year.

      IV. To receive Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist at least once a year during Easter Season.

      V. To contribute to the support of the Church.

      VI. To obey the laws of the Church concerning Matrimony.

      VII. To participate in the Church's mission of Evangelization of Souls.(Missionary Spirit of the Church)
    • Concerning the Gift of Sacred Indulgences for the Year of Faith

      In a decree of September 14, 2012, His Eminence Manuel Cardinal Monteiro de Castro, Major Penitentiary of the Catholic Church outlined several indulgences available to the Faithful: “During the whole span of the Year of Faith, proclaimed from October 11, 2012 to the whole of November 24, 2013, all individual faithful truly repentant, duly confessed, communing sacramentally, and who pray according to the intentions of the Supreme Pontiff, will be able to acquire a plenary indulgence from the temporal punishment for their sins imparted by God’s mercy, applicable in suffrage to the souls of the deceased faithful.”

      His Eminence then lists a number of special exercises of piety to be undertaken in order to fulfill the obligations of the indulgences.  He further empowers diocesan bishops to decree certain additional exercises for the faithful of their Local Churches. Therefore, I am happy to decree that the Faithful of the Diocese of Peoria, fulfilling the usual requirements above, may obtain a Plenary Indulgence:... (Click here for more)

    • Diocese Financial Report
      Take a look at the Diocese Financial Report for 2012
    • Festival Letter of 2013 from Rev. Bishop Jenky

      Dear brothers and sisters, the glory of the Lord has shone upon us and shall ever be manifest among us, until the day of His return. Through the rhythms of times and seasons, let us celebrate the mysteries of our salvation.

      Let us recall the year’s culmination, the Sacred Easter Triduum of the Lord: His Last Supper, His Crucifixion, His Burial, and His Rising, celebrated between the evening of Thursday, the 28th of March, and the evening of Sunday, the 31st of March.

      Each Easter, as on each Sunday, Holy Mother Church makes present the great and saving deed by which Christ has conquered sin and death (click here for more)

    • Year of Faith Talks & Video by Bishop Jenky
      Hear Bishop Jenky kickoff our Year of Faith talks by seeing him online by clicking here. 

      Please join us for furthering our faith during our Year of Faith talks scheduled below:

      Year of Faith schedule:

      June 4, Fr Schmitt, The Sacred Heart of Jesus
      July 9, Fr Cyr, Vatican II documents
      Aug 6, Fr Lopez, Marriage
      Sept 3, Fr Schmitt, Prayer
      Oct 1, closing celebration TBA

      All events 7pm-8pm; each priest will host at the parish in which he resides.