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State cuts to impact Catholic services
Clients of Catholic agencies and institutions serving the poor, the abused, the sick and the elderly are among those who will suffer from ongoing budget woes in the State of Illinois, say leaders in the Diocese of Peoria.
On July 9, Gov. Rod Blagojevich cut $1.4 billion from an out-of-balance $59 billion budget for fiscal year 2009 that the Illinois General Assembly had passed in May. Before the cuts, the budget was $2 billion in the red.
"The majority of these cuts were to health care and social services to the poor," according to a statement issued Monday by Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Peoria. "While Catholic Charities understands the importance of a balanced budget, the cuts proposed to balance this budget will have long-term consequences for children and families in Illinois."
Hearts broken, but not spirits
BLOOMINGTON -- When they arrived in El Salvador to build houses for families in need, missionaries from Holy Trinity Parish in Bloomington were told that their hearts would break many times as they encountered the Salvadoran people.
Little did they know the first heartbreak would come before they even began their work with the Fuller Center for Housing in San Luis Talpa.
David McKinney, who was to be the group’s prayer leader, collapsed while swimming in the Pacific Ocean the morning after they arrived in El Salvador.
'Humanae Vitae' wisdom is even clearer 40 years later
Four decades after its release, the message of Pope Paul VI’s encyclical on married love and procreation, "Humanae Vitae," is more necessary today than ever, say natural family planning educators in the Diocese of Peoria.
That is because the years since the encyclical’s publication on July 25, 1968, have witnessed widespread use of contraceptives, legalization of abortion, continued attacks on marriage and a weakening of regard for the human person, according to Paul Kortz, FertilityCare coordinator at OSF Saint Francis FertilityCare Center in Peoria.
"There continues to be a push for embryonic stem cell research, adding to problems that attack the dignity of marriage, including legalizing same-sex marriages, premarital sex and infidelity," said Kortz, who is immediate past president of the American Academy of FertilityCare Professionals.
Earlville parish to celebrate 150th anniversary July 19
EARLVILLE -- Members of St. Teresa of Avila Parish will begin a celebration of the faith community’s 150th anniversary on Saturday, July 19, with a One-Day-Fun-Day event.
It starts at 11 a.m. with games for people of all ages. Other activities include face painting and a silent auction.
Msgr. Raymond Boyle, pastor of St. Patrick’s Parish in Seneca and vicar of the Ottawa vicariate, will be present at the 5 p.m. Mass and take part in the rededication of the original church doors at 4:45 p.m. A pork chop dinner follows the liturgy.
Ottawa prays for Marquette student-athlete
OTTAWA -- "Totally unexpected, and nice."
That’s how Kristal LeRette describes a prayer service that was organized last Wednesday by the Marquette High School football and basketball teammates of her son Bryan, who was undergoing heart surgery that day.
"Bryan is recovering just miraculously," Bryan’s mother told The Catholic Post.
Says floats spread pro-life awareness
CHAMPAIGN -- Want to promote a pro-life theme within your community? Enter a float with a message in a local parade.
Better yet, design the float so well that it becomes a prize winner.
So suggests Myrna Buyno, a member of St. Matthew’s Parish in Champaign. And she speaks from experience.