Three years after Pope Francis’ encyclical “Laudato Si” challenged all of us to “protect our common home,” schools and parishes in the Belleville diocese have taken that message to heart.

Carmona spent seven years behind bars at the Western Illinois Correctional Center in Mt. Sterling. After his release he prayed he wouldn’t have to return to the streets of south Chicago. “I knew if I went back to Chicago I’d be right back in the same chaos,” he says.

On Saturday morning, May 19, 2018, the Vigil of the Feast of Pentecost, the Most Reverend Edward K. Braxton, Bishop of Belleville, ordained the Reverend Steven M. Pautler to the Priesthood of Jesus Christ. In the same ordination Liturgy, the Bishop ordained eight new Permanent Deacons: Deacon Daniel R. Cozzi, Deacon Steven M. Eischens, Deacon John J. Gomez, Deacon Mark F. Kabat, Deacon James C. Law, Deacon John H. Mote, Deacon Randall L. Riesenberger, and Deacon Kevin T. Templin.

Many Catholic families make sacrifices to give their children a religious education. But a group of southern Illinois students go the extra mile – into a different state – to keep that education going through high school.

When Deacon Steven Pautler told his brother Brian that he was going to seminary in hopes of entering the priesthood, Brian replied, “It’s about time! I can’t believe you’ve waited this long!”