Fr. Godfrey Mullen, OSB, at the March 13 news conference at Cathedral of St. Peter in Belleville announcing that he is the bishop designate of the Diocese of Belleville. “I have always been fascinated by the way Christ is present in His wonderful people in southern Illinois,” Bishop-elect Godfrey said […]
Pallbearers (clockwise from left) Eddie Essenpreis, Zach Bair, Jaydon Wyms, Jeff Bair and John Schomaker carry the body of Fr. Gene Neff to a hearse following the Feb. 27 Funeral Mass at St. Augustine of Canterbury in Belleville. Fr. Neff, a 53-year priest in the diocese and the director of […]
Father Eugene “Gene” Neff, who had been the director of Ministry to Sick and Aged since 1974, died on Friday, Feb. 20, in his residence at Keystone Place at Richland Creek in O’Fallon. Fr. Neff was 81. He was a priest in the Diocese of Belleville for 53 years before […]
Fr. Levi James (right) with former Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of St. Louis Mark Rivituso during the promise of obedience June 7 at the Cathedral of St. Peter in Belleville. By David Wilhelm Messenger Editor There was no shortage of important stories for Catholics in 2025, both locally and […]
Sunday, Sept. 17, Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time Sirach 27:30—28:7; Romans 14:7-9; and Matthew 18:21-35 As a sequel to last Sunday’s Gospel reading, rules for fraternal correction within a Christian Community, Matthew adds a question proposed by Peter, “Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive? […]
Sunday, Sept. 10, Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time Ezekiel 33:7-9; Romans 13:8-10; and Matthew 18:15-20 The context of today’s Gospel is the fourth of five great sermons Matthew constructed from traditions about Jesus, with his own command of the Old Testament and the needs of his Christian Community. That community […]
Octavio Ramirez, 18, is a dreamer in more ways than one. Octavio is a student at Southwestern Illinois College, where he is studying to be a civil engineer.
