Sr. Anitawa Fearday, ASC, works on one of the 120 woven pieces she has created through the years (Submitted). By Carlos Restrepo For The Messenger Every night before Sr. Anitawa Fearday turns out the light, she looks at a homemade vision board fastened to the wall of her room at […]
Belleville astronaut Sandy Magnus with residents at the Benedictine Living Community before her April 17 visit (Submitted). By David Wilhelm Messenger Editor Sr. Barb Biver remembers the time several years ago when an Elvis Presley impersonator came to entertain residents at the Benedictine Living Community at the Shrine of Our […]
Dominic Grzegorek, of Ashley, regularly prays at the grotto (right) for the Blessed Mother Mary that was built on his property by Nashville mason Dave Schuette. “It’s a way of honoring her and showing respect for her, and it turned out really good,” Grzegorek said (Submitted). By Linda Norris Messenger […]
Raphael H. “Rafe” Middeke, 92, of Trenton, formerly of Damiansville, died at 6:25 a.m. Wednesday, June 3, 2026, at Aviston Countryside Manor. He was born June 21, 1933, in rural Clinton County, a son of the late Bernard and Mary (nee Hellmann) Middeke. After attending St. Rose Elementary School, Rafe […]
By Cindy Wooden | Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY (CNS) — In interviews focused on the 10th anniversary of his election, Pope Francis insisted it is not his task to make an accounting of what he has or has not accomplished since March 13, 2013. “The Lord will do the […]
Teach us to pray During Lent we have a number of catechumens preparing for baptism at the Easter Vigil in the different parishes in southern Illinois. As I write this column we have just finished the Rite of Election at the Cathedral of St Peter where I welcomed those catechumens […]
‘Accountability, rehabilitation, healing and reconciliation’ By LINDA BEHRENS | Contributor In February 2023, in preparation for the Lenten season, the Illinois Catholic bishops released the document, “A Catholic Vision for Restorative Justice in Illinois.” The document outlines a vision grounded in principles of Catholic Social Teaching for a justice system […]
