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 […]
By LINDA BEHRENS Contributing writer Draft beer, Peel pizza and fire pits. Promotions for an upcoming event focused on these three details as part of a Discipleship on Draft gathering at St. Clare of Assisi Catholic Church in O’Fallon, held at the church’s outdoor pavilion on April 11. What type […]
When Mike Kish first entered the doors of Immaculate Conception School (ICS) in Columbia, he was a young student starting first grade. The year was 1955. In 1971, he entered the doors of ICS as an eighth-grade teacher. Four years later, he became the school’s principal. On July 1, 2021, after 50 years serving the Catholic Diocese of Belleville and the students, families and staff, Mike Kish will retire as principal of Immaculate Conception School. “I wanted to create a school I would want to attend. Actually, a school where Joseph and Mary would want to send Jesus,” Kish says, reflecting on his long career at ICS.
The Joost family of Swansea have always been active in the Pro-Life Movement. Twenty-two years ago Lyndon Joost and his wife Elaine found out that they were about to give birth to a daughter with extreme disabilities. “We made that choice for life,” Lyndon said.
