Nurse Honor Guard members who recently gave a memorial tribute at St. Augustine of Canterbury Catholic Church in Belleville (from left): Lori Bliss, Linda Morrison, Linda George, Karla Poindexter, Jane Stumpf, Jane Ferko, Debra Seiffert, Diane Gedermuth and Mary Ann Kelly (Submitted photo). By Linda Norris Messenger Staff Once a […]
Sophie Ysursa with Thor, her special therapy dog. By Linda Norris Messenger Staff When she was 13, Sophie Ysursa began a connection with Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital in St. Louis. At that time, it was not for philanthropic reasons, but as a patient. Now 17, the senior at Althoff Catholic […]
All Saints Academy Principal Jill Tasker and her daughter, Claire, who is starting her first year in education as a fifth-grade teacher at Holy Childhood in Mascoutah (Submitted photo). By David Wilhelm Messenger Editor Claire Tasker was a first-grader at New Baden Elementary School in 2011 when she provided an […]
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 […]
The Diocese of Belleville’s Racial Justice and Equity Committee will observe Juneteenth with a special prayer service at St. Augustine of Hippo Church, East St. Louis, at 2 p.m. Sunday June 13.
For Ben Baker, it started in 2019 during a spring break trip to the Holy Land with students from the University of Illinois. Baker, whose home parish is St. Joseph in Olney, graduated from the University of Illinois in December 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering. At that time, he contacted the Diocese of Belleville asking to be accepted into the seminary. There currently are six seminarians in the diocese.
When Thomas Lugge is ordained by Bishop Michael McGovern as a transitional deacon May 22, he will begin the final year of formation before ordination to the priesthood. The transitional diaconate will be Lugge’s entry into the clerical state, which means he will become a member of the clergy. Bishop Michael McGovern called Lugge “a wonderful young man” and said he looks forward to ordaining him to the sacred priesthood next year.
