This week, the Catholic New World focuses on the March for Life Jan. 24 in Washington D.C., and the Catholic Schools Week Faith & Education section honors the winners of the Heart of the School awards. Bishop's column
Voting for 'Life' The upcoming elections show promise for the pro-life movement,
said several speakers at the kick-off rally for the annual March
for Life Jan. 24 on the Ellipse in Washington.
Post-'Roe vs. Wade' women walk for life At this year’s March for Life, there weren’t as many handmade signs attacking supporters of legal abortion. But as the thousands of marchers gathered Jan. 24 at the Ellipse, with the White House in plain sight, in abundance were women who have lived their entire lives with abortion on demand as the law of the land.
Marching: From Chicago to D.C. Maria del Carmen Macias is the editor of Chicago Catolico, the archdiocesan Spanish-language newspaper, writes about her experience on the March for Life.
Parishes show better bottom line Overall, parishes in the Archdiocese of Chicago showed financial improvements but still operated at a deficit last year, according to the archdiocese’s annual financial report.
Loyola initiates online project to Loyola University in Chicago has agreed to provide online education to students attending the University of Sarajevo in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Maryville Academy takes over Maryville Academy is converting Forest Hospital in Des Plaines into a model psychiatric hospital for juveniles, following the hospital’s recent purchase by a local foundation. Full text available.
Papal pilgrimage takes shape With the announcement in mid-January of papal trips to Egypt and the Holy Land, Pope John Paul II’s long-desired biblical pilgrimage was finally taking shape.
Religious say church needs them Reflecting on their diminishing numbers at the dawn of a new Christian millennium, religious men and women are confident they will continue to be needed by the church, but in ways adapted to global social changes.
Celebration of consecrated life The Archdiocese of Chicago and Cardinal George will celebrate the Jubilee of the World Day for Consecrated Life Feb. 5. The archdiocese is inviting people in religious orders and others who lead consecrated lives to a celebration from 2:30 to 6 p.m. at Our Lady of Sorrows Basilica, 3121 W. Jackson. The afternoon will include prayer, ritual, reflection, the Eucharist and social time. Participants must have tickets. For more information, call the Office for Religious at (312) 751-8333.
Campus expansion makes room for growth "Cristo Rey Jesuit High School has had a home in the Pilsen/Little Village community since it opened in 1996," said Jesuit Father John Foley, president of the first new high school built in the Archdiocese of Chicago in 33 years."The school served 97 students in a two-story building with nine classrooms. Today, Cristo Rey’s 280 students have outgrown that building and are moving to a new home," said Foley.That new home is a three-story, 23-classroom building, complete with two art studios, three science labs and four computer resource rooms.
Tuition tax credit takes effect Jan. 1 marked a new beginning for parents who send their children to Catholic schools throughout Illinois. That was the day the education tax credit took effect.
New Orleans brother to teens: ‘There’s something about Mary’ Don’t sell teens short on their potential interest in Mary, Marianist Brother James Barrette told a group of catechists in New Orleans Jan. 7.
Gary Diocese calls Catholics home Bishop Dale J. Melczek of Gary has invited Catholics in the diocese to be part of the new evangelization for the millennium called for by Pope John Paul II.The diocese has initiated a program called Homecoming, described by its organizers as "a journey home.’’
Features: Principal earns an A+ Phyllis Winter is not the kind of school principal who spends her days in the office, writing memos and holding meetings. Sure, she has paperwork to do, but she prefers to do it where students can see and approach her. And she would rather spend her time with the children at the Holy Trinity Campus of Children of Peace School than doing paperwork any day. Children have kept her coming back for 48 years as a Catholic school teacher and principal. This year, she is being honored as the Distinguished Principal of the Year for the Great Lakes Region of the National Catholic Education Association. This is the third year in a row that an Archdiocese of Chicago principal has been so honored.
Connecting children with their faith Elena Chermak loves her job even after doing it for 17 years.
The director of religious education for St. John Fisher Parish
says it is fun and rewarding. She sees her role and others in similar positions as being that
of advocates.
Bidding for bucks--school goes online CindyArredia joined St. Maria Goretti’s school board last September. Fund-raising was on that month’s agenda. When it was brought up for discussion, she immediately thought about her family’s success with auctioning items through the eBay website. "It seemed like a no-brainer to me," she said.
Heart of the school winners During Catholic Schools Week (Jan. 31-Feb. 4), 16 teachers in the Archdiocese of Chicago are being recognized for reflecting the heart of the Catholic schools in which they work. On these pages are the four high school teachers and 12 grade school teachers who have been chosen for the honor by their peers.
The Interview: Education—a powerful ministry of faith, values This week, David M. Beaudoin, on the staff of the Office of Catholic Education talks with Elaine M. Schuster, Archdiocese of Chicago superintendent of schools, as part of our coverage of Catholic Schools Week.
Commentary: Bringing Jesus into the voting booth Catholic Charities Administrator Father Michael Boland writes: The year 2000 marks a powerful intersection for faithful Catholics. For not only is the year 2000 a Holy Year, it is an election year as well. … In this election year, we can "Open Wide the Doors to Christ" by allowing his example to inform our civic involvement and political choices.
Briefs: St. Alexius Hospital makes top 100 list St. Alexius Medical Center in Hoffman Estates received the 1999 100 Top Hospitals: National Benchmarks for Success award. St. Alexius, part of the Alexian Brothers Health System, was the only Catholic hospital in Illinois to receive the honor. HCIA, a Baltimore-based company, determines the list based on objective, quantitative data about the hospitals.
Parish Pride: Our Lady of Tepeyac This parish is the result of the "wedding" of St. Casimir and St. Ludmilla parishes 10 years ago this July. Its new name is taken from the hill in Mexico where Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared in 1531. As the former St. Casimir, this church was built in 1917 in the baroque architectural style typical of a Polish Renaissance era and was one of the first electrically lighted churches in the city. Since its most recent glorious renovation four years ago, Our Lady of Tepeyac is a "must visit" edifice with one of the largest open worship spaces in the country.
Church Clips Catholic nostalgia — "Late Nite Catechism," the Catholic-school-based comedy created
by Vicki Quade and Maripat Donovan, donated its holiday season
profits to the Benedictine Sisters of Chicago. The "late" Christmas
present of $4,691.49 adds to the $15,000 already donated by Quade
and Donovan to retired nuns in the arch. Nationally its various
productions have earned over $100,000 for retired sisters across
America. For tickets, call the Ivanhoe Theater at (773) 975-7171.
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