May 11, 2012

Vespers Sunday, May 13

5 p.m. — Vespers at the Cathedral of Saint Peter Rockford

Vespers is the evening prayer during which ecumenical and civic leaders will join diocesan priests, visiting priests and bishops, permanent deacons and their wives and family, friends and guests in prayer and to witness Bishop-elect Malloy’s profession of faith... Read More

He Touched Their Hearts
Bishop Doran Dedicates East Dubuque Chapel, Built with Dedication of Pastor, Parishioners
May 11, 2012

EAST DUBUQUE—St.Mary Parish, here, is joining a growing number of communities that are living the promise never to leave Jesus alone.
 

“The Lord put in my heart to build an adoration chapel several years ago,” said St. Mary pastor, Father James Parker. “Pope Benedict XVI said that anytime a church has grown or prospered in any area it is always connected with a g... Read More

May 11, 2012

Rev. Mr. Gerard Christianson
As a child I had wanted to be a priest due to my parent’s encouragement and the anecdotal evidence that priests seemed to live to a ripe old age. Until 12 I attended Mass daily during Lent and felt that God was indeed calling me to the priesthood. Once I turned 13, I began to notice girls and reconsidered my vocation to holy orders preferring ... Read More

May 11, 2012

PROVIDENCE, R.I.—Deacon Patrick Moynihan will receive an honorary doctorate in humanitarian service from Providence College in Rhode Island, recognizing his work as president of The Haitian Project.

Deacon Moynihan was ordained for the Diocese of Rockford and served as director of its permanent diaconate program.

He serves as the president of The Haitian Project and its tuition-free ... Read More

May 11, 2012

DEKALB—The Office of Communication and Publications announced last week that the Catholic Diocese of Rockford has sold FM translator W255BN/DeKalb (Ill.) to American Education Foundation, Inc. The station will rebroadcast Talk WLBK-A/DeKalb (Ill.), owned by DeKalb County Broadcasters, Inc., commonly owned with the translator’s buyer.

The diocese still owns other radio licenses and is in t... Read More

South Beloit SVdP Opens Café
‘A Table for You’ Feeds Those in Need
May 4, 2012

SOUTH BELOIT—Diane Belcher, president of the St. Vincent de Paul conference at St. Peter Parish, here, has a sense of the Holy Spirit at work in bringing A Table for You to South Beloit.
 

Inspired by a soup kitchen program run by the Franciscan Friars Minor in Philadelphia called A Table for Four, the SVdP volunteers began to dream about beginning a similar program when they found... Read More

May 4, 2012

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Alex Marck represented Aquin Central Catholic Junior-Senior High School at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, here, when he accepted  one of the 2012 Charity and Social Service Honors.
 

Marck designed the video that consituted the entry for the honors program.
The program is an effort to encourage and recognize charity i... Read More

May 4, 2012

FREEPORT—Provena St. Joseph Center, 659 East Jefferson St., here, broke ground and blessed the site for its new 16-bed Medicare-certified rehabilitation suites April 11. 
 

Building plans also include conversion of 12 double rooms to Medicare-certified private rooms with private bathrooms on the building’s existing Oceanview hallway.
 

“We p... Read More

By Penny Wiegert, Editor
April 27, 2012

The minute the announcement of the ninth bishop of Rockford was complete, The Observer began planning for special coverage of the next part of history.

That planning will culminate in a special souvenir issue of The Observer to be published Friday, May 18.


Included in the special edition will be:


-- Official photos of Bishop Malloy,


-- Photo... Read More

April 27, 2012

The Vatican announced on  March 20 that the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, accepted the resignation of Bishop Thomas G. Doran and appointed Msgr. David John Malloy, as the ninth Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Rockford.

What is the date and location of the ordination and Installation of Bishop-elect Malloy?
Bishop-elect Malloy will be ordained and installed as the ninth Bishop of Rock... Read More

April 13, 2012

To be part of the next chapter in the history of the Rockford Diocese, there are several ways to do it.

ATTEND IN PERSON: If you would like to attend the Monday,

May 14 ordination and installation at the BMO Harris Bank Center in Rockford, go to your pastor and tell him you would like a ticket. Pastors will submit those names to the diocese and tickets will be issued.

... Read More
WELCOME
Pope Benedict XVI Names Milwaukee Native Msgr. David J. Malloy Ninth Bishop of Rockford
March 23, 2012

WATCH THE VIDEO!

ROCKFORD—Pope Benedict XVI has named Msgr. David John Malloy of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee to be the ninth bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Rockford. Bishop-elect Malloy, 56, will succeed Bishop Thomas G. Doran who has led the diocese since 1994.

The announc... Read More

March 16, 2012

ROCKFORD—Dates for the 2012 Summer Vocations Camps for young women and men interested in learning more about vocations are now set.

All the camps will be held at Bishop Lane Retreat Center, southwest of Rockford. Each of the camps offers a variety of activities, some to provide great information about religious life or the priesthood and vocations in general, and other activities — games,... Read More

Other news in this week\'s Observer:
May 4, 2012

Parking and Shuttle stations set for May 14 Ordination

Last BMO rehearsal changed to May 12

DAC to be closed May 14

Students from St. Rita Church, Rockford, religious education program collected 15 boxes of toiletries for the Rockford Rescue Mission during Lent.

Father Phillip Kaim, chaplain to a Special Operations Group in England, recently paarticipated in their winter exercise.

Chicago Achdiocese offers free burial to indigents, unborn

CFCA reaches $1 billion mark in support for thousands of needy people

Historic Baltimore school to pilot boarding progam for homeless boys