Women Invited to Discernment Events Soon in May, June
ROCKFORD, SPRINGFIELD—Two religious women’s religious orders with members serving in the Rockford Diocese invite women to discern roles with their communities this summer.
In the diocese, the Servants of the Holy Heart of Mary serve at Holy Heart of Mary Community and Nazareth Spirituality Center, Batavia. A group of these sisters is also in Rockford. The Dominican Sisters of Springfield serve at Rosary High School, Pope St. John Paul II Catholic Academy, and the Dominican Literacy Center in Aurora. Their motherhouse is in Springfield.
May 16: Meet the Servants of the Holy Heart of Mary
The Servants of the Holy Heart of Mary invite women to discover a sisterhood with roles for lay women and vowed sisters alike:
– Affiliate (lay woman living daily life; joins the community for events)
– Servant companion (temporary, renewable three-month commitment to living and ministering with the community)
– Consecrated lay woman (lay woman living daily life who takes a one-year, renewable vow of celibacy and receives spiritual direction)
– Prayer partner (prays for sisters’ prayer intentions)
– Vowed sister.
(For more on these roles, see the Feb. 13 issue of The Observer.)
All women, whether married, single, divorced or widowed, are invited to join the sisters for refreshments and conversation May 16, 10 a.m.-noon, at their Rockford location: 4340 Brendenwood Road. Cost: none.
RSVP to Kathy Brady-Murfin by May 14, 4 p.m., at [email protected] or call 815-814-1414.
This June, Live and Discern with Dominican Sisters
This June, the Springfield Dominicans invite single Catholic women ages 20-45 who are discerning a call to the religious life to a five-day immersion experience at their motherhouse
in Springfield.
Up to 15 women will be selected for the June 16-20 live-in discernment event. The group will live at Sacred Heart Convent in Springfield and experience apostolic religious life, which includes community life, prayer, active service, and theological reflection. Service activities will be at various local nonprofits.
“Springfield is a perfect place to give women a taste of the foundations of Dominican life: community life, prayer, study, and preaching, or service,” says Sister Denise Glazik, OP, minister of vocation accompaniment for the Springfield Dominican Sisters.
Additional Dominican congregations from different cities will also lead activities — the Dominican Sisters of Adrian, Mich., the Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa, Wis., and the Dominican Sisters of Peace, Columbus, Ohio. In the past, sisters from the Sinsinawa and Adrian congregations have taught in schools in the Rockford Diocese.
Apply at springfieldop.org/events as soon as possible. Cost: $50; scholarships available.
St. James Welcomes New Members of the Catholic Church
LEE—During St. James Parish’s Easter Vigil, April 4, three children from the Smulski family received the sacraments of baptism and first holy Communion. At right, Father Bonaventure Okoro, pastor, baptizes Kylie Smulski. She entered the Church with Shelby and Layla Smulski.
Diocese’s Filipino Catholics Meet For Lenten Retreat
MARENGO—On March 21, Filipino Catholics from around the Rockford Diocese gathered at Sacred Heart Parish, here, for their annual Lenten Recollection. This year’s event, with the theme “Understanding the Paschal Triduum Liturgy” included members of the Greater Rockford Filipino American Catholic Community (GRFACC), the Fox Valley Filipino American Catholic Ministry (FVFACM) and other communities.
Father Romeo Pavino, diocesan director of Filipino Ministries, facilitated the retreat. Three speakers gave talks: Father Reynante Talento (Holy Family-Rockford) Father Dennis Vargas (St. Mary-Durand and St. Patrick-Irish Grove) and Father Edilberto “Ejay” Jarapa (St. Mary-Huntley). The faithful were also welcome to go to confession during the day. The retreat concluded with Mass.
Top of the Morning and Catholic Mass Expands to Radio
DIOCESE—The Diocese of Rockford’s Office of Communication and Publications announced this week that two of the longest-running and most popular diocesan outreaches seen on television are now available for radio listeners.
In a collaboration with Townsquare Media, the award-winning Top of the Morning with Bishop David J. Malloy daily reflections on the Gospel readings, along with the Sunday Mass, will now be broadcast on Rockford’s WROK News Talk 1440 AM radio station.
“We are so excited to be able to further the diocesan efforts of evangelization through secular radio,” said Penny Wiegert, director of communication for the Rockford Diocese.
“WROK 1440 AM and 96.1 FM is honored to have this opprtunity to broadcast the weekly Mass and the Bishop’s Top of the Morning message from the Catholic Diocese of Rockford on our legendary radio stations. Even when you’re away from the area, you’ll also be able to listen on your phone through the WROK mobile app and on your desktop at 1440WROK.com,” said Johnny Vincent, director of content for Townsquare Media of Rockford.
The Catholic Mass currently seen on NBC’s Rockford affiliate WREX-TV on Sundays at 6:30 a.m. is one of the most recognizable outreaches for the diocese. The Catholic Mass has been broadcasting continuously every week for the past 61 years, Wiegert said, and is a critical connection to our “homebound brothers and sisters who might not otherwise hear the word of God on Sundays.” That same Mass will now be heard on WROK 1440 AM radio every Sunday morning at 11 a.m.
“I am so very grateful for all our faithful volunteers who make these programs possible, especially our current TV Mass priest celebrants which include Father Robert Blood, Father Jeffrey Filipski, Father Joel Lopez, Father Nathan Pacer and Father Reynante Talento. They all offer inspiring homilies and are so dedicated in bringing the Mass to the homebound,” Wiegert said.
“Begun by Bishop Thomas G. Doran and former communication director Dr. Owen Phelps in 1994, Top of the Morning appeals to people of all faiths and gives folks a 60-second taste of God’s word to start their day,” Wiegert said.
Those reflections will now be broadcast Monday through Friday at 7 a.m. during the Riley O’Neil and Joe Dredge in the Morning show on WROK.
“For those who can’t watch TV in the morning, they can now tune in and hear Bishop Malloy’s reflection,” Wiegert said.
Top of the Morning began broadcasting on WROK 1440 AM on April 20 and the Catholic Mass will make its Sunday morning debut on April 26.
The reflections are also available at https://www.rockforddiocese.org/top-of-the-morning/ and the Catholic Mass is also posted to the Diocese of Rockford YouTube Channel.
The new radio programming is paid for in part by contributions made to annual Catholic Communications Campaign and from generous donors.
