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Financial Report: July-September 2022
PAGE 3 A Letter From Our Pastor
PAGE 4 Catholic Schools Week: A Celebration of Education Built on Faith, Excellence and Service
PAGE 6 The Hospital Communion Ministry: Faithfully Bringing Christ to Those in Need
PAGE 7 Hospitality Extends to Our Family at Home and in Our Parish
There are so many ways to get involved at St. Peter’s. Name a strength or skill, and there’s probably a ministry where you can use it. If we all did that, we’d have no problem getting everything done, and we could spread our mission even further outside our parish walls.
Nancy Dolan admits that when she first joined St. Peter’s, she was a little hesitant to get involved. But she’s so glad she took the leap and got involved.
“You can be as involved as you want, and it’s very rewarding,” she says. “Once you get involved, you get to know a lot of really nice people.”
Nancy Dolan has appreciated having friends who have become like family here at St. Peter’s.
Nancy has taken a cause she cares deeply about — the right to life — and found ways to get involved, like with the Pro-Life Ministry here at the parish. She gets involved in praying Rosaries for the unborn and writing to legislators. She volunteers at Birthright of Quincy at the front desk. The organization provides support, referrals for services, maternity and baby clothes, free ultrasounds, and more. She also
belongs to Right to Life of Adams County.
“A baby is a person as soon as it’s conceived,” she says. “It just needs to grow.”
About four years ago, Nancy retired from her work as a library director and became more involved in pro-life causes and volunteering at that point. She is passionate about serving.
“Every life is precious,” she says. “I support caring for children. Some women can’t afford to raise a child. We need to be feeding the hungry, especially children, and providing clothing and services for women who need help.”
In addition, Nancy serves as an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion and lector. She belongs to the Bible Study group for women and recently joined the Stewardship Committee, for which she is now secretary.
“A friend told me she thought I’d like it,” Nancy says. “You can get more insight on what’s going on at our parish. I do like it.”
It is a new year, and it is my prayer for all of you — and for me, as well — that we can take new steps on our faith journeys and seek new ways to live out discipleship and stewardship.
Pope Francis once commented on his perspective of our modern approach to life. He said, “Certainly, possessions, money, and power can give a momentary thrill, the illusion of being happy, but they end up possessing us and making us always want more, never satisfied. I have learned that the most important thing is to put on Christ in your life, place your trust in Him, and you will never be disappointed.”
The pope has been called “the world’s parish priest.” As we pray for one another in this New Year, may we all ask the Lord to help us appreciate Pope Francis’ approach to life, his simple way of seeing things, and his very basic way of appreciating things. I would hope that we see this year as a time for opportunity, a time to deepen our relationship to Christ, and for that matter to one another.
If we wish to change our lives and the lives of others, there are two easy ways to do it. We are blessed with many opportunities in this parish to pray, but as much as we need to take advantage of those, we also need to develop a strong personal
prayer life. Recall the young Samuel, who was not quite sure what to do with his life, or what direction to go. When he finally settled on that one important prayer, “Speak, Lord, for I am listening,” Samuel gave us the hint as to what we need to do. Prayer is a two-way street, and part of that is taking the time to listen to God.
The second important way is to exude joy. Christ certainly called us to do that. Pope Francis has had much to say about joy, as well. The Holy Father says, “Joy cannot be held at heel; it must be let go. Joy is a pilgrim virtue. It is a gift that walks — walks on the path of life, that walks with Jesus… proclaiming joy, lengthens and widens that path.” We must seek that joy and then we need to share it. That is truly our call. Joy translates quite easily into “love your neighbor.”
Yes, there may be challenges ahead in 2023, but we must focus on the opportunities, and then exert the effort to benefit from those opportunities. Happy New Year!
In Christ, Rev. Msgr. Leo J. Enlow
In schools across the country, the holidays have wound down and the midwinter doldrums have settled in as students finish out the end of January. But for our Catholic school students, there is an energy filling the halls as they have something special to look forward to. Beginning on the last Sunday of January, Catholic Schools Week has its kickoff celebrating the wonderful education offered by our Catholic schools across the United States. Catholic Schools Week has been celebrated nationally for 49 years, and this year’s celebration takes place with the theme “Faith. Excellence. Service.”
The celebrations will kick off on Sunday, Jan. 29, as students fill the liturgical roles at that weekend’s Masses as servers, greeters, lectors, and gift bearers. Additional festivities include our traditional Pancake Breakfast hosted by the St. Peter’s School after each of the Masses. Students are encouraged to wear their Spirit Day T-shirts to Mass so parishioners can recognize how many of the children in our parish are students at our parochial school.
“We are excited that we can bring back our annual St. Peter’s Pancake Breakfast,” says Principal Cindy Venvertloh. “There is a real entertainment factor as the servers will throw the pancakes — we get some good challenges going to see how far they can throw them. It’s really fun and really exciting.”
Each day of the week includes exciting activities for the students and unique dress-up days.
“We just have a fun week taking the opportunity to celebrate our identity as a Catholic school — to celebrate what sets us apart from our public school friends,” Mrs. Venvertloh says. “We are celebrating the beauty of what we offer to our students. By incorporating our Catholic faith into our education, we provide our students with a well-rounded education that also develops them in their faith and virtue.”
With the implementation of the house system
for students, several of the Catholic Schools Week activities will take part within the students’ houses. Each house is named with a saint as their patron and they each have a color as well. On one of the days, students will dress up in their house colors and take part in different activities.
“It allows the older students to assist the younger students,” Mrs. Venvertloh says. “The relationships that the kids develop within their houses is a unique benefit to our house system.”
Students also participate in a service project throughout the week. The Soup-er Bowl of Caring is a weeklong competition between the classes to bring in food to restock the food pantries of Quincy.
“They take pride watching the stacks of food increase in the annex,” Mrs. Venvertloh says. “Each classroom keeps count and at the end of the week, we see who brings in the most food.”
Service is an important part of our Catholic schools’ identity. This competition encourages the kids to continue to think of others even in their celebration and excitement.
“Catholic Schools Week is a week that the students look forward to,” Mrs. Venvertloh says. “It is just a fun opportunity to celebrate being a Catholic school and provide the students with different dress-up days and activities that they just really get excited about. We are proud of our Catholic school and it’s great to celebrate it.” To learn more about upcoming Catholic Schools Week activities, or for more information about St. Peter School, please visit the school’s website at www.stpeterschool.com
In addition to her parish involvement, Nancy is part of the Friends of the Library group. She also volunteers with Carry-out Caravan, helping ensure those who are homebound have groceries. She also volunteers with the hospice program.
“It’s our duty and privilege to help others,” she says. “We have received so many blessings. It’s a privilege to help.”
Nancy loves spending time in the Adoration Chapel, away from the world’s noise. It gives her time to “be still” and focus on prayer. Her husband, Michael, passed away in 2014. She has appreciated having friends who have become like family here
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at St. Peter’s. In her free time, Nancy enjoys being with family, walking, and spending time outside. She has two children and five grandchildren.
“You can be as involved as you want, and it’s very rewarding. Once you get involved, you get to know a lot of really nice people.”
— Nancy Dolan
When someone is hospitalized for any amount of time, there are many difficulties and challenges they may encounter. For Catholic patients, there is the difficult obstacle of not being able to attend Mass. But thanks to the Hospital Communion Ministry here at St. Peter, Catholic patients have the opportunity to receive the Eucharist.
“If you have ever been in the hospital, you realize the importance of receiving the Eucharist on a daily basis,” says Rebecca Knuffman, parish nurse of St. Peter.
Rebecca has been involved with this ministry since she began her role as our parish nurse in June 2022. The hospital chaplains are also involved, along with the EMHC volunteers from local Catholic parishes. Made up of Extraordinary Ministers who volunteer their time to distribute Holy Communion, the Hospital Communion Ministry serves Catholic patients at Blessing Hospital.
Being separated from the congregation can be especially difficult for faithful Catholics. The opportunity to receive Communion is of utmost importance for this very reason.
“It is important to ensure that those in the hospital are able to receive the Eucharist,” Rebecca says. “Holy Communion remedies the patient’s feeling of separation from the Church by connecting them to the Body of Christ.”
The Eucharist is the source and summit of our faith. As Catholics, we believe God can heal even the
most impossible of circumstances and illnesses. Even if there is not a full recovery or healing, however, the Eucharist still provides a sense of comfort as it is Jesus Himself coming to the recipients.
“People look to receive Holy Communion when they are in such a vulnerable state as in illness,” Rebecca says. “Because there are not enough Eucharistic Ministers from our local parishes, this important ministry is not able to take place each day.”
While the patients certainly benefit from this service, members themselves also share in the blessings and fruits that the ministry yields.
“Members have grown spiritually through the ministry by sharing in the healing presence of God with those they minister to,” says Rebecca. “This experience forms a bond in faith, hope and love with those they serve.”
At present, there is an urgent need for new members to join this important ministry.
“Because of the experience with COVID, the hospital has not recovered from the effects that this infection has caused,” Rebecca says. “Many hospital Communion ministers have not returned. This makes for an immediate need for EMHC volunteers to serve at Blessing Hospital.”
If you are interested in this ministry, please contact Prudence Bickhaus Martin, Volunteer Services Chaplaincy Coordinator at Blessing Hospital, at 217-223-8400, ext. 6825.
As Catholics, we are members of two very important family units. First, there are our own families, which consist of our spouses and children. And as a parish community, we are members of a larger “family of faith,” along with our clergy and fellow parishioners. Of course, both types of units share in the Catholic faith, as we gather to celebrate Mass each Sunday.
Yet, all does not appear to be well. The modern media unfortunately seems to place a heavy emphasis on the destruction of both types of family units. Indeed, every day, we are bombarded with disconcerting stories about the various issues that threaten the vital bonds of the family — divorce, abuse, gay marriage, and abortion, just to name a few. At the same time, the “families of faith” in our own parishes have also been threatened by several issues, from scandals and mismanagement of resources to drops in Mass attendance and school enrollment.
All of these threats and issues most certainly promote a hostile environment for today’s American Catholics. In turn, we may feel that there is little we can do to counter the negativity that is so pervasive within our country towards those practicing the Catholic faith.
The good news is that finding the solution to such seemingly insurmountable problems often begins in the most simple and basic of places — at home. In this particular case, it begins in two homes — that of our own family, and in the parish home of our “family of faith.”
Certainly, we would like visitors in our own homes to feel welcome, whether they are extended family, familiar friends, or new acquaintances. Therefore, we do whatever we can to make these visitors feel appreciated — we might prepare a homemade meal for our guests, or serve them a fresh cup of coffee, all while we initiate a friendly and insightful conversation.
While hospitality serves to enhance worship and fellowship for the entire parish family, it also impacts our community on a day-to-day basis. If we foster a welcoming environment in our parish home and present the many opportunities to minister and serve, involvement will only increase throughout the community! Therefore, if hospitality continues to flourish throughout the parish and its many ministries, so will the stewardship way of life!
2600 Maine Street Quincy, Illinois 62301 www.cospq.org
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Of course, this effort to make visitors to our home feel welcome is a wonderful example of providing Hospitality, the first of the Four Pillars of Parish Stewardship.
So, if we consider our other family unit — the “family of faith” in our own parish — the same can be applied to those entering our church for worship and fellowship. Whether we try to get to know some of the familiar faces we see at church each Sunday, reach out to someone new to the community, or extend a warm welcome to those visiting our parish, we are following Jesus’ example of hospitality at its most foundational and engaging level.
Of course, while hospitality serves to enhance worship and fellowship for the entire parish family, it also impacts our community on a day-to-day
basis. If we foster a welcoming environment in our parish home and present the many opportunities to minister and serve, involvement will only increase throughout the community! Therefore, if hospitality
Weekend Masses
Saturday: 5:00 p.m., Sunday: 8:00, 9:30 and 11:00 a.m.
Weekday Masses
Mon-Sat: 8:00 a.m., except for Wednesdays: 8:30 a.m.
Reconciliation Saturday: 7:30-7:50 a.m., 3:30-4:30 p.m. or by appointment
