BY MARGARITA MENDOZA Editor El Observador
GENEVA-Great things happen when a community works together for a good cause, which is the case of St. Peter Par- ish, according to Melinda Bernhard, part of the campaign team that helped raise funds to renovate the parish. Those completed renovations were celebrated and blessed at Sunday Mass said by Bishop David Malloy along with St. Peters pastor, Father Jonathan Bak- kelund on Jan. 9. Bishop Malloy began the 11 a.m. Mass by expressing his gratitude to Father and frankly to the whole parish it is not often that I have the chance to do the blessings of a newly renovated church. He highlighted the beauty of the spirituality that was added in the renovation. Bishop Malloy went on to say we are here today on the celebration of the baptism of the Lord the last day of Christmas season, emphasizing the relevance of the Baptism. Christ has taken all our humanity, all our sins upon Himself in baptism. Christ is baptized not for Himself but for us, Bishop Malloy said.
Continued on page 3
Inside
Buen Camino'
Deacon recounts pilgrimage in this month's book giveaway.
pages 4, 11 BY AMANDA HUDSON News Editor
DIOCESE-The One in Christ Na- tional Appeal is scheduled to be taken up at Masses in parishes across the Rock- ford Diocese this weekend, Jan. 15-16. This first of combined appeals for 2022 will include four national collections as well as two diocesan collections. Pa- rishioners are given the option for their donation to benefit one or more of these appeals, or to be distributed according to Bishop David Malloys discretion. Instead of collecting for each of these appeals over six weeks, donations for all six collections will be gathered during this one weekend. The individual collections, all serving people in the United States, include: n The Retirement Fund for Reli- gious: This annual appeal helps over 26,000 elderly Catholic sisters, brothers and religious order priests. For many years these religious men and women de- voted themselves to serving God in mis- sion, parish and Catholic school work, and for many years were paid only small stipends, room and board. As a result, many religious communities have a dif- icult time supporting the needs of their elder members. Last year, the Rockford Diocese gave $165,918 to this appeal.
Info: retiredreligious.org
n The Catholic Communications Campaign: This appeal supports ef- forts by the U.S. Catholic Church and this diocese to spread the Good News of Christ through a variety of technolo- gies, old and new. In 2021, this diocese distributed $90,066 to this appeal.
Info: usccb.org
n The Catholic Campaign for Hu- man Development: This appeal for CCHD provides grants to community- based groups that create jobs, improve education and strengthen neighbor- hoods. The Rockford Diocese receives 25% of what is collected for this appeal to fund local anti-poverty efforts. Dioc- esan Catholics contributed $21,981 to this appeal last year.
Info: usccb.org/cchd Continued on page 3
(Observer screengrab/ Megan Peterson)
Father Akan Simon, parochial vicar at Holy Family Parish in Rockford, prays over the of- ferings during a TV Mass on Aug. 8, 2021. The TV Mass is produced and provided by the Diocese of Rockford's Office of Communication and Publications.
(Observer photos/ Margarita Mendoza)
Bishop David Malloy blesses statues of the Holy Family during the Mass held Jan. 9 to celebrate and bless St. Peter Parish's new renovations.
National Appeal Weekend Jan. 15-16
One in Christ' Collection Helps Beyond and in Rockford Diocese
Renovations Blessed at Geneva Parish
Volume 87 No. 6 http://observer.rockforddiocese.org FRIDAY JANUARY 14, 2022
This Issue
Bishop Malloy ....................... 2 Headliners ............................... 3 Seasoned Observer ............. 4 Forever Family ...................... 5 Nation/World ........................ 8 Our Catholic View ................ 9 For the Record .................... 10 Around the Diocese .......... 11 Media/Arts ............................ 11
Quick News
Read The Observer Online Free
While we fight COVID, anyone may read The Observer Online for free at http:// observertoo.rockforddiocese.org/. Subscribers to the print edition will continue to receive it by mail.
Official Appointments
The Rev. Jhakson A. Garcia- to be Parochial Vicar of Church of Holy Apostles Parish, McHen- ry, effective Monday, January 10, 2022. The Rev. Luis M. Guanipa- to be Parochial Vicar of St. Monica Parish, Carpentersville, ef- fective Friday, January 7, 2022. The Rev. Ariel A. Valencia- to be Parochial Administrator of St. Patrick Parish, Rockford, ef- fective Monday, January 10, 2022. Given at the Chancery, Jan. 5, 2022
(Photo/ Deacon Ron "Willie" Williams)
A monument represents pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago.
ISSN: 0029-7739 $ 1.00 per copy
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Official Newspaper of the Catholic Diocese of Rockford
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