Each year more than 1.5 million bulbs of Christmas lights transform the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows, in southern Illinois, into the Way of Lights, transporting visitors back to biblical days in a Christmas display like few others in the country.
In 2002, David Spotanski, the then-vice chancellor for the Diocese of Belleville, Illinois, wrote a memo that felt so important that he went to then-Bishop Wilton Gregory's house and read it aloud.
Pope Francis has named Archbishop Wilton Gregory to lead the Washington Archdiocese, placing the prelate who guided the development of the U.S. bishops' procedures on clergy sexual abuse at the helm of a church that has been convulsed by abuse scandals over the past year.
The six Catholic dioceses in Illinois have been sued for conspiracy to conceal a public hazard because they have not released the names of all priests with credible accusations of sexual abuse and misconduct, including those who have died and those who belong to religious orders.
A new Pew study shows Catholic faithful rapidly leaving the church; parishes host prayer services to deal with church scandals; Catholics organize to fight racism and skyrocketing rents.
The Field Hospital: Illinois dioceses plan school and parish closings; flu affects Eucharist, sign of peace; connecting with young adults in Pittsburgh; 20 years of perpetual adoration.
