ISSN: 0029-7739 $ 1.00 per copy THE BSERVER OOfficial Newspaper of the Catholic Diocese of Rockford Volume 82 | No. 17 http://observer.rockforddiocese.org FRIDAY APRIL 7, 2017 Inside Some of the 50 people from the Rockford Diocese who traveled to Springfield March 29 wait Rockford’s St. outside the doors of the Elizabeth Center Hosts House to speak First-ever Hiring Event with state Job seekers meet potential representa- employers and trainers at tives to ask the March 21 event. them to vote against House page 5 Bill 40. The Pontifical Good Friday bill, if passed, Collection to Benefit would allow The Holy Land tax dollars to fund This annual collection helps abortions. The people and places where visit started Jesus walked. with a training page 6 session from the Illinois Catholic Conference to help volunteers best express their views to elected officials. Bishop Talks of Woes Of Human Trafficking At DCCW Luncheon Bishop David Malloy urges Group Makes Wishes Known prayers for victims, saying “Prayer works.” page 16 Diocesan Catholics Go to Springfield to Oppose HB40 BY AMANDA HUDSON Rockford participants drove separately Quick News News Editor or were part of a caravan of cars or rode a bus that left from St. John Neumann Par- DIOCESE—About 50 people from the ish in St. Charles. They hailed from towns DAC Closed During Diocese of Rockford joined 50 others from large and small across the diocese and in- Easter Triduum the dioceses of Springfield and Belleville cluded several students from Aquin Cen- The Diocesan Administration on March 29 to encourage their state rep- tral Catholic Junior-Senior High School in Center in Rockford will be resentatives to vote no on House Bill 40. Freeport. closed on Holy Thursday, “If passed, the bill will allow for public Everyone met at 10 a.m. across the street April 13, and Good Friday, funding of abortions, coverage for abor- from the Capitol in a conference room of the tions in state health plans, (and) funding April 14. It will reopen as Illinois State Library, Collins explained. (Photos provided) usual on April 17. of organizations that perform abortions, Bishop Thomas Paprocki of Springfield Father Timothy Barr, pastor of St. Mary and like Planned Parenthood,” said Jennifer welcomed them, and Zachary Wichmann, St. Joseph parishes in Freeport, and students Don’t Miss This Year’s Collins, director of the diocesan Life and director of government relations for the from Aquin Central Catholic Junior-Senior Summer Save the Date Family Evangelization Office, in an early- Catholic Conference of Illinois (CCI), High School there, meet with Rep. Brian Stew- Our annual list of summer March email call to action. Continued on page 4 art (R-89th, Freeport) in Springfield. activities at parishes and schools will run April 28. The deadline for submissions is April 15. For Elgin Parents Review, Discuss School Data details, see ... page 9 BY PENNY WIEGERT their feedback on the data presented. They “Despite some of the grim demographics Editor also talked in small groups about ways the and population trends in our state and the three schools might work together for fu- Catholic Church itself, we remain excited This Issue ELGIN—Parents from Elgin area Cath- ture viability in a variety of areas. about the future of our schools and the olic schools gathered April 3 at St. Edward While the goals and strategies outlined opportunity to address some of the chal- Bishop Malloy ............................. 2 Central Catholic High School to learn in the Faith Forward plan are for the ben- lenges we face to ensure our children are Headliners ..................................... 3 about the key findings and data, gain in- efit of all diocesan schools, the three Elgin receiving the best education possible and Diocesan ............................. 4-5, 16 sights, and share feedback about the next schools were specifically identified for fu- a strong foundation in the Catholic faith,” Ashes to Ashes ........................ 6-7 steps in the Faith Forward Strategic plan- ture collaboration because of: Kagan said. Around the Diocese .............. 8-9 ning process for diocesan Catholic schools. n Various facility needs resulting from Principals, priests and teachers from the Nation/World ..................... 10-11 Parents and parishioners of St. Joseph, aging buildings; Elgin schools also attended the meeting of Seasoned Observer ................. 12 St. Laurence and St. Mary met with Mi- n Competition for the same demograph- about 200 which followed the format of Our Catholic View .................... 13 chael Kagan, superintendent of Catholic ic; and meetings held in Aurora in February and For the Record ......................... 14 schools, and Tom Heding of the Meitler n Overall financial condition and reli- in Rockford last month. Media/Arts ................................. 15 consulting group of Milwaukee to share ance on parish support. Continued on page 3 2 | FRIDAY APRIL 7, 2017 | The Observer Holy Week is Our ‘Fork in the Road’ e begin the holiest Without God, the reign of By His own forgiveness of us and The Observer (ISSN 0029- week of our liturgical sin continues to bring us war, His love for the Father, Holy Week 7739), is published weekly, year on Sunday by oppression of the weak and poor, gave us once more the chance for except fi ve times a year by celebrating Palm broken families and a society that the Diocese of Rockford, eternal life in the happiness of God 555 Colman Center Dr., P.O. WSunday. is in constant doubt about good and for which we have been created. Box 7044, Rockford, IL 61125 As it did 2,000 years ago, Palm evil, right and wrong. We all live marked by the history Phone: 815/399-4300; Fax Sunday began the chain of events The entrance of Jesus into and reality of sin. Life for each of us 815/399-6225. that changed the world. The plan Jerusalem began the week that brings the same “fork in the road” Periodical postage paid at BY BISHOP of God to rescue each one of us fi nally brought hope to that despair. that it did for Adam and Eve. Will Rockford, Ill., and additional DAVID J. from the sin of Adam and Eve, and The Son of God, after 30 years we choose for Christ? Will we love mail offi ces. MALLOY from our own sin, was about to be of quiet life and three years of His the Lord our God with all our mind, POSTMASTER: send address fulfi lled in Jesus. own prayer and teaching, was now all our heart and all our soul? Or changes to The Observer, 555 It is one of the great defi ciencies of prepared to reoff er the human race Colman Center Dr., P.O. Box he will we give ourselves to something modern faith that many do not take to His Father. 7044, Rockford, IL 61125 Tentrance to heart the reality of the human We should be struck by the else? 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Jesus’ suff erings during Holy Week Think of the darkness, the sadness Shortly thereafter, for the world, Publisher: and the pessimism of each day under but truly for each of us, Jesus went is both good and necessary. It recalls Most Reverend David J.