Parish directories are still available for pick up in the Parish Office.

If you had their picture taken, there’s one waiting for you. Come over and get one! It’s filled with all the wonderful people and events that make our parish great. 

Want a directory but didn’t get your picture taken? We have extras available for $10.

Please stop in the Parish Office and purchase one soon.

There are still seats available for our Centennial Pilgrimage to Italy.

If you missed the opportunity to make a reservation for this historic trip, now’s your chance. You can make your reservation between October 1st to 10th.

The rate for the trip is only $3,473. This rate includes round-trip air from Chicago, with 8 nights in 3-star hotels.

For more information, or to reserve a place, please call the Parish Office at 352-8748.

Please pray for our 8th grade students who are graduating on Wednesday, May 23rd.

Msgr. Mark Merdian will be our guest speaker on Thursday, May 31st at 7:00 p.m. in Holy Cross Church.

He will share his perspectives and insights on what the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, our namesake feast, should mean for us.

This is part of our Centennial Celebration activities.

We will begin the evening at 6:30 p.m. with Eucharistic Adoration.

Msgr. Merdian’s presentation begins at 7:00 p.m. and close with Benediction at 7:45 p.m.

For more information, please call the Holy Cross Parish Office at 352-8748.

It’s time once again to either renew your subscription to the Magnificat, or to start a new subscription.

The Magnificat is an easy-to-read pocket-sized daily Mass companion, and features the complete readings for each Sunday, weekday and feast day Mass; also daily reflections, daily prayers  for both morning and evening, and more.

If you are already receiving one, please fill out the renewal form that was included in your April issue of the Magnificat.

The Magnificat is ordered through the Parish Center, so please make your checks payable to “Holy Cross” not ‘Magnificat, and bring it or mail it to the Parish Center, or drop it in the collection basket in an envelope marked “Magnificat”.

If you would like to place a new order, please call 352-8748.

The cost is $25.00 for a year, which is half the regular subscription cost because we order as a group.

PAYMENT AND ORDER FORM MUST BE IN BY MAY 15.

Take this opportunity to improve your daily prayer life and your relationship with Jesus.

Special blessings and congratulations to our wonderful Pastor, Father Stephen Willard who will

celebrate the 19th anniversary of his Ordination to the Priesthood on May 29th.

Father Steve-we are grateful to God for you and your dedication to the Church and to us.

We are truly blessed!

Congratulations to our deacons who also celebrate their Ordination to the Permanent Deaconate

this month:  Deacon Hank Hart on May 9th, Deacon Ed Mohrbacher on May 18th and Deacon Bob

Ulbrich on May 19th.

May you be blessed with God’s love and grace with that same abundance as we have been blessed

by you.

They will available for pick up after the 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. Masses on May 6th during Coffee

Shop.

After that they can be picked up either at the Parish Center during regular office hours, or at the

school cafeteria, Monday through Friday, between 2:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.

Thanks to all of you who ordered these shirts in support of our Centennial Celebration.

The monthly potluck will be held on Wednesday, May 9th, beginning around noon.

Those who are able to do so should bring a covered dish and their own table service.

A Parish Nurse will be available for blood pressure checks and health-related questions.

Millikin University’s select ensemble for early music, directed by Daniel Carberg, will be performing a stunning program entitles “In a Vale of Tears” on Sunday, May 6th, at 7:30 p.m. at Holy Cross in the church.

“In a Vale of Tears” consists of two monumental works; the “Musikalische Exequien” by Heinrich Schutz and the “Stabat Mater” by Domenico Scarlatti.

Both are reflections of sorrow and grief.

Schutz portrays this beautifully by using controlled homophony, tastefully dissonances, and a reverent approach to embracing Christ’s sacrifice and the hope that this brings to us all.

Scarlatti focuses on the weeping Mary and the agony and grief she endures.

This setting of the “Stabat Mater” is emotionally charged and full of dense textures, virtuoso melismas, and complex fugues. These two works compliment each other and make an exciting and thoughtful program.

Please join us.

Admission is free.

Last week I underwent major surgery at OSF in Peoria to remove a baseball-sized tumor that was pressing on my brain causing partial loss of eyesight.

The surgery was a huge success and my eyesight was completely restored. For the next three weeks, the doctor has ordered me to be in a mode of full recuperation.

This means I must be completely removed of all duties, such as celebrating Mass, hearing Confession, etc. My afternoons must consist of total bed rest, which does not allow me to receive phone calls or visitors.

Please know of my sincere gratitude to everyone for the many prayers that have been offered for me, as I realize that through these and the grace of God, my eyesight has been restored.

Please continue to pray for my full recovery, and thank you for respecting my privacy and allowing me the time needed to heal from this major surgery.

If you need to leave a message for me, please contact Debbie Benz at the St. Matthew parish office

(359-4224 or debbiejbenz)gmail.com)