Bishop Hicks Column

This year we will ordain five new priests for the Diocese of Joliet. While this quantity is outstanding, so is their quality. These five men are young, intelligent, faith filled, pastoral and enthusiastic, and they all strive for holiness.

By the time you are reading this article, we will probably have already celebrated Palm Sunday, Holy Week, the Triduum and Easter Sunday. During that holy and busy week in the Catholic Church, there is a beautiful, albeit sometimes overshadowed, Mass we celebrate called the “Chrism Mass.”

It is a common practice to give a gift made of silver for a 25th anniversary and something of gold for a 50th. However, I was wondering, what do you give for a 10th anniversary? After some research, there seems to be some consensus that either tin or aluminum is meant to commemorate a decade. Perhaps these metals make an appropriate gift since they are known for their strength and resilience.

People are sometimes surprised to hear that I do my own grocery shopping and cook my own meals. I am not a gourmet chef, but I can hold my own in the kitchen. Frankly, it is not that big of a task since I live alone and frequently eat out at meetings, receptions and events. Therefore, most of my trips to the grocery store are a very quick “in and out.”

Recently, while visiting a parish, I noticed a “peace pole” on the property, surrounded by beautiful landscaping and benches

I love Jesus! And it is always a source of joy and honor to offer the holy sacrifice of the Mass whenever and wherever I am asked to do so. So when I received a request to celebrate a diocesan-wide Mass for individuals with special needs or disabilities and their families and friends, without hesitation, I responded, “Yes!”

Recently, many of us tuned in to watch the events surrounding the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, the longest reigning British monarch. In the United States, the existence of a royal family may be somewhat of a foreign concept in our political system that prefers democratically elected officials. Yet, with some curiosity, many of us cast our gaze across the pond to capture a glimpse of the new King Charles III receiving the royal scepter.

For anyone who lives in the Midwest or northern regions of the United States, news of consolidations, mergers and closings of Catholic parishes and schools has become a frequent reality. Across the country, Catholic dioceses and archdioceses are implementing or have completed restructuring processes, including Cincinnati, Columbus, Boston, Pittsburgh and St. Louis.

In 2005, I began an extraordinary assignment in my priesthood, working and living for five years in the country of El Salvador. This small Central American country embodies and emanates the spirit of St. Oscar Romero. When I first arrived to begin my missionary work, I started learning about this martyred archbishop. Needless to say, he quickly became one of my heroes and eventually one of my favorite saints.

During a recent conversation with a longtime friend, she mentioned she had just signed up to volunteer at her parish by teaching religious education to fifth- and sixth-graders. I was overjoyed to hear that she was going to use her talent and time to pass on our faith to our youth.