From podcasts and youth events to service and prayer cards, visit diojoliet.org/75th for the full list of events and activities surrounding the 75th anniversary.

A "jubilee" is a special anniversary, marking a certain time period. For example, a twenty-fifth anniversary is universally recognized as a silver jubilee, whereas the fiftieth is known as the golden jubilee. This month, we are officially launching the 75th Anniversary of the Diocese of Joliet, or the celebration of our diamond jubilee.

As they say, “diamonds are forever.” This celebration gives us the opportunity to honor our past, commemorate our present, and look forward to the future with hope. Our year-long celebration will officially begin in December 2023 and end in December 2024. However, we have a few things happening in November that I would like to share with you and encourage your participation.

Dear Parishioners,

In his insightful commentary on the Sunday Scripture readings, Food for the Soul, the philosopher and lay person Peter Kreeft makes the following observation, The very first thing Jesus did when he instituted the sacrament of the Eucharist on Holy Thursday, according to the Gospels,  is this: He looked up to heaven and gave thanks to his Father.

Besides celebrating Mass on Sundays, a question people frequently ask me is, “What do priests do during the week?” My initial response is that priesthood is so much more than a 9-to-5 job—it is more like a 24/7 vocation.

A priest is called to serve God and His people, and to assist his bishop by governing, teaching, and sanctifying. In modern times, it may seem like a priest is expected to be able to administer with an MBA, counsel with the spirituality of the saints, offer a love for the poor of Saint Mother Teresa, maintain the constant energy of a newly ordained priest, and resolve issues with the wisdom of a seasoned pastor.

Dear Parishioners,

Just in time for the celebration of All Saints on November 1, was the installation of the 18 glass panels depicting saints from various times and places throughout Christendom. These panels were part of the overall re-design of the devotional space in our church that included the recent addition of a new statue of the Virgin Mary holding the child Jesus. Both, the statue and glass panels, are the creative handiwork of Wiktor Szostalo, a universally acclaimed sculptor from Poland, whose artwork adorns sacred and secular spaces throughout the world.