Late August is always an exciting time for both educators and children. As the 2008-2009 school year begins, seven Catholic grade schools and one Catholic high school in the Springfield diocese are under new leadership. Earlier this month, these men and women were at the Catholic Pastoral Center in Springfield to learn more about leading a Catholic school and to meet one another and share ideas.

How deep is your faith? That's the question parishioners at St. Joseph the Worker in Chatham will begin answering this fall during the parish's implementation of the Why Catholic? Journey through the Catechism program.

A new Catholic high school serving southern Madison County will open in the fall of 2011, according to a joint announcement by Bishop George J. Lucas and Doug Villard, president of the board of directors of the parents group Catholic School for Me.

Bishop George J. Lucas has appointed Father David Zimmerman dean of the Decatur Deanery, for a period of five years, effective Aug. 12.

The Diocesan Council of Catholic Women will hold its 80th annual convention Tuesday, Oct. 12, at Hamilton's in Jacksonville. The Jacksonville Deanery will serve as host. The theme for the convention will be "Mary, Star of Hope."

Perpetual adoration participants filled St. Anthony's Memorial Hospital Chapel in Effingham July 24 to celebrate the 15th anniversary and commemorate the over 130,000 hours of perpetual adoration at the chapel. The celebration included an outdoor living rosary, Mass and reception.

For city dwellers walking through the livestock and poultry barns at the Illinois State Fair and stopping to watch the competition in the show rings gives them a glimpse of rural life. For farm families, "showing animals at the fair is really a hobby, a family hobby," says Chelli Branyan, of rural Assumption, whose youngest daughter and son each won awards showing animals at the fair.

United Way of Crawford County recently named Paul Rhodes, a Catholic Charities volunteer, Volunteer of the Year, and donated $1,000 in his honor to Catholic Charities in Effingham.

Sister Louise Gietl, OSU, 91, of Springfield, died Aug. 7 at the Ursuline Convent in Alton.

Sister M. Maxine Frichtl, OSF, age 96, of the Hospital Sisters of St. Francis, died Aug. 10 at St. Francis Convent, Springfield.

While students have been on break this summer, workers have been wiring Cathedral School in Springfield for air conditioning, assuring students will be more comfortable now that school has resumed, said Casey Wichmann, the school's development director.

Father Glenn Fontana of East Moline will once again celebrate a Healing Mass and Healing Service at Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Decatur, at 4 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 14. The theme will be "Forgiveness." A period of adoration and prayer will be followed by the Healing Service.

Sister Janice Bader, CPPS, executive director of the National Religious Retirement Office, recently sent a letter to the Catholic Pastoral Center in Springfield, thanking those from the Springfield diocese who contributed to the Retirement Fund for Religious in 2007. The annual collection is usually held the second Sunday of Advent in most parishes across the country.

Students at St. Ambrose Catholic School in Godfrey have gone green for God, says Parents Association representative Barbara Buhs. Building on momentum created several years ago, the school children are committed for the upcoming school year to "Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle," she says.

When we think of those who affect us the most, our thoughts often turn to our family and friends. It's not that we don't care about others in the extended circle of acquaintance that surrounds us; it's that we don't realize how different our lives would be without them.

Ready or not, the new school year is here. Most of the 43 Catholic grade schools, all six Catholic high schools and the majority of public and private schools in the Springfield diocese are already open for the new school year. The hopes and prayers of so many people go out to the students, teachers, school administrators and staff, and families of everyone involved in the educational system. Their success is our success. They are our future. They need our support and our prayers.

The best part of most every journey is the great people you meet along the way. This is true whether we're on summer vacation, a round-the-world trip, or in an expedition to the corner grocery store.

Call me "Secondhand Rose" if you must, but nothing pleases me more than finding a used item at a great price. It stretches the budget, it's environmentally healthy and, if you don't get carried away, it's great sport.

The world sees the public side of Pope Benedict XVI generally at big ceremonial events in Rome or on foreign travels, when he's under the glare of the media.

Shebna, the master of the palace is dismissed by none other than Yahweh. It seems that Shebna has displeased God by favoring Judah's making an alliance with Egypt (for protection against the Assyrians).

Bishop Lucas' public schedule for the week of August 24.