Dear St. Philomena Parish Family,
Peace to you all! It is hard to believe how fast the time has flown by…here we are at the beginning of the Advent season. I really enjoy Advent! Although the hectic nature of this time of year can be a challenge, I always enjoy this “purple” time of preparation. One of the most common questions I’ve heard through the years: “Hey Father…why can’t the Church get in gear and get the Christmas trees set up?!?!” Given our time and what we see in the world around us, I certainly understand the question. Since our secular surroundings begin celebrating Christmas at Thanksgiving time (or sometimes even earlier—several people noted Christmas décor up in stores before Halloween), why is it that in the Catholic Church we wait until just before Christmas comes?
As you might expect, there is a great reason. For our Jewish ancestors in faith, every special celebration had a specific time of preparation. This was to help get the people’s hearts ready for the celebration to come. The bigger the celebration, the more time they prepared. We do this today for many special spiritual occasions: before weddings (couples meet with the priest a number of times), before Mass (remember the one hour fast and time of prayer before Mass starts?), before Christmas and Easter (Advent and Lent), etc. Of course, we also do a lot of preparation for regular human things. Sports teams practice before the big game; we make a grocery list before going shopping; we check the weather and pack a suitcase before a trip, etc. We prepare because it helps us get more out of the experience. If we were going to visit Grandpa Snowman up in Minnesota and only packed shorts and a tee-shirt, we could miss out on a lot of family fun because we have to stay near the fireplace the whole time!
In the spiritual life, the same is..
We are excited to announce that it’s time for a new parish picture directory! Every family photographed will receive a free 8x10 and a copy of our directory. Help us celebrate our 80th anniversary as... Read More
November 2024 Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, In the Diocese of Peoria, we are blessed with a healthy culture of vocations. This is evident as I travel throughout the diocese where I see pictures... Read More
There will be one Mass at 9 a.m. on Thanksgiving Day. We will not have our Thursday confessions on Thanksgiving Day. The parish office will be closed from Wednesday, November 27 at 12 p.m. through... Read More
Dear St. Philomena Parish Family, Peace to you all! It is hard to believe how fast the time has flown by…here we are at the beginning of the Advent season. I really enjoy Advent! Although... Read More
Dear St. Philomena Parish Family, Blessings and peace to you all this week! I hope everyone enjoys a great Thanksgiving week! A good number of years ago now, I was assigned at the Newman Center... Read More
St. Philomena Parish is a Catholic Church with a parochial elementary grade school in an established family neighborhood in the heart of Peoria, IL.
Our mission is to proclaim our faith in Jesus Christ through worship, sacraments, education and community life. Each parishioner is invited to understand, embrace, and communicate the truth of Catholic Christianity to our culture.
Monday-Friday: 7:00 a.m.
Monday-Saturday: 8:00 a.m.
Saturday Vigil Mass: 4:30 p.m.
Sunday: 7:30 a.m., 9:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 7:30 p.m.
7:00 a.m., 8:00 a.m. & 5:30 p.m.
Wednesday: 5 p.m.
Thursday: 8:30 a.m.
Saturday: 8:30 a.m. and 3 p.m.
