During the Jubilee Year of Mercy,
Catholics in the Rockford Diocese will be able to take part in the time-honored
Catholic tradition of making pilgrimages to special churches in the diocese.
Get your pilgrimage "passport" at http://www.rockforddiocese.org/jubileeofmercy/files/Pilgrimage-Passport.pdf
to record your visits.
Obtaining
an indulgence: One may obtain a plenary indulgence under these usual
conditions: 1) you must be in a state of grace when walking through the Holy
Door, 2) confession and 3) holy Communion within a week of the act of walking
through a Holy Door, 4) praying an Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be for the
pope's intentions, 5) being free from an attachment to sin, and 6) performing
the act of walking through the Holy Doors. You are able to obtain one penary
indulgence per day for yourself or for the dead, never for another living
person.
The parishes on the route are:
Aurora
Deanery
Our
Lady of Good Counsel
620 S. Fifth St., Aurora
Website: www.ourladyofgoodcounsel.net
In 1908, Peter Hilgen and Conrad
Reuland, sought permission from Father Charles Schnueckel, pastor of St.
Nicholas, to start a new parish in the southeastern section of Aurora. Before
he could give permission, Father Schnueckel died suddenly on Oct. 14, 1908,
shortly after Aurora had become part of the newly created Diocese of Rockford,
with Auxiliary Bishop Peter J. Muldoon of Chicago as its first bishop.
The Holy Door was opened at 10 a.m.,
Dec. 13 by Father Timothy Mulcahey.
DeKalb
Deanery
St.
Mary
329 Pine Street, DeKalb
Website: www.stmarydekalb.org
From 1850, the parish of St. Mary in
DeKalb was attended from the cathedral in Chicago. At that time Mass was said
in the homes of Catholic pioneers and in the town hall. When the weather was
pleasant, outdoor Mass was celebrated in a nearby grove of trees.
The Holy Door was opened at 8:30 a.m.
Dec. 13 by Father Dean Russell.
Elgin
Deanery
St.
Thomas More
215 Thomas More Drive, Elgin
Website: www.stthomasmorechurch.org
On March 23, 1959, Bishop Loras T. Lane
created the new parish of St. Thomas More by dividing St. Laurence Parish and
giving the new parish 15 acres to build a church. The founding pastor, Father
Walter C. Roberts (1959-1970) arrived at St. Thomas More on Friday, April 10,
1959, and celebrated the first Sunday Masses two days later at the Highland
Avenue School Gym. Weekday Masses were offered at St. Laurence Church until a
temporary church could be constructed. The Holy Door was opened at 10 a.m. Dec.
13 by Father Richard Rosinski.
Freeport
Deanery
St.
Michael
227 S. Bench Street, Galena
Website: www.CatholicGalena.org
Galena is the home of St. Michael
Parish, the oldest parish in the Diocese of Rockford. Bishop Joseph Rosati of
St. Louis appointed a pastor here in 1832, five years before the first parish
was established in Chicago. On Aug. 22, 1832, Father John McMahon (1832-1833)
was appointed as the first resident pastor in what is now the Diocese of
Rockford. It was also served by Father Samuel Mazzuchelli, O.P., an early
missionary in the Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin tri-state area. In 1993, St.
John Paul II declared Father Mazzuchelli venerable, the first step toward
sainthood. The Holy Door was opened at 8:30 a.m. Dec. 13 by Father David Reese.
McHenry
Deanery
St.
John the Baptist
2302 W. Church Street, Johnsburg
Website: www.stjohnsjohnsburg.org
The first chapel was built here in 1843
on the Fred Schmitt farm, followed by another chapel on the Miller farm, and
then by a first parish church. The second parish church in Johnsburg was being
built in May 1850, when the Most Rev. James O. Van deVelde, Bishop of Chicago,
visited the region. The frame building was used by missionaries until 1852,
when the first resident pastor, Father John Jaconnett (1852-1853), was
appointed.
The Holy Door was opened at 9 a.m. Dec.
13 by Father Jacek Junak.
Rockford
Deanery
Cathedral
of St. Peter
1423 N. Court Street, Rockford
Website: www.cathedralofstpeter.org
In the early days of Bishop Peter J.
Muldoon’s episcopacy, Rockford was in one of its periods of expansion. There
was much building going on, particularly in the north end. Many of the
Catholics living north of Auburn Street had a long distance to travel to St.
Mary Church. On June 4, 1915, property was bought in the Auburndale
subdivision and a small frame chapel was built on it later that year. The
cornerstone for the current church was blessed by Bishop Loras T. Lane in
August of 1958 and the church was dedicated on May 15, 1960. On Oct. 11, 1970,
Bishop Arthur J. O’Neill designated St. Peter as the cathedral for the diocese.
The Holy Door was opened at 10:45 a.m. Dec. 13 by Bishop David Malloy.
The Holy Door was opened at 10:45 a.m. Dec. 13 by Bishop David Malloy.
Poor
Clare Monastery
2111 S. Main Street, Rockford
Bishop Peter J. Muldoon wanted a
community of contemplative sisters within the diocese. Repeatedly he
requested Mother Mary Theresa, of the Poor Clares in Cleveland, to open a
foundation in Rockford. Finally in March, 1916, two Poor Clare sisters arrived
in Rockford to establish a community here. A residence on North Avon Street was
converted into a monastery and was used until 1920, when growth of the
community necessitated the purchase of the present property on South Main St.
The Holy Door was opened at 7 a.m. by Father David Vogel.
The Holy Door was opened at 7 a.m. by Father David Vogel.
Sterling
Deanery
St.
Mary
509 Avenue B, Sterling
Website: www.stmarysterling.com
The earliest Catholic settlers in
Sterling were attended by priests from Dixon. Father John Daly (1863-1876) was
appointed by Bishop James Duggan of Chicago as the first resident pastor of
Sterling in June 1863. In 1865, Father Daly began the building of a new brick
church and rectory. In October 1893, Father James J. Bennett (1893-1909),
became pastor. During his pastorate the old Presbyterian church being used by
the parish was sold to the public school system and the present church and
rectory were built in 1898. It was also at this time that the parish name was
changed from St. Patrick to St. Mary.
The Holy Door was opened at 8:30
a.m. by Father James Keenan.
Information and photos: Rockford Diocese
histories and directory; The Observer
