The first Catholics in Illinois were French

As Illinois celebrates its bicentennial this year, The Observer will present occasional features from Rockford Diocese history books.

As long as Illinois and the vast territory east and west of the Mississippi was a possession of France and its civil government under the jurisdiction of France, the language, customs and institutions of the Illinois settlements were French, and the priests who labored in these missions were French. They were the Jesuits and the Fathers of the Foreign Missions or Seminary of Quebec.
The Illinois church was under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Quebec until the year 1784, when, on June 9, by a decree of the Propaganda de Fide of Rome, the newly federated United States became a separate ecclesiastical division, and the Very Rev. John Carroll was appointed Prefect Apostolic. In the year 1810 Illinois came under the jurisdiction of the new Bishop of Bardstown, Ky., and in 1827 of the new Bishop of St. Louis, the Rt. Rev. Joseph Rosati, D.D.
Source: 1924 Complete History Book of the Diocese of Rockford

Jan. 7-14: Events in the Rockford Diocese

Jan. 7 and 9: Boylan to host tax credit scholarship talk

Parents and others are welcome to attend one of two sessions about the new Illinois Tax Credit Scholarship Program scheduled at Boylan Central Catholic High School.
The first session will be Jan. 7 at 2 p.m. The second will be Jan. 9 at 7 p.m. Both will be in the school cafeteria on the campus at 4000 St. Francis Dr. in Rockford.
Elizabeth Heitkamp, assistant superintendent of the diocese's Catholic schools will present information and answer questions.
The event is free and open to parents of students in kindergarten through high school.

Jan. 10: Prayer breakfast in Batavia

The Servants of the Holy Heart of Mary will host a prayer breakfast, 9-10:30 a.m., Jan. 10,  at the Nazareth Spirituality Center, 717 N. Batavia Ave. Mary Cornell will talk about Pietra Fitness, a stretching and strenghthening class that integrates Christian prayer into the workout. A donation is asked for the continental breakfast. Registration is requested.

Info: Linda Isleib, 630/879-1296

Jan. 14: Dixon KC free throw contest starts

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Dixon area students age 9 to 14 are eligible for the annual Knights of Columbus Council 690 free throw contests. They will be held Jan. 14, Feb. 11 and March 11 at St. Patrick, 612 Highland Ave., in Dixon. Students must enter the council contest on Jan. 14 in order to advance to later events. Registration starts at 11:30 a.m. and competition at noon each day.

Sister who was inspiration for 'The Trouble With Angels' character dies

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SINSINAWA, Wis. (CNS) -- A funeral Mass was celebrated Jan. 2 for Dominican Sister John Eudes Courtney, who spent 68 years in religious life. Sister Courtney died Dec. 22 at age 95 at the Sinsinawa Dominicans' motherhouse in Sinsinawa.

She served as inspiration for the character of Mary Clancy in the book "Life With Mother Superior" by Jane Trahey, which was turned into the movie "The Trouble With Angels," starring Hayley Mills as Mary Clancy and Rosalind Russell as the mother superior. Trahey was best friends with young Mary Courtney when both were students at Providence High School in Chicago.

Also featured as a nun in the movie's fictional convent was Marge Redmond, who parlayed the role into a two-season stint as Sister Jacqueline in the television series "The Flying Nun."

Sister Courtney was born Sept. 26, 1922, in Chicago, the daughter of Harvey and Josephine Ogden Courtney. She made her first profession in 1949 and took final vows in 1952.

Primarily involved in teaching ministry -- including 30 years of high school English -- Sister Courtney taught at schools in the archdioceses of Chicago; Milwaukee; St. Paul and Minneapolis; and Omaha, Nebraska. She also taught in the dioceses of Nashville, Tennessee; Peoria and Rockford, Illinois; Helena, Montana; Arlington, Virginia; and Owensboro, Kentucky.

In addition, Sister Courtney worked in pastoral ministry and as a community organizer, prison visitor and librarian. Her last assignment before retiring from active ministry in 1993 was serving in the Sinsinawa Dominicans' motherhouse in the transportation department.

See more in The Observer, Jan. 12