Bishop Thomas John Paprocki | Diocese of Springfield

Students at St. Louis Catholic School in Nokomis have maintained a longstanding commitment to supporting missions, often leading the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois in per capita donations to the Missionary Childhood Association. The annual Mission Mass, held each October at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, highlights these efforts and acknowledges schools for their support through both fundraising and prayer.

Anthony Bodnar, principal of St. Louis School, discussed his experience since joining the school two years ago. “When I started at St. Louis Catholic, I knew that mission was a primary goal of the school, but I did not know to what extent that was. Once Mrs. (Tricia) Pinkston (who taught at the school for over 41 years) told me about the history and tradition of the mission piece, I encouraged our students to examine what mission really is,” he said.

The importance of missions at St. Louis dates back decades. Father John Burnette previously served as both pastor and Director of the Office for the Missions, while Vicki Dhabalt Compton, now coordinator of Faith Formation and Mission at the Cathedral, was also a former principal who later directed diocesan mission work.

“There is more to supporting the mission than just raising funds, though that is a big part of it. I look at our school as a mission school,” Bodnar said. “Although we are a Catholic school (with 60 students in grades PreK-8) about 40 percent of our school is non-Catholic. We teach all our students to be good Catholics, regardless of whether they are Catholic themselves.

“Therefore, by following Jesus, we fulfill the mission of evangelism,” he said. “I have also suggested that we not only consider raising money but also explore what we can do right here and now, such as collecting items and distributing them to the homeless.”

Each class takes responsibility for different activities supporting missions throughout the year. “Last year the kindergarten performed a circus or magic show. They asked people to pay what they wanted for an entrance fee,” Bodnar explained. Other activities included pajama/movie/snacks days organized by first through third graders and a pennies drive led by fourth through sixth grades; one student’s sibling donated her job tips for an entire month to support this effort. Seventh and eighth graders hosted a carnival with games and food.

Bodnar noted that fundraising fosters engagement among students: “We talk about how the missions help other people, how they can help, and where the money they raise goes. All students want to win first every year. They take this seriously.”