Catholicism

Belleville Bishop Michael McGovern will be the sixth archbishop of Omaha, Nebraska. McGovern has been the leader of the Catholic Diocese of Belleville, which covers the southern third of Illinois, since 2020.

“I believe in Catholic education,” Bishop Michael McGovern said. “Of all the different ministries we have, I think education is something we’ve done very well, especially in the United States.”

The state is shaping up to be a big battleground over abortion rights in November. Research shows a majority of U.S. Catholics support abortion rights — even though church leadership does not.

The St. Louis International African Catholic Community organization brings Mass in Swahili and French to many African immigrants in the area, building local community and connections to parishioners' home countries.