Being Sacred Heart Again: New Priest From Southern Illinois

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Father Tom Stout of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Du Quoin grew up in Cairo, the oldest of six children (three brothers and three sisters).

His transfer from the Catholic parish in Red Bud to Du Quoin's historic parish ends the church's cultural experience with visiting Uganda pastor Father Bernie and reconnects the church with its Southern Illinois roots.

While Father Stout bleeds St. Louis Cardinals red like many of us, he admits he'll have to put his Frontier League Grizzlies ball cap on the shelf and trade it for those of the Southern Illinois Miners and, of course, the Du Quoin Indians. He looks forward to it.

It has taken very little time for parishioners to adjust back to a voice they can more easily understand, but certainly appreciate Father Bernie's cultural lessons. He has been given a new assignment in the Lawrenceville parish as his globetrotting continues.

"Everyone in Du Quoin has been very gracious," says Father Stout. "They have greeted me with open arms," he adds. His brothers and sisters are all around him--in Cairo, Mounds, Olmsted, Cape Girardeau and Centralia.

"I grew up in St. Patrick's Church and attended Catholic grade school," he said. He served the Red Bud parish for 13 years and stays connected with his friends there through eMail. He smiles and says, "I don't tweet or blog or anything like that. I use a cell phone and eMail." He said his calling into the Catholic ministry comes from his deep-seated upbringing in the Catholic Church. "It came out of my life in the church. I work in and for the church and I see it as something very good. It is where God is teaching me and calling me," he said. "I have a great interest in studying the scripture and liturgies. In the Catholic Church we communicate through ceremonies," he said.

He said he believes in youth ministry and retreat programs, but during the first year wants the church to define what his work needs to be.

We live our life through experiences and one of his most memorable was a three-month sabbatical to Vatican City in 2000 where he studied Catholicism and toured the tombs of the church's great leaders. A photo of he and classmates with Pope John Paul II hangs in his office. "These are blessing many never see."

The people of Du Quoin welcome you, Father Tom.