Monsignor Jason Gray, executive director of the Archbishop Fulton Sheen Foundation at the Spaulding Pastoral Center where the Sheen Museum is located. Hours of operation are Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Photo by Jennifer Willems for Catholic Post)

Monsignor Jason Gray, executive director of the Archbishop Fulton Sheen Foundation, will present a talk at St. Mary’s Parish Hall on Sept. 14 at the meeting of the Woodford County Historical and Genealogical Society. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. at the Parish Hall, 79 W. Third Street in El Paso.

“The roots of this famous bishop and television personality are found in Central Illinois,” said Gray. “From humble beginnings, Archbishop Sheen changed the landscape of religious broadcasting on radio and television and left an enduring impact on the Catholic Church. The presentation will cover both the well-known and the lesser-known elements of Sheen’s life and why his message still speaks to us today.”

The purpose of the Woodford County Historical and Genealogical Society is to collect and preserve historical documents and items for the use of historians, genealogists, and the curious. It maintains a headquarters at 112 N. Main Street in Eureka (across from the Courthouse) that is staffed by volunteers on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from 1-4 p.m. The volunteers will also do genealogical research for others for a small fee by request.

Meeting on the second Thursday of the month, March through November, the Society has no single, established place to meet, choosing to select sites in different places around the county to accommodate more people. Everyone is encouraged to join the organization by submitting their dues. The meetings are free and open to the public. For more information, call Karen Fyke at 309-360-6772 or Beth Miller at 309-275-8860.