Monsignor Philip Halfacre was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Peoria in 1991. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy from Indiana University and a Master of Arts in Sacred Theology from Mount Saint Mary’s in Emmitsburg, Maryland. He also attended the Pope John Paul Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family in Washington, D.C. Shortly after ordination, Msgr. Halfacre began teaching religion and philosophy at Marquette Academy in Ottawa, Illinois. He also serves as a pastor. Msgr. Halfacre, who grew up in Hammond, Indiana, is a convert to the Catholic faith. He became a Catholic as a college freshman and entered the seminary upon graduation from Indiana University. Like his peers in the “John Paul II Generation,” he believes that one can discern profound and sacred truths about God and human persons by reflecting on human interaction and human love.