Lisa Claeys will be presented with the Spellman Award on Nov. 2 at MercyOne Siouxland’s Old Hollywood Gala. Proceeds from the event will benefit MercyOne Child Advocacy Center which provides services to children who are suspected victims of sexual, physical, mental, or emotional abuse or who have been witness to violent crime. Jeff and Pam Lapke are this year’s chair couple. Claeys served with the Sioux City Police Department for 37 years, moving up the ranks from Sergeant to Lieutenant before retiring in 2021.

The Madrid St. Malachy's Knights of Columbus Softball Team defeated the Granger Assumption Knights of Columbus 18-12 on Oct. 6, 2024 in Granger.

Briar Cliff University in Sioux City hosted its annual donor memorial service, honoring those who graciously donated their bodies for scientific study, providing valuable educational opportunities for Briar Cliff students. “The donor memorial service provides students and faculty with an opportunity to show gratitude to the donors and their families,” said Kelsey Stevens, assistant professor for Physical Therapy. “Students are given the opportunity to show their gratitude through various means: thank you cards, artwork, music, spoken reflections, and even a meal of celebration.”

This year’s homecoming court included (from left to right): Cade Pepper of Remsen, Iowa; Helene Getz Bergmo of Moelv, Norway; Aiden Lindley of Ashland, Nebraska; Candence Davis of Gilbert, Arizona; King E’mond Pittman of Atlanta Georgia; Queen Sarah Glover of Sioux City; Rachel Langel of Le Mars, Iowa; Luke Davies of Yorkville, Illinois; Braxton Brockhaus of Creighton, Nebraska; and Kelly Baade of Algona, Iowa.

Following a powerful experience at the July 2024 National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis, leadership from Lake City Our Lady of the Plains Parish are energized to begin the Year of Mission at home. Father Brian Feller, pastor, and Sandra Hildreth, director of religious education, shared their experiences with the congress and their plans to move forward with the Eucharistic Revival’s Year of Mission with diocesan faith formation leaders via video conferencing last week. They described how the event energized their desire to evangelize at the parish, which includes churches in Lake City, Manson and Rockwell City.

St. Rose of Lima School in Denison, Kuemper Catholic in Carroll, Storm Lake St. Mary Schools, Sacred Heart Parish in Sioux City and Divine Mercy Parish in Algona held pet blessings recently in honor of the feast of St. Francis.

This year marks the third year St. Therese of Lisieux Parish of Ida Grove, Danbury and Mapleton held a Eucharistic Rosary Congress. One of the highlights of this weeklong event was a talk on Oct. 1 by Michael O’Neill, an award-winning author and EWTN radio/television host. Known as The Miracle Hunter, the renowned speaker is creator of the popular miracle-tracking website. He is the host of EWTN’s They Might Be Saints about the lives of saints and search for canonization miracles.

Members of St. John Paul II Parish in Carroll are invited to participate in Walk with Jesus, the parish annual eucharistic procession across town Oct. 13 beginning at noon. The faithful will walk from St. Lawrence Church to Holy Spirit Church – the two parish churches located within the city of Carroll. “We try to do it as near as we can to the feast day of St. Pope John Paul II, which is Oct. 22,” explained Deacon David Prenger, one of the event organizers.

The ordinary Christian knows something the unbeliever does not. When Christians, especially Catholics, look at the state of the world, they know the primary source of evil is not cultural, political, or sociological. It’s spiritual.

The newly remodeled chapel at Holy Spirit Retirement Home in Sioux City was blessed by Bishop Walker Nickless during 10:30 a.m. weekday Mass on Oct. 1, the feast day of St. Therese of Lisieux. Following the processional, in prayer the bishop asked God to “sanctity therefore, with your blessing, this water you have created that is sprinkled on us and on the walls of the chapel and may it be a sign of the cleansing waters of salvation.” The walls, people gathered and altar were then blessed with holy water.

The Catholic Schools Office for the Diocese of Sioux City recently announced enrollment numbers for the new school year and its good news. According to Stacia Thompson, coordinator of enrollment and outreach, enrollment for Catholic schools in the diocese increased 5.3% from last year. Catholic school enrollment last year was 5,937 and this year it is 6,249 – up 312 students. “This is the highest enrollment number since 2011,” she said.

Retreats and programs offered October through December in Schuyler, Nebraska, at the St. Benedict Center.