The Diocese of Sioux City has partnered with the popular Emily Wilson Ministries to offer a 20% discount to those living within the diocese. The Emily Wilson resources target stages of a young adult’s life from college through engagement, marriage and parenthood.

There is a whole industry today built around people’s anxiety to be prepared in the event of a catastrophic disaster, both natural and man-made. How would you survive if there was a nuclear war, if there was an asteroid hit, or if the grid was completely knocked out? It’s the dilemma of Lazarus. Jesus raised him from the dead at his sisters' pleading. But his reprieve from death was temporary. He eventually had to be prepared to die again. You can bet, though, that the time between his first death and second death served to detach him even more from this present life so that he was fully ready when it came time to die again.

The third Sunday in September is set aside to acknowledge the importance of catechists in the church. Parishes throughout the world and in the Diocese of Sioux City will recognize those who teach the faith in our religious education programs, Catholic schools, youth ministry and other programs, often at weekend Masses.

Supporters of inclusivity in diocesan Catholic schools gathered Sept. 11 in Sioux City to raise funds for the FIRE Foundation of Northwest Iowa. The foundation hosted the fourth annual FIRE and Flights at Marto Brewing Company in Sioux City. The foundation’s mission is to ensure that children with disabilities can attend a diocesan Catholic school alongside their siblings and friends. Since its inception, the organization has distributed over $161,000 to diocesan schools to assist them in providing services for all students.

Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, by celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America.

To Father James Tigges, it’s simply the way he has always lived his life, serving others. To LeadingAge Iowa, it’s a remarkable record of volunteerism, prompting the organization to bestow on him its 2024 statewide Volunteer of the Year award. An advocacy group for elder Iowans, LeadingAge is a coalition of not-for-profit agencies serving the needs of seniors. The award was presented at the group’s annual Leadership Symposium in Ames this month.

(bilingual) Bishop Nickless notes Sept 15 is Catechetical Sunday and the kickoff to Hispanic Heritage Month. Also, Sept. 1 marked the first day of the Season of Creation, which ends on the feast of St. Francis of Assisi.

In an effort led by a women’s faith sharing group at Holy Cross Parish in Sioux City, a mostly unused building on the campus of Blessed Sacrament Church that once housed Angel House Preschool and years earlier served as a convent has gained new life and purpose. Deemed the Holy Cross Spiritual Center, the building houses a library, reading lounge, hospitality/meeting room, room for spiritual direction/faith sharing, an atrium for Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, kitchen/coffee bar and sewing/quilting room.

Thanks to a $147,000 Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) initiative grant, Carroll Kuemper Elementary School has a dedicated character education classroom for grades K to 3 in the Holy Spirit Center. The grant funds allowed for the renovation of the school’s underutilized stage area into a fully-furnished classroom.

(bilingual) The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Subcommittee on Hispanic Affairs has released the results of a recent diocesan survey it conducted on parishes and Hispanic/Latino ministry. The survey aligns with the launch of the National Pastoral Plan for Hispanic/Latino Ministry and serves as a baseline for implementing it as a 10-year plan. El Subcomité de Asuntos Hispanos de la Conferencia de Obispos Católicos de los Estados Unidos (USCCB, por sus siglas en inglés) ha dado a conocer los resultados de una reciente encuesta diocesana que realizó sobre las parroquias y el ministerio hispano/latino. La encuesta se alinea con el lanzamiento del Plan Pastoral Nacional para el Ministerio Hispano/Latino y sirve como línea de base para su implementación como un plan de diez años.

Amy Thole of Sibley placed second in the National Catholic Daughters of America Education Contest.

As Roselle Holy Angels Church celebrated their 150th anniversary, Kuemper Catholic School students participated in the events including the parade.

Father Matthew Solyntjes is named dean of the Northeast Deanery.

The beautiful chalice with the red glaze made its liturgical debut at newly-ordained Father John Thomas’ first Mass June 5, 1966, at Holy Name Church in Rock Rapids. The vessel has accompanied Father Thomas at the altar for over five decades. Just prior to his June 4 ordination at the Cathedral of the Epiphany, the seminarian’s family announced they would purchase a chalice for him as an ordination gift.

In late June when non-stop rains flooded rivers and lakes in northwest Iowa, homes and businesses were destroyed. Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Sioux City quickly applied for and received a $25,000 grant from Catholic Charities USA to provide direct assistance to flood victims. Recognizing the widespread need in northwest Iowa, Bishop Walker Nickless initiated a special collection for flood relief on July 6 and 7 in diocesan parishes, which resulted in an additional $198,000 for the efforts.