Bishop John E. Keehner presided at the fourth annual White Mass at the Cathedral of the Epiphany in Sioux City Oct. 21. The White Mass was established in the 1930s to honor, thank and pray for those working in the healthcare field. It was named to reflect the customary white coats and uniforms worn by healthcare workers.

For the first time in over 70 years, the Kuemper Catholic School system in Carroll is planning a major facility expansion project. Last week, school leadership unveiled the $28.5 million uKnighted: Building a Future in Faith campaign at an informational meeting with supporters.

People who work in the legal profession and courts in Fort Dodge and Webster County were honored at the Red Mass held Oct. 23 in Fort Dodge.

Not everyone experiences or at least realizes when they have been called in their lives. For Father Paul Nguyen, he had two life-changing calls – a call to the priesthood and a call (rather calls) to receive an organ transplant. It was two to three years ago when Father Paul Nguyen’s kidney function began to decline and close monitoring by his nephrologist commenced. The pastor of St. Sebastian Parish of Pocahontas and Fonda started dialysis about a year ago, and believing he could manage that treatment, opted not to pursue a transplant. “However, it proved to be to far more challenging that I expected – physically exhausting and spiritually limiting,” he wrote in an update to his parishioners. “I struggled to celebrate Mass faithfully and often felt drained, with little energy to do anything.”

Strong parent and grandparent involvement in Catholic schools is one of the many wonderful blessings and traditions of diocesan schools be it working in concession stands or reading to students. For about five years now, parents and grandparents at St. Edmond School in Fort Dodge have had to opportunity to become involved in a distinctively spiritual way through the Prayer Partner Program. They are asked to pray daily for specific faculty and/or staff members of the school.

Briar Cliff University in Sioux City has announced the establishment and expansion of two endowed scholarships supporting students pursuing degrees in education. The Sister Ruth Schock Endowed Scholarship has been increased to $100,000, and the newly created Franciscan Educators Endowed Scholarship has been established at $100,000.

For the first time in 25 years, the magnificent first-class relics of St. Thérèse of Lisieux have arrived in the United States honoring the 100th anniversary of her canonization. They will be on display at the Basilica and National Shrine of Mary Help of Christians at Holy Hill Nov. 15-18. Holy Hill is one of only 40 sites in 10 states nationwide to host the relics.

The sixth-annual Siouxland Inspirational and Historical Film Festival will be shown at 2 p.m. Nov. 9, at the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center in Sioux City.

Briar Cliff University in Sioux City hosted its annual Donor Scholarship Dinner on Oct. 20 at the St. Francis Center on campus. The evening brought together scholarship donors and student recipients to celebrate the generosity that makes a Briar Cliff education accessible and life-changing.

Our Lady of LaSalette Court #1585 of Milford celebrated CDA Sunday on Oct. 19. The court led the rosary before the 9 a.m. Mass, sat together as a group and assisted with various parts of the Mass. A reception followed in the parish center.

Two teachers, Dr. John Jorstad ’90 and Jennifer Collins Clay ’92, were honored by Bishop Heelan Catholic Schools of Sioux City with the Excellence in Education Award, and three Legacy Teachers — Pat Sitzmann, Brendan Burchard, and Mary Kay Augustine — were recognized with Legacy Awards for their lifelong service.

After more than 30 years, the bell at St. Joseph Church in Salix is being prepped to ring once again. According to Don Mohning, a member of the finance council at St. Joseph’s and coordinator of the bell refurbishing project, it was in the fall of 2024 not long after Father Shinoj Jose arrived at the parish when the priest inquired about the bell. “It wasn’t ringable – basically the timbers that supported it were so rotted that there was fear if you pulled on the rope it would fall apart,” explained Mohning. “So, the bell hadn’t been rung for many years.”

Parents and family members who have mourned the loss of an infant attended the Memorial Mass for Miscarriage and Infant Loss held Oct. 14 at Cathedral of the Epiphany in Sioux City. Celebrated by Bishop John E. Keehner, the annual Mass was again held in October during the month that the Catholic Church observes as Respect Life Month. October is also Pregnancy, Infant and Child Loss Awareness Month. In the Gospel referring to Matthew 8, the bishop said Jesus reminds the disciples and all of the faithful of the immensity of God’s love.

The six recipients of the 2025-26 Bishop’s Education Awards were recognized Oct. 13 during a lunch with Bishop John E. Keehner and members of the Office of Catholic Schools in Sioux City. The Catholic Schools Office for the Diocese of Sioux City announced winners of this year’s Bishop’s Education Awards last spring when visits were made to the schools. Four teachers received the Excellence in Education Award: Trish Boettger of St. Rose of Lima School in Denison, Jennifer Clay of Sacred Heart School in Sioux City, John Jorstad of Bishop Heelan High School in Sioux City and Erin Miller of Bishop Garrigan School in Algona. Two other Catholic school staff members were honored with the Good Shepherd Award: Deb Kollasch of Bishop Garrigan School in Algona and Rosie Kunkel of St. Mary School in Remsen.

On Oct. 12, parishioners participated in the annual Eucharistic procession from the St Lawrence site to the Holy Spirit site of John Paul II Parish in Carroll to honor the upcoming feast day of St. John Paul II.

On Oct. 7 on the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, Dr. Mike Scherschligt from the School of Faith in Kansas City presented an evening discussing ways to bring loved ones back to the faith at St. John Paul II Parish in Carroll. Dr. Mike led parishioners in a rosary meditation, followed by a social in Greteman Hall, at the Holy Spirit site. Parishioners were able to chat with Dr. Mike and his daughter Theresa during our fellowship.