With a few new twists added to the annual Office of Vocations summer Quest trip for young men, the four-day trip strengthened relationships and faith within the participants. The group of 44 including young men from throughout the diocese departed June 2 from Storm Lake headed for Winona, Minnesota and La Crosse, Wisconsin. Participants were from both public and Catholic high schools and colleges.

The Ave Young Women’s Retreat, a spiritual trip held June 2-5, provided participants with a chance to pray together, visit religious communities and have some outdoor recreation. Organizers Megan Ulrich of Ascension Parish of Boone County and Sandra Hildreth of Our Lady of the Plains Parish of Calhoun County accompanied 18 young women on a journey visiting sites and communities in Omaha, Gretna and Lincoln in Nebraska.

UPDATED 6/13/25 - Several of the parishes and churches in the Diocese of Sioux City along the route of the 2025 RAGBRAI bike ride across Iowa are planning events and meals for the anticipated guests in their communities.

Deacon Jacob Rosenmeyer of Divine Mercy Parish, Kossuth County and West Bend, will be ordained a priest on June 7 at 10 a.m. at the Sioux City Cathedral of the Epiphany at 1000 Douglas Street. All are welcome. For those who cannot attend, the Mass will be livestreamed on the Diocese of Sioux City YouTube channel.

Always on the lookout for programming to enrich the faith lives of parishioners, the director of faith formation at one Sioux City parish happened upon a Summer with the Saints 12-week program. Mary Lehr of Sacred Heart Parish in Sioux City said she loved the concept but was looking for something a little less structured so she borrowed the theme, adjusted the format and adapted it for her parish.

Deacon David Penton of Divine Mercy Parish of Kossuth County informally surveyed his fellow deacons to learn more about their involvement in various parish ministries throughout the diocese. Deacon Dennis Brockhaus shared that his fellow Knights had offered an Operation Handyman program to provide minor repairs and yardwork for anyone who might not be able to do the work themselves or find a contractor to do smaller jobs. “I thought it was a pretty good idea. We have elderly and low-income people in Algona that could use some help,” Deacon Penton said.

Last week’s abrupt termination of Catholic Relief Services' (CRS) McGovern-Dole Food for Education school feeding programs will deprive school-age children of their only reliable meal each day. Beginning in July, more than 780,000 children across 11 countries will be left without their school meal, as 11 out of CRS’ 13 projects have been terminated—deepening the crises of hunger, malnutrition and poverty that already threaten their ability to learn, grow and thrive.

UnityPoint Health and MercyOne Siouxland Medical Center have signed a letter of intent (LOI) for UnityPoint Health to acquire MercyOne Siouxland Medical Center and its facilities, including the hospital, physician practices and home care services. The decision reflects a thoughtful commitment on the part of these respected local medical communities to enhance access to high quality healthcare for residents of Sioux City and surrounding communities.

Marge Flannery of Fort Dodge and parishioner at Holy Trinity Parish, was recently honored for caring for children in the foster system for a half century. She shares her story with Lumen Media.

People sometimes complain that God doesn’t speak to them, or if he does, they don’t recognize his voice. We all know stories of people who suddenly hear God speak to them in the midst of extraordinary or dramatic events.

(bilingual) Bishop John Keehner's letter of support for the Pentecost weekend Aid to Domestic Churches special collection.

Cell phones are disappearing from diocesan classrooms. In January 2025, the Diocese of Sioux City School Board approved a ban on cell phones, smart watches and other communications devices during school day. Last month, when Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed the HF 782 to limit cell phones in public schools, it was widely covered by media. The diocesan school board started discussions last fall about changing the current cell phone use policy. Patty Lansink, superintendent of Catholic schools, said she originally drafted a lengthy policy, but eventually the board adopted a more concise version.

LUMEN MEDIA Report – The Catholic Schools Office for the Diocese of Sioux City has announced winners of this year’s Bishop’s Education Awards. They will receive their awards at the fall Ministries Conference. Four teachers received Excellence in Education Awards and two staff members received Good Shepherd Awards.

The Virtual Franciscan Friends program began five years ago during the COVID-19 pandemic when the Sisters of St. Francis of Dubuque were looking for a way to stay connected and continue to spread teaching about Franciscan values. According to Julie Tebbe, inviting and discerning minister with the Dubuque Franciscans, the program started in the 2020-21 school year and it “was such a positive experience for both the students and the sisters that we thought we’d continue to offer it each year.”

(bilingual) Since his May 1 episcopal ordination, Bishop Keehner has received messages from the faithful of all ages of the Diocese of Sioux City. He shares some of the messages from his youngest well-wishers.

“In the heart of Iowa’s rolling landscapes, a sacred journey awaits. The Camino de San Lorenzo or the Way of St. Lawrence, offers a chance to step away rom the everyday and walk toward deeper faith and connection,” from the Diocese of Des Moines website. Deacon David La Mar of Ascension Parish of Boone County in the Diocese of Sioux City and Deacon Tom Bradley of Des Moines Diocese are collaborating to offer a three-day pilgrimage through the scenic trails of Central Iowa May 30 to June 1.

A memorial gift to the Catholic community in Madrid has resulted in an outdoor Stations of the Cross display at St. Malachy Church, which is part of Ascension Parish of Boone County. It was Deacon Verne Burke’s sister-in-law Becky who entrusted him with selecting a memorial for the church in memory of her husband and his brother, David Burke who died in 2022 after a battle with cancer.

Families in the Spencer area who are affiliated with Sacred Heart School and Parish, once again have the opportunity for their children to participate in the Sacred Heart Summer Care Program that fulfills a big need – summer childcare with numerous activities to keep boredom at bay and a means to stay connected to other students.

Father Paul Nguyen, pastor of St. Sebastian Parish based in Pocahontas, was the primary honoree at the May 5 annual jubilee Mass at Storm Lake St. Mary Church. The priest celebrates his 25th anniversary of his priestly ordination this year. Eighteen retired priests celebrating their 50th through 67th ordination anniversaries were also acknowledged. Celebrating his first jubilee Mass in the diocese, Bishop John E. Keehner offered the homily and thanked the priests and deacons for their dedication to the church and to their ministry.

As the final days of high school tick down, one senior at Bishop Heelan High School in Sioux City reflected on how happy he is his parents – now both deceased - chose a Catholic education for him. Ronnie Vedin, a senior at Bishop Heelan who has been a part of the school system since he was in kindergarten, has witnessed through the years how the school family has rallied around those with struggles big and small.