During Poverty Awareness Month, the faithful are encouraged to join the Secretariat of Justice and Peace, the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, and the Catholic community in the United States in taking up Pope Leo's challenge to live in solidarity with the poor.

The St. Serra Club of Siouxland hosted most of the diocesan seminarians for a breakfast and Mass at St. Joseph Church in Sioux City. Father Travis Crotty, director of vocations, and Father Shane Deman, director of seminarians and Bishop John Keehner were also present. The club supports vocations in the Diocese of Sioux City.

St. Edmond Catholic School in Fort Dodge raised funds through the annual Festival of Trees event for the Remsen St. Mary High School students recovering from a traffic accident in November near Sioux City.

The Moville Immaculate Conception Church, Sts. Isidore and Maria Parish sixth grade Faith Formation class, led by Mike and Molly Brauer, made 'Blessing Bags' for people in need. These bags were all decorated by their class and they filled them with basic necessities like toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, deodorant, lip balm and other items. The Bauers then took them to downtown Sioux City and hung them for anyone in need to take and use right before Christmas.

On Dec. 19, the St. Edmond transitional kindergarten staff upheld the tradition of presenting their students with a class t-shirt crafted by Stefanie Miller, along with special blankets made by Brittany Clark and her mother, "Grandma Mary."

Remsen St. Mary's School held a Las Posadas for the students recently.

“And I saw that the temple was filled with the glory of the Lord,” Ez 43:5, from the first reading of the rededication Mass for the renovated St. Rose of Lima Church in Denison. In September 2024, St. Rose of Lima Parish kicked off a $2 million fundraising campaign, Witness His Glory, to finish what was begun in 2006 when the church was built, and to enhance the worship space. Bishop John E. Keehner presided at the rededication Mass last night, in the church filled with parishioners, diocesan priests and deacons.

Students at Emmetsburg Catholic School participated in an Advent retreat recently.

The Sioux City Cathedral Dual Language Academy recently celebrated las Posadas with students through prayer, call and response, traditional songs, games, crafts and the sharing of tamales. The celebration brought students together in a joyful and meaningful way, highlighting faith, culture, and community during the Advent season.

Pope Francis designated 2025 as a jubilee year and opened the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica on Dec. 24, 2024, to usher in the Jubilee Year of Hope. The Diocese of Sioux City opened the jubilee year Jan. 26, 2025, with Mass at the Cathedral of the Epiphany in Sioux City celebrated by Bishop Walker Nickless. Bishop John E. Keehner will close the jubilee year in the diocese Dec. 28 at the 10 a.m. Mass at the Cathedral of the Epiphany. All are welcome to attend. “Because a jubilee year is an extraordinary year of graces and blessings which happens once every 25 years, it is a year that is opened and closed with considerable fanfare,” explained Father Andrew Galles, diocesan director of worship.

Several parishes and schools in the Diocese of Sioux City held services and festivities to mark the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Dec. 12. In many parts of the diocese with large Hispanic populations, celebrations began in early morning hours with the singing of the mañanitas. not only included Mass but large fiestas featuring lively music with mariachi bands, native dancing and ample food.

A mission trip to Guatemala for nine parishioners of Divine Mercy Parish of Kossuth County proved to be impactful to those they served and the missionaries. Among participants were Deacon David Penton and his wife, Amy. The deacon explained he always wanted to go on a mission trip to learn about pastoral care in a different part of the world. “When I arrived, my heart was broken because the people had nothing,” he said. In time the deacon realized, “they had nothing but lacked for nothing."