Mater Dei Catholic Parish in Sioux City is offering the Life Giving Wounds retreat for adult children of divorce or separation. The retreat is March 6 to 8 and is open to the public.

After nearly a four-year absence, the major diocesan fundraiser for Catholic schools is returning to the Diocese of Sioux City, with a few changes to involve a wider group.

Fort Dodge St. Edmond Catholic School announced their Friends of St. Edmond Ball chair couples today.

Here is a brief overall of some of the activities to be held by Catholic schools throughout the diocese for this year’s Catholic Schools Week. The weeklong celebration runs Jan. 24-30 and includes a mix of activities ranging from spiritual to service and fun. This list is just a brief overview of activities planned for the week.

Parishes throughout the Diocese of Sioux City will participate in a special collection during their weekend Masses Jan. 31 and Feb. 1 – Briar Cliff Sunday. The collection coincides with Catholic Schools Week, which runs from Jan. 25 through Jan. 31.

Catholic schools around the nation are celebrating Catholic Schools Week Jan. 25 to 31. The 15 school systems in the diocese are no exception. To help them celebrate, Bishop John Keehner and Superintendent Patty Lansink will be traveling to seven different diocesan schools to visit and in some instances, celebrate Mass with the students and staff.

Bishop Heelan Catholic Schools in Sioux City released their 2026 Heelan Auction theme and chair couples. The auction will be held April 10.

(Bilingual/bilingüe) For the third year in a row, enrollment in Catholic schools of the Diocese of Sioux City have seen an uptick. According to Stacia Thompson, coordinator of enrollment and outreach, student enrollment in diocesan schools for 2025-26 is 6,360. That’s an increase of 2% over the previous school year. Por tercer año consecutivo, la inscripción en las escuelas católicas de la Diócesis de Sioux City ha experimentado un aumento. Según Stacia Thompson, coordinadora de inscripción y alcance, las inscripciones de estudiantes en las escuelas diocesanas para 2025-26 son de 6,360. Eso es un aumento del 2% con respecto al año escolar anterior.

After nearly a four-year absence, the major diocesan fundraiser for Catholic schools is returning to the Diocese of Sioux City, with a few changes to involve a wider group.

(Bilingual/bilingüe) Beginning Sunday, Jan. 25, we join with members of the faithful throughout the United States in celebrating National Catholic Schools Week. In doing so, we celebrate the great gift Catholic education has been and continues to be not only to the millions of persons who have been educated in our Catholic Schools but also the great gift that education has proven to be to our great nation, in forming good and faithful citizens.

Remsen St. Mary fifth grade students to lead decade of the livestreamed World Mission Rosary Jan. 28.

“Kids are different today. We have technology, social media, COVID. We had a ton of things that have affected how kids learn, their attention span and how they socialize,” Kelly Kohout, diocesan director of education services, explained. The director pointed out that the 15 Catholic school systems in the Diocese of Sioux City are experiencing more behavior issues “than we ever had.” She said national statistics suggest that 50% of the students in a typical classroom have trauma or some kind of learning disability, which can affect their learning.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Advocating for unborn children is fulfilling the Lord's command to serve him in the most vulnerable, Pope Leo XIV told those taking part in the March for Life. "I would encourage you, especially the young people, to continue striving to ensure that life is respected in all of its stages through appropriate efforts at every level of society, including dialogue with civil and political leaders," he said in a written message released by the Vatican Jan. 22.

Earlier this month Mater Dei Parish in Sioux City hosted a lunch meeting to kick off a new group open to area Catholics – the Siouxland Catholic Professionals Network. According to Heather Marreel, one of the eight-person organizing committee, the new group was established via a grassroots effort as a means to bring Catholic professionals – those presently working and retired - together.

Due to inclement weather on Jan. 21, the Diocesan Honor Band has been postponed to Jan. 28. It will be held at Bishop Heelan High School in Sioux City.

After serving in the Diocese of Sioux City as a missionary priest since 2011, Father Francis Makwinja was officially incardinated into this diocese earlier this month. In a Decree of Incardination made effective by Bishop John E. Keehner on Jan. 15, the bishop stated, “Having considered that Reverend Makwinja, will be useful for the ministry of the Diocese of Sioux City for the good of the Church and the good of the souls, I, the undersigned Ordinary, by means of this Decree, hereby incardinate the Reverend Francis S. Makwinja as a Priest of the Diocese of Sioux City, in accord with the norms of canons 265, 267, and 269 of the Code of Canon Law.”