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In seven years’ time, the Diocese of Sioux City has gone from 48 active priests serving 86,000 Catholics in 2019 to 34 active priests serving 88,000 Catholics today. Amy Bloch, executive director of Catholic Charities, pointed out that stretching diocesan clergy thin can be a cause for stress for the priests as their ministry responsibilities grow. The diocese offers voluntary Clergy Wellness sessions to help priests in their ministry.

William Kahle, seminarian from Divine Mercy Parish of Kossuth County and West Bend, is serving in a leadership position in his college seminary that is helping him grow and potentially prepare him for priestly ministry. He was elected last winter by his peers to serve as head prefect of the student body.

Thanks to the generosity and dedication of the volunteers from Humbolt, four new billboards have recently been installed in Humboldt County, replacing signs that had weathered over the years.

LUMEN MEDIA REPORT – This spring the Catholic Schools Office for the Diocese of Sioux City announced five recipients of this year’s Bishop’s Education Awards. Two teachers received the Excellence in Education Award: Carla Johnson, English teacher at Bishop Heelan High School in Sioux City and Kathleen Jones, fifth grade teacher at Sacred Heart School in Boone. Three others were honored with the Good Shepherd Award: Chris Bork, principal of Bishop Heelan High School in Sioux City; Sara Bormann, principal of St. Mary School in Humboldt and Michelle Davis, custodian at Bishop Heelan High School in Sioux City.

Through the years deacon candidate Kevin Holzman of Orange City has come to know well the perseverance of God. The parishioner of St. Donatus Parish made up of St. Mary Churc in Alton, St. Joseph Church in Granville and St. Anthony Church in Hospers, pointed out he first felt a calling to the diaconate about 18 years ago.

Parishes from the Diocese of Sioux City, Des Moines Diocese and Archdiocese of Dubuque share Catholic events and opportunities offered for RAGBRAI riders starting July 18.

Column by Sister Anne Marie Walsh, SOLT The “heart” speaks to the deepest core of the person, the place where we think, choose, desire, remember and love. It is the place where the state of our relationship with God is revealed. Sins of the heart, therefore, are more about interior thoughts, desires, intentions and attitudes that turn us away from God, even if we have not acted on those desires, etc., yet.

To accommodate the needs of the office along with the priests’ new parish responsibilities, the Vocations Office is reorganizing as of July. Father Crotty and Father Deman will retain their roles in the Vocations Office while bringing on Father Zach Jones and Deacon Dan Goebel to the department on a part-time basis to assist.

After five years of formation, deacon candidate Jeff Schoep of Sergeant Bluff is one of four men in the Diocese of Sioux City who will be ordained to the permanent diaconate next month. With formation classes not wrapping up until the Thursday before ordination, the parishioner of Mater Dei Parish in Sioux City said that being focused on the studies hasn’t really allowed the reality of the upcoming ordination to completely sink in.

(Bilingual) Father Michael Cronin, pastor of St. Rose of Lima Parish in Denison, will leave his parish to begin three years of canon law studies in Rome. El Padre Michael Cronin, párroco de la parroquia de Santa Rosa de Lima en Denison, dejará su parroquia para comenzar un curso de tres años para estudiar Derecho Canónico en Roma.

Into The Deep Media has announced the launch of The Digital Pulpit Project, a nationwide evangelization initiative that aims to publish 1,000 YouTube Shorts featuring excerpts from Catholic homilies preached in parishes across the United States. Initiative seeks to bring powerful Catholic preaching beyond the walls of the church and into the digital mission field.

Bancroft native Thomas Kollasch of Divine Mercy Parish was ordained to the priesthood June 27 at the Cathedral of the Epiphany in Sioux City by Bishop John E. Keehner. He is the second diocesan priest to be ordained by the bishop.

After a major fire in January where the Monona County KCs lost appliances, utensils, product and the booth was damaged, they are looking for assistance for the July 7 to 12 county fair.

“We have a non-profit, Preserve Fort Dodge, that’s formed to rehabilitate abandoned structures in Fort Dodge,” said board member and parishioner Carissa Harvey. “We initially started as the Sacred Heart planning committee.” The group’s focus is currently on preserving Sacred Heart Church with plans to take on another community project upon completing repairs and improvements on the 100-plus year old church.

Interested in obtaining a ticket to attend the Mass of Beatification of Archbishop Fulton Sheen? Tickets will be required due to anticipation of huge crowd. Tickets are now available.