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Bishop John E. Keehner presented a talk titled Franciscan Values: Rooted in the Person of Christ on Sept. 29 at Briar Cliff University in Sioux City as part of the Sister Ruth Agnes Lecture Series during this Jubilee Year of St. Francis. Acknowledging he was by no means an expert on St. Francis, the bishop pointed out he has read several biographies about the saint and has made several trips to Assisi, enabling him to know the saint on more than a superficial level.

Among the 50,000 pilgrims attending the Sept. 24 Beatification Mass of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen – known as a staunch preacher of the Gospel through modern communications – were clergy and laity from the Diocese of Sioux City. Bishop John E. Keehner of the diocese was one of 89 bishops in attendance for the beatification at the Dome of the America’s in St. Louis. Five diocesan priests were among the 1,000 at the Mass and seven diocesan seminarians – all but those studying in Rome - were amid the estimated 850 at the liturgy.

The Blue Mass was celebrated by Bishop John E. Keehner Sept. 28 at the Cathedral of the Epiphany in Sioux City on the Eve of the Feast of Holy Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael who are known as spiritual guardians. This special Mass, which used the liturgy of holy angels, has become an annual tradition at Cathedral in recent years and is intended to remember all who serve in public safety currently, those retired and those who lost their lives in the line of duty.

Dr. Steven F. Cheeseman, president/CEO of the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA), issued the following statement in response to the U.S. Department of the Treasury and Internal Revenue Service's announcement of new regulations implementing the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit, also known as the Education Freedom Tax Credit.

The parents at Pocahontas Catholic School (PCS) can stay informed about events at the school without digging to the bottom of their child’s backpack searching for a printed school newsletter. Laura Frerk, PCS first year lead teacher and former PCS student, was looking for the best way to reach busy parents like herself.

In an effort to ensure a successful academic year for St. Mary School in Storm Lake, Father Brent Lingle, pastor of Storm Lake St. Mary Parish and president of the school, turned to his parish for assistance.

As the four Catholic dioceses of Iowa have joined to create the Iowa Catholic SGO, our diocesan chief financial officer explains how the SGO will work for donors receiving federal tax credits and students applying for scholarships. He also explains how it will work alongside ESAs and Msgr. Lafferty Tuition Foundation scholarships.

Desiring to spread the love of the Eucharist, an Iowa Eucharistic Procession with gatherings in each of the four Iowa dioceses was organized by an Iowa teen. “My objective was to get people in the door to experience Jesus and the Eucharist, and that we did,” said Sam Lange, a senior in high school from Cedar Rapids who is a member of the National Youth Advisory Council for the National Federation of Catholic Youth Ministry. The Shrine of the Grotto of the Redemption in West Bend that is part of Divine Mercy Parish of Kossuth County was the site of the gathering Sept. 20.

(Bilingual) This Sunday, the church will observe the World Day of Migrants and Refugees. Without a doubt, migration is a political issue in the broad sense of the word. After all, the word “political” ultimately comes from the Greek polis, referring to the city or community, and migration necessarily raises questions that concern the life of a nation and its people. Este domingo, la Iglesia celebrará la Jornada Mundial del Migrante y del Refugiado. Sin duda, la migración es un tema político en el sentido amplio de la palabra. Después de todo, la palabra «político» proviene en última instancia del griego polis, que se refiere a la ciudad o a la comunidad, y la migración necesariamente plantea cuestiones que afectan la vida de una nación y de su pueblo.

Effective immediately, Dr. Dora Jung has transitioned from director of Catholic schools to superintendent having received her certification from the state of Iowa to serve as superintendent of record for the 14 Catholic school systems in the Diocese of Sioux City. She began her role as director of Catholic schools on July 1.

(CNS) Led by their priests, Catholics need to come together and face the truth about what their local church is doing and why, Pope Leo XIV told clergy and laypeople in his diocese. This process of discernment and "pastoral evaluation does not ask you to do more; on the contrary, it gives you permission to do less -- and to do it better," the pope, who is bishop of Rome, said to applause.

Father Merle Kollasch, retired diocesan priest living in Bode, penned this guest column on his cousin, Msgr. A.J. "Joe" Elbert.