Diocesan parishes and schools marked the beginning of the penitential season of Lent with Ash Wednesday services. Bishop John Keehner celebrated his first Ash Wednesday in the diocese during a noon Mass at the Sioux City Cathedral of the Epiphany.
In his homily, the bishop said the ashes were a reminder that we place our hope in Jesus. They are not a sign of doom but rather serve as a reminder that if we change our lives, we could help change the world around us.
See video of Ash Wednesday around the diocese HERE
Photo gallery Left, Father Michael Cronin administers ashes at St. Rose of Lima Church in Denison during a school Mass.