Jubilarians feted, thanked by bishop

By DAWN PROSSER
Director of Communications
 
Father Paul Nguyen, pastor of St. Sebastian Parish based in Pocahontas, was the primary honoree at the May 5 annual jubilee Mass at Storm Lake St. Mary Church. The priest celebrates his 25^th anniversary of his priestly ordination this year.
 
Eighteen retired priests celebrating their 50^th through 67^th ordination anniversaries were also acknowledged. Celebrating his first jubilee Mass in the diocese, Bishop John E. Keehner offered the homily and thanked the priests and deacons for their dedication to the church and to their ministry.
 
He shared that it was “quite intimidating” to be preaching to the diocesan priests, deacons and deacons’ wives for the first time.
 
The bishop noted that the Exodus account of Moses approaching the burning bush “offered a rich sFather Clair Boes and Father Richard Remmes, front and Msgr. Michael Sernett, back right, were honored.ymbol on how one might approach one’s priesthood and ministry,” referring to Moses removing his sandals as he was standing on holy ground.
 
 “As I approach with shoes at least symbolically removed, conscious that as I considered the great gift of priesthood and the diaconal service and the great gift all of you offer in the course of your lives – I stand with you on holy ground,” the bishop addressed the assembled clergy.
The Gospel reading from John 6 proclaimed at the Mass describes the crowd of 5,000 fed by Jesus were hoping to be fed once again and witness a great sign - but missed the sign that Jesus somehow arrived across the sea ahead of his disciples. 

“We are reminded that wherever we go, no matter how unlikely it might seem to us, we can be assured that Jesus goes before us and awaits us,” the bishop pointed out. “Jesus awaits us as we join with the crowds, anxious for some sign, anxious to be fed by him. Jesus awaits us as sharers in his ministry as deacons and priests, called to go out and proclaim the good news of salvation in season and out of season … even in the face of great unbelief.”
  
Even when the faithful might be anxious, fearful or feel lost, Jesus is waiting, the bishop stressed, noting, “he awaits us and feeds us with the gift of himself, that we miFather Paul Nguyen, left, celebrates 25 years of priesthood with Bishop Keehnerght hunger no more.”
 
Gift of service
As the priests renewed their ordination promises at the annual chrism Mass held during Holy Week, the bishop pointed out that he and the assembled clergy celebrated the gift of their sacred ministry as part of the jubilee Mass.
 
He pledged to work alongside his priests as he begins his episcopate in the diocese, giving a nod to their familiarity with the diocese and years of ministry.
 
“Know that as your new bishop, I promise to rely upon your knowledge and wisdom and the grace which God has shared with you through the laying on of hands,” Bishop Keehner said. “And I promise to rely upon your collective memory along with that of Bishop (Walker) Nickless, of who we are as a diocesan church, that I might minister effectively to the people of the Diocese of Sioux City.”
 
Addressing the jubilarians, the bishop thanked them for their priestly service and sacrifice to minister to the faithful in northwest Iowa. He then addressed all the priests and deacons assembled.

 “I’m grateful to all of you for the gift of your lives, the gift of your witness, for the gift of Jesus present in each and every one of you,” he said. “Together, may we serve Christ Jesus, the high priest who teaches us what it means to serve his holy people, who teaches us what it means for us to serve the church as priests and deacons called to serve at the altar of God.” 

The clergy were called to share and proclaim the Gospel, he said, and bring the faithful to Christ.
 
“It is Christ Jesus himself who goes before us and awaits us so that no matter what used to be, no matter where we go, there we might find him, who is their hope and the sources of all we say and all that we do,” Bishop Keehner concluded.

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