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September 17, 2026LUMEN MEDIA REPORT
Catechetical Sunday was inspired by the Vatican document Provido Sane Consilio (On the Better Care and Promotion of Catechetical Education) published in 1935.
This document asked every country to acknowledge the importance of the church’s teaching ministry and to honor those who serve the Christian community as catechists.
In the United States, Catechetical Sunday was first observed with national catechetical congresses held in conjunction with the Vatican celebration.
Beginning in 1971, the USCCB’s Department of Education began producing materials to help parishes celebrate the event at the local level. When the Committee on Catechesis, now named the Committee of Evangelization and Catechesis, was named by the conference as a standing committee, it published Catechetical Sunday materials each year.
Those whom the community has designated to serve as catechists will be called forth to be commissioned for their ministry. Catechetical Sunday is a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the role that each person plays, by virtue of baptism, in handing on the faith and being a witness to the Gospel. Catechetical Sunday is an opportunity for all to rededicate themselves to this mission as a community of faith.
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops designated the third Sunday in September as Catechetical Sunday. (USCCB)
For Catechetica
Karmen Bowerl Sunday 2026, the diocesan Office of Faith Formation in the Diocese of Sioux City invited parishes to submit names of their catechists celebrating milestone anniversaries of their service to their parish in religious education, faith formation and Catechesis of the Good Shepherd programs.
“This year, we were happy to offer parishes the chance to recognize catechists marking 5, 10, 15 and 20+ years of service or who are retiring,” explained Karmen Bower, director of the Office of Faith Formation. “Our diocese is blessed with many dedicated catechists who commit to leading the youth and adults of our parishes to a deeper relationship with Christ and a greater knowledge of the faith. We are happy that they could be honored and recognized for their years of prayerful service.”Catechist name Years of service Parish* Pastor Joan Kerwood 45 Ascension Father Tim Johnson Jessi Crawford 5 Ascension Father Tim Johnson Deb Franzenburg 5 Ascension Father Tim Johnson Janet Laubenthal 40 Divine Mercy Father Matthew Solyntjes Kay Brown 35 Divine Mercy Father Matthew Solyntjes Maureen Ingalls 35 Divine Mercy Father Matthew Solyntjes Ruth Becker 25 Divine Mercy Father Matthew Solyntjes Cindy Bormann 20 Divine Mercy Father Matthew Solyntjes Megan Miller 20 Divine Mercy Father Matthew Solyntjes Cathy Backstrom 10 Divine Mercy Father Matthew Solyntjes Autumn Hellman 10 Divine Mercy Father Matthew Solyntjes Lisa Rotert 10 Divine Mercy Father Matthew Solyntjes Stephanie Veon 10 Divine Mercy Father Matthew Solyntjes Ashley Laubenthal 5 Divine Mercy Father Matthew Solyntjes Ginger Rasmussen 25 Holy Mother Mary Father Sunny Dominic Jill Christensen 20 Holy Mother Mary Father Sunny Dominic Jen Pedersen 15 Holy Mother Mary Father Sunny Dominic Brooke Konechne 10 Holy Mother Mary Father Sunny Dominic Paul Konechne 10 Holy Mother Mary Father Sunny Dominic Deb Burwitz 5 Holy Mother Mary Father Sunny Dominic Jessica David 5 Holy Mother Mary Father Sunny Dominic Tina Johnson 5 Holy Mother Mary Father Sunny Dominic Cassie Radtke 5 Holy Mother Mary Father Sunny Dominic Beth Vander Zee 5 Holy Mother Mary Father Sunny Dominic Jake Vander Zee 5 Holy Mother Mary Father Sunny Dominic Becky Marco (retiring) 10 Holy Rosary Father Siby Punoose Ashley Arend 5 Holy Rosary Father Siby Punoose Arthur Eddy 5 Holy Rosary Father Siby Punoose Nicole Eddy 5 Holy Rosary Father Siby Punoose Jeni Sarringar 5 Holy Rosary Father Siby Punoose Lori Algoe 15 Holy Trinity Msgr. Kevin McCoy Mike Harvey 10 Holy Trinity Msgr. Kevin McCoy Sandra Harvey 10 Holy Trinity Msgr. Kevin McCoy Jennifer McAtee 10 Holy Trinity Msgr. Kevin McCoy Sandy Schmieder 10 Holy Trinity Msgr. Kevin McCoy Katie Dencklau-Schelle 5 Holy Trinity Msgr. Kevin McCoy Mandy Kehm 5 Holy Trinity Msgr. Kevin McCoy Marianne Kesten 5 Holy Trinity Msgr. Kevin McCoy Sarah Peters 5 Holy Trinity Msgr. Kevin McCoy Sheila Stein 5 Holy Trinity Msgr. Kevin McCoy Gwen Kardell 20 Sacred Heart, Spencer Father Kevin Richter Rosemary Hoyt 45 St. Joseph, Jefferson Father Francis Makwinja Kathy Steussy (retiring) 40 St. Joseph, Jefferson Father Francis Makwinja Amanda Durbin 5 St. Joseph, Jefferson Father Francis Makwinja Megan Fouch 5 St. Joseph, Jefferson Father Francis Makwinja Eileen Gehling 30 St. Joseph, Wall Lake Father Joseph Dillinger Ann Stoltenberg 25 St. Joseph, Wall Lake Father Joseph Dillinger Jan Clinesmith 20 St. Joseph, Wall Lake Father Joseph Dillinger Stephanie Riedell 15 St. Joseph, Wall Lake Father Joseph Dillinger Rachel Lode 10 St. Joseph, Wall Lake Father Joseph Dillinger Kayla Fertig 5 St. Joseph, Wall Lake Father Joseph Dillinger Kaitlin Geake 5 St. Joseph, Wall Lake Father Joseph Dillinger Stephanie King 5 St. Joseph, Wall Lake Father Joseph Dillinger Heather Coop 10 St. Sebastian Father Paul Nguyen Jessica Johnson 10 St. Sebastian Father Paul Nguyen Emily Williams 10 St. Sebastian Father Paul Nguyen Brenda Berger 5 St. Sebastian Father Paul Nguyen Diane Patera 25 St. Therese of Lisieux Father William McCarthy Joey Hoefling 20 St. Therese of Lisieux Father William McCarthy Cindy March 10 St. Therese of Lisieux Father William McCarthy Kayla Baker 5 St. Therese of Lisieux Father William McCarthy Amanda Campbell 5 St. Therese of Lisieux Father William McCarthy Ashley Collins 5 St. Therese of Lisieux Father William McCarthy Luke Collins 5 St. Therese of Lisieux Father William McCarthy Dani Cranston-Nees 5 St. Therese of Lisieux Father William McCarthy - Ascension Parish includes secondary churches in Boone and Madrid
- Divine Mercy Parish includes Kossuth County and West Bend
- Holy Mother Mary includes churches in Larchwood and Rock Rapids
- Holy Rosary Parish includes churches in Ashton, Sheldon and Sibley
- Holy Trinity Parish includes Webster County
- St. Sebastian Parish includes secondary churches in Fonda and Pocahontas
- St. Therese of Lisieux includes churches in Danbury, Ida Grove and Mapleton