News - February 2026 RSS Feed

The diocesan Catholic Schools Office is accepting nominations for the annual Catholic school leadership awards. Winners will be honored at the Oct. 11 Bishop’s Dinner for Catholic Schools, which is returning to the diocese after a short hiatus.

The Light is ON for You confessions will be held March 3 in parishes throughout the Diocese of Sioux City. Father Andrew Galles explained that this special block of confession time is intended primarily for those who needed to be invited back to the sacrament.

A large crowd of Catholic Charities supporters, staff, board members, clergy and community members gathered in Sioux City Feb. 23 for the grand opening, blessing and Siouxland Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting for the new 7,200 square foot Angeline’s Wing for Children and Families.

A unique bottle of bourbon will shine a light on a local parish and raise funds for a diocesan Catholic school. S & B Farms Distillery in Bancroft is donating a bottle of White Collar “wheated” bourbon to their Catholic school with a label sporting an image Father Zach Jones, parochial vicar, and Deacon David Penton of Divine Mercy Parish.

Gathered for the Rite of Election held Feb. 22, 65 catechumens – unbaptized seeking to become members of the Catholic Church – were reminded that while they chose to take the necessary steps to join the faith, it was God who first chose them. Bishop John E. Keehner was celebrant and homilist for the rite celebrated for catechumens from parishes throughout the diocese. “Today you have come to this Cathedral, the mother church of the Diocese of Sioux City, guided, I dare say, by the Holy Spirit, in order to proclaim your desire to enter into the mystery of the life, the death and resurrection of Jesus through the waters of baptism,” he said.

St. Joseph Parish in Salix is gearing up for the 100th anniversary celebration of its church building that will include Mass celebrated by Bishop John E. Keehner on April 26 at 11 a.m. According to Father Shinoj Jose, pastor, when he arrived at the parish on his first day in the summer of 2024 he noticed the cornerstone of the church was dated 1926. “At my first meeting with the finance council, I said we are going to have a wonderful gathering in 2026 to celebrate the 100 years,” he said, noting that St. Joseph Parish has the oldest church he has ever served.

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.

Parishes, schools and other diocesan locations will soon have access to a tool that can save lives in and around their properties. Diocesan entities will be able to purchase naloxone nasal spray to have at their locations. Naloxone is used to reverse opioid overdoses quickly and effectively.

Pope Leo XIV declared a Jubilee Year for St. Francis of Assisi upon the 800th anniversary of the saint’s death. The year began on Jan. 10 and will end Jan. 10, 2027. As part of the observance, the diocese has selected two pilgrimage sites with a connection to the saint or under his patronage – Our Lady of Grace Chapel at Briar Cliff University in Sioux City and St. Francis of Assisi Church in Rockwell City, part of Our Lady of the Plains Parish.

A new fund has been established by Calvary Cemetery in Sioux City to provide the merciful act of offering a last resort burial option. According to Jeff Zyzda, it was just a few weeks ago during a semi-annual board meeting for Calvary when the conversation turned toward the fact that some funeral homes have cremains in storage because they don’t know what to do with them. During formation studies for the permanent diaconate, he learned about burying the dead being a corporal work of mercy.

After 45 years in active ministry, the Diocese of Sioux City’s longest serving deacon recently retired. Deacon Bob Lenz of Pomeroy, a member of the deacon class of 1980, officially retired on Feb. 4. His most recent assignment was serving at the merged parish of Our Lady of the Plains that has three secondary churches including Lake City St. Mary, Manson St. Thomas and Rockwell City St. Francis.

The Onawa-Blencoe Knights of Columbus Council 6249 are conducting a food drive during Lent. Started in 2024, this is the third consecutive year for the project. All donations can be made at St. John Catholic Church in Onawa or at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Salix. The donations help replenish the food pantries at West Central and St. Joseph, respectively.

Oakley Hoch, a first grader at Sacred Heart School in Sioux City, had one of the best days she has had in a very long time. Oakley has not seen her father since May 2025, when he was deployed. During her classroom Valentine’s Day celebration, she was surprised by his return home.

Religious Education students from Sacred Heart Church in Ida Grove, St. Therese of Lisieux Parish, packaged 6,384 meals in a Then Feed Just One packaging event last week. Meals will be sent to children in Haiti, Honduras and Africa.

St. Andrew Catholic Daughters hosted "Donuts with Daughters" on Feb. 15 following Mass at St. Andrew Church in Sibley. Parishioners were invited to enjoy donuts, coffee and juice while also viewing the Education Contest entries submitted by the parish religious education students.

Two programs offered at St. Mary Parish in Humboldt. March 11 features Father Jake Rosenmeyer and March 18 features Sister Marie Hesed, SOLT. Program runs from 7 to 8:15 p.m. at the church. All are welcome.

Area girls and boys ages 9 to 14 participated in the 2026 Knights of Columbus District Free Throw Championship Feb. 15, and nine earned the right to compete at the Regional level. Iowa Great Lakes Council 5043 in Spirit Lake sponsored the District competition at the Bedell Family YMCA, drawing kids from Spirit Lake, Spencer and Okoboji.