News features

Since his May 1 episcopal ordination, Bishop Keehner has received messages from the faithful of all ages of the Diocese of Sioux City. He shares some of the messages from his youngest well-wishers.

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 25th anniversary of his priestly ordination this year. Eighteen retired priests celebrating their 50th through 67th 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.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Where Christians are "mocked, opposed, despised or at best tolerated and pitied" is where the Catholic Church's "missionary outreach is most desperately needed," Pope Leo XIV said in his first homily as leader of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics. Today, "there are many settings in which the Christian faith is considered absurd, meant for the weak and unintelligent, settings where other securities are preferred, like technology, money, success, power or pleasure," the new pope told cardinals May 9 during Mass in the Sistine Chapel.

As the final days of high school tick down, one senior at Bishop Heelan High School in Sioux City reflected on how happy he is his parents – now both deceased - chose a Catholic education for him. Ronnie Vedin, a senior at Bishop Heelan who has been a part of the school system since he was in kindergarten, has witnessed through the years how the school family has rallied around those with struggles big and small.

LUMEN MEDIA REPORT – Just one week after the episcopal ordination of Bishop John E. Keehner as the eighth bishop of the Diocese of Sioux City, on May 8 Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was elected the 267th pope. The cardinal,69, selected the name Leo XIV. When news outlets announced that white smoke was spotted from the rooftop of the Sistine Chapel, indicating that a new pope had been selected, Bishop Keehner sent a message to all diocesan parishes to ring their bells for five minutes and once the new pope was named he asked that the bells be rung for another five minutes.

As Cardinal Robert Prevost’s name was announced from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, seminarians at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary jumped from their seats with an explosion of cheers when they realized that a pope from North America had been chosen. Dozens of seminary faculty and students gathered in the Father Emil Kapaun Student Center on May 8 to watch coverage of the papal announcement. Some seminarians were in the midst of finals as Pope Leo XIV was introduced to the tens of thousands cheering in St. Peter’s Square. Seminarians later gathered in the chapel to sing the Te Deum for the new pontiff.

Catholic News Service: A native of Chicago and Augustinian missionary who worked for years in Peru, the new Pope Leo XIV had been working at the Vatican as prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops under the late Pope Francis.

As is the custom when bishops are named by the Holy Father, a bishop-elect works with a special artist to create a personal coat of arms and also one combined with the diocese they have been called to serve. Bishop John E. Keehner received his completed coat of arms designed by heraldic artist David Burkart, as recommended by Father Andrew Galles, director of worship for the Diocese of Sioux City.

While the siblings of Bishop John E. Keehner all had different reactions to their brother being named to the episcopate, they all agreed he has the qualities to make a great bishop. His younger brother and baby of the family, Rich Keehner, said he was shocked, “but in a good way.” His twin sister Carol Miller mentioned that she expected it. “I was overjoyed and knew that my parents, who are both deceased, would be completely overjoyed,” she said. “You know, he’s a good guy.”

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The cardinals who enter the Sistine Chapel May 7 to elect a new pope use smoke signals to communicate with the outside world. Black smoke indicates they have cast their votes without anyone garnering the necessary two-thirds majority, while white smoke confirms that the Catholic Church has a new pope. The best time to be in St. Peter's Square to see the smoke is just after 7 p.m. (1 p.m. EDT) the first day of the conclave, May 7; and on the following days at 10:30 a.m. (4:30 a.m. EDT) and noon (6 a.m. EDT), and again at 5:30 p.m. (11:30 a.m. EDT) and just after 7 p.m. (1 p.m. EDT).

On the eve of the May 1 episcopal ordination of Bishop John E. Keehner, the diocese held a solemn vespers service at the Sioux City Cathedral of the Epiphany with clergy, visitors and the faithful present. Bishop David J. Bonnar of the Diocese of Youngstown presided at the service and Bishop Walker Nickless, seventh bishop of the Diocese of Sioux City, served as homilist.

Following the Easter Octave, Bishop Walker Nickless offered a Mass for the Dead for Pope Francis on April 28 at the Sioux City Cathedral of the Epiphany. A portrait of the Holy Father was in the sanctuary with black bunting draped around the frame, signifying the mourning following the death of the pope. Bunting was also draped over the main doorway leading into the Cathedral sanctuary.