News - December 2024 RSS Feed

Sibley St. Andrew's Guild presented Brooke Platt with an Achievement Award on Dec. 29, 2024. Platt is currently enrolled at the University of South Dakota majoring in pre-dental hygiene. The presentation was made by Becky Block and Lila Hatting from the Achievement Committee.

Auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Dallas, Most Reverend J. Gregory Kelly was named Bishop of Tyler on Dec. 20.

Denison St. Rose of Lima School held Posadas before Christmas. Miguel Salazar was Joseph and Kiana Ochoa was Mary. Both are fifth grade students.

The Knights of Columbus from St. Mary’s Parish in Humboldt held their annual Keeping Christ in Christmas poster contest.

The Onawa-Blencoe Knights of Columbus Council 6249 co-sponsored the 14th annual Round Ball Classic to send 15 middle and high school students to the Dec. 21 Creighton Blue Jays basketball game vs. Villanova Wildcats. Co-sponsored included West Monona Community School District, Sunshine Foods and Creighton University.

(bilingual) Merry Christmas! Christmas begins this evening with vigil Masses held in parishes throughout our diocese. We are filled with hope at the news of our Savior, born of a virgin in humble surroundings. Today is also the first day of the Jubilee Year 2025 – ending Dec. 23, 2025. The Holy Father will open the holy door at St. Peter’s Basilica at 7 p.m. local time (noon for northwest Iowans) on Christmas Eve.

Archbishop Timothy Broglio, president of the USCCB offered a statement on the president's commutations of federal death row sentences.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Francis called on Catholics to focus their Holy Year 2025 pilgrimages on Jesus Christ, who is both the path and destination for Christian hope. At his general audience Dec. 18, the pope began a new series of talks on "Jesus Christ our hope," which he announced will the theme for his weekly catechesis throughout the Jubilee Year, which is set to begin with the opening of the Holy Door in St. Peter's Basilica Dec. 24. Jesus, "is the destination of our pilgrimage, and he himself is the way, the path to be traveled," he said in the Vatican audience hall.

Numerous issues regarding mothers, women and children are among the concerns for the Iowa Catholic Bishops for the 2025 legislative session, which begins Jan. 8. Tom Chapman, executive director for the Iowa Catholic Conference (ICC), the official public policy voice of the bishops of Iowa, shared a few of the issues he anticipates will be discussed at the Iowa state legislature in the coming months.

A new video series produced by the Knights of Columbus proclaims the truth and beauty of the Catholic vision of marriage and family life in the modern world. The Into the Breach: Mission of the Family video series is to help people of all ages strengthen and grow in their faith as a family.

A papal Missionary of Mercy brought storytelling and humor to the Advent parish mission – “60 Minutes for Jesus” - held at St. Mary Church in Remsen Dec. 15 to 17 as he presented talks each night for parishioners of Remsen and Marcus. Father Jim Sichko, a native of Texas and priest of the Diocese of Lexington, Kentucky, each night of the mission featured a 60-minute talk focused on the general themes of kindness, trust and leadership.

Always looking for ways to offer new prayer-filled formation opportunities, Holy Trinity Parish of Webster County will offer Epiphany Lessons and Carols at 7 p.m. on Jan. 11. “The Epiphany Lessons and Carols service will include a series of readings starting with the Nativity of Jesus and concluding with his baptism,” said Father Ross Caniglia, parochial vicar of the parish who will play the piano and direct the adult choir for the service.