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"There is no faraway conflict when human dignity is at stake," Pope Leo XIV told thousands of people gathered at the Vatican for the midday recitation of the Angelus after the United States bombed targets in Iran.

(bilingual) “As your shepherds, your fear echoes in our hearts and we make your pain our own. Count on the commitment of all of us to stand with you in this challenging hour,” said Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), “Como pastores suyos, sus temores hacen eco en nuestro corazón y sentimos su dolor como nuestro. Cuenten con el compromiso de todos nosotros de acompañarlos en estos momentos difíciles”, aseguró el arzobispo Timothy P. Broglio, presidente de la Conferencia de Obispos Católicos de los Estados Unidos (USCCB, por su sigla en inglés).

When Father Paul Kelly was ordained to the priesthood in the early 1980s, he said he never would have dreamed that a large portion of his ministry would focus on ministering to Spanish speakers. Of his 42 years in the priesthood, 25 have included Hispanic ministry. He said that aspect of his priestly service has not only been a nice challenge but also a joy through which he has made many friends. “It also opened my world view to the universal church,” said Father Kelly. “I understand a great deal about the Hispanic mindset, the culture and the richness of the faith that the culture brings, especially the devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe.”

After seeing a need for middle and high schoolers to gather during the summer, Ascension Parish initiated Summer Wednesdays. “The idea was born out of a few different things,” said Megan Ulrich, director of religious education (DRE) at Ascension Parish for the churches in Boone and Ogden.

As a young boy the thought of becoming a priest when he grew up was definitely on Avery Fetrow’s mind. “The earliest I remember thinking about the priesthood was when I was 5 or 6,” said the 2024 graduate of St. Mary High School in Storm Lake and member of his parish Knights of Columbus. “That is all I wanted to be from age 6 to 12.”

(bilingual) After serving 12 years as the only Yankton Benedictine in the Diocese of Sioux City, Sister Jodie Zimmerman, OSB, will be moving to her community’s monastery at the end of the month. She has been serving in pastoral ministry and religious education for Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, Rock Valley St. Mary Church. Después de haber servido durante 12 años como la única benedictina de Yankton en la Diócesis de Sioux City, la hermana Jodie Zimmerman, OSB, se trasladará al monasterio de su comunidad a finales de este mes. Ha trabajado en el ministerio pastoral y en la educación religiosa en la Parroquia Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe y en la Iglesia de Santa María en Rock Valley.

Bishop John E. Keehner recently published a lengthy list of the appointments of priests as deans and presbyteral council members on the Lumen Media news site. The bishop appointed Msgr. Kevin McCoy and Father Brad Pelzel as vicars general in May and both made their oaths for the office. However, the priests were not appointed to new positions, all were actually reappointments.

Novena will begin June 19 — the anniversary of Pope Leo XIV’s anniversary to the priesthood — and end June 27, the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart.

With a few new twists added to the annual Office of Vocations summer Quest trip for young men, the four-day trip strengthened relationships and faith within the participants. The group of 44 including young men from throughout the diocese departed June 2 from Storm Lake headed for Winona, Minnesota and La Crosse, Wisconsin. Participants were from both public and Catholic high schools and colleges.

“Relying on the help of the Lord God and of our savior Jesus Christ, we choose this, our brother for the Order of the Priesthood,” Bishop John E. Keehner declared at the June 7 priestly ordination Mass of Father Jacob Rosenmeyer at the Sioux City Cathedral of the Epiphany. Deacon Rosenmeyer graduated from Kenrick-Glennon Seminary outside of St. Louis, in preparation for ordination.

The annual CYO baseball and softball tournaments were held in Le Mars and Remsen June 7 with six diocesan high schools participating. In baseball, Remsen St. Mary was the only school to go 2-0, with wins of 12-4 over Sioux City Bishop Heelan and 11-5 over Carroll Kuemper Catholic. In the girls softball tournament, Fort Dodge St. Edmond won their bracket with shoutout wins of 4-0 over Heelan and 11-0 over Gehlen.

(bilingual) Bishop John Keehner issued a letter to the faithful in support of the Holy Father's Peter's Pence collection, which the diocese will take up in parishes the weekend of June 28 and 29 at Masses.

Seven classmates who graduated in 1984 from the now closed Spalding Catholic High School in Granville are rekindling their friendships in the midst of learning the Franciscan Way of Life. Offered by the Dubuque Franciscans, the Franciscan Way of Life is a two-year process that invites participants to a deeper understanding of the Franciscan values and charism.

The Ave Young Women’s Retreat, a spiritual trip held June 2-5, provided participants with a chance to pray together, visit religious communities and have some outdoor recreation. Organizers Megan Ulrich of Ascension Parish of Boone County and Sandra Hildreth of Our Lady of the Plains Parish of Calhoun County accompanied 18 young women on a journey visiting sites and communities in Omaha, Gretna and Lincoln in Nebraska.

UPDATED 6/13/25 - Several of the parishes and churches in the Diocese of Sioux City along the route of the 2025 RAGBRAI bike ride across Iowa are planning events and meals for the anticipated guests in their communities.

Deacon Jacob Rosenmeyer of Divine Mercy Parish, Kossuth County and West Bend, will be ordained a priest on June 7 at 10 a.m. at the Sioux City Cathedral of the Epiphany at 1000 Douglas Street. All are welcome. For those who cannot attend, the Mass will be livestreamed on the Diocese of Sioux City YouTube channel.

Always on the lookout for programming to enrich the faith lives of parishioners, the director of faith formation at one Sioux City parish happened upon a Summer with the Saints 12-week program. Mary Lehr of Sacred Heart Parish in Sioux City said she loved the concept but was looking for something a little less structured so she borrowed the theme, adjusted the format and adapted it for her parish.

Deacon David Penton of Divine Mercy Parish of Kossuth County informally surveyed his fellow deacons to learn more about their involvement in various parish ministries throughout the diocese. Deacon Dennis Brockhaus shared that his fellow Knights had offered an Operation Handyman program to provide minor repairs and yardwork for anyone who might not be able to do the work themselves or find a contractor to do smaller jobs. “I thought it was a pretty good idea. We have elderly and low-income people in Algona that could use some help,” Deacon Penton said.

As part of a continuing effort to prepare parishes and staff to transition into Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) programs, the diocesan Office of Faith Formation is offering a workshop for OCIA ministers and their teams this fall. An Introduction to the OCIA: The vision of Christian initiation ministry will be offered Sept. 27 at Storm Lake St. Mary Parish from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., presented by Liturgy Training Publications (LTP) staff. There is no cost to attend and the workshop is open to all.

As part of Briar Cliff University’s ongoing commitment to supporting students in their educational journey, earlier this year the Sioux City university announced a new partnership that will expand affordable access to dual credit courses for high school students. According to Dr. Matthew Draud, BCU president, the university has partnered with TEL Education, a nonprofit with an innovative online learning platform, to expand dual credit options.