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The newest members of the Office of Vocations team - Father Zach Jones and Deacon Dan Goebel - join us for a special edition for National Vocations Awareness Week. They work alongside Vocations Director Father Travis Crotty, Director of Seminarians Father Shane Deman and Benefits Coordinator Michelle Steinbach. Learn about the annual events including Quest and Quo Vadis in the summer and the Thinking of Priesthood Day and Fireside retreat in the coming weeks. Father Jones also shares his Meatless Fridays for vocations initiative in hopes that the diocesan faithful will participate. Learn more at www.siouxcitypriest.com. 

Father Crotty's memo on vocation lesson plans for K-12 HERE.

Meatless Fridays video: HERE

Seminarian Appeal: HERE

Thank you for listening to this episode of Illuminating Catholics – shedding light to understand the modern church. Follow us for more episodes on topics of the Catholic faith. We are funded in part by Together As One - our diocesan annual appeal. For more news from the Diocese of Sioux City, visit lumenmedia.org.

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Starting Jan. 1, 2027, donors can earn dollar for dollar federal tax credits by supporting the Iowa Catholic Scholarship Granting Organization (SGO). In turn, families desiring a Catholic school education have another tool to help them finance the cost. Steve Kane is our guest to explain how the SGO works and why we need this organization to provide school choice for our families. 

Follow updates from the Iowa Catholic SGO on their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61592299305655

Thank you for listening to this episode of Illuminating Catholics – shedding light to understand the modern church. Follow us for more episodes on topics of the Catholic faith. We are funded in part by Together As One - our diocesan annual appeal. For more news from the Diocese of Sioux City, visit lumenmedia.org.

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Pope Leo, the USCCB, the U.S. Border bishops, the Iowa Catholic bishops and Bishop John E. Keehner of the Diocese of Sioux City have all spoken out urging for meaningful immigration reform and defending the God-given of all human beings, regardless of immigration status. 

Jennie Murray, president and CEO of the National Immigration Forum, shares the work of this non-partisan group that works to advocate for commonsense solutions for immigration reform, ensuring immigrants reach their fullest potential in this country, and share the value of immigration to this country, recognizing the dignity of each human being. 

The Bibles, Badges and Business efforts of the forum bring together faith leaders, law enforcement and businesses to share the importance of immigrants in this country, contributing to our houses of worship, our communities and our workforce. 

The Catholic Church is involved with the Forum with faith leaders from around the country including Bishop Mark Seitz of El Paso, who is very vocal regarding immigration and the church's position.

Learn more about the complex issue of immigration and the work of the Forum and sign up for the Forum Daily at www.forumtogether.org. 

Thank you for listening to this episode of Illuminating Catholics – shedding light to understand the modern church. Follow us for more episodes on topics of the Catholic faith. We are funded in part by Together As One - our diocesan annual appeal. For more news from the Diocese of Sioux City, visit lumenmedia.org.

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The Pontifical Missions Societies is celebrating the 100th World Mission Sunday on Oct. 18. Ines San Martin, editor of the Mission Magazine for the societies, explains the wide scope and profound impact of the four missions that make up the Pontifical Missions Societies. Ines shares the history of the societies, including the leadership of now-Blessed Fulton Sheen from 1950 to 1966. She also shares her on-the-ground experiences in the missions in various corners of the world as part of her work for the magazine, giving us a glimpse into the lives of the Catholic faithful outside of the United States. 

She reminds listeners to never discount the impact you can have by caring of others by contributing to the mission and praying for those in need. 

Please participate in the World Mission Sunday collection in the Diocese of Sioux City Oct. 17 and 18. Learn more or contribute online here: https://pontificalmissions.org/

Thank you for listening to this episode of Illuminating Catholics – shedding light to understand the modern church. Follow us for more episodes on topics of the Catholic faith. We are funded in part by Together As One - our diocesan annual appeal. For more news from the Diocese of Sioux City, visit lumenmedia.org.

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Judge John Sandy of the Iowa Court of Appeals shares his faith journey and how his faith is a guide for him in his work and life. He is also a writer of topics of faith and social justice and Lumen Media has published several of his articles (with more great writings to come). Judge Sandy is a parishioner of St. Mary in Spirit Lake, part of the Catholic Passage efforts in the Iowa Great Lakes area, a member of the Iowa Catholic Conference board of directors. Enjoy our interview with this busy graduate of the University of St. Thomas School of Law, husband and father of four. 

Follow Judge John Sandy on Substack: https://substack.com/@jmsandy

Find Judge John Sandy's columns on Lumen Media: https://www.lumenmedia.org/guest-commentaries

Thank you for listening to this episode of Illuminating Catholics – shedding light to understand the modern church. Follow us for more episodes on topics of the Catholic faith. We are funded in part by Together As One - our diocesan annual appeal. For more news from the Diocese of Sioux City, visit lumenmedia.org.

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Speaker, author and Notre Dame campus minister Meg Hunter-Kilmer is the keynote speaker for the Nov. 14 Women’s Gathering in Fort Dodge. She travels the world sharing God’s “fierce and tender love,” as well as her passion for Scripture and the saints. Hunter-Kilmer shares her faith journey, favorite Scripture passage, favorite saints and why she lived out of her car for 12 years. Come hear Hunter-Kilmer by registering for I will give you rest at www.scdiocese.org/gathering. Learn more about the speaker here: www.piercedhands.com.

Thank you for listening to this episode of Illuminating Catholics – shedding light to understand the modern church. Follow us for more episodes on topics of the Catholic faith. We are funded in part by Together As One - our diocesan annual appeal. For more news from the Diocese of Sioux City, visit lumenmedia.org.

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Father Bill McCarthy and Sherry Hittle of St. Therese of Lisieux Parish talk about the rosary, its role in the faith and history and their own devotions to this powerful devotion as we lead in to October, the month of the Rosary.. Hittle also shares the details of the Sept. 27 to Oct. 3 fifth annual Eucharistic Rosary Congress held at Sacred Heart Church in Ida Grove see LINK. All are welcome to all or some of the congress.

Resources on the Rosary:

- Knights of Columbus resources

- Hallow how to pray the Rosary

- USCCB prayers of the Rosary

Thank you for listening to this episode of Illuminating Catholics – shedding light to understand the modern church. Follow us for more episodes on topics of the Catholic faith. We are funded in part by Together As One - our diocesan annual appeal. For more news from the Diocese of Sioux City, visit lumenmedia.org.

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Divine Mercy Parish of Kossuth County and West Bend has a 14 year relationship with their "twin parish" St. Jeanne de Chantal Parish in Haiti. Parish leaders Alan Laubenthal and Kim Dahlhauser share the history of the relationship, the poverty the Haitian parishioners experience and the importance of the twinning program. Divine Mercy has generously supported St. Jeanne de Chantal over the years, including raising emergency funds after a hurricane in 2014, establishing a medical clinic and mobile clinic. Divine Mercy members were awaiting a visit from Cardinal Chibly Langois of the Haitian Les Cayes Diocese this month until changes in immigration policy regarding Haitians squashed the plans. 

If you are interesting in helping St. Jeanne de Chantal Parish or want to explore the possibility of having your own twin parish, e-mail us at [email protected] and we will put you in touch. Or learn more here: https://dmparish.org/twin-parish-st-jeanne-de-chantal or Parish Twinning program of the Americas: https://ptpausa.org/

Thank you for listening to this episode of Illuminating Catholics – shedding light to understand the modern church. Follow us for more episodes on topics of the Catholic faith. We are funded in part by Together As One - our diocesan annual appeal. For more news from the Diocese of Sioux City, visit lumenmedia.org.

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Co-founders of the wildly successful Christ Our Life Conference Ellen Miller and Marilyn Lane share their inspiration for the every other year conference and all the hands that make it possible. They share how they are able to attract world-class Catholic speakers and thousands of attendees. Miller and Lane invite all to consider attending what could be a life-changing event on  Sept. 26 and 27. More information on tickets and hotel information is on the website: https://christourlifeiowa.com/

Students 23 years of age and younger are free and have a separate track for part of the conference.

Can't travel to Des Moines? You can purchase a livestream ticket at https://christourlifeiowa.com/ and watch from the comfort of your home. 

Thank you for listening to this episode of Illuminating Catholics – shedding light to understand the modern church. Follow us for more episodes on topics of the Catholic faith. We are funded in part by Together As One - our diocesan annual appeal. For more news from the Diocese of Sioux City, visit lumenmedia.org.

Send us Fan Mail

Most are familiar with the FOCUS missionaries on college campuses, evangelizing college students during a critical time in their lives. St. John Paul II Parish in Carroll has hired the diocese's first parish-based FOCUS missionary - Gregory Kinser. He shares his journey joining the Catholic faith as a high school student, becoming a missionary after college and the move to Carroll. Kinser offers his vision for his new ministry at the parish and why he felt drawn to this new position. 

Thank you for listening to this episode of Illuminating Catholics – shedding light to understand the modern church. Follow us for more episodes on topics of the Catholic faith. We are funded in part by Together As One - our diocesan annual appeal. For more news from the Diocese of Sioux City, visit lumenmedia.org.