News - Bishop Nickless: The Shepherd Writes RSS Feed

(Bilingual) We are in the heart of Holy Week and are journeying together through the sacred Triduum (The Three Days), the holiest days on the church’s calendar and the busiest for your parish. Our penitential season of Lent gradually gives way to the glory of our Easter celebrations. Estamos en el corazón de la Semana Santa y estamos viajando juntos a través del Triduo Sagrado (Los Tres Días), los días más santos en el calendario de la iglesia y los más ocupados para su parroquia. Nuestro tiempo penitencial de Cuaresma gradualmente da paso a la gloria de nuestras celebraciones de Pascua.

(bilingual) Although the church has been consistent in the teachings regarding IVF, I have found that many, both inside and outside the Catholic Church, are not aware that the practice is deemed immoral. For those couples who used IVF to conceive a child, be assured that your child is loved and willed by God, regardless of how they came into existence. However, there are some important things that the church teaches. Aunque la Iglesia ha sido consistente en las enseñanzas con respecto a la FIV, he encontrado que muchos, tanto dentro como fuera de la Iglesia Católica, no son conscientes de que la práctica se considera inmoral. Para aquellas parejas que usaron la FIV para concebir un hijo, tengan la seguridad de que su hijo es amado y querido por Dios, independientemente de cómo llegó a existir. Sin embargo, hay algunas cosas importantes que la Iglesia enseña.

(bilingual) This penitential season calls all of us to practice self-discipline and self-control in a more intense way. Fasting and abstaining from meat on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday as well as abstaining from meat each Friday of Lent will help us all to make these 40 days a special time of grace and renewal. Esta temporada penitencial nos llama a todos a practicar la autodisciplina y el autocontrol de una manera más intensa. El ayuno y la abstinencia de carne el Miércoles de Ceniza, y el Viernes Santo; así como la abstinencia de carne cada viernes de Cuaresma, nos ayudarán a hacer de estos 40 días un tiempo especial de gracia y renovación.

(bilingual) I write to assure the people of our Diocese in Northwest Iowa of my concern for all of you, but especially at this time, our immigrant brothers and sisters. Escribo para asegurar a la gente de nuestra Diócesis en el noroeste de Iowa mi preocupación por todos ustedes, pero especialmente en este momento, a nuestros hermanos y hermanas inmigrantes.

From Bishop Walker Nickless on Catholic Schools Week 2025: Catholic Schools Week in the United States begins this Sunday on Jan. 26. For seven days, we acknowledge and thank those dedicated to the work and success of the 15 Catholic School systems here in our diocese.

(bilingual) Bishop Walker Nickless explains the 2025 Jubilee Year, Pilgrims of Hope, will officially open Jan. 26 at 10 a.m. at the Sioux City Cathedral of the Epiphany with a Mass in English. Diocesan pilgrimage sites will be the Cathedral, Trinity Heights Queen of Peace Shrine in Sioux City, Grotto of the Redemption Shrine in West Bend and St. Joseph Church in Milford.

(bilingual) Bishop Nickless writes about opportunities to reflect upon the sanctity of life with the Roe v. Wade anniversary Jan. 22 and the recent release of the U.S. bishops' Catholic Elements of Immigration Reform.

(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.

(bilingual) We have an opportunity with our good works to make an impact upon the communities in the Diocese of Sioux City every Christmas with our annual Catholic Charities Christmas Eve and Christmas Day special collection at each parish. Tenemos la oportunidad con nuestras buenas obras para hacer un impacto en las comunidades en la Diócesis de Sioux City cada Navidad con nuestra colección especial anual de Caridades Católicas de Nochebuena y día de Navidad en cada parroquia.

(bilingual) Every day for us as Christians should be a day of thanksgiving. In our country we are blessed to have a special day set aside to give thanks for all God’s blessings on us and our nation. Cada día para nosotros, como cristianos, debe ser un día de acción de gracias. En nuestro país tenemos la bendición de tener un día especial reservado para dar gracias por todas las bendiciones de Dios sobre nosotros y nuestra nación.

(bilingual) Happy All Saints Day, when we commemorate all people in heaven (canonized or not) who lived with virtue, gave their lives for others, martyrs for the faith that we should imitate. It is also a day of obligation to attend Mass. I hope you see this not as an obligation but a privilege to remember those who sacrificed so much for the faith. Feliz Día de Todos los Santos, cuando conmemoramos a todas las personas en el cielo (canonizadas o no) que vivieron con virtud, dieron su vida por los demás, mártires por la fe que debemos imitar. También es un día de obligación para asistir a Misa. Espero que vean esto no como una obligación, sino como un privilegio para recordar a aquellos que sacrificaron tanto por la fe.

(bilingual) Bishop Nickless shares thoughts on this week's convocation and the opportunities to grow in faith yet this month.

(bilingual) Bishop Nickless pens a letter of his support of the Oct. 19 and 20 weekend special collection for World Mission Sunday.

(trilingual) Bishop Nickless: The church asks us to set aside time for a deeper understanding of the migrant experience during National Migration Week from Sept. 23 to 29, culminating with the World Day of Migrants and Refugees. Sept. 29 marks our 110th commemoration of World Day of Migrants and Refugees. In the Holy Father’s message for the commemoration, he compares the immigrant’s often difficult journey with the Jews in the desert in the Book of Exodus:

(bilingual) Bishop Nickless notes Sept 15 is Catechetical Sunday and the kickoff to Hispanic Heritage Month. Also, Sept. 1 marked the first day of the Season of Creation, which ends on the feast of St. Francis of Assisi.

(bilingual) As the shepherd of this diocese, it is my responsibility to instruct each of the faithful about the church’s teachings. Around election time, the faithful often request that I reprint my earlier letter on the “non-negotiables” of the Catholic faith as it pertains to politics and policies of candidates running for office at all levels of government. Como pastor de esta diócesis, es mi responsabilidad instruir a cada uno de los fieles sobre las enseñanzas de la Iglesia. Cerca de la época de elecciones, los fieles a menudo me piden que reimprima mi carta anterior sobre los "no negociables" de la fe católica en lo que respecta a la política y las políticas de los candidatos que se postulan para cargos públicos en todos los niveles de gobierno.

(bilingual) “I am the bread of life; Whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.” “Yo soy el pan de vida; el que viene a mí nunca tendrá hambre, y el que cree en mí nunca tendrá sed.”

(bilingual) Although Indianapolis is several hours’ drive from any location in the Diocese of Sioux City, there are some pilgrims from our diocese planning to participate in this historic event. Due to distance, we know that most of the diocesan faithful will not be participating on-site. However, we can connect with the congress and connect ourselves to Christ through the Eucharist as a diocesan and national faith community. The National Eucharistic Revival offers suggestions for us to join in our love and devotion to the Eucharist virtually. Aunque Indianápolis está a varias horas de distancian de cualquier localidad de la Diócesis de Sioux City, hay algunos peregrinos de nuestra diócesis que planean participar en este evento histórico. Debido a la distancia, sabemos que la mayoría de los fieles diocesanos no participarán en persona.