News Around the Diocese

Sister Philomene Reiland, 80, of Concordia, Kan., died Aug. 2, 2021, at Cloud County Health Center in Concordia.  

Dominican Sister of Peace Collette Marie Bauer, OP (93), a native of Spalding, died Jan. 5, 2022, at Sansbury Care Center, St. Catharine, Ky. 

St. Elizabeth’s in Oshkosh, a mission of St. Joseph’s in Chappell, recently installed new carpet outside the front door of the church.

Nearly 500 people attended the 27th annual G.O.L.D. dinner and auction in November.

It was cookie time with Santa at Sts. Peter and Paul in St. Paul along with chicken noodle soup and chili.

The Diocese of Grand Island Child Protection Office won the "Best represents the organization" award in the Fantasy of Trees exhibit at Stuhr Museum in Grand Island. The Fantasy of Trees exhibit is open through December 31.

The annual Christmas party for the Diocese of Grand Island seminarians and their families was Dec. 19 at St. Ann’s in Lexington. The vocations office presented the seminarians with Catholic t-shirts, socks and books as Christmas gifts. The families also received a Christmas-themed cross wall hanging.

St. Joseph’s Church in Kimball observed 100 years of faith with a Mass Dec. 5 celebrated by Bishop Joseph G. Hanefeldt at the church

The students at Kearney Catholic High School donated 305 packages of baby diapers

Ruth Noziska, 80, of Grand Island, a former staff member of the Diocese of Grand Island marriage tribunal, office died Nov. 26, 2021.

The first Sunday in Advent is Nov. 28

St. Patrick’s faith formation students in Chadron show they are grateful

As part of its 5-year review process for accreditation, Grand Island Central Catholic’s Index of Education Quality score soared well beyond the expectations

The Grand Island Central Catholic Class of 1961 observed their 60th anniversary Aug. 11 with a dinner at the Saddle Club in Grand Island with 18 members attending out of a class of 58

The 17th annual St. Leo’s coat giveaway was Oct. 28 at St. Leo’s. Donna Douglass, outreach coordinator at St. Leo’s, said 2,096 coats were collected and 1,648 were given out.

Thank you to all the parishes across our diocese that participated in the Saint Joseph Chaplet project for the Year of Saint Joseph and Bishop Hanefeldt’s pastoral initiative to Strengthen Family Life. Twenty-one parishes across our diocese participated in the program. The Chancery team put together over 1,500 chaplet kits and sent them to the parishes for their religious education classes.

Ladies of St. Libory parish in St. Libory made more than 70 trays of homemade noodles on Oct. 24 for the upcoming soup suppers. Pictured from left to right: Angie Heaton, Vi Mamot, Babs Heaton, Rita Wichmann, Vickie Brooks, Barb Christensen, Colleen Donovan. Not pictured: Chris Wichmann and Kathleen McElroy.

On Oct. 23, members of St. Libory Church in St. Libory cleaned up the cemetery area where several diseased pine trees had to be removed.

Official appointments, effective Sept. 1, 2021

October is Month of the Holy Rosary - How to pray the Rosary