Bishop's dinner celebrates Catholic Schools

By RENEE WEBB, Globe editor
October 23, 2003

About 500 people from throughout the Diocese of Sioux City came together to celebrate Catholic schools during the 7th Annual Bishop's Dinner for Catholic Education held Oct. 19 at the Sioux City Convention Center.

In the opening prayer, Bishop Daniel N. DiNardo prayed for Pope John Paul II who recently celebrated his 25th anniversary as well as the Catholic schools along with the students, teachers and administrators.

The value of Catholic education was the focus of the keynote presentation, offered by Rocky Bleier, former Notre Dame and Pittsburgh Steelers star.

He stressed the fact that the Catholic education he received in Appleton, Wis. helped to form his belief system and attitude as well as shape his leadership skills.

"The one thing that we've all learned is constant in our lives is change," Bleier acknowledged. However, the perspective that people take and how they accept change can greatly impact one's situation, he added.

Bleier, who played for 12 seasons in Pittsburgh and earned four Super Bowl rings, didn't necessarily have an easy time reaching stardom. He told the story of how the Notre Dame coach was surprised to see how small he was for the position he played. Bleier overcame that preconceived idea.

And when he squeaked by in the 16th out of 17 rounds in the NFL draft, again his work was cut out for him. Toward the end of his rookie season, he was drafted once again. This time it was to fight not on the football field, but in Vietnam. He suffered severe rifle and grenade wounds when his platoon ran into an ambush.

Bleier spent nine months in the hospital and was told he would never play again. It was the encouragement of a fellow player that gave him the desire to try football again. The comeback was slow and he almost quit, but in 1974 he made the starting lineup. The rest is history.

The awards portion of the evening followed a gourmet dinner with a main course of beef medallions and stuffed shrimp.

Kevin Vickery, superintendent of Catholic schools for the diocese, explained the history of the award.

"Early in his tenure as ordinary of the Diocese of Sioux City, Bishop DiNardo came up with the idea of giving special awards to outstanding classroom teachers in the Catholic schools of the diocese," he explained. "Generous contributors from throughout the diocese gave selflessly to establish an endowment in 1999 within the Catholic School Foundation."

Bishop Daniel N. DiNardo announced this year's Bishop Lawrence D. Soens Excellence in Education Awards. The winners included: Kathy Kuehl, first grade teacher at St. Michael School in Sioux City; Heidi Larsen, third grade teacher at St. Mary's School in Storm Lake; Judy Murphy, fifth grade teacher at Emmetsburg Catholic; Mary Lou O'Gorman, first grade teacher at Sacred Heart School in Sioux City; and Sara Youngers, middle school teacher at Spalding Catholic in Granville.

Next was the presentation of the Leadership in Catholic Education Award.

Bishop DiNardo announced that this year's award was given posthumously to Norman J. Olberding, who died last summer at the age of 79.

"Norm truly understood the meaning of stewardship," noted the bishop. "In my five years as the bishop of the Diocese of Sioux City, I don't think I've ever met anyone with such charitable zeal as he demonstrated."

Olberding and his late wife, Millie, were members of St. Martin Church in Odebolt. Last year, Norm made a gift of farmland to the Catholic School Foundation of the diocese to create the Norm and Millie Olberding Endowed Fund for Catholic Education.

"The gift will have a positive and a lasting impact on the schools in this diocese for many generations," said the bishop.

Two of Norm's siblings, his brother, Vern; and his sister, Mardell Plueger; accepted the award on behalf of their brother.

During the evening, Bishop DiNardo stressed the importance of Catholic education in the diocese. He noted that the diocese should be proud to have eight Catholic high schools considering its Catholic population is 100,000. In his home diocese of Pittsburgh with 900,000 Catholics, they only have 11 high schools.

"We are committed to Catholic school education here in the Diocese of Sioux City. We are committed because we see the results, the foundation in the faith and in learning that it gives," said the bishop. "I thank you all for that heritage."

Dr. Ken and Debbie McCalla, parishioners at Sacred Heart Church in Sioux City, served as the chair couple of the event. He noted that he was happy to report that all but one of the diocesan schools were represented at the dinner.

Debbie McCalla mentioned that with the exception of two years of college, her schooling consisted of Catholic education. Knowing that the schools stress the importance of faith, family and service to others is one of the reasons why she is pleased that her two children attend Catholic schools.

She pointed out that Catholic schools "are committed to keeping alive the traditional values that our country and the whole world need to be reminded of. They help make our world a much better place."

They extended gratitude to the corporate sponsors as well as those who served on the bishop's dinner committee.

Father Craig Collison, pastor at Sacred Heart Church in Sioux City, was the master of ceremonies.

At the conclusion of the event, Bishop DiNardo extended thanks and appreciation to the McCallas and the bishop's committee, the generous sponsors and everyone who helped and participated in the dinner.