Father Johnson to MC 9th Annual Bishop's Dinner

By KATIE LEFEBVRE, Globe staff reporter
September 29, 2005

The master of ceremonies for the 9th Annual Bishop's Dinner for Catholic Education will be Father Tim Johnson, pastor at St. Mary's Parish in Remsen.

This year's bishop's dinner will be held Oct. 23 at the Sioux City Convention Center. The social hour begins at 4:30 p.m. with dinner served at 5:30 p.m. to be followed by an address by Tara Lipinski, Olympic gold medal figure skater.

"This is the ninth year of the dinner, and we are looking for ways to increase participation in the dinner," said Jim Wharton, director of stewardship and planned giving for the Diocese of Sioux City. "This year we thought we would go to a priest who has a lot of experience in Catholic schools because this is the Bishop's Dinner for Catholic Education. Father Tim Johnson is one of our younger priests in the diocese. If you take a look at his assignments since he was ordained in 1993 he has had a lot of involvement in schools."

Wharton explained that Father Johnson began at Immaculate Conception in Sioux City and also served as a faculty member and part of the administration at Spalding Catholic in Granville. He is currently at St. Mary's in Remsen.

"Remsen has always been a community that stands out when it comes to the bishop's dinner," said Wharton. "Per capita we get as good of support from Remsen as we do any community. A lot of that, I think, has to do with Father Tim's involvement and dedication with the school. We wanted to let people hear Father Tim's enthusiasm about Catholic education. One way we can do this is to put him up as master of ceremonies this year."

Father Johnson noted that he accepted the invitation to be master of ceremonies because "I respect Jim and Steve (Elbert) and the work they do for our diocese, the care they have taken for the bishop's dinner for the last several years and the significance it holds for our schools in promoting the gift and opportunity of Catholic education."

"I believe it (Catholic education) is an opportunity that not everyone is gifted with," said Father Johnson. "It allows us not just to learn more about our faith and our relationship with God and have a sense of certain discipline within our schools, but also it helps us understand how we can live as Christians in the world not just during our elementary or high school days but afterwards."

According to Wharton, Father Johnson has a good sense of humor and will be good entertainment.

"We are really excited he is going to be able to do this for us," said Wharton.

Father Johnson believes that "we bring together a diverse group of people, geographically from different schools - both elementary and secondary - from throughout the diocese. It is a form of celebration. So often we see the needs and successes within our own schools, but then we look around and see that entire family of the opportunities of Catholic education in different parishes in different cities throughout. As we gather, we have more of a sense of unity of family."

"It is a celebration of our sacrifices, our hope and the faith that will allow us to continue the strength of our educational system," said Father Johnson.