Preparing for the coming of the Lord

Dec. 14, 2006

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

BUSY DECEMBER DAYS

Since my earliest days as a priest in a parish, December has always been a busy month of the year. (Just like May seems to be in the Spring.) December brings the tasks of Christmas shopping, decorating our homes and the Christmas tree, Christmas cards and Christmas gatherings with friends and family.

The Church, of course, asks us to try the best we can to avoid the "lure" of a secular holiday season. (It's not even called Christmas!) Our priests are busy with Advent preparations and penance services. If you have not already taken advantage of this beautiful sacrament of forgiveness, I encourage you to do so before Christmas. Advent is set aside as a time to prepare for the coming of the Lord. He desires to enter our hearts and dwell within us with peace and grace. There is no better way for us to prepare a place for the Lord in our hearts than by going to confession. Parents, I encourage you to take the lead. Bring your families to Church with you to receive this sacrament. In the midst of all our business of getting ready for Christmas, let's make sure we have time to prepare our hearts.

This is my first December as a Bishop and I've found that there is no year-end slow-down in my activities. I have been privileged to celebrate the sacraments of Eucharist and Confirmations in many of our parishes. Since Thanksgiving, I have been to three "St. Mary's" - Larchwood, Remsen, and Storm Lake, I've also confirmed young men and women at our Morningside parishes - Nativity and Immaculate Conception.. I love visiting our parishes for Confirmation. I have found the young people well prepared, respectful and eager to receive the Holy Spirit. I remind our youth that their enthusiasm and joy for the faith is so important for the Church today. I also know there are vocations to the priesthood and the consecrated life hidden among the various groups of young people. Let us never tire of praying for these youth, that they have the courage to follow the Lord as he calls them to their own vocation.

VOCATIONS

Once again, I was able to celebrate Mass for our Sioux City Serra Club at Our Lady of Grace Chapel on the campus of Briar Cliff University. I inducted new members into this Club, just as I did earlier for the Serra Club in Carroll. I express my gratitude for all the work these men and women do to grow in their own holiness and to promote vocations.

Last Saturday I celebrated Mass for our deacon community at Sacred Heart Church in Early. (Father Larry Burns is always so gracious in welcoming Diocesan events at the "mid-diocese" Cathedral!) During the Mass I received 5 men into Candidacy to become ordained as permanent deacons. Steve Twiselton, David Brown, William Black, Gary Schon, and David Lopez publically promised to "complete their preparation so that in due time through Holy Orders they will be prepared to assume ministry within the Church."

I look forward to the day when these married men will be ordained deacons for service to our diocese. Please pray for them and for their families as they continue their journey. Deacons are a valuable resource for our priests and parishes. Their role of service in the Church includes outreach to the poor, teaching, preaching, celebrating baptisms, marriages and burial of the dead. I thank all our deacons for their dedication to ministry.

TRANSITIONAL DEACONS

On Friday, December 15, I will have the wonderful privilege of ordaining two of our seminarians to the transitional diaconate. Andrew Vo from our Cathedral Parish and Brent Lingle from Sacred Heart Parish, Sioux City will be ordained deacons and the church of Sioux City rejoices in the special gift of these men to our diocese. Andrew and Brent will spend about 6 months as deacons as they complete their seminary studies at St Meinrad Seminary in Indiana. God willing, in June, I will ordain them as priests for our Diocese. This diaconate ordination will be my first as Bishop. I look forward to it with a grateful heart and eager anticipation. These two fine men have answered God's call and the Church accepts them with joy for service to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Few tasks of a bishop are more important than ordination. Through the imposition of my hands and the grace of the Holy Spirit, God continues to provide ministries for service to the Church. In this joyous Advent and Christmas Season, we as a Diocese, have much to be thankful for. We have prayed that the Lord of the harvest provide workers because "the harvest is great and the laborers are few." The Lord has answered our prayer. Let us keep praying for even more laborers for this important work. All of us have a role to play in securing vocations to the priesthood and religious life.

OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE

Early last Sunday morning, I had an experience of great joy as I joined our Spanish speaking community at the Cathedral for the commendation of the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Father Matt Hewitt (assisted by Father Paul Arts) celebrated the Mass in honor of Our Lady, patroness of the Americas. The festive atmosphere and obvious devotion of the people showed how much Virgin of Guadalupe means to our people. The offertory procession at the Mass was so moving. Children from the community, in native dress, processed down the aisle of the Cathedral to the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The overflowing crowd at the Cathedral were a testament to faith and a sign of the gift of the Mexican culture to our Diocese and our community. Rarely have I seen such faith.

After the Mass we went to the Epiphany Center for a short presentation of the story of St. Juan Diego and his encounter with Our Lady of Guadalupe. This presentation was well done and told the story of Mary's appearance in a prayful and moving reenactment of the events in Mexico City in the year 1531. I congratulate Jacinto Rangel, and all who made this presentation possible. It brought tears to my eyes and joy to my heart as this famous event came alive right before our eyes.

GENEROSITY OF GIVING

Christmas will be upon us very soon. Our Lord desires to live in our hearts and be seen in the actions of our lives. These last remaining days of Advent are a precious gift to us. Let us use these days to prepare in joyful anticipation of what is to come. Generosity abounds at this time of year. On behalf of the whole diocese I want to thank all of you for your generous support to the work of the church. Recently our Diocese was given a very generous gift by Gus and Lil Schroeder of Wall Lake. This fine couple join a long line of generous givers to further work of the Lord in the Church of the Sioux City Diocese. As God the Father has generously shared the gift of His Son with us, I as your Bishop, thank God for the gifts that each one of you are to me. The grace of God abounds in so many wonderful ways. We are all blessed indeed.

By the way, the saying goes, "wait until next year". It looks like that is what it will be for my Denver Broncos!

Your brother in Christ,

Most Reverend R. Walker Nickless
Bishop of Sioux City