October Faith Formation Newsletter
National Catholic Partnership on Disability
(NCPD)
The Diocese of Sioux City has become an affiliate with the National Catholic Partnership on Disability (NCPD). NCPD provides resources, formation courses and support for all priests, parish personnel and lay leaders interested or involved in disability ministry.
Course and Events
NCPD offers many courses throughout the year. As a partner diocese, anyone living within our diocese who is interested in disability ministry can receive a discount on the courses by using the discount code: AFFILIATE15-2027. Clergy can receive a more significant discount by using the discount code: CLERGY-REL2026.
Course and Events
NCPD offers many courses throughout the year. As a partner diocese, anyone living within our diocese who is interested in disability ministry can receive a discount on the courses by using the discount code: AFFILIATE15-2027. Clergy can receive a more significant discount by using the discount code: CLERGY-REL2026.
Resources
NCPD offers an online resource library called the Catholic Disability Exchange (CDX) that offers bilingual resources from ministry leaders across the nation. Resources include:
NCPD offers an online resource library called the Catholic Disability Exchange (CDX) that offers bilingual resources from ministry leaders across the nation. Resources include:
- Faith formation registration forms
- Training materials for liturgical ministers
- Prayers of the Faithful
- Resources for children and adults with disabilities to use during Mass, faith formation programming, and at home
October 22:
Marriage Ministry Dinner
November 14:
Women's Gathering
The 2026 Women’s Gathering will take place on Saturday, November 14, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at St. Edmond Catholic School in Fort Dodge. The day will include keynotes, adoration, confession, small groups, and vendors.
This year’s theme, I will give you rest, is based on the Scripture verse from Matthew 11:28. Meg Hunter Kilmer, campus minister at the University of Notre Dame and presenter at the National Eucharistic Congress, will be the keynote speaker.
This year’s theme, I will give you rest, is based on the Scripture verse from Matthew 11:28. Meg Hunter Kilmer, campus minister at the University of Notre Dame and presenter at the National Eucharistic Congress, will be the keynote speaker.
November 15:
Pearl & Thistle Prep Class in Humboldt
Mother/Daughter Regional Workshops
The Office of Faith Formation is hosting Cycle Prep workshops for girls 9-11 and their mothers. Cycle Prep is a body-positive workshop rooted in the Catholic Church’s teachings on human dignity, designed to help girls aged 9–11 understand and respect their changing bodies. Created by Pearl & Thistle, Cycle Prep teaches body literacy through the lens of the Church's teachings on human dignity. Registration is $25 per daughter (mothers/guardians attend free) to cover materials. All are welcome to register!
St. Mary Parish, Humboldt:
November 15, 2026, 1 p.m.
The Office of Faith Formation is hosting Cycle Prep workshops for girls 9-11 and their mothers. Cycle Prep is a body-positive workshop rooted in the Catholic Church’s teachings on human dignity, designed to help girls aged 9–11 understand and respect their changing bodies. Created by Pearl & Thistle, Cycle Prep teaches body literacy through the lens of the Church's teachings on human dignity. Registration is $25 per daughter (mothers/guardians attend free) to cover materials. All are welcome to register!
St. Mary Parish, Humboldt:
November 15, 2026, 1 p.m.
Advent Prayer Partners
This Advent, enter into this time of preparation by praying and offering small sacrifices for another parish leader around the diocese. Please sign up by November 20.
If you wish to participate fill out this Google form.
December 3:
Conversational Webinar Series: Fundraising
As part of our ongoing webinar series, we will hear from Erin Stevens about fundraising efforts she has led at St. John Paul II parish. These family based fundraisers support ongoing summer ministries in Carroll namely their Vacation Bible School Program as well as other youth ministry activities.
When: 10 a.m.
Where: Google Meet- link will be posted at a later date
News and Resources
October Resource
The new liturgical year starts on November 29 with the first Sunday of Advent. This month, there are three resource options to help your students engage more fully with the liturgical year.
First, for the youngest students, there is a very easy liturgical wheel to print out and track the Sundays as we move through the year.
Next, slightly older students can cut out the images for each Sunday and add them to the liturgical wheel during the year.
Finally, middle school students can use the tracker to record their thoughts about each Sunday Gospel reading.
A completed liturgical wheel
Middle school Advent tracker
Catholic Heart Workcamp
2027 summer season
At Catholic HEART Workcamp, they offer a variety of mission trip experiences designed to give your youth group a safe and uplifting environment. Wherever you serve, participants will grow spiritually, make a real difference in the community and connect with other young Catholics from across the country.
Registration opens September 30!
On October 6, the Office of Faith Formation held a Conversational Webinar - topic being Catholic Heart Workcamp. Guest speakers were Claire Clancy and Kelley Grothus. If you happened to missed the webinar, it was recorded and linked.
National Vocations Awareness Week:
November 1-7
Pastoral Letter Study
The Office of Faith Formation is offering study materials to accompany the reading of Bishop Keehner’s recent Pastoral Letter, Sic Deus Dilexit Mundum, God So Loved the World.
These materials can be used by individuals or by groups as they reflect upon themes from the letter.
National Catholic Partnership on Disability
National Catholic Partnership on Disability works with dioceses, parishes, ministers, and the laity to advance the full and meaningful participation of persons with disabilities in the life of the Church and society.
We will be featuring the 12 lessons in our monthly newsletter! Please enjoy these resources from NCPD.
October: Rosary
We will be featuring the 12 lessons in our monthly newsletter! Please enjoy these resources from NCPD.
October: Rosary
Year of St. Francis Lessons
To help celebrate the Franciscan Jubilee Year, the Office of Faith Formation has created St. Francis of Assisi themed lesson plans for elementary through high school students. Consider taking some time during the Faith Formation year to help students learn about this holy saint and powerful witness to the Christian faith.
Encouragement Posters
The Encouragement Cards include a QR code that sends people to this page of the website where they can find resources for a variety of pastoral needs. These discreet cards can be given to individuals at your parish as pastoral needs present themselves or in the confessional. The information is also available in a poster format by clicking the link below
The attached resource from the PWPN highlights many opportunities that may be of interest to you and your parish staff.
These resources include:
The Pope Video, featuring Pope Leo XIV leading the faithful in prayer for his monthly intentions, materials to help deepen devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, young adult retreats, and leadership formation programs.
These resources include:
The Pope Video, featuring Pope Leo XIV leading the faithful in prayer for his monthly intentions, materials to help deepen devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, young adult retreats, and leadership formation programs.
Curricula Feedback Form
We want to make sure we’re supporting you and other parishes as effectively as possible! We have received requests to put together a database to collect DRE feedback regarding various curriculums, resources or programs you use for faith formation. This information can be accessed by DREs on our shared drive. If you would like to add from your own experience and insights, please take a moment to fill out this form.
Safe Environment Brochure
DREs are asked to report numbers of parents who reviewed the Safe Environment brochure during the 2025-26 school year to Dan Ellis (DanE@scdiocese.org). He can assist with any questions.Safe Environment announces new VIRTUS training refresher:
Keeping the Promise Alive 4.0 is a new refresher course that Virtus.org has developed for existing users to watch online, and which will give them an update to their original Protecting God’s Children training. The mandatory Keeping the Promise Alive online training will launch in early August and will be accessible when users log into their Virtus account.For questions, please contact Dan Ellis: dane@scdiocese.org
October Pinterest Board
Take a look at our October Pinterest board
Faith Formation/Religious Education photos needed! Lumen Media would like to have photos from Faith Formation/Religious Education sessions and activities to use in stories, social media, development office content and even videos. We love photos of students (and catechists) in action versus rows and lines of students. If you snap some great photos during the year, send to us at news@scdiocese.org or text to (712) 299-6594. We truly appreciate your photos.
Useful Links
