11 CHANCES TO WIN CASH! 1 - $5,000 cash 4 - $1,000 prizes 4 - $500 prizes Purchase your tickets before December 31, 2020 to be entered into the early bird drawing - two lucky winners will win $2,000! All drawings will be Saturday, March 6, 2021. *Winner is responsible for all taxes and fees.

Please look at the updated Mass protocols.

Last spring, we began to address our worn-out liturgical vessels and items used for the Sacred Liturgy, mindful that we owe the Lord our very best when it comes to the celebration of Mass. I have claimed several items from the liturgical inventory of the diocese from closed and merged churches. These vessels need some extra attention and care due to their age and use. It is time to give them new life and a new use. I currently have them at Koley’s in Omaha awaiting restoration and re-plating. I’d ask you to consider adopting one or more of these vessels so that the work may begin and we can then in turn use them during liturgical celebrations here at St. Mary’s. Thank you for your consideration and generosity. If you have any questions, please let me know. -Father Lingle

St. Mary's Ball & Charity Auction
Saturday, March 6, 2021 More information to come.

This past year was a successful appeal year, even given the difficult circumstances with Covid-19, and that is due to the support of the faithful in Northwest Iowa. We are still unsure about how the future will look, as we continue to cope with changes in our lives due to the pandemic, but one thing is for sure: we always have our Catholic faith! 2020 St. Mary's Goal: $47,355

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday 7AM - 6PM East center doors will be open for private prayer. *There will be sanitizer on the table in the front entrance, please sanitize after you pray. Thank you!

Jon Hartje and Matt Tennyson are two of our RCIA candidates who joined the Catholic Church this Saturday, August 29.

- Parents who serve as lead Catechists in classrooms by making a weekly commitment to the program will receive a discount for their child(ren)’s tuition. Catechists are expected to be active Catholics who attend weekly Mass and live in accordance with the teachings of the Catholic Church. Please contact Kathleen Eckerman if you would like more information on volunteering. - School of Faith classes will begin September 16. Payment in full is required before children may attend - A copy of each registered child’s birth certificate and baptismal certificate should be given to the Director of Faith Formation before the first night of classes on September 16, 2020 Deadline for Registration - September 11, 2020

Are you interested in knowing more about the Catholic Church’s faith or teachings? Beginning September 1, these classes will be on Tuesdays from 6:00-7:30PM in St. Mary’s Parish Center. Face masks will be worn and social distancing practices will be observed. Classes in Spanish are also available. If you have questions or wish to register, please call the office at 732-3110

The Book of Ecclesiastes tells us, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.” It is once again time for us to seriously engage the pastoral planning process in the Diocese of Sioux City and our parish grouping. As your pastor, and as the former Director of Pastoral Planning for the diocese, I understand that this is inevitable and difficult for all of us. The process of change and adjusting to new realities will be painful. Change is never easy, yet it is a necessary part of life. (READ MORE)

We are going to begin a gradual resumption of public Masses on the weekend of July 18-19 and slowly return to “normal” in the following weeks. Remember, the protocols for public liturgies will be in place from the Diocese of Sioux City.

With regard to resuming public Masses in our parishes, the Diocese of Sioux City has based and will continue to base decisions on scientific data and reliable projections. There is a number of criteria the Diocese is waiting to be met before it is deemed safe and responsible to open up churches again. This includes the downward trajectory of new COVID-19 cases reported within a 14-day period, the downward trajectory of hospital bed, intensive care, and ventilator usage, and the downward trajectory of daily death reports. In addition to these things, it is necessary to have adequate contact-tracing and a robust testing program. Achieving these conditions will indicate that it is reasonably safe to resume, with precautions, the public celebration of the Mass.

As your pastor, I have a responsibility to see that our stewardship of time, talent, and treasure is lived out even in the midst of difficult circumstances. ​

All public celebrations of the Mass will be suspended. A bilingual Sunday Mass will be celebrated by Fr. Michael and I and will be available on the Storm Lake St. Mary’s Parish Facebook page on Sunday at 8:00 a.m.