Faith in Action—Bishop's Dinner, September 21, 2026

Tune in to Faith in Action at 9 a.m. on Mondays on Channel 88.1 FM, Siouxland Catholic Radio. This week, Host Joanne Fox talks with Heidi Probasco, the Director of Stewardship and Development for the Diocese of Sioux City, regarding the Bishop's Dinner for Catholic Schools.

Faith in Action is brought to you by Mary's Choice, a Sioux City Pregnancy Resource Center. Previous Faith in Action programs can be found at siouxlandcatholicradio.com, on YouTube, and on several other podcasting platforms. Programming is subject to change.

Transcript

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SPEAKER_00 0:00

Hello, listeners of Channel 88.1 FM, KFH C Ponka Sioux City, and KOIA Storm Lake. Thank you so much for tuning in to another edition of Faith in Action. I'm your host, Joanne Fox, and maybe it's uh 9 a.m. on a Monday, or maybe it's 7 p.m. on a Saturday. Or maybe you went to our website, Siouxland CatholicRadio.com, clicked on programs, clicked on local programs, and clicked on Faith in Action, and you are listening at your convenience. And we are also on a number of other podcasting platforms, and that's all due to the generosity of Mary's Choice, a Sioux City Pregnancy Resource Center, which is the exclusive underwriter for this show. So again, listeners, thank you so very much for tuning in. I want to give you a moment to go and get a piece of paper and a pen or pencil or get your phone because we are going to be talking about an event that's coming up. It is Sunday, October 11th. Sunday, October 11th, and it is here in Sioux City, and I am so excited because the Diocese of Sioux City is bringing back the Bishop's Dinner for Catholic schools. And listeners, if you've been around for as long as I have, you know that this has been going on for quite a few years. And like other events, um, we had to take a little break for COVID, and then we kind of had to take another little break to kind of re-examine what direction the event should take. So I am so tickled today to have in the studio with me to talk about and promote the event, Heidi Prabasco, and she is the director of development for the diocese of Sioux City. Or do you have other titles as well?

SPEAKER_01 1:45

I am the director of stewardship and development.

SPEAKER_00 1:48

Stewardship and development. And I imagine when they added stewardship, then they probably gave you a little bump in pay because now you're doing two jobs. You would think so.

SPEAKER_01 1:57

No.

SPEAKER_00 1:57

Uh the listeners, you know, I worked for the diocese of Sioux City, and uh yeah, that's not gonna happen. And that's okay. They're a nonprofit, you know, they shouldn't be um giving bumps. So welcome to the show, Heidi. It's so wonderful to meet you and have you come on in. But why don't we start and you can tell the listeners a little bit about yourself?

SPEAKER_01 2:16

Well, thanks for having me. Um, like she said, I'm Heidi Probasco, I'm director of Offer Office of Stewardship and Development. I have been with the diocese since um August 18th of last year, so not quite a year. Um, so I come from a background of I did insurance before this, and I also worked retail. Um, I'm originally from Scribner, Nebraska.

SPEAKER_00 2:36

Oh, Archdiocese of Omaha.

SPEAKER_01 2:38

Yes, yes, yep, yep. I grew up there, went to college in Lincoln, lived there for a few years, um, married my high school sweetheart. So we've been together for 25 years dating, so it's been a while. Um, we have four wonderful kids, um, a 15-year-old daughter, Remy, uh 14-year-old son, AJ, uh 10-year-old daughter, Ariana, and then my four-year-old son, Silas. Um, so we um yeah, we moved here. My husband brought his job here. He worked at Bar Cliff, now he works at USD. Um, and I just took this job because I wanted to get back into my faith and and um do good things.

SPEAKER_00 3:14

So maybe you could explain to the listeners what it is that you do in stewardship and development.

SPEAKER_01 3:21

Um, yeah, so I just kind of um I go around the diocese basically. I meet new people all the time. I'm kind of developing new programs to bring within the program within the diocese. Um I do the bishop's dinner, I do the bishop's circle gatherings, um, just kind of trying to raise awareness of what the diocese does and be a resource to also the development directors within the schools. Um, yeah, so a lot of a big range of things. We also do the annual appeal together as one. Um so that actually this year is changing to the Lenten season. We're kind of bringing the almsgiving back into it. Um, so that is um gonna be an adjustment as well.

SPEAKER_00 3:59

Yeah, it will be, but uh listeners they're really good about adjusting because change can be good. Yes, it can be good. Yes, yes. And that's what I want to really focus on is um you know the bishop's dinner for Catholic schools and how it has kind of evolved. And maybe first we should talk about um what the event will um encompass this year.

SPEAKER_01 4:22

Yeah, yeah. So what we're gonna do um this year we're starting off with uh Vespers at four o'clock at the cathedral. Um, so that is completely optional, but highly encouraged. Um, Bishop will be doing that as well. And then at 4 30, we're doing um the social hour uh at the riverfront, the Marriott Riverfront in Saul Sioux. Um and so then we are also going to be hosting an art show before that during social hour. So we're really excited about this new edition. We're trying to get more um participation from the schools in this event. So we're trying to display the artwork from the children throughout the schools, the 14 schools that we have in the diocese. So really excited about that. It'll be hanging art, sculptures, um, different things like that, hopefully. Um, and then we'll start off with the meal at 5 45, and then um we're gonna do awards, and then Bishop Keener is going to be our keynote speaker this year.

SPEAKER_00 5:18

So well, that is perfect. Yeah, because he's new, and people I shouldn't say he's new, but he's fairly new, and to bring him up so people can continue to get to know him. Yes, yes, perfect.

SPEAKER_01 5:29

That was our goal is to is for everybody to be able to meet him and listen to him, and yeah, he's very personable and and and a joy to listen to.

SPEAKER_00 5:37

So yeah, he truly is. Many times I've interviewed him here on the radio, and he's come down and been very supportive of our pledge drives, and then everyday listeners at three o'clock, you can hear him introduce the chaplet of divine mercy. So we are so pleased that um, you know, we have a relationship with him. He he's just delightful. Not to say Bishop Walker Nicholas is not also delightful. He's a huge supporter of the station as well. Yeah, so we are very blessed to have relationships with both of these wonderful men of God.

SPEAKER_01 6:04

Yes, yes, and they'll both be there that night, so it's it'll be a great evening.

SPEAKER_00 6:08

So yes, it will be. So uh are you also doing awards? Because that was a huge deal previously with the Bishop's Dinner for Catholic schools, and so maybe you can tell the listeners a little bit about that hype.

SPEAKER_01 6:20

Yep, yep. So we have five awards to give out this year. Um, and then also we're bringing back the clergy award. So the five awards, um, the the five winners are gonna be Carla Johnson and she's from Bishop Healen. Um, Kathleen Jones is from Sacred Heart Boone, uh, Chris Bork is from Bishop Healen, Sarah Borman is from Humboldt, uh St. Mary, and Michelle Davis is also from Halen. So we're excited to give out those awards. Those are the Bishop's Excellence Awards and Good Shepherd Awards. And then we're also giving out the Clergy Award to Father Um Father Collison, so from um Carroll. So we're super excited to bring that back and to honor these people, and it's just gonna be in a great event.

SPEAKER_00 6:59

So yes, it will be. And those are wonderful individuals who are very uh worthy of receiving all those awards. Um, most of them I know because the listeners know I've been in, you know, the field for well with uh the Catholic Globe newspaper, now Lumen, um, for 25 years. So a lot of these people I'm very familiar with. Chris Bork, we've had on the station here to talk about stuff at Healing. I believe most of my boys had Carla Johnson at Healing, and the others I'm familiar with too. And uh who doesn't love Craig Collison? I can't tell you how many stories I did with him over the years. So this is just wonderful. Um now I I alluded to the listeners that that you all had taken a little bit of time off to kind of evaluate and uh kind of what what do we want to do? Examine, you know, the purpose of the event, and maybe you could tell the listeners a little bit about um how the committee sat around and said, what do we want to have happen?

SPEAKER_01 7:57

Um I think what we did was we sat down and what do we want to do different? How do we want to appeal to the Catholic education more and honor the the people that actually matter within these schools, the teachers, the staff, the students? Um that's the reason why we're doing this and why it's so important that all these funds are gonna go toward back towards these schools, um, towards mental health, towards uh technology, towards staff development. Um everything goes back to these students, and so I really wanted to change it up to highlight the students and the teachers and bring their participation within within the dinner and be able to highlight all of all of what they do for the Catholic education.

SPEAKER_00 8:35

So and it's always well attended because with these individuals who are receiving the awards, they usually bring their friends from their communities.

SPEAKER_01 8:44

Yes, they have a good following because they're very well supported within their communities, and that's kind of what we want to do is is to honor them in front of their communities. So yeah.

SPEAKER_00 8:52

Does this year have a theme?

SPEAKER_01 8:54

It is, it's uh rooted in faith, forming saints and scholars.

SPEAKER_00 8:58

Ooh, that is powerful. Yes, yes. How did you come up with that? I mean, uh when you think about it, there are a million different words you could choose. Um, so how did you brainstorm rooted in faith?

SPEAKER_01 9:12

That's a good question. Um, I don't know. We honestly just we wanted to really draw it back, like I said, to the Catholic education. And what we're trying to do with Catholic education is to form saints and scholars, to educate them, but also, you know, within the religion and just keep them strong in their faith, basically. So it's kind of funny.

SPEAKER_00 9:29

Yeah, that sounds like it's a plan. Yeah, yeah. And then um unusual this year is the addition of this art show. Yes. So how did that come about and what were your parameters and how did you market it to the schools?

SPEAKER_01 9:41

Well, I really don't have any parameters as of right now. Um so it's kind of just I'm just trying to get their work, you know, displayed so that we can see it and be able to honor them as well. Um, but basically I've just reached out to all the development directors within each school and the art teachers. Um, and so just kind of trying a way to basically have something to work towards and to to display it at this event that everybody's gonna be able to see um from from across the diocese. So, you know, I have people that are gonna be from Algona and Boone. We're gonna display all of their art, and so I'm super excited from you know elementary all the way up to high school, we're gonna be displaying it all, and just something a little bit different, a little bit of a different touch to it. So and then we're gonna also try to work in um the music aspect of it from the students wise too. Um so have area students doing, you know, the choir or singing a song or playing the musical instruments or anything like that for you know social hour music and stuff like that. So we're gonna try to incorporate more of that aspect of it.

SPEAKER_00 10:40

So yeah, and I think that is admirable because quite honestly, a lot of times when we look at education in this country, we sometimes despair that our young people are perhaps very talented. And that's what we think. And and when you see the abilities of young artists, young vocalists, young instrumentalists, you think, Oh, there's hope. Yeah, there's hope.

SPEAKER_01 11:02

Definitely, yeah. And I wanna I want to be able to highlight some of the people that are very talented and um that deserve that little bit of award. So yeah.

SPEAKER_00 11:10

Yeah, and I remember in years past you also I think uh brought in some older students to kind of serve as ushers. Yeah, because those of us who are now elderly and we don't know where we're supposed to sit. And these young people coming and say, May I direct you to your seat? And I thought that was always very gracious and again made us, you know, this is the hope of the future. Yes, yes, definitely.

SPEAKER_01 11:31

And that's exactly what we're gonna do this year, yeah, too. We're gonna have um schools volunteer ushers and hopefully get more students involved as well. We have a student pricing for the for the ticket, so if students are interested in coming, it's a little bit cheaper. It's sixty dollars instead of the one fifty. So um, yeah, we just kind of am trying to build that um rapport of of getting more students and more people involved in the dinner.

SPEAKER_00 11:53

So and so how are you marketing the tickets? Um, can I go online and buy one? Or do I have to send you a check or you can do either one?

SPEAKER_01 12:03

Uh no, you can do all three. You can call, you can email, you can go online to the scdious.org. Um, you can call my phone number um at my office. It's the 233 or 712-233-7513. Or you can even email me at uh Heidi P at Scdioces.org. Um or you can yeah, just any anyway. Um the schools, the development directors can direct you as well. Um, they have all the information. Um, their sponsorship's available as well on the line online, so lots of options out there. Lots of options.

SPEAKER_00 12:38

And of course, Heidi, you haven't been here as long as I have. And so um I remember previous bishops dinners in which they would bring in some highfalutin' root and toot and speakers, and that was a huge draw. So as your committee sat around and you brainstormed about well, what do we want to do different? I love the idea of the vocalists, the instrumentalists, the art. Um, but and and I'm a big fan of Bishop Keener. I think he's gonna make a great keynote speaker, but why step away from you know, somebody who's um more noteworthy in this country? Because a lot of times that's a draw.

SPEAKER_01 13:15

So we decided to really highlight Bishop Keener this year with him being new and not everybody's met him. And he's just a he's just a very down-to-earth great um person to be around, and just we wanted to highlight him and be able to have everybody have the opportunity to meet him and to hear him. Um, because not everybody always has that opportunity to attend events, or um, you know, we may not have had an event in your area yet or anything like that. So this is an opportunity for everybody in within the diocese to come meet him, um, speak to him, shake his hand, anything like that. Um he's just a very, like I said, just a very personal personal person, and we wanted to highlight that.

SPEAKER_00 13:53

So Yeah, absolutely, and that makes sense because again, he is fairly new to this diocese. Um I remember probably one of the biggest draws was Al Roker. And he came in, he was very personable, very approachable, uh, willing to take pictures with anybody and everybody, um, and of course, national figure, um, but an uh what I would call an area figure, which was huge, is Greg McDermott from Creighton University. And he brought in a lot of younger people. Yeah Al Roker, not so much, but Greg and Greg too, extremely personable. And in fact, almost all of the um previous Bishop Dinner speakers have been very gracious, and they're coming into a community, they don't know anybody, um, you know, it's kind of cold, but they come in and boy, they make a lot of friends, and uh, you know, it's just great. Um and way, way back when I remember when they brought in Jerry Mathers, the Beaver. And if that didn't date me, I don't know what. Um, but yeah, he was uh born in Sioux City, and then of course uh the family moved to the e uh West Coast, and that's when he began his career as Leave It to Beaver, and he came back. So there's been a lot of um wonderful celebrities, I'll call them, and I I think um participants appreciated that because I don't know where else you would have a chance to shake hands with Al Roker, quite frankly, yeah, and get a picture with him. Yes, and then um the other one that was really, really good, um the the priest who does the um the food stuff, Father Leo Paddle Ling Hung, and he's all over social media. And he came here and I kidded with him because I interviewed him. I said, Are you gonna cook dinner? Because that's his foretale. Yeah, yeah. Is you know, he dinner with Father Leo. Yeah. And no, he said he he would break bread with us, but he wasn't gonna cook dinner for anybody. So I you know, the the bishop's dinner has always positioned itself as an event. Yep. Um and I think people appreciate that because it's it's something to do, and quite honestly, everybody has to eat. Yeah. So it's a it is an opportunity for those of us to get together and break bread. And I I think that's really good. Oh, and another one that was really good was uh one groovy nun, Sister Miriam. And she, of course, came out of a like a volleyball background. And I have pictures with these people, and I'm so petite, and you know, she's like, you know, a foot taller than me, and she was dynamic too. I think that's the other thing is when these people speak, they're speaking from the heart. Yes, and they wouldn't come if they didn't want to support Catholic schools. Yes. And so they talk about that and how Catholic schools impacted their lives. And so important for us to hear that is that uh, you know, it the it does. It impacts their lives. And so I think that's what we need to keep reminding ourselves is Catholic schools impact a lot of students to grow and become, well, first, we hope, productive citizens, which most of them do become. Yep. But secondly, and uh Dan Ryan, who used to be the superintendent of schools, that was his mantra. We're just trying to get them all to heaven. Yes, and that's it in a nutshell.

SPEAKER_01 17:24

Yes, definitely, yeah. Yeah, and it's just a way to create community and to bring everybody together for a common cause. You know, it's just it's just a very important aspect of our diocese that we don't celebrate enough. So yeah.

SPEAKER_00 17:37

Yeah, and this is a big diocese, and f uh Bishop Keener will admit to that because he said he used to be able uh, you know, when he was oh in Ohio, from one end of the diocese to the other was thirty minutes. Well, for me, because I live just a bit north of Sioux City, it's almost thirty minutes for me to go from my house to the mall. Yes, yes. And so you mentioned Algona, at least two and a half hours. Yeah. You know, depending on traffic. Boon, almost three hours. Yeah. And so that building up of a sense of community. The Diocese of Sioux City listeners most know is um 24 counties in northwest Iowa. Yep. And that's a lot of people to try and build up a sense of community when even Fort Dodge, you know, a good two hours, if not a little bit more. Yep. So how do you bring us all together? And that is we are really blessed in the Diocese of Sioux City. Heidi, you mentioned 14 schools. Uh I can tell you the Diocese of Des Moines does not have 14 schools. No, no. And so we are so blessed and so lucky, and I think that reason is because the vast majority of people in the diocese, Catholics, are very supportive of their Catholic school.

SPEAKER_01 18:49

Yes, they are very um so yeah, basically what we're gonna also try to do, and I don't know if we had mentioned this before, but um, so we're actually in the previous years we always had it in Sioux City. Um, so it in the few year next few years we're gonna actually do this event every other year, but we're also gonna move it within the diocese. So excellent. We're not just gonna always have it in Sioux City, we're gonna kind of try to appeal to the other um the other parishes out there that may not be able to travel two or three hours. So we're gonna try to move it within the diocese to make it more appealable or more, you know, uh be able to to travel to it easier to for some of the people um for the personer. So yeah, we're super excited about that. A little bit of a change. So good point, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 19:31

And I totally understand that too, because like I just mentioned, listeners, boom, three hours away. That's a trek. Yes, I know it is. It's time to get the bus. Yeah, you know, the bus driver can drive you, or Algona too, you know, two and a half to three hours, depending on where up there in in uh Cassooth and Palo Alto County you might be. That's a trek, and that's hard. Yeah. So I think that's great, you know, and I I totally understand again, most listeners do too. An event of this size, it's hard to do it every year. It is, it's very hard with planning and stuff. So, listeners, if you're just tuning in, I w want to remind you this show is Faith in Action. I'm your host, Joanne Fox. By this time, you should have been able to find a piece of paper and a pen or a pencil, or you whipped out your phone with your calendar. And so the event we're talking about is um the Bishop's Dinner for Catholic schools. That is Sunday, October 11th. It is at the Marriott in South Sioux City, Nebraska, which we'll talk about that as well, because that is across the river in the Archdiocese of Omaha, but that's okay. And with me in the studio is uh Heidi Prabasco. She is director of stewardship and development, and this has been so enlightening. Um oh, and listeners, um, you can go to scdiocese.org if you have to go and do something else. Um, and you will find everything you ever wanted to know about the Bishop's Dinner for Catholic schools. So I thought it was interesting because again, Heidi, when you mentioned here just before I went into reminding the listeners what this show is, getting the um event elsewhere, because for years it was at the Sioux City Convention Center, which is a fine establishment. I can't tell you how many things I've been at the convention center. Um, but going across the river to the Marriott um in South Sioux City, which is also another outstanding venue, and uh both of these venues are very good. So when the committee sat down and said, Where are we gonna have it this year? And who threw out, let's go across the river to the Archdiocese of Omaha.

SPEAKER_01 21:43

Yeah, no, I we we visited over there the last few times they had the bishops dinner, it was actually over there and had a good presence. Um, you know, and it's not very far across the bridge. So it's a very like you said, it is at a gorgeous venue. They've remodeled it, um, redid it. Uh plenty of space for what we wanted. With the art show and to have the the students be able to play the music and stuff like that. So we just felt like that that was a good option for this year. And then in the next few years we'll revisit that option and and see if there's more of a central location for this event. So yeah.

SPEAKER_00 22:15

Yeah, I imagine the people in Algona and Fort Dodge and Boone are going, could we possibly do this in uh Storm Lake? Which is kind of that is an option, yes, yes.

SPEAKER_01 22:25

That is that's a high high option on my list, yes.

SPEAKER_00 22:28

Because there's plenty of venues in the Storm Lake um community to have something of that level. Yep. And that is that that would be I I know the the people on the other side of the diocese, the east end of the diocese area. Yeah. And the Sioux City people, come on, it's an hour, ten minutes, give or take, especially now that we got Highway 20. Yes. Yes, makes it so much easier to travel across the state. So much easier. So much easier. So I want to backpedal just a bit because um you mentioned the award winners. And uh I like I said to the listeners, you know, I know most of them. And um maybe you could explain to the listeners how these people are chosen. Are they nominated? Are um um, you know, are are they solicited from the schools, you know, you know, who's in your school that would be a good one. How does this go about? And listeners, of course, I've written so many stories about this, I know, but you don't, and I want Heidi to tell you all about it.

SPEAKER_01 23:25

Yeah, there's certain criteria that they must meet. They must, you know, be working here for a certain period of time, must not have won in the past few years, um, stuff like that. But mostly it's just we send out a link and anybody can nominate them, um, whether it's a coworker, whether it's a um a friend, a family, anything like that. Um, anybody can nominate them and and basically they they have a few questions that they have to fill out and a little bit of a you know, just a brief synopsis of why they're deserving, what they do, um, you know, stuff like that. So it's it's a little bit of a process. Um, yeah. So we had five winners this year and then the clergy award. So we had a good selection of people, and it's very deserving people. So yeah.

SPEAKER_00 24:05

And Heidi, could you remind the listeners again, because we might have people that are just tuning in right now, who those winners are.

SPEAKER_01 24:11

Yeah, uh Carla Johnson is from Bishop Healen, uh, Kathleen Jones is from Sacred Heart Boone, uh, Chris Bork is from Bishop Healen as well, Sarah Borman is from Humboldt St. Mary, um, and then Michelle Davis is from Healen as well. So Father Craig Collison is um from uh from Carroll. Carroll. So yeah.

SPEAKER_00 24:31

Yep, we're seeing nice representation from all across the diocese. And there's a couple of uh different I hate to say levels, I can't think of another word for it, but the um teachers are under one um kind of protocol.

SPEAKER_01 24:45

Bishop's excellence award.

SPEAKER_00 24:47

Excellence award.

SPEAKER_01 24:48

Yep, education award, yep.

SPEAKER_00 24:49

Yes, and then the Good Shepherd Award. And that goes to primarily administration, staff, yep, that kind of folk. Yep. Which I think is great because even though this is a e well, it's for Catholic schools, but there's people who work in the Catholic schools that are just as important as the faculty. In fact, I've always said that secretary that answers that phone, she's the gatekeeper.

SPEAKER_01 25:12

Yep, yep, yep.

SPEAKER_00 25:13

To get you to the principal or the teacher.

SPEAKER_01 25:15

Yeah, Michelle Davis is actually the custodian at Bishop Halen, but you know, it just it takes uh a whole village for it to go around. So it's you know, it all aspects of it is honored, which is great to see.

SPEAKER_00 25:26

So that really and they are so deserving. Yes, so deserving of all of these. Each and every one of them, yes. Yep. Maybe um you could explain to the listeners do you have a goal uh money-wise for this, or just we're just hoping people will show up?

SPEAKER_01 25:43

Well, both. We do hope people will show up, yes, but we do have a goal of 150,000 to raise with sponsorships and ticket sales, uh, mostly with sponsorships. Um those are big um big bring uh big supporters. Um but like I said, all of the funds will go directly back to the schools in these um excellent, excellent education agreements. Um and it supports the student mental mental health wellness, um, fire foundation, um, the technology, Catholic identity, staff development, stuff like that. So all of the funds, all of the profits go back to the schools. I just I love to reiterate that because that's what's important to this this cause.

SPEAKER_00 26:22

So absolutely, and boy, in this day and age, and then and I know the listeners know this, it takes a goodly amount of money to run a Catholic school. It does. I know we are more um resourceful and we are better stewards of our dollars and our resources, but in essence, I and I we probably do a better job of our resources. And I love our public schools, you know. Uh I'm a product of a public school. And I appreciate that, but I think we are a little more cognizant of our resources and how we distribute them. And in fact, remind me, and I could be wrong on this because again, in my old age, I can't remember stuff, but um the funds do they go still through the Catholic School Foundation?

SPEAKER_01 27:07

And it's a Catholic School Foundation that actually um they have a board. Um and basically we meet usually two or three times a year. Um, but yeah, basically that's where all of that is gone through. Um the funds are distributed from the Catholic School Foundation through the diocese. So Okay.

SPEAKER_00 27:27

And then they they look at the needs and wants of our 14 Catholic schools, yep. Um, our grade schools, um, and our high schools, and uh and yeah, it's like uh the needs are out there.

SPEAKER_01 27:40

Oh yes, and I'm sure and they change all the time, you know. So they're reevaluated every year. So it's not the same every year and the amounts are not always the same or or what how much is going to each. Um, but that's all reevaluated every year because everything always changes.

SPEAKER_00 27:54

Oh Lord, yes, and especially um and now my my thought process has left me. I'm not sure when the first dinner was held. I mean, it was a long time ago. And think of how the the education system, the technology, and we don't even have to go back to the first dinner for that within the last five years, I would say. And with the introduction of more AI and Chat GPT, um we have to stay on top of this stuff. And our Catholic schools and educating the students have to stay on top of it. And that means almost every year you've got to re-evaluate, you know, what do the students need now? Oh my gosh, do we need more different laptops? Do we need different software? And that comes all at a price.

SPEAKER_01 28:44

Yes, that is it's and it's ever changing. And you know, like you mentioned, the AI, I mean, that is just changing, you know, daily almost. And then you know, mental health mental health awareness is so much bigger now than it used to be. So being able to just recognize the needs of the students as well, uh, and be able to change to that and adapt to it is is very important.

SPEAKER_00 29:06

So yeah, very much so. And I'm so glad you mentioned mental health because um we all know, and I'm sure the listeners do as well, that social media has encroached upon young people's mental health. There's a lot of positive things that go along with a the a smartphone and a laptop, but there are uh a goodly amount of negative things too, and so that means we have to be vigilant in what our young people are doing with their smartphones, and that is no easy task either.

SPEAKER_01 29:35

No, it is not. I mean, even having four kids myself, it's it's a hard task to know what to do and um you know how long to to control them on their phones and stuff like that. But I think the the Catholic schools do a very good job of uh being able to be aware of those situations and and to be an assistance to the kids, so it's it's good.

SPEAKER_00 29:57

Yeah, and when you think about it, teachers are there to teach. And I used to joke that I was also the um, you know, the person who would ask students to leave. Now I was teaching at the college level, the bouncer. That's what I called myself. I was the bouncer, the grandmother, um, and the teacher. And and a lot of times that's what our teachers are. And I love it that you mentioned the you know the mental health aspect of this because we are so blessed in the diocese to have Catholic charities. And they have all done an outstanding job of partnering with our schools, bringing to the attention of teachers who are trained to teach and not maybe be the bouncer and the psychiatrist and the mother and grandmother. And so we are very lucky in this diocese to have Catholic charities that they have done a wonderful job of helping teachers and staff and administration kind of monitor this and and here's ideas and here's what we are learning about it, which if you think technology is changing, the whole approach to mental health is changing as well.

SPEAKER_01 30:59

Yes, definitely. Yeah, Catholic Charities is a huge resource to all of the schools out there. Um, you know, I know that they have like mental therapists um out there within the rural community, so that you know the rural communities aren't lost or forgotten or anything like that. So um it's yeah, it's very important that we just touch base with all of the schools and be a resource to all of them. So yeah.

SPEAKER_00 31:20

Absolutely. So let's get just a bit personal. So now you've been in this job for a while. What would you say is the best part of the being able to be out in the parishes?

SPEAKER_01 31:29

That was so when I first started this position, I actually went out and visited all of the parishes, visited all the priests, um, traveled all the way to Algona, traveled all the way to Boone, um, everywhere. And just met with the priest and the parish and just being able to like, you know, meet new people and just find out the needs of them and be a resource to them has been just the greatest reward of this position. So yeah, just being able to meet new people is my greatest asset of this one.

SPEAKER_00 31:58

Yeah, the raising funds that's kind of secondary.

SPEAKER_01 32:01

Yeah, it is, it is. I mean, yeah, it I try to reiterate that stewardship is not just being a fundraiser, it's not just constantly asking for money, but also being a resource of you know, just being able to like, you need help with an estate plan, okay? Well, we have estate planning guides, you know. Um, well, where can I donate? What charities are there out there? All right, well, this is where you can donate, but also bringing the importance back to stewardship of you know, being thankful and using our resources, our time, talent, our treasure, and being able to just volunteer back in your community, being, you know, just good Catholics, um, all around. So that's kind of where I try to try to not focus so much on fundraising, but also just being able to get to know people as a at a personal level. Um, I we used to work retail, and my biggest thing is I missed was being around people and being able to communicate with people and get to know people. Like that was my biggest thing. I love talking to new people. I love getting to know them. So that was my thing that I really wanted to get back into was just being able to go out into the communities and the in the parishes and be a face. Um, not just someone that sits behind a desk.

SPEAKER_00 33:11

So yeah, with your hand out or your your hat. Yes, exactly. Where people are going, oh Heidi's here. Yes, she's gonna ask me for more money.

SPEAKER_01 33:20

No, no, that's not what yeah, I don't want them to associate my name with that. Like I want them to be like, oh, Heidi, you know, that's it's it's you know, I try to communicate more out to I do flock notes um once a week. I've been doing more plan giving um videos, sending out um, just because I want everybody to be prepared for you know, end of life, whether it's long ways down the road or you know, um sooner than we think. But I just want people to know that we are a resource for them as well, that they can reach out and we can help them in any way.

SPEAKER_00 33:53

So yeah, and I uh we almost parallel each other is that uh, you know, in my journalism years I did work for uh the Daily Newspaper and then uh worked for the Catholic Globe. And the difference was I loved meeting people and telling their stories. Yeah, but the difference for me was on another level. When I was working for the Catholic newspaper, it enhanced my faith as well. And I I found that to be such an interesting difference between the two because I too love meeting people, love learning about their stories, especially as Paul Harvey, and again I just dated myself. The rest of the story.

SPEAKER_01 34:29

I used to listen to Paul Harvey all the time. Oh, take a boy.

SPEAKER_00 34:32

Okay, so I'm not that old. No, no. But you know, when I would step away from interviewing somebody about their faith or what was motivating them or what challenged them, I took that away as then looking at my own faith and what could I do to be better. And when you mentioned, you know, the retail and the people, you know, we both love people clearly, but this is a different element of meeting people, I think. And you know, maybe you could just share with the listeners if that is also something that you have encountered.

SPEAKER_01 35:05

Oh, most definitely, yeah. Um, you know, I grew up where I was my parents, we we were on vacation and we found a church to go to. We never missed church, we never, you know, we were in CCD every Wednesday, we um we did all the sacraments, everything, you know. And I feel like once you get into college and you get your early years, you kind of fall away from your faith a little bit. Um, it's not necessarily that I believe different, it's just I didn't attend church as often and I kind of just didn't associate myself with the church very much. Um, but once I had kids and my one daughter wanted to get back into her faith, I said, now it's time. It's time. I've I've missed it and I I knew something was missing in my life, and you can totally tell a difference when that's missing. Um so we started going to church more, and I just felt like that's what I was missing. And so coming into this job and having this opportunity has brought me back into my faith so much. Um and also Bishop Keener and Bishop Nicholas, like it's it's very refreshing. Um, I don't know, I grew up where like the bishop you only saw them at confirmation time and you didn't really talk to them, you didn't really get to know them. You you got confirmed and that was it. And so you see them as these like highly people. Whereas when I get to work with the bishops now, they're just personal people. They're very down-to-earth and they make me want to be in my faith more. They make me appreciate the Catholic faith more and the community of it, and it's just very touching to be able to go to adoration and to mass and be able to celebrate it with, you know, um, my colleagues at the diocese or being able to go to during Catholic schools week, I went um I went out to um Fort Dodge and did mass there. So, you know, being able to go to these other parishes and celebrate mass with them as well just it just reminds me why my parents, you know, brought me up the way I did. So it's it's it's it's a good opportunity to also share that with my kids.

SPEAKER_00 36:58

So yeah, and I think uh that's a great point you make in that um when we go elsewhere, and uh listeners probably know this as well, a lot of times we become kind of self-absorbed in our surroundings, and then you go elsewhere and you go, holy wow, look at what's going on in Fort Dodger or Algona or Boone or Storm Lake, and you are enlightened, and you then you take that away and you go, This is really terrific.

SPEAKER_01 37:25

Yes, yes, and and especially in my position now, I look at going to church differently because then after mass, I look at, you know, what are they doing differently? How are they connecting with their parishioners? Because there's it's always changing, like we said before. Like just the way we communicate with our parishioners is changing, like you know, electronically. A lot of things are going electronically rather than mail, a lot of things are going on an app rather than in a bulletin. So being able to to appeal to all different generations and different ways people communicate is also, I feel, like, very important. Very important.

SPEAKER_00 37:58

So, listeners again, I want to remind you this uh program today is all about the bishop's dinner for Catholic schools. By now you should have the pencil and paper and or your phone. Sunday, October 11th at the Marriott in South Sioux City, Nebraska. And uh if you want tickets, you can go to SCdiocese.org. They do have a special student price, which I thought was great. So it's $60 for students, it's $150 for um adults, and at the Bishop's Dinner for Catholic schools, uh it starts with Vespers at 4 p.m. And will that be at Cathedral? Yep, Catholic. And then you can kind of segue. If you can't make Vespers for whatever reason, um the meal itself starts at 5 45, and then they'll have this art show. Um that'll start about 4 30-ish. Yep, yep. Yep. And then the as music, thank you, Catholic schools for pro students for providing music and ushers, and then of course there's the awards, the Bishop um Excellence in Education Awards, the Good Shepherds Awards, and so so many things. Um and like any event, you gotta tell the caterers how many people are coming so that you got enough chicken or whatever for them. And that they really would like you to uh get your reservation in by October 1st. That just makes sense. However, we all know circumstances can change in the blink of an eye. And if you thought you couldn't go, and it's Sunday, October 11th at 4 o'clock, and you, oh my gosh, I can go. If you walk in the door that night with a check or some money, they will let you in. And that's because, well, we're all brothers and sisters. Yes, we are welcoming and we want you to attend. So this has been just delightful. I so appreciate uh my guest in the studio today, Heidi Prabasco. She is the director of stewardship and development for the Diocese of Sioux City. Heidi, thank you so very much for taking time out of your busy schedule to come down here and share with the listeners this wonderful event.

SPEAKER_01 40:05

Well, I appreciate the opportunity and to meet you. I I I just this is a great event and we're super excited to host it and and excited to see everyone there.

SPEAKER_00 40:13

And we are super, super excited. We are also, I believe, um, one of the sponsors of this event. You are Siouxland Catholic Radio is. Because we believe very firmly in the event and we want it to be successful. Thank you. Appreciate it. So, listeners, that wraps up another edition of Faith in Action. Uh, if you tuned in late or you would like to hear this again, all you have to do is go to our website, Siouxland Catholic Radio.com, click on local programs, and click on Faith in Action. You can listen at your convenience. And listeners, by this time you should know we have a number of wonderful local shows on Sioux and Catholic Radio. We have the Divine Mercy Chaplet daily at 3 p.m. Mass is celebrated at Modern Day and aired Sunday at 9 a.m. Life Plan, which comes out of Omaha, great show for young people, Sundays, 8 p.m. Catholic Ministry Professionals with John and Ty, Tuesdays at 4 p.m. And Father Knows Best with Father Mark Stoll airs every Wednesday at 9 p.m. So, like I said, that brings to a conclusion another edition of Faith in Action. Thank you so very much for taking the time to support us and be listeners. We are so very grateful. And on behalf of myself, I'm the host of this show, Joanne Fox, and my executive producer, Ann Reed. I want to remind you that a faithful reaction is good, but faith in action, it's so much better. Thanks for listening and God bless.