Father Crotty, director of seminarians and Father Shane Deman, director of seminarians for the diocese and vice-rector at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary were guests on Illuminating Catholics, the Diocese of Sioux City podcast. The two participate in Vocations Mythbusters questions. Episode drops Jan. 7, 2025.

Although participation in the summer Quo Vadis and Quest trips is healthy for the Office of Vocations, there is still a need to retain contact with discerning young men throughout the year. For the first time, the office is offering Fireside during the last weekend of Advent. Fireside will be held Dec. 21 and 22 at King’s Pointe Resort in Storm Lake. There is no cost to attend and meals are included. Storm Lake was selected due to its central location and facilities to house the participants for the event.

Retired priest Father Brian Hughes spoke to discerning men and Immaculate Heart of Mary seminarians about the history of the diocese. Immaculate Heart of Mary is in Winona, Minnesota. Director of Vocations, Father Travis Crotty accompanied the discerners and Father Hughes.

This Advent the Vocations Office and the seminarians of the Diocese of Sioux City are inviting college age men who are open to the possibility of a call to the priesthood to a short weekend discernment check-in called "Fireside," December 21 and 22 in Storm Lake at Kings Pointe Resort and Hotel.

Dave and Gina Jensen of Sioux City made the trek to Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary in Winona to see Jack, one of our newest seminarians.

Last night Vocations Director Father Travis Crotty joined students at St. Stephen the Witness Student Center in Cedar Falls on the University of Northern Iowa campus for their weekly Primetime Mass. Students from across the Diocese of Sioux City gathered for a picture afterwards before relaxing in a post-Mass social of popcorn, lemonades and games.

Seminarians attending Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary in Winona, Minnesota start classes today! (Sept. 3) Keep all our seminarians in prayer.

The seminarians and Father Shane Deman of Kenrick-Glennon Seminary shared a first day of school photo.

Two of our newest seminarians, Anthony Sibbel and Jack Jensen will be studying at Immaculate Heart of Mary seminary this fall. They recently enjoyed a Minnesota Twins' baseball game with some classmates.

Our seminarians are at the Iowa Seminarian Convocation in Cedar Falls.

The Office of Vocations sponsored the Aug. 2-4 Quo Vadis retreat at the Iowa Great Lakes area. Diocesan seminarians and young men discerning a vocation attended.

As the annual Seminarian Appeal kicks off, seminarians for the Diocese of Sioux City and the priests of the diocesan Office of Vocations are grateful for the support of the faithful, both in prayer and financial gifts. “We thank the people of the diocese for the support they constantly show us. It’s not randomly here or there - it’s consistent throughout the year. The Seminarian Appeal is obviously one of the major ways people help us, but not the only way,” said Deacon Jake Rosenmeyer, diocesan seminarian.

Each summer the Vocations Office of the Diocese of Sioux City with the help of diocesan seminarians host a trip for young men of the diocese to explore masculine spirituality, prayer and fraternity. This year’s group of 41 men included three priests – Father Travis Crotty, director of vocations: Father Ross Caniglia of Holy Trinity Parish in Fort Dodge and Father Zach Jones of Divine Mercy Parish in Algona - six seminarians and 32 young men of the diocese.

Mater Dei Parish in Sioux City presented new seminarian Jack Jensen with a cassock and surplice. Father Mark Stoll offered a blessing. The parish family plans to continue to pray for Jack as he enters the seminary later this month. During the service, his parents dressed him in the cassock and surplice.

Seminarian Zach Steffens served Mass at St. Mary Church in Spirit Lake last weekend with Bishop Joseph Kizito from Aliwal South Africa.

Six of the 10 diocesan seminarians are serving in several parishes of the Diocese of Sioux City this summer by assisting at Vacation Bible Schools. According to the diocesan director of seminarians, Father Shane Deman said they wanted to allow the men to serve in a variety of parish settings. “We know that seminarians benefited greatly from the Totus Tuus program of past years, meeting various pastors and DREs in different areas of the diocese,” he said.

Father Travis Crotty, the director of vocations for the Diocese of Sioux City, recently participated in the Eucharistic Procession held at St. Augustine in Des Moines.

Algona Divine Mercy parishioner Jacob Rosenmeyer was ordained to the transitional diaconate June 1 by Bishop Walker Nickless at the Sioux City Cathedral of the Epiphany. Rosenmeyer is a seminarian studying at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary near St. Louis, Missouri. Read the story that appeared in The Lumen's June 6 edition.

The Diocese of Sioux City recently announced the addition of one more seminarian as Anthony Sibbel of Roselle will attend the Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary later this summer. Read the story on Sibbel that appeared in The Lumen's June 6, 2024 edition.

A 2024 Bishop Heelan High School graduate, Jack Jensen, has been accepted as a diocesan seminarian. Read the full story that appeared in the May 23 diocesan newspaper, The Lumen.