On May 1st Fr. John Keehner was ordained as the eighth bishop of Sioux City Diocese in an inspiring liturgy with fifteen bishops present, priests from our diocese and from Ohio, deacons and their wives, our seminarians, pews full of guests and his own family members.
After Communion Bishop Keehner shared his heartfelt thoughts, expressing gratitude to God and our late Pope Francis, the bishops present and those who planned and participated in the inspiring liturgy, he concluded with these heartfelt words:
“I am grateful to my parents, John and Betty who were good people, who worked hard and who lived simple lives, for teaching the meaning of true love. I’m grateful to my siblings — Jerry, Richard and my twin sister Carol for your unconditional love, for helping me to become the man I am today. I am blessed to be your brother and I love you. . . .To all of you, the good people of the Diocese of Sioux City — the priests, deacons, religious and lay members of Christ’s faithful — thank you for your warm and loving welcome. Thank you for showing to me the face of Jesus which I longed to encounter when I began my walk from France across Spain eight months ago. While I will certainly miss Ohio, I am so happy to make my new home in Iowa among all of you.” 
As the world knows by now, the College of Cardinals have brought forth a successor to Francis, Pope Leo XIV. Born in Chicago, September of 1955, Robert Prevost was ordained to the priesthood in the Augustinian Order, spending much of his ordained ministry serving in Peru as a missionary. He served as the prior general of the Augustinian religious order and later became archbishop of Chiclayo, Peru. Pope Francis called him to the College of Cardinals in 2023, and later brought him to Rome to serve as the Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, (a powerful position overseeing the vetting of candidates for the episcopacy). Pope Leo XIV has kept a humble, rather quiet approach to his day to day responsibilities and positions in the Church. His order, the Augustinians, was created by St. Augustine in the 13th century, now ministering in fifty countries with a special focus on the life of community and equality among its members. He was dubbed “the least American of the Americans” by an Italian newspaper due to his soft-spoken touch.  Pope Leo XIV is the first Augustinian to be elevated to the papacy, committed to Francis’ efforts of mercy and justice for all peoples. 
On this Good Shepherd Sunday, we remember the Pope who was dubbed “the Good Pope,” John XXIII. He served less than five years until his death in 1963 but to the Catholic world his papacy reflected the image of the Good Shepherd. He was meek and gentle, with a wry self deprecating sense of humor, yet courageous in his efforts to bring the Catholic faith to all peoples. Simple in his lifestyle he took the time from his ‘worldly’ responsibilities to fulfill the Christian duties of the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. Within his diocese of Rome he visited the imprisoned, routinely visited the hospitalized, and welcomed visitors and dignitaries from many nations and faith backgrounds. He went out to the parishes in his diocese while sustaining a profound sense of prayer. Through difficult challenges and decisions, he radiated a certain peace, and always before others, a fatherly care. 
Following in the footsteps of those who served as our Shepherds before him, Pope Leo has provided us the words of hope shared at his introduction from the papal balcony: “We are all in the hands of God. Therefore, without fear, united hand in hand with God and among ourselves, we move forward.” His episcopal motto—In I’ll uno num—“In the One, we are One” is taken from a sermon by St. Augustine; a reflection of the Augustinian spirituality, "although we Christians are many, in the one Christ we are one.” 
For our Shepherd we pray: 
O God, shepherd and ruler of all the faithful, look favorably on your servant Pope Leo XIV, whom you have set at the head of your Church as her shepherd; grant, we pray, that by word and example he may be of service to those over whom he presides so that, together with the flock entrusted to his care, 
“ God Bless, Fr. Tim 
FYI: “As full of spirit as the month of May, and as gorgeous as the sun in Midsummer.” (William Shakespeare)