Basic to our human existence is our experience of longing. From our earliest years we know the yearning for the fulfillment of our desires. How often do children from the back seat of the van ask, “Are we there yet?” In these days of Advent children wonder when it will be Christmas. I remember how eager I was to get my drivers license, since I had already been driving a tractor on our family farm for several years. The longing and desire for “what’s next” seems to be a life-long experience for us.  Longing for something else, something more, something better underlies our longing for what will ultimately fulfill us. Sometimes we try to find that fulfillment in our favorite things, like food, entertainment, recreation or hobbies and pastimes of one kind or another.  

When Bishop Emeritus William Dendinger told Father Jim Golka, pastor at St. Mary’s Cathedral after his appointment there, that he would pray that God would send him the right people, God really came through.     Father Golka said he needed help with Hispanic ministry at the Cathedral when he arrived in 2016, and he was fortunate to have religious from Servants of the Risen Christ there on a mission. While that was only temporary, Father Golka asked if they would consider returning to work at the Cathedral full time. A year later, they came back to stay.     

Nearly 80 youth from across the Diocese of Grand Island attended the National Catholic Youth Conference in Indianapolis Nov. 21-23, joining 20,000 other youth from across the country.     “NCYC is a great opportunity for our young people to see the universality of the church,” said Eric Heckman, director of youth and young adult ministry for the diocese. “To be in a group of 20,000 believers the young church begins to realize that they are a part of something bigger than themselves.”     Heckman said students attended from Chadron, Alliance, Stapleton, Valentine, Kearney and Grand Island.