It was a little spookier than other years, but 2026 Trivia Night in Imperial on 10/30 was as competitive and fun as the last previous events.
As I drove my daughters home from school the other day, they asked me if I knew the saint who wanted to be small. Giving it some thought and asking for a few hints, I responded: St. Thérèse of Lisieux. Saoirse then asked, “Do you know why she wanted to be small? Because she loved Jesus so much."
180 with Katie delivers the latest news from Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska in just 180 seconds! In this episode, Executive Director Katie Patrick and Development Officer John Soukup share stories of compassion and generosity from across CSS, including a woman sharing her bus pass with someone in need, a church community collecting gift cards for a refugee family, and employees and volunteers going above and beyond to help others. These stories highlight how our CSS family and community partners put the Works of Mercy into action and bring hope and love into every encounter.
You can sip on a margarita or a Moscow mule and nosh on charcuterie-style appetizers, while hanging up and buying vintage fashion – all as you volunteer at a Lincoln thrift store whose mission is for the greater glory of God.
On Sunday, October 4, we celebrated the Hope in the Good Life impact of Catholic Social Services Hastings. Together with our CCS Hastings staff, volunteers, and donors, we were able to recognize the incredible work done in 2025 to help our southcentral Nebraska neighbors!
St. Louise Gift & Thrift is full of amazing Catholic items. Customers enter and see images of Jesus, prayer booklets, crucifixes, and rosaries in an array of colors. I always wonder what non-Catholics think of these items in the shop; this might be the only place where they are exposed to Catholic items.
Finding a home is one of the main goals for many of the women at St. Gianna’s Women’s Home as they prepare to rebuild their lives. But what should be an exciting next step often becomes a source of frustration and discouragement.
Culminating on Saturday, August 8th at the Pius X High School track, the 2026 Walk to End Hunger was a huge success.
CSS Southwest's welcoming space in McCook allows us to offer not only practical assistance but also compassion, understanding, and community connections.
I want to share an inspiring story about one of the families we have had the privilege to support: Ku Htee Paw and her family.
Catholic Social Services in Lincoln seeks a Director of Programs to provide vision, leadership, and oversight for programs that promote the integral development of the human person through compassionate service, authentic accompaniment, and meaningful community engagement.
Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them. For it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.Matthew 19:14
At Little Blessings Child Care of Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska, we take these words of Our Lord seriously, not simply by teaching the children about Jesus, but by guiding them to encounter Christ. Every day we bring the little blessings in our care to visit Jesus in our chapel where they genuflect, listen, sing, pray, learn reverence for God’s house, and learn all about the Eucharist. We emphasize charity and love in our lessons and in how we ourselves model behavior for the children and it is so beautiful when we get to see those lessons take root!
Our "little blessings" have been busy busy! Our latest newsletter highlights their September adventures, shares important notes from our Child Care Manager (including our openings for YOUR littles!!), and, of course, includes snapshots of our littles having fun.
Listen as we look beyond the numbers to the people and stories behind our work in August!
"I personally invite you to join us Oct. 4 for our annual Bountiful Harvest dinner and auction. This year’s theme, 'A New Harvest and a Bountiful Future,' celebrates how God has visibly moved among us. This special evening is a time to share inspiring stories and honor the incredible dedication of Tom and Tammie Schik, who will receive this year’s 'Love of Christ' award for their steadfast generosity to CSS and the diocese."
A Nebraska recycling organization has honored the Hastings office of Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska for its work keeping cast-off items and materials out of the waste stream.
Our St. Joseph Gift & Thrift Store in Hastings will be CLOSED on Saturday, September 26th. All other CSS Gift & Thrift stores will follow their regularly scheduled hours.
I am very blessed to be from a large family and being raised on a livestock and crops farm located 10 miles east of Des Moines. We cared for many things - fruit trees, grains and a range of two and four legged critters. It worked in no small measure because there were 12 of us, I have six sisters and three brothers, nurtured by two loving parents from the Greatest Generation who worked to impart their values that included generosity, resilience, duty and sacrifice, and hospitality.
From helping a homeless individual living in his vehicle secure a place to call home, to assisting a family displaced from their home after a devastating rainstorm, CSS Southwest (serving Chase, Dundy, Frontier, Hays, Hitchcock, Lincoln, Perkins, and Red Willow counties) is there when people need help the most.
As we transition into the autumn season (and hopefully some cooler weather!), we are reminded of the blessing of a generous harvest. Here at Catholic Social Services in Hastings, we see a different kind of harvest every day—one of hope, love, and encounter with Jesus really present everyday in those with need. I wanted to personally take this moment to invite you to join us for our upcoming Bountiful Harvest celebration.
Life often unfolds in ways we cannot anticipate, reminding us that we are all part of a larger, supportive community. For one new mother, her little one decided to make an early appearance right around the Independence Day holiday.
Communities, and individuals, can grow when they’re built on support systems. Without them, one is more likely to be tempted to take an easier road or even give up. Like John Donne once penned, “No man is an island; entire of itself.”
Surrounded by prayers from CSS employees unable to jump in due to distance or prior obligations—understandable in a service area of 24,000 square miles—more than a dozen of us showed up that afternoon to move furniture, install appliances, make beds, gather kitchen supplies, arrange dinner for the kids, and so much more.
For Nolan Lemna of Lincoln, caring for God’s creation and caring for people in need are not separate callings. They are two ways of living out the same responsibility: to be good stewards of God’s gifts and to share those gifts with our neighbors.
In addition to welcoming thousands of families over the years, the refugee resettlement program at CSS impacted hundreds of everyday Nebraskans by inviting them to serve as refugee case managers, host families, volunteer English teachers, mentors, employment counselors, and more.
