John Edward Keehner


John Edward Keehner is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who has been serving as bishop for the Diocese of Sioux City in Iowa since 2025.

Biography

Early life

John Keehner was born in Youngstown, Ohio, on November 19, 1965.He graduated from Austintown Fitch High School in Austintown, Ohio, in 1984. Deciding to become a priest, he entered the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, Ohio. Keehner received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English in 1988. He continued his studies at Athenaeum of Ohio- Mount St. Mary Seminary of the West in Cincinnati, Ohio, earning Master of Divinity and Master of Arts in biblical studies degrees in 1993.

Priesthood

On June 12, 1993, Keehner was ordained to the priesthood at St. Columba Cathedral in Youngstown for the Diocese of Youngstown by Bishop James W. Malone. After his ordination, Keehner was assigned as an assistant pastor of St Charles Borromeo Parish in Boardman, Ohio. In 1997, Keehner began graduate studies in canon law at the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas in Rome. He returned to Youngstown in 1999, where he was named vice rector of St. Columba and as a judge for the diocesan tribunal.
Keehner has also served as rector of St. Columba and as director of the Newman Center at Youngstown State University in Youngstown. He served as pastor at the following parishes in Ohio:
Before his consecration, Keehner had been named dean of the Ashtabula Deanery and was serving as pastor for Our Lady of Peace Parish in Ashtabula, Assumption Parish in Geneva, Corpus Christi Parish in Conneaut and St. Andrew Bobola in Sheffield.

Bishop of Sioux City

Pope Francis appointed Keehner as bishop of Sioux City on February 12, 2025. On May 1, 2025, Keehner was consecrated as a bishop by Archbishop Thomas Robert Zinkula at the Cathedral of the Epiphany in Sioux City.