Award humbles priest

The Rev. James E. Keiter will received Creighton University’s Archbishop Daniel E. Sheehan Award next month.

The award recognizes a priest or brother for service to society, to the church and to Catholic education.

In addition to serving as pastor at Assumption Parish, Keiter is president of Assumption-Guadalupe grade school and Saint Peter Claver Cristo Rey High School.

He is the first president of the high school, which opened in 2007. It’s part of a Jesuit-operated nationwide network of inner-city schools. Keiter was integral to the school’s successful launch.

Keiter, 37, described himself as humbled by the award.

“There’s a lot of people that do a lot of great work in the city and within education and within the Catholic community and the greater community,” he said. “It’s always an honor when you’re selected from so many great people.

“I’m humbled and honored, but it’s all the more motivation to continue doing what we’re doing.”

Keiter is a member of the Archdiocese CORE School Board, an advisory board to Archbishop George Lucas on inner-city issues.

He grew up in Hartington, Neb., and was ordained a priest in 2001. He holds a bachelor of science degree in biology from Wayne State College and a master of divinity and a master of arts in theology from Mount St. Mary’s.

“Keiter is an exemplary person,” said Fr. Dick Hauser, S.J., professor of theology at Creighton University.

“He’s a wonderful person, and the dynamism of his personality and the energy he brings to this work warrants his receiving this Archbishop Sheehan Award. He is a primary mover in Catholic education here in our archdiocese, and in every sense deserves this award. Creighton University is grateful he accepted it from us,” Hauser said.

Keiter will receive his award at Creighton’s Priests and Brothers annual dinner and basketball game Feb. 3.

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