The annual Priests’ Jubilee Mass was celebrated on June 23 at Our Lady of Grace in Highland, followed by dinner. The occasion gave priests and other members of the Diocese of Gary a chance to honor jubilarians and thank them for their years of loyal and loving service.
Father Joseph Vamos is celebrating 60 years in the priesthood. He was born in East Chicago. During his years of education, he attended Bishop Noll Institute in Hammond, Our Lady of the Lake in Wawasee and St. Meinrad Seminary in St. Meinrad.
Father Vamos was ordained at the Cathedral of the Holy Angels in Gary in May 1966. Among his priestly assignments were pastor of St. Joseph in Hammond, St. Michael in Schererville and Our Lady of Consolation in Merrillville.
In 2013, Father Vamos traveled to Rome. After several failed attempts to meet Pope Francis, Monsignor Leonardo Sapienza, vice prefect of the pontifical household, saw the American and instructed an usher to take the priest to the side where he could meet the pope. Arriving back from Italy, the priest spoke of the importance of kindness.
“Be kind to people – that’s what I always tell young priests,” the retired pastor said. “Kindness is the greatest virtue, and the pope just wants to be kind, and it’s rubbing off on people.”
Father Vamos once remarked that life is “busy” for a retired priest. The senior priest once at St. Matthias in Crown Point, celebrated Mass on Wednesdays and, depending on schedules, on weekends. He also celebrated Mass at the former Ss. Peter and Paul in Merrillville and the hospital chapel at St. Mary Medical Center in Hobart. He now leads a quieter life at a local nursing facility.
“It went by so fast,” Father Vamos said. “It seems like just yesterday we were ordained and now all of a sudden we are celebrating 60 years.”
Also celebrating 60 years in priestly ministry is Father Robert Gehring. Father Gehring grew up in North Judson on a family farm. He attended Ss. Cyril and Methodius School and went to North Judson High School. After graduation, he spent one year at Our Lady of Lake Seminary and transferred to Saint Joseph's College in Rensselaer. He graduated with a degree in general business and a minor in accounting.
A young Father Gehring was then drafted into the U.S Army and spent two years working in cryptography, which entailed sending and receiving encoded messages.
His life was suddenly shaken by the death of his brother, James.
“It shook me into asking what I wanted to do with my life,” he said. “And it drew me back to joining the Diocese of Gary as a seminarian.”
Gehring was sent to St. Mary's Seminary in Cincinnati, Ohio, and was ordained in 1966. His
first assignment was at the Cathedral of the Holy Angels and while there, he was made vice chancellor of the diocese. A few years later, while serving as chancellor, he volunteered to work in Cambodia with the Catholic Relief Services, caring for refugees. The Vietnam War ended in April of 1975, and when he got back to the Diocese of Gary, he was assigned as pastor of St. Mary in East Chicago.
“Those 10 years were my best experience as a priest,” he said.
During that time, he found a spiritual director whom he met with monthly. He also joined a group of eight priests who formed a support group and met monthly for a meal and discussion.
“I found talking to people and finding out what they're doing helped me to always keep my focus as a priest,” he said. “Also, finding somebody to mentor me, give me ideas and suggestions, kept me focused on what to be doing as a pastoral minister.”
After 10 years at St. Mary in East Chicago, he asked the bishop for a favor. He wished to become a missionary and asked to join the Maryknoll Society as an associate priest. He was sent to Bolivia, where for almost 10 years he worked on a boat, sailing up and down the rivers of that region.
“I've been blessed with many life-giving experiences during my life, and I thank God for them all,” he said.
Father Douglas Mayer marks 40 years in the priesthood this September. His youthful days, when he and his family were parishioners at St. Bridget, were rich in Catholic practice and culture. He discerned and studied at St. Meinrad Seminary, in St. Meinrad, at Valparaiso University, and at Sacred Heart School of Theology in Hales Corners, Wisc.
Before the late Pope Francis encouraged the bishops and priests to be with the people of God, and to "smell like the flock", Father Mayer said, the Priests and Brothers of Sacred Heart were forming him with the spirit of service at the heart of the priesthood.
His studies led him to ordination to the priesthood in 1986 and pastoral service in a half dozen diocesan parishes. Father Mayer, who has been granted senior priest status effective July 1 after serving as dean of Porter Deanry and pastor at St. Paul in Valparaiso, said celebrating the sacrament of reconciliation has been among the most moving experiences of his priesthood.
“The Risen Lord is always offering us grace to grow in holiness,” he said. “In those occasions, each person needs to be open to repentance to experience mercy and an outpouring of grace. As a priest, I have been privileged to be with many people who have had a transforming encounter with Jesus.”
Father Brian Chadwick, judicial vicar for the diocese and pastor of Our Lady of Grace in Highland, celebrates 25 years in the priesthood this year. He graduated from Valparaiso University in 1996. He went to Sacred Heart Seminary in Detroit for one year of Pre-Theology, and did Theology studies at the Angelicum in Rome. He also studied Canon Law at the North American College in Rome.
Father Chadwick enjoys celebrating the sacraments, ministering to the sick, and bringing Christ to people. He said at both Sunday and daily Mass, while hearing the Word of God and participating in the Eucharist, the faithful have a chance to be part of the story of God’s people throughout the ages.
“It is how we come to know God’s life among us,” he said. “It has been such a joy and a grace to have that as part of my daily life and to share that with others.”
Father Chadwick still recalls when he was first ordained, and remembers how great it was to have so many opportunities to pray with others and share the Gospel.
“I am still amazed at those opportunities,” he said.
2026 Priest Jubilarians
25 years - Very Rev. Brian Chadwick
30 years - Rev. Williams F. O’Toole, Rev. Ian Williams
40 years - Rev. Douglas Mayer
45 years - Rev. Thomas Mischler, Rev. Walter Ciesla, Rev. Stephen Kosinski, Rev. Stephen Gibson, Rev. Joseph Uko
55 years - Rev. Michael Heimer, Rev. Gregory Holicky, Rev. Gerald Schweitzer, Rev. Edward Moszur
60 years - Rev. Joseph Vamos, Rev. Robert Gehring
61 years - Rev. Fernando De Cristobal
68 years - Rev. Dennis Blaney
71 years - Rev. Alphonse Skerl
73 years - Msgr. Joseph Semancik
