GARY – A body of believers is the lifeblood of any church, and a parish breathes in and out as dedicated people lift up its ministries and functions. Cultural shifts and pendulum swings have helped create a significant uptick in young people’s interest in religious participation, seen by many as the work of the Holy Spirit.
In Great Britain, new polling data shows that more young people identify as Catholic than Anglican or any other Protestant denomination; on any given Sunday, a majority of churchgoers are likely to be at a Catholic church. This is a first since King Henry VIII’s campaign of destruction against the Church in the 1500s.
Closer to home, diocesan faithful have stepped up to volunteer in evangelistic efforts and continue in neighborly outreach to bring people into the fold, especially young adults. At St. Mary of the Lake in the Miller section of Gary, the sustainability and growth of the church has been a major focus since it teetered on closing.
From the year of opportunity given to the parish in 2015 by then-Bishop of Gary Donald J. Hying, to the efforts led by the late Bishop Dale J. Melczek, who dedicated his final years – and his active retirement – to be St. Mary’s administrator, today’s parishioners carry on with a mission of growth.
Albert Alfano, a 30-year-old parishioner, first arrived at St. Mary of the Lake in December 2021. He said a neighbor noticed a religious decal on his car and invited him to attend Mass at the Miller Street church.
“St. Mary of the Lake is right next to downtown Miller Beach, and I think all the churches play their part, but St. Mary’s especially is a place where people come out to support,” said Alfano, a caretaker and a hospitality manager. “There are so many people who have helped out at St. Mary’s in so many ways.”
Alfano is appreciative of the friendliness of those who gather for Mass, the vibrancy of the worship and the “can-do” spirit of those who roll up their sleeves to coordinate outreach, community gardening and festive gatherings. He eventually identified an area of ministry that he thought needed some assistance.
In July, he launched the first young adult group at the church in recent memory. “The reason I started it was because I wanted to do something with the youth. I went to other diocesan events and I thought I could do this myself,” Alfano explained.
He has passed out flyers at area businesses, including restaurants and fitness centers, a decidedly analog approach.
“It’s tough because young adults are so transitory; they want community, but at the same time, we’re all living on our phone – we’re so digital, it’s hard to get out and make time,” Alfano said.
The young adult group hosted meetings where inspiring and challenging videos were shown, followed by group discussions. Eventually, Alfano gave his own personal testimony of faith. “I was nervous about it, but that kind of kicked everything off,” he recalled.
Feeling momentum, he decided to host monthly meetings. “People said, ‘Oh, you should keep going with it,’” Alfano said.
He has hosted events as different as a pre-Christmas “Friendsgiving” gathering and a Holy Week screening of “The Passion of the Christ.”
“I’ll try different ways to evangelize, that’s part of the point of it … Fruit bears when you go deeper,” he explained.
Young adult ministry is seen as a critical step in not only accompanying people’s journeys of faith, but also as a way to ensure that the next generation of Catholics will be well represented in the life of the Church, according to parish secretary Adina Wiseman.
“Albert has kind of just taken this upon himself and it’s wonderful because, especially here in this church, there is an aging population,” said the parishioner who, along with her husband Jim Wiseman, has coordinated major church festivities. “He’s taken the initiative to bring in younger adults and I just think it’s wonderful.”
Wiseman believes Alfano’s initial direct evangelization has not only helped him break out of his shell, but also allowed him to develop one innovative idea after another.
“He’s done a wonderful job of reaching out to people. He comes up with unique ways to try to engage younger adults by having that balance between social and spiritual content,” she said.
Reflecting with gratitude on those who have contributed to the reemergence of the Gary parish, both Alfano and the Wisemans tipped their hats to the legacy of Bishop Melczek, who they said was a caring father-figure. “I still have his picture on my mirror, and when I get ready in the morning, I always say a prayer for him, because he is always going to be a part of this church,” Wiseman said.
A spirit of optimism abounds in the creative enclave of Miller. From Marquette Park, to lakefront homes, to cafes in the business district, residents have raved about civic pride and the helpfulness among neighbors. A flame of faith also burns brightly like a refinery stack, and is testimony to the bold hospitality of St. Mary of the Lake parishioners.
“The number one thing that draws people and keeps them coming back is the people; we are really friendly here and we want to know everybody's name who comes through the door,” explained Wiseman. “Even though we are rooted in tradition, I think that when (new) people visit, they feel like they are coming back home.”
Caption: St. Mary of the Lake young adult group coordinator Albert Alfano (left) and parishioner Naomi Perez Mendez (right) hand out brochures at the Planet Fitness gym in Hobart in April. Leaders at the church in the Miller section of Gary have developed a ministry for young Catholics and continue outreach, including direct marketing, to help grow the initiative. (Provided Photo)
