ST. JOHN – Devoted to the Blessed Sacrament, Jim and Allison Maciejewski are living their best life as active parishioners at St. John the Evangelist who also reach beyond their community to share their Catholic faith with others.
So it is no surprise that they have found a unique way to support their beliefs by establishing a Eucharistic Adoration Endowment Fund within the Catholic Foundation for Northwest Indiana.
This year has been special for Catholics across Indiana. In early July, thousands of local believers celebrated Jesus’ Real Presence in the Eucharist with special liturgies and processions across Lake, Porter and LaPorte counties. In mid-July, more than 50,000 faithful, including hundreds from the Diocese of Gary, converged on Indianapolis for the National Eucharistic Congress. The Gary diocese has continued the momentum of the revival with a Day of Service in August and a Welcome Back to Mass event, Sept. 14-15.
Among those inspired by attending the NEC were Jim and Allison Maciejewski; he is the architect of record for their parish’s principal church building and she the marketing/HR chief for their firm, JMA Architects of South Holland, Ill. and Cedar Lake.
“The amount of light shone on the Eucharistic Adoration each evening in the stadium was so striking, so inspiring,” recalled Jim Maciejewski. “What an incredible experience. The Eucharistic Procession on Saturday, with so many priests, seminarians and religious sisters walking through Indianapolis – it gave you so much hope for the future (of our faith).”
While the couple had already begun plans to create an endowment fund before the NEC, Allison Maciejewski said her desire grew that week. “Eucharistic Adoration there at the NEC was absolutely amazing!” she exclaimed.
The new endowment fund, established with the couple’s $10,000 donation, was created to encourage life-long faith in the Bread and Wine, as the Sacred Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. As a grant-making fund within the Catholic Foundation, it will help unite disciples who yearn to bring the world closer to Jesus through Eucharistic Adoration. Anyone can contribute to the fund and know they are a part of this mission. In turn, any organization that facilitates Eucharistic Adoration and needs assistance in any aspect of sharing our Eucharistic Lord with others can apply for a grant.
“After I was asked to join the foundation board I began reading about endowments and I told Jim I’d like to start one to encourage perpetual adoration, maybe even an adoration chapel, but then we decided an endowment for Eucharistic Adoration would reach a wider group of people, parishes and schools,” noted Allison. “We talked and decided this was something we could do.
“This is something that will outlive us, and anyone who gives to it will be part of that legacy, not just us,” she added. “Whether you contribute to the fund or apply for a grant, you are part of this awesome mission,” said Allison Maciejewski, who became a board member of the Catholic Foundation for NWI in July. “We are disciples called to make disciples.
“Many who fall in love with Jesus during adoration feel indescribable love, peace and joy. It doesn’t fade, it only grows stronger,” she added. “This leads to a desire to want those around you to feel the same love, peace and joy that is experienced in the true presence of Jesus in the Eucharist.”
The Eucharist is central to the Maciejewski’s strong Catholic faith. He grew up in Calumet City, Ill., and she is originally from Hegewisch, Ill., and they moved to St. John in 1995 after they married. The couple have two grown children, son James, 24, a pediatric physical therapist, and daughter Sydney, 23, a chemical engineer.
Allison volunteers in the SJE sacristy, leads a post-Alpha Connect Group and sings with the Music Ministry Team, while Jim plays guitar and is a member of the parish Worship Team. They both help with the Alpha faith formation program. She has been an adorer at the parish’s 24/7 perpetual adoration chapel for almost 20 years, holding the 1-2 a.m. Thursday slot with her mother, Susan Whittaker of Crown Point.
“It is such a peaceful hour … I started when my children were young and Jim had evening meetings because it just worked out,” Allison said.
As they envision it, the endowment could be used for a variety of things. “A parish could purchase a monstrance or other adoration needs like candles or music ministry materials,” said Jim. “The fund could help with a youth retreat supporting Eucharistic Adoration, or a procession.”
“When we have adoration here at our parish, we have a spotlight on the monstrance,” noted Allison. “It’s important to have something really beautiful to present Jesus in., so a parish might need that.”
Grant applications for ministries within the Diocese of Gary who have specific projects or initiatives that promote Eucharistic Adoration will be accepted Dec. 1-31. The first grant will be awarded in June 2025 – on or before the Feast of Corpus Christi. “The mission of this endowment is to help people experience the love of Jesus through Eucharistic Adoration, and to share that love with others,” said Maciejewski. “We hope others will help support this mission.”
The Catholic Foundation for Northwest Indiana Inc. is an independent, nonprofit corporation established to assist the faithful within the Diocese of Gary in accomplishing their stewardship objectives through planned giving. Grant applications are available, and donations can be made, at catholicfuture.org. Interested grant applicants can also contact Judy Holicky at info@catholicfuture.org or 769-9292, ext. 268.
Caption: Allison and Jim Maciejewski, active parishioners at St. John the Evangelist in St. John, head into the nave for Eucharistic Adoration. The couple have established a new Eucharistic Adoration Endowment fund through the Catholic Foundation for Northwest Indiana to encourage faith in the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. (Marlene A. Zloza photo)