SCHERERVILLE – As Catholics conclude the Jubilee Year of Hope, it is an appropriate time for the faithful to reconsider the nourishment of hope that comes from the sacraments of the Church. Lectors, Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) leaders, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (EMHC), ministers of care, music ministers, hospitality ministers, sacristans and more are invited to gather to renew their love of prayer and of the Church during Conference ‘25.
The two-day event, Nov. 14-15, will begin Friday at 5:30 p.m. at St. Michael the Archangel in Schererville. After a welcome address by Bishop Robert J. McClory, attendees will hear from keynote speaker Steven Janco, M.C.M., D.Min.
Janco is the director of liturgy and music at Siena Center, home of the Dominican Sisters of Racine, Wis. A well-known composer, he is the former director of the master’s program in music at Alverno College in Milwaukee and former director of the Rensselaer Program of Church Music and Liturgy at Saint Joseph’s College.
The evening will end with a Night Prayer with Service of Light. Night Prayer, also known as “Compline” in the Liturgy of the Hours, can be difficult for those who may be tired at the end of the day; however, the intimate prayer is designed to help attendees close this day in the presence of God with gratitude.
“This serves to remind the attendees that the light of Christ always provides hope and salvation in the darkness,” said David Herr, member of the Diocesan Liturgical Commission. “It is the Light of Christ that signifies our union with heaven, hence the title of our theme ‘Heaven Wed to Earth: Celebrating Hope!’”
On Saturday, the church opens early with vendors, a continental breakfast and the opportunity to attend Mass in the morning at 7:30 a.m. Janco will offer a keynote reflection. Two training sessions, separated by a break for lunch, will follow.
Herr explained that those who have had no formal training in their ministry will receive that training at the conference through the breakout sessions, where the facilitators will instruct the attendees on all the practicalities of their ministry, and they will receive a certificate of completion signed by the facilitator. And those who are trained and have been liturgical ministers for many years are, in turn, invited to the renewal sessions.
“In these breakouts, an expert facilitator in the ministry provides a reflection based on the yearly theme of the Conference on how the Holy Spirit continues to call the individual to continue serving in his/her liturgical ministry,” Herr said. “This year, the theme draws on the Jubilee Year - Pilgrims of Hope.”
Since the theme of the Conference changes every year, no Conference is ever the same, especially the renewal sessions. In addition, most liturgical ministers in the Diocese of Gary serve in multiple ministries.
Each session deals with a particular aspect of the ministry for which an individual is being trained. EMHCs will be led by Father Steven Caraher, associate pastor at Our Lady Queen of Martyrs, for example, while those in the OCIA program will learn from Dr. Michael Poradek, an administrator and educator with a Ph.D. in leadership with research in mission-based leadership development.
“We encourage the attendees to focus on one of their ministries when they attend the conference, thus giving them incentives to attend the Conference every year,” Herr said. “Next year will be the 40th anniversary of the Liturgical Ministry Conference being a regular staple here in the Diocese of Gary.”
As Ministry Coordinator of Sacred Music for the diocese, Herr said he always looks forward to the music ministry training and renewal sessions. Alan Hommerding and Kate Williams, longtime publishers and composers from GIA Publications, will facilitate this year's music ministry training/renewal for the English attendees.
“GIA has been one of the primary sources of sacred music in the Diocese of Gary for decades, so it is exciting to have two top-tier members of GIA being involved in the Conference this year.” Herr said.
Deacon Michael Halas will lead the Ministers of Care. He said he is looking forward to “a personal and professional immersion, that is, a concentrated opportunity for spiritual renewal and the acquisition of advanced, practical skills to enhance the beauty, reverence, and participation in the liturgical celebration.”
“Parish liturgical ministers are provided practical training that ensures adherence to current liturgical norms and guidelines,” he said. “This allows parish liturgical ministers to carry out their roles as liturgical ministers with reverence and dignity, thus enhancing the liturgical celebration. The conference also fosters both fellowship and networking, which offers encouragement and allows parish liturgical ministers from across the Diocese of Gary to share best practices and resources.”
Deacon Halas said his prayer is that the Ministers of Care to the Sick and Homebound will leave the training session with both a deepened spiritual conviction and enhanced practical competence.
“They should walk away realizing they are not just ‘delivering the Eucharist’, but acting as the tangible, loving presence of Christ and the entire parish community,” he said. “They ensure the sick and homebound remain visibly connected to the Body of Christ. Practically, they will gain mastery of the liturgical rites, develop crucial active pastoral listening and adaptation skills for various care environments. They will be equipped with the necessary self-care strategies to sustain their ministry with renewed confidence and grace, thus recognizing their ministry as a profound privilege.”
Herr said he hopes all attendees this year walk away with a renewed sense of purpose as to why and how the Holy Spirit continues to call them to serve in their respective liturgical ministry year after year.
“We want them to be filled with passion, energy and the fire of the Holy Spirit to bring hope to the world through faith and love. As Father Marty Dobrzynski states in our Conference '25 theme description – ‘gathering as ministers of this hope, we look to renew our love for the prayer of the Church by stoking our light with the fuel of the Holy Spirit. We go forth, through our various ministries, to enlighten those we serve and by our service to truly be missionary disciples.’”
To register online for Conference ‘25, visit dcgary.org/event/conference-25. For more information, contact the Pastoral Center at 769-9292.
Caption: Music Ministry members (front row from left) Arlene Biocic, Lorna Nietzel, Mary Cusic and Jan Koble, all from St. Edward in Lowell, pair up to "share their story and their goals for their music ministry during their specific Liturgical Conference '23 session on Oct. 28 at St. Michael the Archangel in Schererville. "We want to share our witness when we sing," explained co-presentor Allson Powell, director of music at St. John the Evangelist in St. John. (Marlene A. Zloza photo)
