MERRILLVILLE – The Diocese of Gary is inviting young adults to embark on a transformative journey of faith and fellowship with its returning Young Adult Summer Speaker Series, especially curated for Catholics aged 18 to 39.
Gaining in popularity each year since it began with three sessions at the former Our Lady of Consolation in Merrillville three years ago, the series has become a way for young people to share their faith and connect. “We had a very small turnout that first summer, but the second year we teamed with four other parishes and saw the sessions draw 40-50,” said Melissa Novak, director of Discipleship and Evangelization at Our Lady Queen of Martyrs, the newly-merged Merrillville parish. “Last year, we saw over 80 young people by the end of the summer; the participation just keeps growing.”
This year’s talks will begin at 7 p.m. on Wednesdays, May 27-July 8, although food and fellowship start earlier on several dates.
New to the series this year is an opening Mass that will be celebrated by Father Ivan Alatorre, associate pastor at St. John Bosco and co-chaplain at Bishop Noll Institute in Hammond, who is also the scheduled speaker for “Why the Catholic Church Needs Young People” on June 24 at St. Mary Parish Hall in East Chicago.
“We were looking for different ways to bring young people together, and our surveys told us that those who attended last summer wanted more opportunities for prayer,” said Vicky Hathaway, diocesan coordinator for Youth and Young Adults. “We will also be adding an evening to give thanks to God with adoration at Our Lady Queen of Martyrs at 7 p.m. July 8 to close the series, followed by a bonfire. These are intentional prayer opportunities, and I’m very excited about that.”
The speakers themselves, June 3-July 1, will recognize God’s presence in the ordinary, encounter the depth of Christ’s love through the Sacred Heart, and learn the art of discernment in the midst of life’s decisions, Hathaway added. “In a world searching for purpose and belonging, discover your essential role in the Catholic Church’s mission and reflect on your unique voice and calling within it. Experience the richness of the Church’s tradition through the beauty of the Byzantine liturgy, and be invited into deeper prayer through adoration, praise, and worship.”
Father Alatorre said he hopes to encourage young Catholics to attend the speaker series by emphasizing the importance of their role in the Church at Mass. “This is an opportunity to live out that moment after Pentecost, having received the Holy Spirit, and go out into the whole community and live out their faith. The Holy Spirit is in their hearts, but there is always more.”
He said his homily will introduce what he will address in his June 24 talk, reminding the young adults of Pope Francis’ letter to them, “Christ Alive,” which stressed the vital role of young people in the Church. He will also mention how the message of Msgr. James Shea, president of the University of Mary, in his book and initiatives like “From Christendom to Apostolic Mission,” focuses on forming students to be courageous, joyful witnesses of faith in a secularized world.
The first speaker in this summer’s series is Alison Powell, whose topic, “Holy Ground: Ordinary Places, Eternal Presence,” will address God’s presence in the ordinary moments of daily life, where the Holy Spirit reveals the sacred in everyday spaces.
“We can encounter Christ wherever we are, in our career, with our family, which is relevant to my life now,” said Powell, 37, the music director at St. Matthias in Crown Point, as well as a widow and the mother of a 10-year-old daughter. “Living that is impactful in my life, shaped by my ups and downs, and I’m honored to share that life experience.” Her talk in the church sanctuary at 7 p.m. will end with adoration, followed by food and fellowship in the church hall.
On June 10, just two days before the Diocese of Gary hosts the dedication of the diocese to the Sacred Heart with a Eucharistic procession and outdoor service, Sister Solna Voegsel, OSF, will address the timely subject “The Sacred Heart: The Love That Never Gives Up on You” in Vamos Hall at Our Lady Queen of Martyrs, South Campus.
“Christ’s heart is pierced, so it is open to us, and to have his heart in our life as we engage allows the fire of love to come out of us,” said Sister Solana, a member of the Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration, who lives in Dyer and serves as director of mission at Franciscan Health hospitals in northwest Indiana. Through their apostolate of Perpetual Adoration at their motherhouse in Mishawaka, her religious order carries out the special devotion of their foundress, Blessed Maria Theresia, to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Attendees can gather at 6:15 p.m. for food and fellowship before the talk.
The evening also begins at 6:15 p.m. on June 17 with a potluck dinner at St. Michael the Archangel in Schererville, where Dee Bernhardt, director of campus ministry for 14 years at the Catholic Center at Purdue University, will address “Consolation and Desolation: Ignatian Discernment of Spirits.” Bring a dish to share, and stay after Bernhardt’s talk for board games or yard games, weather permitting.
Father Andrew J. Summerson, S.Th.D., pastor of St. Mary Byzantine Catholic Church in Whiting, will close out the speaker series on July 1 at St. John the Evangelist in St. John, where he will explain “The Beauty of the Byzantine Liturgy.” Gather at 6:30 p.m. for dinner, followed by the talk at 7 p.m. and a bonfire to follow.
Back at Our Lady Queen of Martyrs, South Campus, young adults can meet in the church at 6:45 p.m. on July 8 for adoration, followed by a bonfire and pizza party, weather permitting. If it rains, a game night will be held indoors.
Get more information and RSVP for any or all sessions at garyoyya.org/yasummer.
Caption: Young people exchange names and answer three questions about themselves as they mingle before a Young Adult Summer Speaker Series in Dyer on June 4, 2025. Up to 90 participants have enjoyed the Diocese of Gary sessions for the past three years, and a new slate of speakers is scheduled this summer at different parishes each Wednesday. (Marlene A. Zloza/file photo)
