VALPARIASO – “Lord, as you walked along the road to Emmaus, you encountered the two disciples walking along. And you broke open the scripture for them. Break open the scripture for us today. Help us come to know you more fully and let our hearts be on fire with your love.
“Lord, we love you so much. We love you. Come, Holy Spirit! Lord, as they then invited you to stay with them. You took the bread. You said the blessing, and you broke it. And with that, their eyes were opened, and they recognized you. Help us recognize you in the breaking of the bread. Help us recognize you in the Word. Help us recognize you in one another.”
Almost 700 Catholics from around the Diocese of Gary heard these words of praise and worship as they arrived at the Porter County Expo Center in Valparaiso for the second annual Emmaus Conference – a day filled with music, speakers, adoration, vendors and the celebration of Mass.
Father Declan McNicholas, director of missionary discipleship and evangelization, shared the story of Emmaus and asked those in attendance to reflect on the theme “Emmaus: Hearts on Fire,” noting that the disciples' hearts were burning after their encounter with Jesus and that they began walking with purpose.
“We don't just walk aimlessly through this world, but we walk with purpose with Jesus,” Father McNicholas said.
Conference-goers heard from two keynote speakers: Jason Evert, who has spoken on the subject of chastity all over the world and runs the Chastity Project, and Liz Kelly, a community leader for Women’s Formation at Bishop Barron’s Word on Fire Institute.
Attendees on the Spanish-track had the opportunity to hear keynotes by Mar Muñoz Visoso, the executive director of the secretariat of cultural diversity in the church for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, and Father Agustino Torres, CFR, a priest with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal and the founder of Corazón Puro.
Evert delivered a speech on “What’s so Great About Being Catholic?” He stated that he didn’t stand in front of everyone as someone with the strongest faith, but wanted to pose the question to those gathered – “Why are you Catholic?”
Evert acknowledged he never really asked himself that question until he was about 17 years old and was preparing to be confirmed. Later in college, he had some discussions about the Catholic faith with a preacher on a street corner. He started to realize that “because my parents were Catholic” was not a good enough answer for why he was Catholic. He decided to begin reading the Bible and other stories about the saints and martyrs.
“You hear these stories of the saints, reading souls, and miracles, and stained glass windows, and it can kind of feel so detached from the imperfection and the messiness of our day-to-day lives,” he said. “It's like, okay, that's them, this is me. How did they get there? Well, it's through the same sacraments we've been given. They didn't have an eighth one. They just took advantage of what they were given.”
Evert suggested there's only one reason to be Catholic, and that “if it's true (the teachings of the Catholic faith)” then “we're called to be prophets of it.”
Kelly’s lecture focused on “The Power of Your Presence.” She noted that, in a world that can sometimes be self-absorbed, it can be easy for someone to think if they don’t have enough followers or clicks on social media, then he or she doesn’t matter that much.
“I want to assure you, reassure you, you matter,” she told the audience. “What you do in the smallest and greatest things matters. You may never make headlines. You may never become famous, or rich or well known, but you matter. And even the tiniest Works of Mercy that you perform terrify the hearts of demons.”
Kelly went on to explain that people should never underestimate the power of being present. She stated that people should also never overestimate how profoundly “we need one another’s presence, especially as technology tends to dehumanize and depersonalize many of our interactions.”
Kelly invited the crowd to embrace failure, learn to love it, and reinvigorate their fear of the Lord.
“Good work is hidden,” she said. “And it may be hidden for most of our lives. Jesus spent the majority of his life preparing for those last years to minister. God may have you in a hidden place of preparation too. Preparing you for the most important work of your life yet to come.”
Both Evert, Kelly and Father Torres also lead break out sessions in addition Barbara Heil, a former protestant missionary who joined the Catholic Church in 2013 and soon formed From His Heart Ministries, Father Diego Florez, A.I.C. and Katherine Angulo, director of pastoral enrichment programs for the Religious Education Congress.
Monica Galbez, a parishioner of Our Lady of Guadalupe in East Chicago, attended the conference for the first time this year. She appreciated the opportunity to attend keynote speakers and break out sessions delivered in the Spanish language.
“It just opens your mind, and it keeps guiding you to the faith,” she said.
Galbez particularly enjoyed the presentation by Father Torres, where he discussed how following Jesus and the model of St. Francis changed his life.
“That’s what I’d like to do too – go and preach out,” she said.
It was also the first time Bernadette Morgan attended the Emmaus Conference. She saw it in the bulletin at her church, Mary Mother of Mercy in Michigan City, and registered, as she wanted to learn more about her faith. The day of the event, she shared, “I’m loving it.”
“The speakers have been great. Absolutely great,” Morgan said. “They talk so much about real life, and it gets you pumped. It’s wonderful.”
The conference ended with the celebration of Mass. During the homily, celebrant Bishop Robert J. McClory talked about the history of persecution against the early Christians. Among those first Christians was the leader of the church in Rome – someone who, in his fear for his life the night that Christ was betrayed, denied the Lord three times – Peter.
“But this was the Peter who was strong and with the power of the Holy Spirit, and at Pentecost was able to preach and proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ,” said the bishop. “He had seen the Risen Christ. He hadn't just read about him. He knew him. And this very one who could have, to avoid his own execution, said one more time, ‘I tell you, I don't know the man,’ admitted it. He had seen the Lord and would not deny it.”
Bishop McClory noted Peter’s fidelity until the end continues to give great witness to the faithful today. He pointed out that Peter was so beloved that upon his death he was buried in the acropolis on the side of a hill and people came from all around to pay their respects. Eventually, once the persecution stopped, the first Saint Peter's Basilica was built above his grave.
“Two thousand years ago, in that summer of ’64, Peter said, ‘I've seen the Risen Lord. That same set of layers and layers and layers comes to us today,” Bishop McClory said. “May we give the same response and share them with others. And so, I say to you, ‘You are Peter. Upon this rock I will build my Church.’”
Participants left the Emmaus Conference with an idea of what next year’s event would bring. During the conference, Father John Riccardo, executive director of Acts XXIX ministries based in Detroit, provided a special video message to Emmaus attendees in which he stated he prayed that the day “has already been a great experience that concludes with an outpouring of God's abundant grace.”
Father Riccardo continued, explaining it has been a great gift for his team to be able to serve Bishop McClory and all those in the Diocese of Gary. He shared they have been fortunate to have spent time with some of the priests and partnered during a couple events at parishes. He then announced Acts XXIX would be at the Emmaus Conference in 2027.
“We hope that you're enjoying today and that God is showering His blessings upon you, and we hope to see all of you there next year,” Father Riccardo said.
For more information on the Emmaus Conference or to register for the next one in August 2027, visit https://emmaus.dcgary.org/
Editor’s Note: A special collection during Mass at the Emmaus Conference for the Catholic Charities Storm Relief Fund received a total of $3,051.25 in donations. For more details or to donate, visit https://www.catholic-charities.org/
Caption: Flanked by assisting deacons and altar servers, Deacon Robert Gromala (center) adores the Eucharistic Lord present in a monstrance at the Emmaus Conference hosted on Aug. 22 at the Porter County Expo Center in Valparaiso. Hundreds of faithful participated in the all-day diocesan missionary discipleship event of which the theme was “Hearts on Fire! Walking with Purpose.” (Anthony D. Alonzo photo)
