NWI Catholic Stories

Andrean returns for new school year
Andrean students return to start new school year after building repairs
Summer of Storms
adoration
Emmaus Conference encourages faithful to walk with purpose
Journey Together
Sandwiches and snacks were devoured by young people during a social hour after the “Emmaus Youth Encounter: Hearts on Fire! Walking with Purpose” program on Aug. 21 at St. Paul in Valparaiso. Spending time with keynote speaker Father Agustino Torres, CFR (third from left) are (from left) Vanessa Breshock, chaperone Heather Sandilla, Father Agustino, Victoria Ramirez, Camryn Latham and Elliott Poole, all from Crown Point. (Marlene A. Zloza photo)
Storytelling priest brings miracles of Jesus alive for young people
Hearts on Fire
logs
Local programs offer support during life’s more difficult times
GriefShare, DivorceCare
Young Adult Evening
Talk brings young adults together for discussion on Theology of the Body
A Young Adult Evening
New Franciscan VASIA volunteers sworn in earlier this month seen here with Lake Superior Court Probate Commissioner Ben Ballou (center) are (l-r) Angelique N. Gray Thompson of Gary, Tyler Lucas Rodriguez of Schererville, Bridgette LaShawn Peppers of Hobart and Lexi Nicole Taylor of Orland Park, Ill.
Volunteer court-appointed guardians advocate for the elderly, incapacitated
Franciscan Health’s latest VASIA class
abortion healing and recovery
Parents of aborted children can grieve and find peace confidentially
Healing the Pain
Seventh Station of the Cross at Carmelite Shrine
Woman witnesses sign of hope as clean up began at Carmelite Shrine
Jesus Walks With Us
Smiling as she works, volunteer Sandy Butler helps set up on Aug. 11 at Camp Lawrence in Valparaiso for the Diocese of Gary Priests’ Picnic, which had to be moved from Aug. 12 to Aug. 19 due to the damaging storm that moved through Northwest Indiana as the work continued. Butler will receive this year’s Diocese of Gary Guardian Angel Award at the Vocations Office’s Black Tie, White Collar Gala on Sept. 18. (Marlene A. Zloza photo)
Award recipient is guardian angel to diocesan seminarians and priests
Answering the Call
American Martyr Rother
American Martyr: The Stanley Rother Story to hit local theatres
A Message from the Archbishop of Oklahoma City
St. Mary School Crown Point
After delays, principals and staff excited to welcome students
Back to School
Holy Spirit in Winfield held just one Mass on Aug. 16 at its worship site, St. Helen in Hebron, to welcome new administrator Father Steven Caraher (left), who greets Carol Lee and Judy Fidcher outside the church. The Annual Parish Mass and Picnic drew a large congregation as it also incorporated an official welcome for Father Caraher, who previously served as associate pastor at Our Lady, Queen of Martyrs in Merrillville, another combined parish, following his ordination to the priesthood in 2024. (Marlene
One Catholic Family had head start on planning parish merger
Coming Together In Faith
St. John the Evangelist
Parishes provide outreach as region waits for power to be restored
Community Meal
People evacuate from a building collapse at Jayakarta hotel following an earthquake of magnitude 7.7, in Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia, Aug.15, 2026. Earlier that day, a powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck the country's eastern coast, killing over 50 people and leaving thousands displaced in the aftermath. (OSV News photo/Stringer, Reuters)
Pope 'saddened' by devastation in Indonesia following earthquake
John DeJak, director of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Secretariat of Catholic Education, smiles in an undated photo. (OSV News photo/courtesy John DeJak)
USCCB's education director reflects on Catholic school landscape as school year begins
Local Attorney Andrew Bennett and his staff were among the volunteers assisting with the food delivery at the Portage American Legion Post 260
Catholic Charities rescues food from power-stricken Hunger Relief Center
Storm-Affected Communities
Thousands of faithful are gathered at the Shrine of Our Lady of Częstochowa during Sunday Mass on the second day of the Piesza Polonijna Pielgrzymka Maryjna (Polish Marian Walking Pilgrimage) in Merrillville on August 9. Predominantly Polish Catholics participated in the 39th annual event in which walkers made their way from the South Side of Chicago to Munster and Merrillville in praise and petition. (Anthony D. Alonzo photo)
Pilgrims prayerfully traverse Region in Polish tradition
Walking in Faith
The reception of Mary into heaven is depicted in the center section of a rose window at Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Providence, R.I. The feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Aug. 15, celebrates the belief that Mary was taken body and soul into heaven at the end of her life. (OSV News photo/Crosiers)
Pastors discuss dogma behind Blessed Mother's body and soul taken into heaven
The Assumption of Mary
Discernment Retreat
Retreat brings seminarians and discerners together for three-day journey
Where Are You Going?
St Teresa of Avila's Faith Food and Fellowship group
Sharing faith, food and fellowship at St. Teresa of Avila
Making New Friends
Bishop McClory
Franciscan leaders, dignitaries break ground on school of osteopathic medicine 
First Class of Medical Students Begins in 2030
Bishop Robert J. McClory distributes communion, along with Father Roque Meraz during the Mass for Migrant Workers at Garwood Orchards on July 12. (Michael Wellinski photo)
Living Our Faith in Community
Tim Wheeler
FOCUS missionary returns to serve the Valparaiso community 
A Call to Serve
Jennie Weer
Catholic Foundation hires executive director to expand its impact
Guiding Strategic Growth, Inspiring Philanthropy
Deacon Dan Lowery
Dyer parishioners gather for renewal for mission following parish changes
Spiritual Retreat
Garett Bonk and Daniel Rodriguez
Upcoming seminars set to provide a healthy attitude toward money 
God Never Stops Giving
A family of parishioners from Knox, led by hymn leader John Kleist (standing at left), opened Mass with “Amazing Grace” on July 25 at Holy Cross in Hamlet. Father Anthony Spanley and his congregation welcomed Bishop Robert J. McClory as celebrant, with Father Spanley assisting. (Marlene A. Zloza photo)
Bishop brings message of parables to small town congregation
Know, Love And Serve God
Father Ivan Alatorre blesses Rosaries following the Mass for Migrant Workers at Garwood Orchards on July 12. (Michael Wellinski photo)
Mass for Migrant Farm Workers brings the Church and community to migrant workers
'That Meal Didn't Magically Appear'
Roberto Martinez (left) of St. Mary in East Chicago offers comments on a scripture passage from the Book of Matthew, “I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike,” during a small group discussion with Javier Carrillo, of Nativity of Our Savior in Portage, and others at the July 17 meeting of the Hearts Aflame Yong Adults group at St. Mary. Just over a year old, Hearts Aflame boasts 84
Young adults from throughout diocese share faith and fellowship
Fired Up For Jesus
Vicky Hathaway and Saraidee Reyes-Villa
Diocese welcomes faithful of all ages to walk with purpose
Emmaus Conference 2026
The Media Team for the 2026 National Eucharistic Pilgrimage, including Zach Dotson of Hammond, answers questions during a press conference at the St. John Paul II National Shrine in Washington D.C. (Provided photo)
Local perpetual pilgrimage returns to diocese after participating in 2026 National Eucharistic Pilgrimage 
Iron Sharpens Iron
Roxanne Franko teaches a fourth-grade religious education class at Our Lady of Grace in Highland. The parish serves about 65 youths from 25 families during the school year. (Provided photo)
Religious education classes help parents teach children the Catholic faith
Learning the Faith
Father Franciszek Czaicki (right), OCD, unwraps an unearthed package as Father Andrzej Gbur (back), OCD, looks on at the opening of a 50-year time capsule on July 12 at the Carmelite Monastery in Munster. Well-preserved artifacts such as photos, papers and coins were discovered in the steel case, originally buried on the nation’s bicentennial in 1976. (Anthony D. Alonzo photo)
Carmelites open bicentennial time capsule at Munster monastery  
Unearthing History
Sister Mary Amata Naville, OSF, (center) signals that the runner, Father Alexander Kouris (front), is safe at third base as seminarian John LaCorte (right) walks away during the Collars vs. Scholars Classic, hosted on July 10 at the Marquette Athletic Complex in Michigan City. The annual recreational event brings out a competitive spirit in the clergymen and discerners who participate, but is mainly designed to encourage support for priestly vocations from among area faithful. (Anthony D. Alonzo photo)
Diocesan clergymen slug past seminarians in fellowship game  
Priestly Pastime
Andrean classroom
Andrean announces school year will start as scheduled
Campus Update
Diocese of Gary receives Enduring Partnership Award at Lindenwood.
Lindenwood honors diocese with Enduring Partnership Award
A Welcoming Sanctuary
Cathedral of the Holy Angels
Tuckpointing and restorative work continues at Holy Angels 
Cathedral Receives Needed Maintanence
“When you meet (after Mass) for coffee and doughnuts, what do you talk about?” Father Jerry Schweitzer asked parish leaders meeting with him on July 11 for a Coffee and Conversation session on “Hospitality for Those 50+ in Your Parish” at the Diocese of Gary’s Pastoral Center in Merrillville. “Do we pass on to others (what we talk about) during the week, because that’s what we are supposed to do,” he advised a gathering of close to 50 people. (Marlene A. Zloza photo)
Parish leaders reminded that hospitality is important to evangelization for all ages
Coffee and Conversation
jubilarians
Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ celebrate milestones in ministry
2026 Jubilarians
God's Groceries
St. Mary food pantry works to meet the growing needs of the community
God's Groceries
festivalvolunteers
Volunteers are devoted to making summer festivals fun for all
Festivals Create Family Atmosphere
Rite of Admission to Candidacy Mass for the Diocese of Gary seminarian
Seminarian Leo Marcotte takes important step in his vocational journey
Rite of Admission To Candidacy
Marachi band at St. Joseph the Worker
Music and culture thrive at Gary parish thanks to mariachi youth band
Traditional Mexican Music
Homeowner Patricia Howe, a parishioner at St. Michael the Archangel in Schererville, and Jim Koeling from Rebuilding Hope stand among the debris of her home, damaged by the tornado that swept through Merrillville. (Provided photo)
Rebuilding Hope Ministry stays busy with ramp and tornado clean-up work
The Hands and Feet of Jesus
Karen Callaway
Award winning photographer began her career in the Diocese of Gary
St. Francis de Sales Award Recipient 
Merrillville Recovery Clean Up
Andrean students join Merrillville community cleanup efforts 
Merrillville Storm Recovery
CYO summer camp open house at Camp Lawrence
Counselors and campers reflect on ‘camp magic’ during open house
CYO Summer Program Kicks Off
Len Clark
Portage author earns first place in CMA book awards
'Leadership isn't Complicated’
Sister Patricia Peters PHJC
Sister put teaching and computer skills to use during ministry
Sister Patricia Peters (1941-2026)
Kevin Matthews
Chicago shock jock, now a roadie for the Blessed Mother, visits diocese
“Will You Deny Me?”