NWI Catholic Stories

Bishop Robert McClory celebrates Mass at St. Ann of the Dunes in July 2020. The bishop will return to the parish to preside over a Green Mass on Sept. 6 that was organized by the diocese's Social Teaching Commission. (Bob Wellinski photo)
Bishop McClory to celebrate Mass for Creation at St. Ann of the Dunes
Women Religious celebrate milestones
Sisters from several religious orders have history with diocese
Students in "Little Chefs" program prepare a pizza luncheon during the July 17-20, 2023, summer camp at Donovan Catholic High School in Toms River, N.J., in the Trenton Diocese. Each of the four half-day programs enabled the future chefs, students in grades four to eight, to build culinary skills as well as practice their writing and creativity. (OSV News photo/courtesy Donovan Catholic High School)
'Little Chefs' program teaches grade schoolers life skill in atmosphere of fun, faith
Father Mike Schmitz, the popular host of Ascension Press Media's "The Bible in a Year" and "The Catechism in a Year" podcasts, speaks Aug. 8, 2023, at St. John's Resort in Plymouth, Mich. Father Schmitz, a priest of the Diocese of Duluth, Minn., kicked off a speaker series in the Detroit Archdiocese with a lecture on the cardinal virtues. (OSV News photo/Daniel Meloy, Detroit Catholic)
Priest who is popular podcaster urges Catholics to 'get back in the game'
Deacon Michael East witnesses the exchange of wedding vows of Blake Davidson, right, a grandson of Deacon East, and Lacy Joslin Oct. 26, 2019, at St. Ambrose Church in Seymour, Ind. (OSV News photo/courtesy family)
New prep program, modeled after ‘catechumenate,' aims to strengthen marriages in faith 
New Andrean High School athletic director Neil Dimos is seated in the Merrillville school's gymnasium on Aug. 8. Dimos, a former AD at Griffith High School and member of St. Mary parish in Griffith, said he was inspired to lead student athletes from his days as a standout basketball player and hopes to build on the 59ers sports success. (Anthony D. Alonzo photo)
Griffith resident and local administrator to lead 59ers sports
"There's too much talent (at Bishop Noll) not to win," new head football coach Tyler Milby told Warrior supporters at a fundraising event at St. Mary in Crown Point on May 31 for "Fielding Our Future," a plan to renovate outdoor football, softball and track facilities at the Hammond school. "BNI is the gem of the region, and we are going to do great things." (Marlene A. Zloza photo)
New coach aims to return BNI to grid greatness
St. Thomas More School principal Dr. Samantha Francis (center) looks over data shown by teachers Kris Gierut (left) and Kathy Tolnai (right), who are among the Munster school's faculty gathered for a meeting on Aug. 9, days ahead of the start of school. Local Catholic school leaders have expressed optimism for the future of students' academics and well-being, citing assessments which are complementary of Catholic school values of personal learning and orderly classrooms while educators promote Christ-center
Catholic school leaders laud assessment, optimistic about students’ future
New seminarians and staff from the Pontifical North American College, the U.S. seminary in Rome, wave and cheer as Pope Francis greets them after reciting the Angelus prayer with visitors in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican Aug. 20, 2023. (CNS photo/Vatican Media)
'Rigidity is bad, but firmness is good,' pope says at Angelus
Dorothy Day was "a great witness to faith, hope and charity in the 20th century," a woman who loved the Catholic Church despite the flaws of its members and who knew that serving God meant serving the poor and working for justice, Pope Francis wrote.
Pope: Dorothy Day's life shows evangelizing power of charity, witness, love
seminarians
New language describes the new priestly formation stages
The ruins of business and homes are pictured in the ravaged town of Lahaina, Hawaii, on the island of Maui Aug.15, 2023. Honolulu Bishop Larry Silva is urging the faithful of the diocese to "come together and provide unwavering support" to those who have lost everything in the Maui wildfires that destroyed Lahaina and damaged other communities Aug. 8 and 9. (OSV News photo/Mike Blake, Reuters)
'Miraculous' survival of Maui Catholic church seen as sign of hope amid wildfire destruction
Natalia Santucci and daughter Gianna Santucci, a senior at Lake Central High School, enjoy a hotdog prepared by Father Sammie Maletta, pastor, at an Aug. 5 event at St. John the Evangelist. Natalie Santucci walks with her daughter in faith by going to Mass and Adoration together on a regular basis. (Lynda J. Hemmerling photo)
Parents provide positive foundation for their children to walk in faith
Michelle Biel Ondas is the new principal at her alma mater, St. John the Baptist School in Whiting, the community where she grew up. After 23 years in public education, she is excited to offer her students the opportunity to deepen their Catholic faith through prayer, reflection and lessons centered on Christ. (Marlene A. Zloza photo)
Whiting native returns to lead St. John the Baptist
In ways big and small, pilgrims who walked from Chicago’s South Side to Munster and to Merrillville on Aug. 12-13 wished to not only maintain a faith tradition but also affect change in today’s world.
Pilgrims share faith on local trek to shrines
Wiktoria Ulma, the wife of Józef Ulma, poses for a picture with one of the couple's children. The Ulmas secretly gave shelter to eight Jews for almost two years in German-occupied Poland, hiding them from the murderous Nazi regime during the Second World War. The Nazis killed the family and the Jews they were sheltering early in the morning March 24, 1944, right before Easter. The Vatican declared the Ulma family martyrs Dec. 17, 2022, and they will be beatified Sept. 10, 2023. (OSV News photo/courtesy Poli
Village in Poland prepares for Ulma family's beatification, tells story of their heroism in face of Nazis
Pope Francis greets visitors gathered in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican to pray the Angelus Aug. 15, 2023. (CNS photo/Lola Gomez)
Pope entrusts prayers for peace to Mary, assumed into heaven
One of the new crowns imposed Aug. 15, 2023, on the image of Our Lady of Koden in eastern Poland is seen in this photo. The day, the feast of the Assumption, marked the 300th anniversary of the first crowning of the miraculous image. The people of the Podlaskie region, having experienced graces from Our Lady of Koden, wanted the image to be crowned with new jewels and they paid for them. (OSV News photo/courtesy Sanctuary of Our Lady of Koden)
Our Lady of Koden, a statue once stolen from pope, gets new crowns 300 years after first coronation
Colleen Brewer, who took the reins as diocesan superintendent of Catholic Schools on July 1, reviews papers in her office at the Pastoral Center in Merrillville on July 27. A native of Glenwood, Ill., Brewer built an extensive resume working for Catholic schools in Archdiocese of Chicago, and said she is impressed at the quality of Region Catholic schools and their potential for continued growth. (Anthony D. Alonzo photo)
Dedication to Catholic education leads schools chief to Gary
Diocese of Gary pilgrims and those from St. Francis Xavier, Lake Station, enjoy World Youth Day activities in Lisbon, Portugal with Bishop Robert J. McClory (center). The diocesan group volunteered to lead morning Rise Up catechetical sessions during the event for English-speaking pilgrims from around the world, including one by Bishop McC.lory exploring the experience of being loved and called by the Lord. (Provided photo)
Young Catholics share their hope and faith with Pope Francis
WORLD YOUTH DAY 2023
Depositing donated shoes in the donation barrel at the main entrance to Sojourner Truth House in Gary are STH ambassador Denise Carney, executive director Angela Paul and STH ambassador Shelley Boyer. The shoe drive, which continues through Aug. 31, accepts new and gently-used pairs of shoes in all sizes and styles at Sojourner Truth House and select churches, banks, and offices throughout the Diocese of Gary. To find the nearest drop-off location, visit sojournertruthohouse.org/shoe-drive/. (Marlene A. Zl
Shoe drive is latest project for women’s resource center
Facilitators such as Father Nathaniel Edquist (front, left), diocesan vocation director, lead discerners including brothers Porter Scott (center), 16, and Shepherd Scott (front, right), 17, on a Rosary walk during the Vocasti Me gathering on the St. Paul campus in Valparaiso on July 14. The event, Latin for “You have called me,” incorporated discussion, prayer and recreational activities for teen males who are considering a vocation to the priesthood. (Anthony D. Alonzo photo)
Vocasti Me event informs young men who may be called to seminary
Pope Francis, seated in his wheelchair, blesses a young man seated in a wheelchair at the end of his weekly general audience Aug. 9, 2023, in the Vatican audience hall. (CNS photo/Vatican Media)
WYD pilgrims showed the world faith can lead to peace, pope says
Shoppers at a supermarket in Stepanakert, Nagorno-Karabakh, find shelves lacking items in this undated photo amid a regional food shortage. The shortage is the result of a blockade in the Lachin corridor linking Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, an Armenian-populated enclave surrounded by Azerbaijan. (OSV News photo/courtesy Siranush Sargsyan, via ONE magazine)
Catholic agencies say blockade is creating humanitarian crisis in contested region of Caucasus
Bishop with Mom and Child
Abortion ban has parishes stepping up to support mothers and babies
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The Role of a Dean
Duties and responsibilities of deans help bishop serve the faithful better
May Crowning Mary
Catholics celebrate Our Lady’s journey to heaven
WYD 2023
Indiana youth reflect on 'life-changing' experience in Lisbon
Sisters of Life
Honored by Knights, Sisters of Life founding superior shares 'secret of loving' behind a culture of life
Pope confession WYD
Pope hears young people's confessions in WYD 'Reconciliation Park'
Discussing the Beatitudes at St. Michael the Archangel in Schererville on July 18, Nancy LaMagdeleine (right) suggests personal acts of mercy that Catholics can aspire to on a daily basis. "Sometimes you are half-listening to someone, and then you realize that they are really reaching out to you," she said, encouraging her study group to be more attentive to the needs of others. LaMagdeleine and Mary Ann Adamson (left) were among about 30 attendees at the first of four sessions in a Little Rock Scripture s
Eager adults line up for summer Bible Study lessons
At Immaculate Conception Church in Clarksville, Tenn., Victoria Sanchez, 9, looks over an exhibition created and designed by Blessed Carlo Acutis that explains every Eucharistic miracle documented around the world. The 156-poster display is currently being shown on five different continents and has miracles listed across 20 countries and witnessed by multiple saints and beatified individuals. (OSV News photo/Katie Peterson, Tennessee Register)
Beatified teen's Eucharistic miracles display inspires devotion in Tennessee youths, adults
Bishop Robert J. McClory (second from right) speaks to Paul Young (center) and others gathered at the American Legion Post 403 in Wanatah for a Pub Theology presentation about the Eucharist sponsored by the Catholic Communities on July 20. The bishop provided an overview of the Kerygma - or a proclamation of the Gospel truths of salvation - as well as apologetics regarding the institution of the Eucharist. (Anthony D. Alonzo photos)
Bishop tells faithful ‘Gift of the Eucharist’ continues to nourish
Bishop José Ornelas Carvalho of Leiria-Fátima, Portugal, left, welcomes Pope Francis to the Jerónimos Monastery in Lisbon for vespers with Portuguese bishops, priests, deacons, religious, seminarians and pastoral workers Aug. 2, 2023. (CNS photo/Lola Gomez)
Awaken the 'weary' church by becoming 'restless,' pope says in Portugal
Flames rise next to a firefighting truck as a wildfire burns near the village of Vati, on the island of Rhodes, Greece, July 25, 2023. Heat waves all over the globe have seen Greece, Italy and Spain record all-time high temperatures with the heat index in several Middle Eastern countries reaching 152 degrees Fahrenheit, near the limit of human survival. (OSV News photo, Nicolas Economou, Reuters)
As record heat scorches the globe, climate advocates urge Catholics to take action
Next to the gazebo that graces the parish campus, the Summer Gazebo Reflections group at St. Helen in Hebron has been meeting this summer to discuss the "Holy Moments" described in the book of the same name by Catholic author Matthew Kelly. Led by Laura Roeske (from left), the group on July 10 included Cathy Mezzacapo, Dawn Mayhew, Jackie Reed (not shown) and Pat Hren, all St. Helen parishioners. The final sessions are set for 6:30 p.m. on Mondays, Aug. 7 and 21. (Marlene A. Zloza photo)
Outdoor reflections series inspires patience, kindness and caring
Father Mick Kopil, pastor of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church visits with parishioners as they make their way through the food line during the parish picnic on July 16. (Bob Wellinski photo)
Picnic brings parishioners together as they celebrate anniversary
Sister Giovana of the Most Holy Name of Jesus (squatting) joins Sister Samaritan of Scourged Love (left) and Sister Maria Clara of the Crucified in giving food to a man near Lexington Market in Baltimore May 3, 2023. (OSV News Photo/Kevin J. Parks, Catholic Review)
Sisters Poor of Jesus Christ bring love to troubled streets
Pope Francis, alongside a young person who was going to attend World Youth Day and his grandmother, speaks to visitors gathered in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican before praying the Angelus July 23, 2023. (CNS photo/Lola Gomez)
Open yourself to God, pope tells marginalized youth ahead of WYD
Bishop Robert J. Brennan of Brooklyn, N.Y., blesses the congregation with holy water as he celebrates a send-off Mass at Immaculate Conception Center in Douglaston, N.Y., July 23, 2023, for the more than 300 pilgrims from his diocese who will attend World Youth Day in Lisbon, Portugal, Aug. 1-6. Bishop Brennan will be among the nearly 29,000 U.S. pilgrims and more than 60 U.S. bishops who will attend the worldwide gathering. (OSV News photo/Gregory A. Shemitz)
US set to have fifth largest delegation at World Youth Day
Bishop Georg Bätzing, president of the German bishops' conference, addresses Pope Francis in the Clementine Hall of the Apostolic Palace during the bishops' "ad limina" visits to the Vatican in this Nov. 17, 2022, file photo .
Vatican officials meet German bishops to continue dialogue on Synodal Path
Irish singer Sinéad O'Connor performs on stage during the Positivus music festival in Salacgriva, Latvia, July 18, 2009. The July 26, 2023, death of the acclaimed 56-year-old singer and songwriter has seen an outpouring of tributes from all walks of Irish life. (OSV News photo/Ints Kalnins, Reuters)
Sinéad O'Connor, iconic Irish singer and victim of child abuse, dies at 56
Women bring offertory gifts to the altar during the African National Eucharistic Congress Unity Mass July 22, 2023, at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington. (OSV News photo/Jaclyn Lippelmann, Archdiocese of Washington)
Eucharist should inspire work for justice, Cardinal Gregory says at Unity Mass for African National Eucharistic Congress
Pope Francis greets 100-year-old Lucilla Macelli before celebrating Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican, marking World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly July 23, 2023. (CNS photo/Vatican Media)
Pope to young people: To tackle life's ups and downs, look to the elderly
Kathleen Mishow of Gitchitwaa Kateri in Minneapolis holds a shawl with a picture of her daughter, Kateri Marie Mishow, sewn on the back during the first day of the Tekakwitha Conference July 20, 2023, in Bloomington, Minn. Kateri has been missing since 2007. (OSV News photo/Dave Hrbacek, The Catholic Spirit)
Tekakwitha Conference opens with calls to protect Indigenous women and girls from violence
Pope Francis poses for a photo with children in the Vatican's Paul VI audience hall July 18, 2023. About 250 children of Vatican employees are attending a summer program July 3-Aug. 4. (CNS photo/Vatican Media)
Pope visits summer camp for kids of Vatican employees
Metropolitan Police Department personnel are seen Dec. 10, 2019, on the campus of The Catholic University of America in Washington. The Catholic University of America has requested emergency meetings with Metropolitan Police, following off-campus attacks July 13 and July 17, 2023, days after a Kentucky teacher was killed in front of a university building. (OSV News photo/Tyler Orsburn)
Catholic University calls for emergency meetings with Washington police after nearby attacks
Vitya, a retired music teacher seen in this photo from June 29, 2023, became an unlikely catechist after Russian troops occupied his village near Borodyanka, Ukraine, for several weeks. He sheltered a woman raped by a Russian soldier and taught her and husband prayers; he also tried to "plant a seed" of humanity in the hearts of the Russian soldiers with whom he spoke. (OSV News/Gina Christian)
Invoking Mary's protection, Ukrainian villager shared faith under brutal occupation
Inspiring Presence logo
Diocese of Gary planning an inspiring event for all ages
Visitors gather in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican to pray the Angelus with Pope Francis July 16, 2023. (CNS photo/Vatican Media)
Sow seeds of faith, even when their fruits are not immediate, pope says