Catholic News Around Indiana
Compiled by Brandon A. Evans
Diocese of Evansville
Hendey To Share Message Of 'Yes'
By Trisha Hannon Smith
With a voice that resonates with experience and authenticity, Lisa Hendey says “Yes” to God each day in a multitude of formats. Hendey, the bestselling author of “The Grace of Yes: Eight Virtues for Generous Living,” founder and editor of CatholicMom.com and a frequent host on KNXT Catholic Television, will share her message as a keynote speaker during the Gather in Faith Women’s Conference at St. John the Baptist Parish in Newburgh from 8 a.m.CT to 3:30 p.m. CT on Sept. 17.
Hendey hopes the women of the Diocese of Evansville join her for a day that is fun, relaxing and inspirational.
“I hope we will laugh, that we will share with one another from our hearts,” she said. “That we will pray and worship as the Body of Christ, and that we’ll emerge from the day better able to love and serve those around us with the power of our ‘Yes.’”
Hendey admits she usually jumps out of bed each day with a smile, anxious to get on with whatever God has planned for that day. Her family is used to seeing her scribbling in a journal, but knows well the perils of being raised with a blogging mom.
“For a long time they’d do something cute and say, ‘You should be blogging about this mom!’” Hendey recalls. “Then we reached the high school years of, ‘Don’t you dare blog about this, Mom!’ They recognize that for me, writing is like breathing.”
Her husband is her greatest hero in terms of her writing.
“Greg has been amazingly generous and trusting in allowing me to share our story, and honestly his story, in my writing,” said Hendey. “Much of my apostolate was ‘born’ because Greg was not yet Catholic and I was seeking support on how to raise our boys in the faith - with his full support - but somewhat on my own. When Greg came into the Church through the RCIA 17 years into our marriage, his conversion had a profound impact on our family.”
That story is shared, with his blessing, in “The Grace of Yes: Eight Virtues for Generous Living.” Within this book Hendey shares insight on eight spiritual virtues that allow one to live generously and joyously say yes to God.
One of the eight virtues is “generativity,” a term defined as a concern or need to nurture or guide people besides self and family.
“Yes to ‘generativity’ means saying yes to relationships that look to build up, to support and to truly care for others...at how we might more fully serve Jesus in serving the people around us,” Hendey explains. “Learning more about the idea of generativity in my own relationships has helped me to understand how I can better love God by being a more giving wife, daughter, sister, mother and friend.”
(For news from the Diocese of Evansville, log on to the website of The Message at www.themessageonline.org)
Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend
No news briefs are available this week
(For news from the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, log on to the website of Today’s Catholic at www.todayscatholicnews.org)
Diocese of Gary
Parish celebrates Jewish roots and shows solidarity with refugees
By Marlene Zloza
WINFIELD—The Israelites didn’t have Boy Scouts when they celebrated the Feast of Shelters established by Yahweh at St. Sinai, but lucky for Holy Spirit parish, it has Troop 88.
Boy Scout Troop 88, sponsored by the parish, erected a tent village on the church grounds Friday evening, July 8, as Holy Spirit observed its second annual overnight Tent Out to honor the traditional Jewish feast that recalls the booths or shelters the people lived in during the time they received the Ten Commandments at Sinai and extending through the rest of the Exodus experience.
“Jewish people celebrate the Feast of Booths, or Feast of Tabernacles – which means dwell in a tent – to recall when they left Egypt and had to live in tents until they got back to Jerusalem,” Father Tom Mischler, pastor at Holy Spirit, explained to the Boy Scouts during an opening flag ceremony. “(Even) the Ark of the Covenant was kept in a tent.”
Father Mischler added that the Tent Out event was also meant to show solidarity with and compassion for those forced to live in tents due to natural disasters or religious persecution. “We all know people who are forced out of their homes because of weather, and wars and disputes – like the people of Syria – and are sometimes exiled in tents,” Father Mischler said. “We do this in solidarity with them.”
John Vidal, a member of the Parish Activity Committee that organized the Tent Out as one of its monthly activities, said the committee thought the event “would be a natural for the Scouts.
“We are expecting about 60 people through the evening, with about half of them staying overnight,” Vidal added.
The Knights of Columbus provided the grills and the Boy Scouts were put in charge of cooking hamburgers and hot dogs for Friday’s dinner, provided along with chips and bottled water. “We wanted to keep it pretty simple in terms of food,” said organizer Alison Mazurkiewicz, going with the theme of a refugee experience.
“We are trying to experience how the homeless and the refugees experience life,” said Troop 88 Scoutmaster Bryan Beberino, adding that individual Scouts were also working on different badges for advancement, including Eagle Scout requirements.
Photo caption: Identical twins William Mazurkiewicz (left) and Joseph Mazurkiewicz, 7, peek into a tent set up outside Holy Spirirt Church for the parish's 'Tent Out' overnight gathering on July 8 in Winfield. Coordinated by Boy Scout troop 88, the educational event recreated aspects the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles. (Anthony D. Alonzo photo)
Hospitality is the theme for worshippers at Mass for migrant workers
By Marlene Zloza
HOBART— Hospitality was the theme July 17 as more than 100 worshippers gathered under a canopy of trees in a clearing at the Kids Farm of County Line Orchard for the second of three Migrant Masses planned this summer in the Diocese of Gary.
Hosted by Ss. Peter and Paul and St. Joan of Arc parishes in Merrillville, in collaboration with the diocesan Office of Intercultural Ministry and the Migrant Ministry Network, the Sunday afternoon gathering drew a mix of cultures.
“I just wanted to thank everyone for coming, it’s the way I feel,” said Francisco ‘Pancho’ Gallardo, a year-round County Line employee for 16 years who welcomed every guest personally during the sign of peace at Mass. “It’s beautiful when you are around nice people; it makes you happy,” added Gallardo, who works year-round at County Line along with other full-time migrant workers.
Celebrant Father Jaime Perea connected the days’ Scripture readings to a message of hospitality in his homily. “In the first reading, Abraham opened his house to strangers and received a blessing for it – to have a child,” said Father Perea, “and in the Gospel, Jesus came to the house of Martha and Mary, and they were blessed. That should guide us to practice hospitality, because if we are hospitable, we will be blessed, although we don’t know what kind of blessing it will be.
“It is a tradition, that people believe - to receive a stranger is to receive God.”
The Mass intercessions also picked up the hospitality theme, praying for the Church “to become a more hospitable place for all believers and seekers,” “for a generous welcome for all refugees and immigrants throughout the world and especially in our own country.”
Photo caption: Migrant worker Pancho Gallardo brings a basket with Offertory gifts to Father Jaime Perea, as altar server Roy Wallace (center) and migrant worker Juan Alvarez look on during the Mass for migrant workers at County Line Orchard in Hobart on July 17. (Anthony D. Alonzo photo)
‘The genius of women’ fills young Church leaders with possibilities
By Marlene Zloza
MERRILLVILLE—“The feminine genius” was touted by Saint Pope John Paul II more than two decades ago, but came to life this summer for two young women from the Diocese of Gary who felt its power at the GIVEN Catholic Young Women’s Leadership Forum in Washington D.C.
Vicky Hathaway, of Lowell, and Magdalena Barajas, of Valparaiso, each received a scholarship to the week-long gathering of 300 young women from every U.S. state who expressed a desire and ability to share their gifts in the service of the Lord.
“It was like applying for college,” Hathaway said of the extensive application process - a lengthy application that included essays, two letters of recommendation and a detailed Action Plan on “how you will use the tools you receive (at the forum) in your diocese.”
A catechist and youth minister at St. Edward, Hathaway chairs the diocese’s Young Adult Catholic Outreach Ministries leadership team and is a member of the Diocesan Peace/Social Justice Commission and Synod Commission. Her action plan involves working with Catholic Charities to establish a Catholic Worker House locally as “an intentional community” of Catholic women to love, support, pray for and give hope to other women trying to answer God’s call while living their daily lives.
“All women have wonderful gifts, but often we get too busy to take time to recognize those gifts in ourselves and others. Being able to turn to a collective group of women who have a diverse gift of talent, knowledge and wisdom would be such a gift,” she said, suggesting that parishes could “work with the Catholic Worker House to help people walk together with their neighbors in their time of need, and share their stories.”
Barajas, a junior at Indiana University Northwest with plans to become a physician, has begun implementing her action plan by working toward certification as a post-partum doula, “whose main goal is to take care of the new mother after she has a baby,” she explained. “I wanted to do something I already knew I was pretty good at. . .I hope to help financially needy mothers and teen mothers. . . if you take care of the mental, emotional and physical needs of the mother, the needs of the baby and the household will be taken care of, too.” Barajas intends to offer her services free at local pregnancy crisis centers “to promote a pro-life message in the diocese.”
It was “back to dorm life” at Catholic University for Barajas and Hathaway, who joined 300 peers under age 30 “discovering our own vocation and ‘feminine genius,’” said Hathaway, with the help of about 80 religious sisters from 20 orders representing the host organization, the Council of Major Superiors of Women Religious, in connection with the Year of Consecrated Life.
Photo caption: Vicky Hathaway, of Lowell, and Magdalena Barajas, of Valparaiso, review materials from the GIVEN Catholic Young Women's Leadership Forum they attended last month in Washington D.C. Each woman has developed an "action plan" to use their new leadership skills to help the Diocese of Gary. (Marlene A. Zloza photo)
(For news from the Diocese of Gary, log on to the website of the Northwest Indiana Catholic at www.nwicatholic.com)
Diocese of Lafayette
Celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception
By Caroline B. Mooney
LAFAYETTE — As the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception celebrates the 150th anniversary of the church building, several parishioners have shared their reflections with The Catholic Moment.
“Being pastor anywhere has been wonderful, but here the historical importance of the parish in our diocese is remarkable,” said Father Jeff Martin, pastor of the cathedral parish since 2013. “I am very grateful to serve as a priest at the cathedral. I am grateful to Bishop (Timothy) Doherty for giving me this opportunity at this time in the life of the parish. I am thankful to Bishop (William) Higi for ordaining me in 2005.
“It amazes me to consider all the ways that the faith has been transmitted over the history of the parish,” he said. “Times like the 150th anniversary at this location move us to reflect upon the people and special events that have taken place over the years. The cathedral is host site for many diocesan-wide events and that is a beautiful gift. To see so many people from other parishes and help in that way is wonderful.
“It has been a blessing to serve with my brother priests at every assignment,” Father Martin said. “Over the time I have been at the cathedral, I’ve shared residence with two retired priests — Msgr. Fred Pott-hoff and Canon Gerald Borawski.”
The late Msgr. Potthoff, pastor at the cathedral from 1958 until his retirement in 1990, returned in 2009 to reside in its rectory.
“He was so well respected at the cathedral and in our diocese,” Father Martin said. “Listening to his wise counsel as well as his recounting stories of ministering to families stays with me as I serve many of the same families he was so connected with during his 30-plus years as pastor here. ...
“Canon Borawski, who currently resides at the cathedral, has been a huge blessing,” he said. “Even though he is technically retired, Canon Borawski is still quite active in ministry, offering wisdom and a special way of story-telling that brings a smile to your face.
“I know that my brother priests would concur of how blessed we are to witness so many God-given talents shared by the people of our parishes,” Father Martin said. “The people of God pour themselves out volunteering countless hours working to serve a common mission. It’s been very exciting to be a part of all the preparations for the 150th celebrations. Both volunteers and staff have come together to support so many things over the years. I can’t thank them enough.”
Photo caption: “The cathedral is host site for many diocesan-wide events and that is a beautiful gift,” said Father Jeff Martin, pastor of the cathedral parish. “To see so many people from other parishes and help in that way is wonderful.”
‘Summer Dayz’ an experience in faith, service
By Caroline B. Mooney
CARMEL — “Summer Dayz: Charity and Justice,” a service retreat for junior high students in the Carmel Deanery, “really opened my eyes to the greater need and helping others,” small group leader Bren Whitten said.
“I really enjoy branching out and helping people,” said Whitten, a high school freshman and member of Our Lady of Grace Parish, Noblesville. “I hadn’t done a lot of service before attending this retreat in junior high. It’s been a great experience.”
Participants came from St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, Carmel; Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish, Carmel; Our Lady of Grace Parish, Noblesville; and St. Alphonsus Liguori Parish, Zionsville. The event was hosted at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish on July 19-21.
Each day offered Mass, daily prayer, social activities and presentations focusing on charity and justice.
After morning prayers, small groups volunteered in the community at the St. Vincent de Paul Store, Noblesville; Carmel Health and Living Community; the O’Connor House in Carmel; and — despite high humidity and temperatures — in the garden at St. Theodore Guerin High School, Noblesville.
“I think this retreat is the best thing we do in the deanery for the junior high students,” said Jake Tietgen, youth minister at Our Lady of Grace Parish. “It’s nice to have a small crew come. We really get to work with them and form them. They do the service work and more importantly, they form a Catholic perspective of service.
“This week we have learned all about charity and justice and the similarities and differences between the two,” he said. “We need both of those as the two feet that move the Church. That’s been a theme for us in our discussions. While we have been at volunteer sites, the students have talked about how we can interact with the person on the side of the road and ways we should encounter folks and show dignity to them.
“We really get to know these students and they tend to keep coming back after this retreat,” Tietgen said. “Our high school leaders attended Summer Dayz in the past and they wanted to come back and help lead it.”
Photo caption: Brooke Hanson and Kaitlyn Garrett volunteer in the clothing room at the St. Vincent de Paul Store in Noblesville. (Photo by Caroline B. Mooney)
(For news from the Diocese of Lafayette, log on to the website of The Catholic Moment at www.thecatholicmoment.org)