Northwest Indiana Catholic

Northwest Indiana Catholic The Northwest Indiana Catholic is the official news of the Catholic Diocese of Gary.

POWER OF PRAYERHoly Hour for heroic officer shot three times at local hospital BY DEACON BOB WELLINSKINWIC correspondent...
06/01/2026

POWER OF PRAYER
Holy Hour for heroic officer shot three times at local hospital

BY DEACON BOB WELLINSKI
NWIC correspondent

MICHIGAN CITY – As news broke of the shooting of LaPorte County Deputy Jon Samuelson, and as medical teams worked to stabilize the injured officer, prayers were already being offered at the scene and beyond.

The 33-year-old, 12-year veteran of LaPorte County Sheriff’s Office was shot three times on Friday, May 22, by Sharod Grafton Jr., 22, of Chicago, in the Emergency Department of the Franciscan Health Michigan City.

State police believe Samuelson stopped for what he thought was a disabled vehicle, operated by Grafton. At Grafton’s request, the deputy took the man to the Michigan City hospital.

According to police, the deputy returned to the building after learning that Grafton may have been involved in an earlier incident. Grafton then shot Samuelson in an altercation in the emergency room where, according to court documents, Samuelson placed himself between the gunman and a nurse.

Following the shooting, the suspect was quickly located and apprehended in a nearby wooded area. Samuelson was transferred to a South Bend hospital, where he went through an eight-hour surgery. According to a department statement, Deputy Samuelson’s condition is stable, and he remains in critical condition.

“Since last Saturday’s initial update, Deputy Samuelson has made significant strides in his recovery. He is communicating with family, friends, and colleagues and remains in good spirits,” the statement read.

La Porte County Sheriff Ronald C. Heeg called for people to pray for Samuelson and his family in a social media post on Saturday:

“Now more than ever, we need our residents across the county to stand together in strength, faith, and support for one of our own. Deputy Samuelson has dedicated his life to serving and protecting this county, and we ask everyone now to stand beside him and his loved ones with prayer and solidarity.

To view the full article and other local stories, visit https://dcgary.org/NWIC.

PENTECOST SUNDAYBishop encourages newly confirmed to fan the flames of the Holy Spirit BY ERIN CISZCZONNorthwest Indiana...
05/31/2026

PENTECOST SUNDAY
Bishop encourages newly confirmed to fan the flames of the Holy Spirit

BY ERIN CISZCZON
Northwest Indiana Catholic

GARY – Faithful from around the Diocese of Gary filled the Cathedral of the Holy Angels on the afternoon of May 24. With their sponsors by their side, in front of family and friends, 84 men and women received the sacrament of confirmation on Pentecost Sunday.

Michelle Munoz, who attends St. Casimir, said it was her sister who had the biggest impact on her desire to be confirmed. She witnessed her sibling go through the process to receive the sacrament. Her family also attends Mass regularly, and going with them sparked an interest to participate more in the Catholic Church.

“I wanted to be part of it, and I felt like I was ready to take this big step,” she said.

When Munoz saw that religious classes were starting for those wanting to be confirmed about nine months ago, she jumped at the opportunity to register. For her, faith provides hope and strength, especially when things aren't going well.

“Faith gives you motivation when you feel you can't do something,” Munoz said. “It gives you that extra help.”

As Munoz waited for Mass to start, her advice to anyone considering being confirmed was simple – “Don't think about it, just do it. You'll feel better.”

To view the full article and other local stories, visit https://dcgary.org/NWIC.

REMEMBERING LOVED ONESFaithful gather to pray, honor those who have diedBY ERIN CISZCZONNorthwest Indiana CatholicHAMMON...
05/30/2026

REMEMBERING LOVED ONES
Faithful gather to pray, honor those who have died

BY ERIN CISZCZON
Northwest Indiana Catholic

HAMMOND – With flags flying at half mast inside St. John-St. Joseph Cemetery, members of the Catholic community gathered at the Gary Diocesan Cemeteries location in Hammond to celebrate a Memorial Day Mass on May 25.

Chief Operating Officer Michael Welsh shared he wanted to make sure the flags on the property were lowered to honor all the people who have died for their country. He also expressed his appreciation for members of the local Veterans of Foreign Wars and cub scouts who assist in preparing the grounds by placing small flags on veterans’gravesites.

“It’s important to remember,” Welsh said. “Remember their families, plus all those who are buried here.”

As the faithful arrived, Bishop Robert J. McClory greeted them as they entered and took a seat under a large white tent on the beautiful, sunny morning. In his opening remarks to begin Mass, the bishop thanked all those in attendance for coming to “honor not only those who gave their lives in service of our country and to remember them in our prayers, but also for all those who've been buried here on these grounds.”

To view the full article and other local stories, visit https://dcgary.org/NWIC.

FALLEN OFFICERS MEMORIALCathedral hosts annual Gary Police Department remembrance serviceBY ERIN CISZCZONNorthwest India...
05/29/2026

FALLEN OFFICERS MEMORIAL
Cathedral hosts annual Gary Police Department remembrance service

BY ERIN CISZCZON
Northwest Indiana Catholic

GARY – “Dorin D. Rorex… Louis W. Donald Jr… Benjamin Wilcher Jr… Jeffrey Westerfield…” Each name of an officer who passed away in the line of duty was read aloud as a flower was placed in a wreath in their honor during the Annual Gary Police Department’s Fallen Officers Memorial.

The service took place on May 22 inside the Cathedral of the Holy Angels in Gary for the first time. The event was held just days after National Peace Officers Memorial Day, which is observed annually on May 15 in Washington D.C., to honor and remember law enforcement officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice.

Dawn Westerfield said that, as an officer and a family member of a fallen officer, the day was particularly special to her. She emphasised that it was an opportunity to remember those who gave their all in service to the community, its citizens and the department.

“Those that refuse to sit back close, those that refuse to say ‘It's not my job,’ Those that continue to hold the line. We honor them, we are proud of them, and we will never forget them,” said the lieutenant with the Gary Police Department.

To view the full article and other local stories, visit https://dcgary.org/NWIC.

CONGRATULATIONS!Diocese of Gary salutes this year's top gradsCompiled by Northwest Indiana Catholic The following includ...
05/29/2026

CONGRATULATIONS!
Diocese of Gary salutes this year's top grads

Compiled by Northwest Indiana Catholic

The following includes a list of the valedictorians and salutatorians from Andrean High School, Bishop Noll Institute and Marquette Catholic High School. Each of these top academic achievers responded to a questionnaire about themselves and their future plans. Congratulations to all 2026 high school graduates and may their future be filled with blessings!

Graduation ceremonies are scheduled for: Andrean High School (May 29), Bishop Noll Institute (June 4) and Marquette High School (June 10).

To view the full article and other local stories, visit https://dcgary.org/NWIC.

FAITH AND FELLOWSHIPSpeaker series offers new line-up to engage young Catholics this summerBY MARLENE A. ZLOZANWIC corre...
05/26/2026

FAITH AND FELLOWSHIP
Speaker series offers new line-up to engage young Catholics this summer

BY MARLENE A. ZLOZA
NWIC correspondent

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.”

To view the full article and other local stories, visit https://dcgary.org/NWIC.

FATHER RICHARD ORLINSKI (1947-2026)Pastor’s dedication to serving the people showed in his ministryBY ERIN CISZCZONNorth...
05/25/2026

FATHER RICHARD ORLINSKI (1947-2026)
Pastor’s dedication to serving the people showed in his ministry

BY ERIN CISZCZON
Northwest Indiana Catholic

Father Richard Orlinski, 78, of Hammond, passed away May 18, 2026. He was born July 19, 1947, in East Chicago, the son of Zygmund and Jen (Mazur) Orlinkski. After graduating from St. Mary School in Griffith, he attended the seminaries of St. Lawrence in Mt. Calvary, Wis. and Innsbruck (Seminary) in Austria.

A former member of the Marriage Tribunal, Father Orlinski served at parishes in three of the four counties in the diocese. Following ordination at his home parish of St. Mary, Griffith, Father Orlinski served at Notre Dame, Michigan City; Our Lady of Grace, Highland; St. Catherine of Siena, Hammond; St. Paul, Valparaiso and St. Francis Xavier, Lake Station.

Father Orlinski had been pastor at Sacred Heart, LaPorte; St. Catherine of Siena; and St. Mary, Hammond, prior to its closing. No stranger to serving multiple parishes, he became the pastor of St. John Bosco in 1998 and, in 2009, accepted the pastorate of St. Joseph in downtown Hammond.

Father Jeff Burton first met Father Orlinski about 25 years ago. Father Burton was heading to Chicago for the day, and he needed an early Sunday morning Mass, so he went to the former St. Mary of Czestochowa in Hammond.

“I remember him being a great storyteller and a homilist who really knew his people and how to connect the Word to their lives,” he said.

To view the full article and other local stories, visit https://dcgary.org/NWIC.

A TRADITION OF PAGEANTRY AND FAITH Santacruzan honors saints, connects Filipino communityBY ERIN CISZCZONNorthwest India...
05/25/2026

A TRADITION OF PAGEANTRY AND FAITH
Santacruzan honors saints, connects Filipino community

BY ERIN CISZCZON
Northwest Indiana Catholic

SCHERERVILLE – An atmosphere of excitement filled the air as young girls wearing formal dresses, some adorned with tiaras, arrived at St. Michael the Archangel on May 17, to participate in a cultural tradition known as Santacruzan.

Santacruzan is a Filipino tradition that combines Catholic devotion and cultural pageantry. Held at the end of May, it honors the Virgin Mary and St. Helena through a procession of faith, beauty and symbolic grace. The Santacruzan is not a standalone event – it is the culminating celebration of Flores de Mayo, or “Flowers of May,” a Catholic devotion introduced by Spanish missionaries in the 19th century.

Maureen Germany, a member of the Diocese of Gary’s Filipino Ministry Advisory Team, said the Santacruzan is about community and inspiring goodwill in addition to cultural education.

“It honors St. Helen, which dates back to where we came from,” Germany said. “Traditionally, in the Philippines, we would select young women and invite them to participate, and they would serve as a role model for the community.”

Maricris Martin arrived with her daughter, Anastasia, 5, to participate in the spring tradition. It was the first time the family had taken part in the festivities while in the United States of America. She was excited to see the girls enjoying the chance to wear sashes representing particular saints and others dressed as angels.

“I want to teach my daughter the Filipino culture and also the American culture here,” Martin said. “I also want to guide her, with the help of the Church, to know the right things to do and learn about religion.”

To view the full article and other local stories, visit https://dcgary.org/NWIC. More photos are available at https://www.flickr.com/photos/dioceseofgary/albums/

Parish staff and guests gathered for the most recent "Chalk the Walk" event this morning at St. Matthias. The images dra...
05/23/2026

Parish staff and guests gathered for the most recent "Chalk the Walk" event this morning at St. Matthias. The images drawn in front of the Crown Point church celebrate Pentecost Sunday. (Erin Ciszczon photos)

"BLESSED MOTHER AROUND THE WORLD"Virtual Rosary brings together many languages united by one faithBY ABIGAIL DIAZNorthwe...
05/21/2026

"BLESSED MOTHER AROUND THE WORLD"
Virtual Rosary brings together many languages united by one faith

BY ABIGAIL DIAZ
Northwest Indiana Catholic

MERRILLVILLE- The Office of Missionary Discipleship and Evangelization’s Intercultural Ministry will host its first-ever Virtual Rosary: Blessed Mother Around the World on Saturday, May 23, at 10 a.m. via Zoom. The event will bring together Catholics from diverse cultures and communities in prayer and devotion to the Blessed Mother.

Led by Dr. Claudia Sadowski, coordinator of intercultural ministry, the virtual gathering will celebrate the totality of the Church through the praying of the Joyful Mysteries in multiple languages represented throughout the Diocese of Gary. Those participating will pray in English, Tagalog, Spanish, Vietnamese and Polish, with each decade led by representatives from various intercultural ministry advisory teams.

“At this time, we do not know how many participants will attend, but we are prayerfully hoping that as many people as possible will join from different communities, states and even countries,” Sadowski said. “Because this will be a virtual gathering, we are especially excited about the possibility of bringing people together across cultures and borders through prayer and devotion to Our Blessed Mother.”

To view the full article and other local stories, visit https://dcgary.org/NWIC.

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9292 Broadway
Merrillville, IN
46410

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