New high-traffic carpeting is prepared for installation by Ed Farley (left) and his son Adam Farley (right) of Village Carpet of Portage on the floor of the sanctuary of St. Mary of the Lake in the Miller section of Gary on Nov. 4. Parish officials said this summer a visitor,...

  Carol Blastic, of St. Thomas Aquinas, and Donna Lanoue, of Holy Family Parish, pray with one another as part of a prayer exercise during the "Welcome to Our Father’s House" hospitality training at Sacred Heart on Nov. 17. The session was led by speaker Sheri Wohlfert, of Westphalia, Mich. In...

  Deacon John Bacon presents a talk on Advent at St. Mary in Otis on Nov. 17. He stressed the importance of preparation and the call to be heralds for Christ. (Bob Wellinski photo)   BY BOB WELLINSKI NWIC correspondent          OTIS – When Deacon John Bacon asked what Advent was all about, he received...

Father Frank Torres, associate pastor at St. Helen in Hebron, took questions and comments from his audience during his presentation on Advent Cultural Traditions at Holy Spirit in Winfield on Nov. 20. He displayed colored cloths and oplatki, and sent everyone home with an Advent calendar featuring scripture passages. (Marlene...

  Judy Holicky (from left), coordinator of Stewardship and Developmrnt for the Diocese of Gary, and Bishop Robert J. McClory, congratulate the recipients of the 2021 Mercy Fund grants - Gina Boeding of the FOCUS missionary team at St. Teresa of Avila Catholic Student Center in Valparaiso, Charlotte Rosta of the...