After growing up at St. Mary of the Lake Catholic Church, Josie Werhowetz-Neiman wanted to get married there. But nine years ago, that almost wasn’t an option for her.
“At the time, they were going to close it,” Werhowetz-Neiman said. “They told me, ‘You have to find a new place to get married.’ But it was a church that meant a lot to me, and the people there were really like a second family.”
Werhowetz-Neiman is one of the members who helped launch the church’s outreach, which helped prevent St. Mary of the Lake from closing in 2015. Now, the church is preparing to celebrate its 95th anniversary with a celebratory Mass and gala.
Mass will begin at 4 p.m. Saturday at St. Mary of the Lake Church, located at 6060 Miller Ave. in Gary. An evening celebration will be held at Gino’s Banquet Hall at 1967 E. 37th Ave. in Hobart following the Mass.
The gala begins at 5:30 p.m. with cocktails, and dinner and dancing will follow at 6:30 p.m. Tickets for the event are $65 per person, and those interested can contact the church office, according to its website.
In 2015, Sainte-Marie-du-Lac parish had a “year of opportunity” in which it had to prove it could increase its membership. Church member Jim Wiseman said about 50 people would attend Mass each weekend.
“It was obviously a matter of sensitivity to the community, because part of our parish has great community leaders,” Wiseman said. “We would not have survived to this day without the community.”
The outreach team came up with ideas to involve members of Miller’s community, Werhowetz-Neiman said, which she said helped save the church.
During the “Year of Opportunity,” St. Mary of the Lake hosted a Festa Italiana, an Italian-themed fundraiser that drew 800 visitors. The outreach team also went door-to-door to evangelize the community, which Wiseman said brought in more visitors.
“Then we had 70, 80, 90 people in the church,” Wiseman said, adding that Sunday Mass typically draws a crowd of 110.
The Rev. Dale Melzcek retired as bishop of the Diocese of Gary in 2014, but he volunteered to serve in parish administration in 2015. Melzcek’s assistance during the “year of opportunity” was beneficial to St. Mary of the Lake, Wiseman said. Melzcek died in 2022.
Stephen Grandfield is the church’s deacon. He became a deacon in late 2016 and credits Melzcek for his involvement.
The two bonded during a trip to a sister diocese in Haiti, and Grandfield said Melzcek ordained him to become a deacon.
“He’s one of the best pastors I’ve ever seen,” Grandfield said. “He did everything by the book, and he’s a breath of fresh air.”
Kyle Telechan / Post-Tribune
Bishop Emeritus Dale Melczek prepares for Holy Thursday Mass at St. Mary of the Lake Church in Gary on Thursday, March 29, 2018. Melczek, who volunteered to serve on the parish administration in 2015, died in 2022. (Kyle Telechan/Post Tribune)
Melzcek came up with the idea of going door to door in Miller, telling people the church was open and had a food pantry and other services, Grandfield said.
Sainte-Marie-du-Lac has a reputation as a friendly parish, which Grandfield says helped attract more members when they were needed most.
“There’s a sense of community that’s not evident in other parishes,” he said. “That’s why we do what we do.”
Therese Carey became involved with St. Mary of the Lake in 2015. She spoke with the church’s choir director, who told her they had to close the parish.
She went to a meeting about potential closures and then got involved with the church, helping clean up the gardens.
“I supported them,” Carey said. “Pretty much everyone did everything they could during this year of opportunity.”
The “year of opportunity” showed that St. Mary of the Lake was still capable of being a functioning parish, Carey said. Over the past nine years, she has seen people become more involved in the church and has seen firsthand how much it means to all members.
“It’s overwhelming to think about,” she said. “When you join a church and a community, you know you’re going to be a part of their life. … But I’m just happy that we’re able to keep the parish open and serve not only our own church community, but the Miller community at large.”
Judy Tonk has been a member of Sainte-Marie du Lac for about 50 years and volunteered for years before taking a position helping organize scripture readers and ushers for each Mass.
Without the community, St. Mary of the Lake could not stay open, Tonk said, and the congregation has tried to be welcoming over the years.
“Everyone is welcome,” she said. “No matter who you are, everyone is welcome. That’s kind of our slogan.”
As the 95th anniversary celebration unfolds, Tonk is excited to chat with people who have been involved with the parish at one time or another. St. Mary of Lake had an elementary school, which closed in 1993.
Former students have been invited to the celebration, Tonk said, and she is excited to chat with them.
The future of St. Mary of the Lake depends on the future of Miller and Gary, Tonk said.
“We’re not moving,” she said. “New people are coming in, joining the church and seeing that we’re friendly. I think we have a bright future ahead of us.”
mwilkins@chicagotribune.com
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