Embark on a transformative journey of faith and fellowship with our Summer Young Adult Speaker Series, specially curated for Catholic young adults aged 18–39. Each session offers a unique lens into the beauty and challenge of living out our faith in today’s world.
Explore what it means to earnestly seek truth in our lives in “Searching Truth: From Doubt to Depth”, and be inspired in this Jubilee Year of Hope through “Hope and Ceaseless Adoration”, a reflection on Christ’s presence in the Eucharist and the grace He gives us as Pilgrims of Hope.
Deepen your interior life with “Self-Awareness: The Key to Spiritual Growth”, which connects emotional intelligence and holiness. Be moved by the bold, culturally rich invitation of “Eyes that See, Corazón that Feels, A Table that Feeds”, as we rediscover the Sacred Heart as a call to active love, compassion, and community.
Finally, hear the heartfelt vocation story of a newly ordained priest in “Discerning and Living Out Our Call in Humility”, where humility is revealed as the foundation of both hearing and living God’s call.
These enriching gatherings will not only deepen your understanding of the Catholic faith but also equip you with practical wisdom to live it out each day. Join us for a summer of community, dialogue, and prayer—and allow God to ignite the fire of faith within you.
St. John will be hosting a potluck for our kick-off event! Please bring a dish to share.
Sign up here with your dish.
Wednesday, May 28, 7:00 PM
Fellowship and food begins at 6:30 PM
St. John the Evangelist Trinity Hall/Day Chapel (11301 W 93rd Ave, St John, IN 46373)
Host Parish: St. John the Evangelist, St. John
Questions? Contact Adam Ayers, [email protected]
Join us on Wednesday, May 28th at St John the Evangelist Day Chapel for the opening night of our Summer Speaker Series! Doors open at 6:30 pm for a potluck and fellowship in Trinity Hall before the talk. Bonfire to follow, pending weather.
Searching Truth from Doubt to Depth
Adam Ayers is the Pastoral Associate of Youth and Worship at St. John the Evangelist. He attended school at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago and is currently on the journey of discerning Catholicism. He loves sharing his passion for discipleship with others especially with those who are building up the next generation. He will share with us what it means to seek the truth in our own lives!
Wednesday, June 4, 7:00
Doors open at 6:30 PM for food and fellowship
St. Joseph, Dyer (440 Joliet St., Dyer, IN 46311)
Host Parish: St. Joseph, Dyer
Questions? Contact John Banasiak, [email protected]
Doors open at 6:30 pm for food and fellowship in school gym before the talk. Bonfire to follow, pending weather.
Hope and Ceaseless Adoration
In this Jubilee Year of Hope, Sister Josetta Rose will share about hope and living a life of ceaseless adoration. Hope is fulfilled in Jesus, Who is present to us in the Eucharist, and gives the grace we need to live as Pilgrims of Hope.
Sister M. Josetta Rose O.S.F., Sisters of Saint Francis of Perpetual Adoration
Sister Josetta Rose is a Sister of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration, based out of Mishawaka, IN. She grew up in SE Minnesota and first moved to Indiana in 2017 to serve as a FOCUS Missionary and then Campus Minister at the Newman Center for Ball State University. Sister met and discerned with her religious community while serving at Ball State. She entered the convent in 2020 and currently serves as Director of Mission at Franciscan Health Munster and Dyer. She has a heart for mission and loves sharing Jesus with those she encounters.
Wednesday, June 11, 7:00
Doors open at 6:30 PM for pizza and fellowship
Our Lady of Consolation Parish Activity Center (8303 W Taft St, Merrillville, IN 46410)
Host Parish: Our Lady of Consolation, Merrillville
Questions? Contact Melissa Novak, [email protected]
Doors open at 6:30 pm for pizza and fellowship in school gym before the talk. Bonfire to follow, pending weather.
Self-Awareness: The Key to Spiritual Growth
Emotional Intelligence (EQ) and its benefits get a lot of airtime in the secular world. Come hear about how understanding the pillars of EQ, and specifically self-awareness, can aid you in your spiritual journey and growth in holiness.
Danielle Kuboushek
Danielle Kuboushek’s full-time gig is being the caregiver for her five young children, but she also gets to be the Assistant Director of Adult Faith Formation at St. Mary’s in Mokena, IL. Previously, she was a Personal Empowerment facilitator, teaching an emotional intelligence based course at the University of Dubuque, Iowa. In her spare time she enjoys reading and gardening.
Wednesday, June 18, 7:00
Doors open at 6:30 PM for food and fellowship
St. Michael the Archangel, Schererville (1 W Wilhelm St, Schererville, IN 46375)
Host Parish: St. Michael the Archangel, Schererville
Questions? Contact Vicky Hathaway, [email protected]
Doors open at 6:30 pm for food and fellowship in school gym before the talk.
Eyes that See, Corazón that Feels, a Table that Feeds
You’ve seen it before—maybe in your abuelita’s (grandma’s) house, your childhood parish, or printed on a candle at the dollar store: the image of the Sacred Heart. Radiant, pierced, surrounded by thorns, and yet burning with love. It’s iconic in many Hispanic homes and Catholic spaces across the world—but why? What does this image mean for us today as young adults navigating a complicated world? In this gathering, we’ll reimagine the Sacred Heart not only as a holy image or nostalgic devotion, but as a bold invitation to live differently—to see the needs around us with clear eyes, to feel with a corazón rooted in compassion, and to respond together as a community. We’ll dive into the Gospel story of the feeding of the five thousand and reflect on how devotion can move us into active missionary discipleship—where our hearts are not just stirred, but sent.
Sarahi Unzueta
Sarahi Unzueta is a faith-driven leader working at the intersection of culture, small faith-based initiatives, and global solidarity. She received a master’s degree in Pastoral Studies with a certificate in Intercultural Studies from Catholic Theological Union. Her passion for missionary discipleship was sparked during a Maryknoll immersion trip to Bolivia during her graduate studies, inspiring her to create spaces for young adults and Latin@ communities to reconnect with their faith, roots, and identity.
She serves on the Intercultural Advisory Ministry Team in the Diocese of Gary and the board of LaRED National Catholic Network de Pastoral Juvenil Hispana, advocating for Latin@s in the U.S and young adult leadership in the Church. She also organizes immersion trips and formation experiences that explore the connections between faith, justice, and culture.
Outside of her ministry, she enjoys long walks, quiet reflection, and time with her beloved cats.
Wednesday, June 25, 7:00
Doors open at 6:00 PM for food and fellowship
St. Matthias, Crown Point (101 W. Burrell Dr, Crown Point, IN 46307)
Host Parish: St. Matthias, Crown Point
Questions? Contact Mike Morris, [email protected]
Doors at 6:00 PM. Join us for tacos and fellowship before and after the talk. Enjoy a Cubs game viewing, bonfire, and outdoor games. Beer and wine will be served at no cost (must be 21+). Free babysitting is available! Please call the parish office to RSVP for babysitting: (219)663-2201.
Discerning and Living out Our Call in Humility
Dcn. Alexander Kouris, soon to be ordained a priest on June 7th for the Diocese of Gary, is finishing his studies at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit, MI. On reflecting on his time in the seminary, he will discuss how the virtue of Humility relates to Vocation both while discerning a call from God and living out that call with some remarks about his journey of answering the call to the priesthood.