October 20, 2025 // Diocese

Ministers Equipped with ‘Strength of the Sacraments’

Clare Hildebrandt

Reporter

From Thursday, October 9, to Saturday, October 11, ecclesial ministers from the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend spent time in rest and rejuvenation with the Lord at Lindenwood Retreat Center in Donaldson, where they listened to speakers, spent time in Eucharistic adoration, and strengthened connections with their peers in ministry.

Alex Giltner, who recently stepped into the role of secretary for the diocese’s Secretariat for Evangelization and Catechesis, told Today’s Catholic about the revitalized mission of the diocese. 

“The mission of the secretariat is to empower, equip, and accompany the formators of our parishes and schools to realize Bishop Rhoades’ vision and work of fulfilling the Great Commission as ‘vibrant, mission-oriented communities of faith, hope, and charity that forms missionary disciples’ through an evangelizing catechesis,” Giltner told Today’s Catholic. “At the retreat, we laid out this mission and talked about our strategy of discipling, as well as providing formation on evangelizing catechesis and parish ministry.”

Along with the intellectual formation, Giltner said it was important to have ministers from throughout the diocese to simply encounter Christ in the sacraments together.

“We also just wanted them to have a chance to step away from the bustle and be spiritually nourished through time with Jesus in prayer and the sacraments and fellowship with each other,” Giltner said.

Bishop Rhoades celebrated Mass to begin the retreat on Thursday, October 9, which was followed by a roundtable discussion with Giltner at dinner.

Bishop Rhoades urged the ministers to ask, “What are people hungry for?”

“We have the mission to go out and spread the word of God, the news of salvation. … I’m really targeting it more on evangelizing the unchurched and fallen-away Catholics, because I would like to have this as our focus. There are so many opportunities for us … to engage more,” Bishop Rhoades explained in the discussion.

“Look at the rates of anxiety and depression and other mental illnesses,” Bishop Rhoades continued, “that’s a sign of the times. We need to look at that sign and respond with the Gospel, the saving message of Our Lord. … So, our formation of lay ecclesial minsters is essential. This is one of the things that Alex and his secretariat are doing,” he said.

Jason Kohrman, youth ministry coordinator at St. Jude Catholic Church in Fort Wayne, told Today’s Catholic that “the retreat was fantastic. Being given the time to sit quietly with the Lord is a welcome rarity in today’s world. Being able to hear the different talks was nice, and it’s always good to hear about how the diocese wants to help us in our ministries.”

He added: “Bishop’s talk was amazing. I liked how he tied the synodal approach to the secretariat’s mission.”

Stephanie Mendoza, director of youth faith formation at SS. Casimir and Adalbert Parish in South Bend, said: “The retreat was really to unify the new secretariat under a shared choosing of hope in the Church. We were able to listen to talks regarding what works and what doesn’t. It encouraged me to truly reach out to people the Lord puts on my heart – those who have fallen away,” she said. “Spiritually, [the retreat] inspired me to do more of what I love with the strength of the sacraments. I know I can’t do anything without the Lord, and having the gift to receive Him, even daily when I can, is a gift.”

Mendoza continued: “Bishop’s talk was such a personal way of connecting with us on a mission we sometimes feel we do alone,” the director of youth formation said. “It was wonderful to hear him urge us to keep going.”

Clare Hildebrandt is a staff writer for Today’s Catholic.