About St. Francis Xavier (Diocesan Shrine of St. Joselito) · Lake Station, Indiana
St. Francis Xavier Parish is a bilingual Roman Catholic parish and the Diocesan Shrine of St. Joselito (St. José Luis Sánchez del Río, the young Mexican Cristero martyr), located in Lake Station, Indiana, in the Diocese of Gary. Situated on Putnam Street, the parish serves a faithful community of English- and Spanish-speaking Catholics with daily Mass, Saturday Vigil and Sunday Masses, weekly Eucharistic Adoration, and a busy sacramental life. The parish combines traditional devotional life — Eucharistic Adoration every Thursday, an annual Corpus Christi procession through the streets of Lake Station, and 24-hour adoration on Marian feasts — with active ministry groups including the Knights of Columbus, the Altar & Rosary Sodality, and the St. Joselito Society, plus a Religious Education program for children and youth.
- Established
- 1861
- Patron
- St. Francis Xavier; also Diocesan Shrine of St. Joselito (St. José Luis Sánchez del Río)
- Rector
- Rev. Jaime Perea
- Diocese
- Diocese of Gary
Why belong here
St. Francis Xavier is a warm, bilingual parish where English- and Spanish-speaking Catholics worship side by side. A family of ministries — Knights of Columbus, Altar & Rosary Sodality, St. Joselito Society, Alpha Youth, and a children's Religious Education program — gives every age a place to belong. The parish offers four Sunday Masses (one in Spanish), a daily 8:00 AM Mass, a Wednesday evening Spanish Mass, weekly Thursday Eucharistic Adoration from 9 AM to 7 PM, and signature traditions like the Corpus Christi procession through Lake Station and the annual parish picnic with its beloved soccer tournament.
Mass times at St. Francis Xavier (Diocesan Shrine of St. Joselito)
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Thursday 6:00 PM
- Saturday 3:00 PM
Adoration times
- Every Thursday from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM
- 24-hour Eucharistic Adoration on the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (August 15)
- 24-hour Eucharistic Adoration on the Feast of the Queenship of Mary
Parish Identity and Diocese
St. Francis Xavier Parish is one of the parishes of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Gary, which serves northwestern Indiana. The parish carries the dual title St. Francis Xavier — Diocesan Shrine of St. Joselito, linking the Jesuit missionary patron of the parish with the modern devotion to the young Mexican Cristero martyr St. José Luis Sánchez del Río. The Diocese of Gary lists the parish on its official site at dcgary.org and the parish maintains its own bilingual website at francis-xavier-ls.net.
- Diocese of Gary (dcgary.org)
- Diocesan Shrine of St. Joselito
- Address: 2447 Putnam St., Lake Station, IN 46405
History of the Catholic Community at Lake Station
The Catholic community at Lake Station predates the current St. Francis Xavier church by more than a century. A 1957 survey by the Julia Watkins Brass Chapter of the N.S.D.A.R. and the published history by Timothy Ball both record that the original 'Catholic at Lake' — the Church of St. Joseph — was established in 1861 with twenty families and property valued at $2,000. The small St. Francis Xavier Cemetery, south and west of the present church, is the visible link to those first generations of Catholic families in what was Hobart Township, then known briefly as East Gary, and today as Lake Station.
- Original Church of St. Joseph founded 1861 with 20 families
- Property originally valued at $2,000
- St. Francis Xavier Cemetery adjacent to the present church
- Sacramental registers preserved from the 1930s onward (Michigan City Public Library collection)
Faith Formation and Religious Education
The Religious Education program, directed by the Pastoral Associate/DRE Lucia Bim-Merle, supports parents as the primary educators of their children in the faith. Classes include preparation for First Sacraments and the RCIC (Rite of Christian Initiation for Children) for older students who have not yet received formation or sacraments. A Student Envelope Program teaches stewardship: each student contributes a Sunday envelope, choosing a monetary gift, a charity gift, or a prayer gift.
- Director: Lucia Bim-Merle (Pastoral Associate/DRE)
- Faith Formation Office: 219-962-4507
- RCIC for older children
- Student Envelope Program (monetary / charity / prayer gifts)
- Bilingual program (English and Spanish materials)
Sacramental Preparation
Baptisms and weddings are scheduled with significant lead time so the parish can accompany families through preparation. Baptisms alternate between English (4th Saturday) and Spanish (2nd Saturday), and weddings are celebrated on Saturdays at 1:00 PM. Marriages require arrangements at least six months in advance.
- Baptism (English) — 4th Saturday of the month
- Baptism (Spanish) — 2nd Saturday of the month
- Baptism prep: 90 days advance; call 219-962-4507
- Marriage: 6 months advance; weddings Saturdays at 1:00 PM
Parish Organizations and Ministries
Parishioners are served by a constellation of lay groups that span ages, languages, and devotional traditions. The Knights of Columbus handle the grilling at parish events, the Altar & Rosary Sodality contributes baked goods and women's devotional life, the St. Joselito Society carries the devotion of the patron of the Diocesan Shrine and hosts the Noche Mexicana celebration each September, and Alpha Youth offers a discussion-based entry into the faith for teens.
- Knights of Columbus
- Altar & Rosary Sodality
- St. Joselito Society
- Alpha Youth
Parish Staff and Contacts
The parish is led by Rev. Jaime Perea and supported by a small staff and dedicated secretaries. Phone numbers are answered at the parish office during the week, with the Faith Formation Office reachable separately for sacramental preparation questions.
- Pastor — Rev. Jaime Perea
- Pastoral Associate / DRE — Lucia Bim-Merle
- Parish Secretary / Bookkeeper — Debbi Ashcraft
- Vocation Secretary — Peggy Guernsey
- Parish Office: 219-962-8626 | Fax: 219-962-8627
- Faith Formation Office: 219-962-4507
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. David W. Kime
Served as pastor; still referenced in parish announcements in 2019 (led the winning Fr. Kime's Soccer Team at the annual Parish Picnic).
- Rev. Jaime Perea
Current pastor, listed on the parish homepage and 2024–2025 directories.