Norfolk revival will feature an array of speakers and many willing hearts

Father Patrick McLaughlin believes the Norfolk area is in for a powerful weekend event May 30-31.

He envisions parishioners experiencing Jesus’ love for them, discovering the excellence that the Lord calls them to and becoming more comfortable sharing Him with others.

That’s what he expects from Called by Name: A Heart of Jesus Revival, which will be held the evening of Friday, May 30, and during the day on Saturday, May 31, at Norfolk Catholic Schools on the west campus of Sacred Heart Parish.

“It’s my desire that each person – according to the gifts they have and their state in life and their circle of influence – will find a way to make Jesus more prevalent in their contact areas because that might be the only encounter anyone has with Jesus through a member of the mystical body of Christ,” said Father McLaughlin, pastor of the Heart of Jesus parish family.

That family includes Sacred Heart in Norfolk, St. Joseph in Pierce, St. Peter in Stanton, St. Leonard in Madison and St. Patrick in Battle Creek.

Planning for the revival began about a year and a half ago. It will feature a variety of speakers, including several who are nationally known. All will focus on aspects of the archdiocese’s vision of what it means to be One Church: Encountering Jesus, Equipping Disciples and Living Mercy.

Pete Burak, with the Michigan-based non-profit Renewal Ministries, will kick off the main event at 6:30 p.m. Friday at the Norfolk Catholic Activities Center in Sacred Heart School.

Pete Burak COURTESY PHOTO

He will be followed by Father Dave Belt at 7:30 p.m. Father Belt is a former pastor of Sacred Heart Parish who now serves as pastor at St. Stephen the Martyr Parish in Omaha.

He is one of five clergymen who will speak at the event, most of whom serve the Archdiocese of Omaha. The inclusion of priests from within the archdiocese is a detail that Father McLaughlin is excited about.

Father David Belt COURTESY PHOTO

“I love the fact that people are acknowledging the goodness that we have in the Archdiocese of Omaha,” he said. “It’s wonderful to have these speakers from outside of the archdiocese come in and share their perspective. That’s going to be good and helpful, but if we always wait for somebody from the outside to come in and do something amazing, it kind of gives us an excuse not to do something amazing ourselves.”

The youth portion of the revival, which will be held in the Burns Gym, will feature witness talks by former Husker football player Ethan Piper and current Husker volleyball player Rebekah Allick, beginning at 6:30 p.m. Father Jeff Mollner, national director of mission and spirituality at Boys Town, will deliver the youth keynote address at 7:45 p.m.

The next morning, at 9 a.m., Sarah Kaczmarek, director of pastoral ministry at Encounter Ministries, will speak. Her talk will be followed by a men’s session featuring Logan Burda of Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS) and a women’s session featuring Teresa Kenney, an Omaha-based women’s health nurse practitioner and host of the podcast “The Hormone Genius.”

Revival-goers can choose between breakout sessions – at 11:30 a.m., 12:20 p.m. and 1:10 p.m. The sessions feature talks specifically designed for people interested in taking on larger leadership roles in their parishes. The breakouts also include time for adoration, the Sacrament of Confession and lunch.

At 2:30 p.m., Sister Sarah Elizabeth McMahon, a Missionary Benedictine Sister from Immaculata Monastery in Norfolk, will focus on prayer as she delivers a talk on Equipping Disciples.

Msgr. Gregory Ramkissoon will deliver the final talk in English at 3:30 p.m. Monsignor Ramkissoon is the founder of Mustard Seed Communities, an international organization that provides homes, nutrition and education for the most vulnerable.

The Hispanic ministry will feature four Spanish-language talks. Father Scott Hastings, vicar general for the Omaha archdiocese, will speak at 9 a.m. Two lay Catholic evangelists – Luis Manuel Sanchez and Maribel Arriaga – are set to speak in the late morning and mid-afternoon, followed by Father Paul Kasun at 2:25 p.m. Father Kasun is a Benedictine Monk and ordained minister who has spent extensive time on mission in Colombia.

The revival will wrap up with a Mass at 4:30 p.m. at the Norfolk Catholic Activities Center. The Mass will include a song commissioned by the revival planning team and composed by Sacred Heart parishioner Andrew Henkel.

“We want people to know all of Who Jesus is, His great love for them, and His call to them,” Father McLaughlin said.

Tickets for the event cost $20 per person, $30 per couple and $40 per family. 

The tickets can be purchased by calling the parish office at 402-371-2621 or by registering online at https://sacredheartnorfolk.com/revival.

Karl Henkel, seated at the piano, and Jackie Polak collaborate during a break from choir rehearsal. KATHRYN HARRIS

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