St. Mary Church Welcomes Fr. Muha as the New Pastor
On November 23, 2024, Rev. Peter J. Muha accepted the appointment of Bishop Robert J. McClory to become the 15th pastor of St. Mary Catholic Church in Crown Point. His pastorate began January 1, 2025. He is very well thought of throughout the diocese.
Father wrote this letter to the St. Mary parish in the December 15, 2024 bulletin…
Dear Friends in Christ,
Thank you for your warm welcome to St. Mary’s Parish. I’m very happy to be here, and I look forward to spending many years together. This is my fourth assignment as a pastor… and, presumably, my last. altar server.
I thought I would take this opportunity to tell you a little about myself. I’m sixty-three years old, having been born in 1961 in East Chicago, Indiana to Bob and Marge Muha. I have four brothers (I am in the middle). My parents lost two other children as infants. I grew up in East Chicago until I was ten years old. We lived across the street from St. Stanislaus School on Indianapolis Boulevard. We were very involved in the school and the parish. It was at St. Stan’s that I first felt called to become a priest.
Soon after my tenth birthday our family moved to St. John where we joined St. John the Evangelist Church. We lived a mile from the church and became very involved. I was a frequent altar server and developed a wonderful relationship with our pastor, Fr. Joseph Till. He was very supportive of my studying for the priesthood. I went to St. John Ev. School and spent my freshman year at Lake Central High School. I then entered St. Lawrence High School Seminary in Wisconsin. It was run by the Capuchin Friars (the same group that lived in Crown Point for many years).
After I graduated from St. Lawrence, I decided to check out becoming a Capuchin Friar. I lived with them on the south side of Chicago and attended Calumet College of St. Joseph. After two years I became a novice, but I only stayed six months. I discerned that my true vocation was to be a diocesan priest and went to St. Meinrad Seminary in southern Indiana to complete college. Bishop Andrew Grutka then sent me to Rome to spend my final four years of theological study and formation. I was ordained a deacon with my classmates in April of 1988 at St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican. Living in Europe for four years certainly broadened my horizon and impressed upon me the universal nature of the Roman Catholic Church.
I returned home to the Diocese and was ordained a priest on September 10, 1988. I served as an associate at St. Paul’s in Valparaiso and at St. Michael’s in Schererville. After five years I once again felt the tug of religious life and became a novice at Mount Angel Abbey in Oregon. I stayed six months and again discerned that I was truly meant to be a diocesan priest. I next served as associate at Our Lady of Grace in Highland and St. John Bosco in Hammond. I had the great joy of serving with Fr. Stan Dominic and together we renovated the worship space.
In 1998, I was named pastor of St. Edward’s in Lowell where I serve for eleven years. During that time, we renovated the church. Architecture, art, and design are favorite hobbies of mine. In 2009 I became pastor of Our Lady of Consolation in Merrillville where I served for thirteen years. During that time, we renovated the church, installing a beautiful bronze baptismal font and pool. In 2022, I became pastor of St. Joseph’s in Dyer where I have spent the last two and a half years.
I am very grateful to Bishop McClory for appointing me pastor of St. Mary’s here in Crown Point. I hope that I can bring healing and unity to this wonderful community of faith. I’m happy to pastor a parish with a school, and such an excellent school we have! I look forward to getting to know you and serving your needs. Please keep me in your prayers as I will be keeping you in my daily prayers. May the Blessed Virgin Mary our Mother intercede for all of us whom God has gathered together as St. Mary’s Parish.
Peace to you all, and a Blessed Advent and Christmas season!
In Christ,
Fr. Peter John Muha