Our 2025 Gala was a great reunion and celebration with our Regnum Christi family and friends. This year’s theme, Sent Forth from the Upper Room to Ignite Vocations, allowed all who attended to reflect on our own call by God to follow his will in our lives, as well as remember the true importance and gift of the Priesthood and Consecrated life. After all, we don’t have the Church without it! We are very blessed to have these men and women to walk with us and bring us closer to our Lord! Our evening kicked off with a beautiful Adoration accompanied by Fr. John Klein, Fr. Jaime Lorenzo, and consecrated Margie Landeman, who are part RC Music Collective. Before Mass began, Michelle and Chris Kalian gave heart felt witness to the impact Regnum Christi has had on their lives over the past ten years. Our Mass was celebrated by Fr. Mark Haydu, LC and concelebrated by eleven other Legionaries who joined us for our special event. Six brothers also served in our Holy Mass, and RC Collective’s praise and worship music was just beautiful! After Mass, we had the special blessing of witnessing the Association of six new Regnum Christi members, including the Kalians. We also had the opportunity to renew our own commitment to the movement. This Mass truly felt like heaven on earth! What followed was a high spirited cocktail hour, and an engaging talk about the state of Vocations by our special guest speaker, Fr. Martin Connor, LC. We also learned about the heartwarming story of two brothers, Fr. Aaron and Fr. Jason Smith, and their journey to the priesthood. If you haven’t seen the video, be sure to watch it! Then, we had a delicious dinner together in the dining room, which was set up stunningly, followed by our own “RC LumenNation” Band. A great time was had by all, and the Holy Spirit was in the house all night long.
“This was the first Gala my husband and I have attended for Regnum Christi. Coming to the event helped me understand that Regnum Christi is like a spiritual family. We took part in a beautiful Mass and were witness to several people formally joining this spiritual family. It was powerful to see so many priests concelebrate the Mass, and I was able to meet some of the Brothers too. We talked about their backgrounds and formation process. The mood at the cocktail hour and dinner was so joyful! The warmth that we felt, and attention to detail, truly elevated the moment and made us feel like welcomed guests. This was more than a Gala… it had an amazing evangelical feel. The Holy Spirit was ever present! —Barb Walsh
“Starting with beautiful Mass and ending with fun on the dance floor… the Holy Spirit’s presence was deeply felt.” —Cindy Douglas
“It was all so beautiful! Mass was a glimpse of heaven on earth! I was deeply touched by hearing all our priests praying in Latin. RC Collective took our praise and worship to another level. Watching the video presentation of the vocation stories of Fr. Jason and Fr. Aaron Smith and their parents was so touching… and truly brought to life how the gift of the priesthood is for all of us. After the video, the brothers, who were both in attendance, teased each other and made jokes… it felt like we were all part of the family! The little touches everywhere, and the beautiful dining room set-up made the night feel so special. Being together with all my Regnum Christi sister and brothers, as well as friends of the movement, has made this event a highlight for me each year!” —Carolina Cordova
“I loved the theme of Igniting Vocations, and the reminder that we all have a special vocation given to us from God. Being able to support and celebrate the priesthood at the Gala was very meaningful. Seeing the young Brothers who were there discerning the priesthood brought this all to life for me… and the Mass, setting, meal together, and fellowship was extremely beautiful.
—Julie Cicileo
