And We’re Off! Lolek Center Grand Opening a Success!
For those who couldn't make it, here’s what you missed!
Praised be Jesus Christ!
What a joyful evening! On Monday, May 18th, from 4:00–7:00 PM, we officially opened the doors of The Lolek Center in Sioux Falls—and the response was more beautiful than we could have imagined.
The night began with a powerful moment of prayer: Fr. Jacob Doty offered the official blessing of the Center, consecrating the space to the Lord. Immediately afterward, our Executive Director, Eric Gallagher, shared heartfelt remarks that captured the vision and spirit of this new chapter.
Eric reflected on the life of our Center’s namesake, St. John Paul II, whose deep, lived friendship with Jesus Christ made the Church more joyful, attractive, and human. He spoke of how JPII took young people seriously—entrusting them with responsibility and inviting them into the adventure of faith—and how that witness profoundly shaped his own life. Eric closed by thanking every single person who helped make the Lolek Center a reality: those who gave financially, those who volunteered countless hours, and all who have prayed and supported this mission from the beginning. He also cast vision for what’s next now that the doors are open.
Here’s what life at the Lolek Center looks like this summer:
Monday–Thursday: Open 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM. Come by anytime to read, pray, connect with others, or reserve space for small group studies and one-on-one discipleship meetings.
Fridays: Primarily reserved for day retreats, so the Center will be closed as a drop-in community space.
Upcoming events & formation opportunities will be announced soon. Be sure to fill out a Connect Card so we can keep you in the loop on the things that interest you most.
We will be offering a summer study on relational prayer called Heart Speaks to Heart. It will be offered several times a week starting in June, will have flexible options and can be attended as you are able (missing a week or two is totally ok). If you are interested, you can sign up here to let us know times that would work well for you.
After the blessing and remarks, our high school youth leaders—many of whom have been involved in Lolek retreats—jumped into action giving tours of the space. The tours ran nearly nonstop for the full three hours! It was a powerful sign of the Holy Spirit at work to see so many people from the Sioux Falls community come through the doors, asking great questions and clearly moved by what God is doing here.
Guests enjoyed cake, ice cream, and cookies as we celebrated not only the birth of the Lolek Center but also the birthday of St. John Paul II himself. The atmosphere was full of laughter, conversation, and genuine excitement.
The evening concluded with the very first official event at the Center: a Theology on Tap night for adults. Shane Van Diest and Nick Ahrens stepped up to answer some of the most “diabolical” questions of our day—both those submitted ahead of time and those that came straight from the audience. Attendees enjoyed generous cheese platters (a huge thank you to Cheese World for the donation!), meatballs, chips & dip, and drinks while diving deep into faith and culture.
After a long and grace-filled day, Lolek Ministries is thrilled to announce that The Lolek Center is now officially open!
Looking Ahead
Our next steps include:
Developing ongoing opportunities for formation in prayer and discernment
Building out a discipleship coaching ministry
Continuing to host fun, life-giving community events that bring the faithful together to share in the goodness of God
Thank you to everyone who came out, who prayed, who gave, and who continues to walk with us. The Holy Spirit is alive and moving powerfully in Sioux Falls. We are grateful beyond words to share this beautiful life of faith with you.
Come visit us soon. The doors are open, the coffee is hot (most days), and the Lord is at work.
Stay tuned—there is so much more to come.
In Christ,
The Lolek Ministries Team