April 14, 2026

1 hour ago
6 min read

Welcome to the latest news blog for St. John Neumann Parish. This page will be updated weekly with the most recent information to keep you informed. You can also access past blogs by clicking on the links on our blog landing page.

Father Dan's Ski Chair Chat!

Parish News

Diocesan News & Events

Saint Joan of Arc Catholic Church, Hershey, will offer its next Sensory-friendly Mass on Sunday, April 19, at 2:00 pm in the Main Church (359 W. Areba Ave., Hershey). The Mass will include dimmer lighting, no music, and a shorter homily among other adaptations to promote a fully inclusive environment. Every effort will be made to accommodate all in attendance, and all behaviors are welcome. For more information, please contact the Parish Office at 717-533-7168 or Office@stjoanhershey.org. Thank you.

Consider opening your heart and home to a foster child. If you can provide a loving home, we will provide the support that you need. Please contact Catholic Charities Specialized Foster Care at (717) 564-7115 or gpfeifer@cchbg.org for more information and to register for our virtual Information/Orientation session on May 7, 2026 at 5:30 pm.
Beginning Experience Weekend: The Harrisburg Diocese Beginning Experience Team will host a Beginning Experience Weekend on May 1–3, 2026, at Camp Kirchenwald, Lebanon, Pa. Beginning Experience is an approved, ecumenical program offering healing, hope, and spiritual restoration for those grieving the loss of a spouse through death, divorce, or separation. Led by trained facilitators who have experienced loss themselves and certified by the International Beginning Experience Organization, these weekends have helped hundreds move toward renewed peace and purpose. For more information, visit https://www.hbgdiocese.org/clev/laity-and-family/navigating-difficulties/, or contact Julie at 717-379-0800.

Hands of Christ – Creating Hope Benefit Dinner
Join Catholic Charities for the Diocese of Harrisburg for an inspiring evening of fellowship, reflection, and impact at our annual charity dinner. Enjoy a cocktail hour, silent auction, plated dinner, and a meaningful program featuring Dr. Anne DeSantis, with Dennis Owens as Master of Ceremonies. Thursday, April 30, 2026, from 5:00 – 8:00 PM at the Diocese Center, 4800 Union Deposit Rd, Harrisburg, PA. Individual Tickets: $125. Your support helps provide vital services to individuals and families in need across our community. Reserve your seat today: https://bit.ly/44Vulr0. Together, we are creating hope.

Hallow

It's Day 2 of Stay Prayed Up with Mark Wahlberg & Jonathan Roumie! For 7 days, we’re going to pray with God’s Word and ask Him to strengthen our hearts, minds, and truly build a habit of daily prayer that helps all of us Stay Prayed Up. We can’t wait to see how this short but powerful journey shapes our hearts as we pray alongside two of the men who have really made Stay Prayed Up part of Hallow’s mission. This week is not about perfection. It’s just about showing up and taking that first step toward God. Pray Day 1 today!

I already have a Hallow account. How do I access SJN's parish page?

Everyone is invited to be a part of our parish community page. There, you can create a profile, add friends, share/respond to prayer intentions, and take part in prayer challenges with the parish. The steps are simple:

To join the parish page: Tap “Church” on the menu at the bottom of your screen > Select “Join a Church” > Search for our parish by typing "17601." Hallow has corrected our parish name from "Saint" to "St." when searching by name. However, it is best to search by zip code (17601).
Start praying with us!

I do not have a Hallow account. How do I get a free account and join the SJN page?

Go to hallow.com/parish.
Type in “17601” and click on St. John Neumann Parish.
Click “Join.”
Create an account using phone or email.
Create a password.
You may redeem the $1 offer by clicking “Redeem Offer,” OR click “SKIP” to continue to the basic (free) version of the app.

My $1 Hallow Trial Expired. Now what?

If you currently have a Hallow premium subscription (or $1 trial) and would like to renew, our Hallow Parish Partnership is offering a 25% discount on a premium subscription annually for the duration of our Hallow Parish Partnership. To redeem this, follow these instructions:

Cancel your current Hallow subscription.
1. Open your Hallow app. Go to the “Me” tab > Settings > Subscription > Cancel my Subscription.
Go to Hallow.com/redeem.
Enter code: GrowthSub25
Follow the steps to get your discount.
Enjoy your Hallow premium subscription, and don’t forget to join our parish page on Hallow!
1. Open the Hallow app.
2. Go to the Church tab at the bottom of your screen.
3. Select “Join a Church” and search for our parish by zip code: 17601.
4. Start praying with the parish!
If you do not wish to renew, Go to the "Me" tab, click the little wheel in the upper right-hand corner of the screen. Go to "Subscription" and click "Cancel My Subscription." If you were erroneously charged a renewal fee, contact parishsupport@hallow.app to have the charge reversed.

Ministry Team Members

Are you a member of a ministry team at SJN and interested in a premium Hallow account? Reach out to Erin Houser at the parish office or email ehouser@sjnlancaster.org to request access. Premium accounts are available on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last.

Faith Formation (Religious Education) and CGS Families

If you are a registered parent or student in our Faith Formation Program and would like to obtain a premium Hallow subscription, please click here to submit your information and get your account started.

Customer Support

If you have any issues getting someone set up on the app, please reach out to parishsupport@hallow.app. Hallow has an incredibly talented support team that responds to parish partners with super high priority. Erin Houser is out of the office on leave. Please contact Hallow directly with questions or concerns.

Youth Ministry

Stay tuned!

Faith Formation

Helping Our Children Navigate Life’s Hard Questions

by Erin Houser

This past Sunday during Family Faith Formation adult catechesis, we shifted into a topic that is both heavier and absolutely essential to our faith: the reality of the enemy (Satan) and how he works in our lives.

It’s not always an easy conversation to enter into. Yet it is one we cannot avoid, because at some point, every child (and every adult) wrestles with the same heartfelt question: If God loves me, knows me by name, and holds me with a perfect love… then why do bad things happen? Why do they happen to me, or to the people I love?

These questions are not signs of weak faith; they are signs of a searching heart. But they can also become a real barrier if left unanswered. Even the best religious education programs cannot fully overcome the weight of this question if we, as parents and caregivers, are not prepared to walk through it alongside our children with honesty, clarity, and hope.

That is why this topic matters so deeply. Understanding that there is an enemy and recognizing how he distorts truth, sows confusion, and tries to separate us from God helps us begin to make sense of suffering in a way that aligns with the Gospel. It reminds us that while evil is real, it is not victorious. God’s love remains constant, personal, and far greater than anything we face.

This conversation is part of a larger journey introduced through The Rescue Project, available to all parishioners through our complimentary subscription to FORMED. If you would like to watch this series or revisit the session, we encourage you to explore FORMED through our parish website under the “Media” heading. It is a gift to our parish community, and a powerful resource for families seeking to grow together in understanding and faith.

If you are interested in joining Family Faith Formation, contact Nate Gulya at ngulya@sjnlancaster.org, or call the parish office.

Parish Health Ministry (PHM)

This month, the Pope’s prayer intention for April is for priests in crisis. The life of a priest is often filled with joy, but priests can also experience high levels of stress, loneliness, and depression due to heavy workloads, isolation, and high expectations. In an address to a gathering of priests, Pope Leo said, “Above all, I urge you never to close yourselves off: Don’t be afraid to talk to others, even about your fatigue and your crises. We pray that priests in crisis find the mental health care that they need, develop healthy relationships, and that communities support them with understanding and prayer.

The Mental Health Awareness bookshelf in Narthex has updated Care Notes on Cancer. With Devine Mercy Sunday approaching we have added Handouts with suggestions for both Corporal and Spiritual works of Mercy Help yourselves to these resources.