December 16, 2025
- kmikulski6
- 7 days 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
Upcoming Events
Due to the short weeks during Christmas and New Year's, we will be publishing a double bulletin for the weekends of December 28 and January 4.
We wish you and your families a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
These are the local Advent Penance Services in our area. Click on the image to see larger version.
Diocesan News & Events
On Thursday, January 22, 2026, an afternoon of Eucharistic Adoration will be offered at Saint Patrick Cathedral (212 State St., Harrisburg) to mark the Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children.
The schedule is:
12:00 pm – Holy Mass (Daily)12:30 pm – Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament12:30-5:30 pm – Eucharistic Adoration5:30 pm – Benediction
You are invited to sign up for an hour (or more) of Eucharistic Adoration by visiting: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0A4BADAC29A2FECF8-60227394-eucharistic#/
On Friday, January 23, 2026, the National March for Life will occur in Washington, D.C. The goal of the National March for Life is to not only change laws at the state and federal level, but to change our country's culture so that abortion becomes unthinkable. If your parish or group is offering bus transportation to the March for Life, please contact Marianne Weltmer at mweltmer@hbgdiocese.org or 717-657-4804, ext 322 with the details. Thank you.
For more details and new bus updates, visit https://www.hbgdiocese.org/clev/life-and-dignity/march-for-life-public-policy/.
Calling All Soup Makers! Check out this flyer for an opportunity!
See a flyer from Retrouvaille below.
The Diocese of Harrisburg is excited to announce the first Diocesan Catholic Social Teaching Symposium to be held in-person (4800 Union Deposit Rd., Harrisburg) on Saturday, January 31, 2026. This full-day event will emphasize education, action, and advocacy for issues relating to the Catholic Church’s long history of social teaching, with an emphasis on the dignity of the human person. The event will feature expert panel sessions on immigration and healthcare, as well as a variety of breakout sessions to explore other issues. Please plan to attend and look for the registration to open in early December 2025.
A parishioner at OPMH parish is asking for prayers and the help of a truly selfless individual. His wife, Jody, is in need of a living donor kidney transplant. Due to a genetic condition, both her kidneys are slowly failing. If you would like to learn more about the disease or the donation process, please contact her at: kidneyforjody@gmail.com.
Hallow
A Message from Alex at Hallow
It’s Day 1 of our Christmas Music Challenge: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel! 🎄🎶
I couldn’t be more excited to start this 9-day journey with you, praying through the beloved hymn, O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, in preparation for the coming of Christ. Join Lauren Daigle, Mario Lopez, and Michael Iskander today in praying every day leading up to Christmas Eve!
Tomorrow and the following days, television host Mario Lopez will guide us through short reflections on what the hymn reveals about Jesus and God’s response to our hearts longing for Him. And actor-musician Michael Iskander, who portrays King David in Amazon’s hit TV series, House of David, will guide us in a time of prayer and music.
How do I access SJN's parish page on Hallow?
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:
Download or open the Hallow app on your phone
Join the parish page. Tap “Community” 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!
Did Your $1 Hallow Trial Expire?
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.
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!
Open the Hallow app
Go to the community (church) tab at the bottom of your screen
Select “Join a Church” and search for our parish by typing exactly "Saint John Neumann Parish."
Start praying with the parish!
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. You may also direct inquiries to Erin Houser at the parish office, ehouser@sjnlancaster.org.
Youth Ministry
As a reminder, YM events are still scheduled. God bless!
Faith Formation
When Christmas Comes Quietly: Finding True Joy in His Presence by Erin Houser
This past Sunday, our Faith Formation families gathered in the school for a regularly scheduled meeting. But anyone who was there knows it was anything but ordinary. As snow gently fell on white-capped trees outside, something sacred unfolded inside, a moment of grace reminding us of what truly matters.
Families had the opportunity to participate in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, to sit in the stillness of Adoration, and to spend quiet time with Jesus. As the nativity story was read, Rousseau’s Silent Night played softly in the background, creating an atmosphere of reverence and peace. Before Adoration, we listened as Nate shared the beautiful story of our faith: how Jesus was born as a baby, lived among us, showed us how to live holy lives, taught us how to love God and one another, worked miracles, and ultimately gave His life for us. Through Him, we are given a second chance to be holy, to be close to God, and to love as we were always meant to.
The presence of the Holy Spirit during Adoration was unmistakable. A hushed peace filled the room, gently enveloping children and adults alike. For this overly busy, sometimes worn-out, soul-weary mom, it felt like an unexpected and deeply personal gift. During our meeting, I experienced genuine Christmas joy. Not the fleeting, well-meaning joy we parents often try to manufacture during the season with parties, schedules, and gifts we’ll be paying off for months, but rather the deep, abiding joy that only Jesus Christ can place in a human heart. If you were present for this meeting, I pray you felt it, too.
And so, as Christmas cards remain unsent and packages still wait patiently for ribbons and bows, I find comfort in knowing that Christmas has already come for me. I experienced it there, in the quiet, with Jesus, surrounded by my daughters and my parish family.
Parish Health Ministry (PHM)
The Mental Health Awareness bookshelf in the Narthex has been updated with Care Notes in reference to the Advent and Christmas Season. Please help yourself to these resources, and if there is a topic you are interested in, please email Mentalhealthministry@sjnlancaster.org.
St. John Neumann Catholic School
SJNCS Construction
Each day brings us closer to enjoying our exciting new additions!