December 2, 2025
- ehouser4
- 2 days ago
- 7 min read
Updated: 16 minutes ago
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
All gifts are due on the table in the Narthex by 12:00 Sunday December 7th.
Advent Wreath
As Advent draws near, we are inviting families to assist in lighting the candles before each Mass. If your family is interested in participating, please scan the QR code below to sign up.
These are the local Advent Penance Services in our area. Click on the image to see larger version.
St. John Neumann's Advent and Christmas Mass Schedule. Click on image to enlarge.
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!
The Xavier Society for the Blind offers free religious, spiritual, and inspirational reading materials in braille, large print, and audio to blind and visually impaired individuals. The Xavier Society is able to provide these materials thanks to the generous support of donors. For more information about these free resources, please visit https://xaviersocietyfortheblind.org/.
See a flyer from Retrouvaille below.
Saint Joan of Arc Catholic Church, Hershey, will offer its next Sensory-friendly Mass on Sunday, December 7, 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.
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
Advent Pray25: Day 2
It’s Day 2 of Advent Pray25: Be Still! December 1st marked the start of our 25-day journey to pray every day leading up to Christmas. Following in the footsteps of the Holy Family as they awaited Christ’s birth, we’ll pray for that same stillness and silence in the Lord as we prepare our hearts for His coming. Join us in prayer today with Jonathan Roumie and Sr. Miriam as we reflect on Psalm 46: “Be still and know that I am God.” |
“Jesus is walking toward you. He sees how desperately you’ve been trying to keep sight of Him. He sees your exhaustion. He reaches out His hand and says, ‘Come. Follow me and rest.’” |
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.
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
Meet Our Catechist: Fr. Stiteler
We are delighted to welcome Fr. Stiteler to the Faith Formation team at St. John Neumann Parish, where he is now teaching 7th-grade Confirmation preparation classes. As a young priest with a background as a prosecutor, Fr. Stiteler brings a unique and relatable perspective to our students, one shaped by real-world experience, deep faith, and a heart eager to serve. He often reflects on the words of St. John Paul II: “Life with Christ is a wonderful adventure.” For him, that has proven true again and again.
Born in Carlisle and raised along the banks of the Conodoguinet Creek in Camp Hill, he grew up the youngest of three boys in a home where faith, family, and friendships were central. His childhood was filled with Sunday Mass, time outdoors, and playing plenty of team sports, especially soccer, basketball, and baseball.
Fr. Stiteler graduated from Trinity High School before attending La Salle University in Philadelphia. After working for a year, he went on to Duquesne Law School in Pittsburgh and spent more than seven years serving as an attorney and prosecutor. Yet even as he pursued law, God was preparing a different path. A profound experience of Jesus’ mercy in the Sacrament of Reconciliation opened his heart to the possibility of the priesthood, something he had never previously considered. Each time he brought this call to prayer, he found only peace and joy.
Responding to the Lord’s invitation, he entered Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland, where he prayed and studied for six years for our Diocese. On June 7, 2025, he was ordained a Priest of Jesus Christ. Echoing again the wisdom of St. John Paul II—who wrote that the priesthood is both a gift and a mystery—Fr. Stiteler approaches his ministry with humility and gratitude, striving in all things for the greater glory of God.
We are blessed to have Fr. Stiteler walking with our young people as they prepare for the Sacrament of Confirmation.
✨ Stay tuned each week as we introduce our amazing catechists who make Faith Formation at St. John Neumann so special.
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.
MHM Spiritual Support Group will meet Monday morning, December 4th, from 6:45-8 PM in the Parish Library
Are you anxious? Are the upcoming holidays stressing you out? Does life feel out of control? Join us in a safe, confidential space where you can be heard and supported. All are welcome.
Jesus says, “Come to me all who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart, and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-29
This month, the Pope’s prayer is for Christians in areas of conflict. The mental health of people who live in areas of conflict can be severely harmed. May mental health ministries in areas of war and conflict, in collaboration with humanitarian organizations and local health authorities, provide spiritual support and accompaniment that integrates mental health care into the life of faith communities to counter stigma and build resilience. We pray with Pope Leo XIV that Christian communities in areas of conflict “might be seeds of peace, reconciliation and hope."
St. John Neumann Catholic School
SJNCS Construction
Each day brings us closer to enjoying our exciting new additions!