January 20, 2026

ehouser4
Jan 20
8 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

Diocesan News & Events

Bishop Timothy C. Senior invites men throughout the Diocese of Harrisburg to prayerfully discern a call to serve the Church as permanent deacons. A new formation cohort will begin in August 2026. Men between the ages of 30 and 62 who are active, prayerful Catholics are encouraged to speak with their pastor about this possibility. Applications are available through pastors and are due by March 15, 2026. Information sessions will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 25, at San Juan Bautista Parish, Lancaster; Tuesday, Jan. 27, at 6 p.m. at the Diocesan Center, Harrisburg; and 2 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 15, at St. Pius X Parish, Selingsgrove. Bishop Senior’s full letter, which offers additional guidance and details, is available at https://www.catholicwitness.org/invitation-for-applications-to-be-permanent-deacons/.
Life-Giving Wounds Online Support Group – Registration Now Open! If you or someone you know is an adult child of divorce or separation, this seven-week online support group offers powerful opportunities for healing. Participants will explore the impact of family wounds through a Catholic lens and find Christ-centered support in community with others who understand. Thursdays, Feb. 26–April 16 | 8:15–10:00 p.m. ET Early-bird registration ends Feb. 12 Learn more and register at: lifegivingwounds.org/online-support-group.
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.
In partnership with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, the New Jersey Catholic Conference, the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference, and the SOAP Project, we invite you to a 90-minute webinar dedicated to exploring the intersection of human trafficking and major sporting events. January marks National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, a time when we come together to raise awareness about the grave injustice of human trafficking. This year, our focus is on major sporting events, which unfortunately can create conditions where trafficking risks increase. With the Super Bowl scheduled for Sunday, February 8th in San Jose, California, this discussion is both timely and urgent. Opening Prayer and Reflection led by His Excellency Oscar Cantú, Bishop of San Jose, California, who will offer a reflection on the Church’s role in combating human trafficking. For more information and to register, please visit: https://www.hbgdiocese.org/htwebinar.
The Diocese of Harrisburg invites you to a special online program for International Holocaust Remembrance Day on January 27 from 1–2 p.m.: Remembering the Holocaust & Understanding and Challenging Antisemitism in Our Time. This prayerful and educational observance honors the victims of the Holocaust and reflects on its enduring moral lessons. The program includes prayer and a personal reflection by Elaine Culbertson, daughter of Holocaust survivors. More information and registration can be found at www.hbgdiocese.org/event/remembering-the-holocaust.
The National March for Life will occur on Friday, January 23, in Washington, D.C. The goal of the March is not only to advocate for life-saving laws, but to unite together in purpose and prayer to help move our culture to a point where abortion becomes unthinkable. Several parishes and pro-life organizations within our diocese are hosting buses to the March. All are invited to attend. Please visit https://www.hbgdiocese.org/clev/life-and-dignity/march-for-life-public-policy/ for the latest busing information. Thank you.
A Mass in American Sign Language without voice interpretation will be celebrated on Sunday, February 15 at 4:00 pm at Saint Joseph Catholic Church, (400 E. Simpson St.) Mechanicsburg. No voice interpretation will occur. The celebrant and homilist will be Father Mike Depcik, OSFS, and Chaplain for the Deaf Ministry for the Archdiocese of Baltimore. Father Depcik will be available for the sacrament of confession in ASL-only. Following Mass there will be a time of fellowship and dinner. Participants are encouraged to confirm their attendance by emailing Dawn Rose at love2kids3@gmail.com. All are welcome.
Join us, Sunday, February 1st at 12:15pm, for the annual BCA Cultural Mass at Cathedral of Saint Patrick, 212 State St., Harrisburg, PA. Mass will be celebrated by the Most Reverend Timothy C. Senior and the Homilist will be Father Chiedozie F. Ononuju, Parochial Vicar of Saint Patrick, Carlisle. The Philadelphia Gospel Choir will be present for this occasion, leading us in singing, celebrating the Universality of the Catholic Church. Following Mass there will be a brief social gathering. Any questions please call Deacon Armando Torres, Director for Culture & Outreach at (717) 657-4804 Ext. 221.
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/.

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.

Hallow

A Message from Alex at Hallow

The start of Lent is just a few weeks away. Can you believe it? Today I’m absolutely thrilled to invite you to join the waitlist for this year’s Pray40 challenge! Kicking off this Ash Wednesday, February 18, it's always our biggest and most powerful challenge of the year!

Last year, more than 1.7 million people around the world joined us in prayer, fasting, and giving to grow closer to the Lord. I can’t wait to see what He has in store for all of us this Lent. We’ll share more in the coming weeks about what’s to come in this year’s Lent challenge, but just believe me when I say this might be my favorite yet. I can’t wait for you to join us in praying every single day leading up to Easter Sunday with some truly incredible folks leading us in the journey.

Also, the waitlist for the Kids or Teen Lent challenge is now open, too! A challenge created for the whole family to grow together in prayer this Lent, we promise your kids or students are going to love it!

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.
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 community (church) tab at the bottom of your screen
3. Select “Join a Church” and search for our parish by typing exactly "Saint John Neumann Parish."
4. 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

A Simple Way for Families to Pray for Life on January 22

In Evangelium Vitae, Pope Saint John Paul II called for “a great prayer for life” to rise up from every Christian community, every family, and the heart of every believer. Each year on January 22, the Church in the United States responds to that call by observing the Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children.

This day marks the anniversary of the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, which legalized abortion nationwide and led to the loss of millions of innocent lives and deep wounds for countless women and families. Although Roe was overturned in 2022, many laws remain hostile to unborn children, and the need for prayer, penance, and loving witness is as urgent as ever.

The Church asks us not only to advocate for life, but to pray, trusting that God is the Creator and Lover of every human person.

Children may not understand laws or court decisions, but they do understand love, gratitude, and prayer. When families pray together for life, children learn something essential: that every person is a gift, and that we turn to God when the world is broken. Praying as a family also helps keep this day from becoming only a historical remembrance or political issue. Instead, it becomes what the Church intends it to be—a day of prayer, penance, hope, and mercy.

To help families observe January 22 in a gentle, age-appropriate way, we have created a brief outline to help families pray together. Please click the link below.

Parish Health Ministry (PHM)

Mental Health Ministry Presentation on Dementia

On Thursday 2/12/26 from 3:45pm-5pm in Social Hall

Do you have a loved one or friend that your worried about their memory lapses?

Have you ever wondered if the memory lapse you’re experiencing are normal for your age?

Then this is the presentation, Dementia: What is it; What does it mean?

by Connie Metzler BSN Clinical Dementia Professional, Is for you.

Join us on Thursday February 12 from 3:45pm -5pm in the Social Hall

Learn about the types of diseases that impact memory, Is your experiences of memory lapses normal, and the benefits of early diagnosis and treatments.