June 30, 2026
- 7 days ago
- 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
Summer Greetings!
We hope everyone is enjoying a wonderful summer filled with opportunities for prayer, rest, recreation, and making special memories with family and friends.
A great time was had by all at our Parish Picnic! Thank you to everyone who helped make the day such a success, especially those who planned, organized, volunteered, donated, cooked, set up, cleaned up, and contributed in any way. Your generosity and spirit of service helped create a joyful day of faith, fellowship, and fun for our parish family.
Stay tuned for more parish news in our next blog. Until then, enjoy the blessings of summer, and we look forward to seeing you at Mass! May God continue to bless you and your family throughout these beautiful summer days.
Diocesan News & Events
If you are interested in helping for the week, or even a few days, please email Beth at vbslancastercatholicparishes@gmail.com
A Message from Rachel A. Bryson, Secretary (Executive Director) of Public Relations, Diocese of Harrisburg: Please ask your PA State Representative and Senator to oppose House Bill 2632, a measure put forth by Democrats in the State House, which would have a devastating effect on Catholic Education across Pennsylvania.
HB 2632 seeks to end the Educational Improvement Tax Credit program and attempts to recreate it in a way that harms students by establishing a series of bureaucratic administrative procedures while cutting $102 million in funding. Needy students would see their education interrupted with the closing of several Catholic schools. Only the wealthy would have opportunities to select the best educational choice for their child. Pennsylvanian families in every county have been leveraging scholarships averaging under $3,000 per student with private money to receive an education in an environment that is best suited to the needs of their children. Please remember these children as you consider HB 2632. Thank you in advance for opposing HB 2632 that seeks to rob our children of their ability to succeed in an educational environment that is best for them.
The 2026 Pennsylvania March for Life will be Monday, September 21, 2026, in Harrisburg. Eucharistic Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament will be offered prior to the March at the Cathedral of Saint Patrick starting on Sunday, September 20, at 1:30 p.m., lasting overnight and ending at 9:00 a.m. on Monday, September 21. Please commit to one hour (or more) by signing up at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0A4BADAC29A2FECF8-63560295-pamarch
Sunday, September 20 – Monday, September 21, 2026:
1:30 p.m. – 9:00 a.m. – Overnight Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament at the Cathedral of St Patrick (212 State Street, Harrisburg). Street parking is free on Sunday and overnight until 8:00 a.m.
9:00 a.m. – Benediction, Cathedral of St. Patrick
9:30 a.m. – March for Life Opening Mass, Cathedral of St. Patrick
11:00 a.m. – March for Life Rally, State Capitol steps
12:00 p.m. – March for Life
1:30 p.m. – March for Life Closing Mass, Cathedral of St. Patrick
For more information, please visit https://marchforlife.org/pennsylvania/
For questions or if your parish is offering bus transportation, please contact Marianne Weltmer at mweltmer@hbgdiocese.org or 717-657-4804, ext. 322.
The Saint Thomas More Society of Central Pennsylvania is an organization of Catholic lawyers, judges, public office holders, paralegals, legal assistants, and law students. The Society respectfully invites you to attend the Feast Day Mass of Saints Thomas More and John Fisher.The Mass will be celebrated by Reverend Timothy Sahd, on Monday, June 22, 2026 at 8 a.m. at Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church in Middletown. Mass will be preceded by an all-night Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament from 10 p.m. Sunday to an hour before Mass. Adoration will be in the rectory chapel on 280 N. Race St., Middletown. Light refreshments will be served after Mass. The public is welcome to participate in all events. The purpose of this Mass, held at the start of Religious Freedom Week, is to gather to pray for God’s guidance and to invoke blessings, through the intercession of Thomas More and John Fisher, upon those who work in the administration of justice or government.
Are You a Licensed Mental Health Professional?
The Diocese of Harrisburg is developing a new listing of Licensed Mental Health Professionals who are practicing Catholics. Licensed clinicians are invited to apply for inclusion in this resource, which is intended to assist Catholic individuals and families seeking mental health care that aligns with and respects Catholic beliefs and values.
To be considered for inclusion in the diocesan listing, applicants are asked to submit the following as part of the vetting process:
Current professional license information
Proof of professional liability insurance
Curriculum vitae or résumé
A letter of good standing from his or her pastor (and, if applicable, other Catholic ministry leaders)
Practice location(s)
Mental health professionals who offer services in languages other than English are encouraged to also indicate this information.
Once finalized, this active listing will be made available on the diocesan website as an available resource. For questions or more information, please contact Brenda Estremera-Garay at BEstremeragaray@hbgdiocese.org or 717-657-4804 ext. 303.
Hallow
The Fourth of July is less than one week away and there's still time to jump into the American Heroes Challenge to celebrate 250 years of the United States of America! Don't miss this opportunity to pray with +110,000 leading up to this historic day, rooting our celebration in the Lord. This week, we’ll pray with Saints and heroes who are a bit more contemporary, living in the 20th and 21st centuries. Jump into the American Heroes Challenge today as we hear all about Ven. Fulton Sheen – one of the most beloved figures in American history and soon to be canonized! He's an inspiration for seeing the newest technology in the world as a way to share the Gospel. Pray today with Cardinal Timothy Dolan & Sr. Grace Dominic!
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.
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 Church tab at the bottom of your screen.
Select “Join a Church” and search for our parish by zip code: 17601.
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.
Youth Ministry
Faith Formation
Discovering the Sacraments
by Erin Houser
What does Baptism really do? Why are there seven Sacraments? How does Confirmation strengthen us? What is grace? Why does the Church call the Eucharist the "source and summit" of our faith?
These are just some of the questions our families will explore together during the 2026–2027 Family Faith Formation year.
This year's theme is the Sacraments, God's visible signs of His invisible grace. Month by month, we'll discover how each sacrament is an encounter with Christ that strengthens us for every stage of life. Throughout the year, families will journey together through topics including:
What is a Sacrament? Discover how ordinary things like water, oil, bread, and wine become extraordinary signs of God's grace.
The Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist): Learn how we become members of God's family, receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and are nourished by Christ Himself.
The Sacraments of Healing: Experience the beauty of God's mercy through Reconciliation and His healing love in the Anointing of the Sick.
The Sacraments at the Service of Communion: Explore how Holy Matrimony and Holy Orders help build up the Church and serve God's people.
Grace and the Christian Life: Discover how the Sacraments strengthen us to become saints and live our faith each day.
Along the way, families will enjoy hands-on activities, meaningful discussions, seasonal projects connected to Advent, Christmas, Lent, and Easter, prayer experiences, and opportunities to continue learning together at home. Our hope is that every family leaves each gathering with a deeper understanding of the Sacraments and a renewed appreciation for the incredible gifts Jesus has given His Church. We look forward to growing in faith with you as we discover how the Sacraments draw us ever closer to Christ.
Registration is open for the 2026–2027 Faith Formation year! We invite you to lead your family on a journey of faith with Family Faith Formation by clicking the link here: Registration Link. To register for Confirmation Preparation, click here: Confirmation Registration Link. If you have any questions, please get in touch with Nate Gulya at ngulya@sjnlancaster.org, or call the parish office. Registration for Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is full (closed).
Parish Health Ministry (PHM)
Pope Leo’s Prayer Intent:
This month, the Pope’s prayer intention is for respect for human life. People who live with a mental illness can lead lives of faith and courage. But all too often the lives of people who are struggling with a serious mental illness are not valued and shown respect. The value of a person’s life is not diminished because they live with a serious mental illness. Christ always loves people who are frail and vulnerable and gives them hope. Pope Leo XIV said to a woman who lived with serious depression and survived a suicide attempt, “through contact with Jesus, even those who feel lost regain confidence in life … they can rise to live again.” The Holy Father reminds us that “Life is a gift…even in the midst of pain and suffering. Let us pray for the respect and protection of human life in all its stages, recognizing it as a gift from God.
St. John Neumann Catholic School
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