March 31, 2026
- 2 hours ago
- 5 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
Men of the Diocese are warmly invited to join Father Boniface Hicks, OSB for the 2026 Men’s Conference on April 18th, at the Diocesan Center. Mark your calendars and invite your friends and family! This year’s theme is “Steadfast in Mercy.”
Deadline/Costs:
$40 per person
$70 father/son combo
CLERGY ADMITTED FREE
Deadline: April 6, 2026
$50 Walk-In Registration
Due to space limitations, walk-ins can’t be assured of preferred workshop choices.
If any special accommodations are needed, please contact Marianne Weltmer at (717) 657-4804 ext. 322 or mweltmer@hbgdiocese.org. Requests should be made by April 1, 2026.
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
Holy Week in the Holy Land |
Holy Week in the Holy Land has begun! Immerse yourself in guided video meditations and experience the most sacred place on earth with Jonathan Roumie, who portrays Jesus in The Chosen, and Biblical scholar and incredible pilgrimage leader Jeff Cavins. We can’t wait for you to experience this special week and walk where Jesus walked, suffer where He suffered, and pray where He prayed. |
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. Erin Houser is out of the office on leave. Please contact Hallow directly with questions or concerns.
Youth Ministry
Stay tuned!
Faith Formation
Blessed Easter
by Erin Houser
As we celebrate the joy of Easter, we are reminded that our faith is not rooted in perfection or ease, but in hope.
For many parents, the crosses we carry can feel especially heavy. There are days filled with worry, exhaustion, and moments when love feels stretched thin. There are seasons when we wonder if anything is changing at all, and we feel stuck in the long hours of Holy Thursday, the sorrow of Good Friday, or the silence of Holy Saturday.
And yet… Easter comes.
Even when it feels like we are living those days over and over again, our faith gently reminds us of something unshakable: the battle has already been won. The tomb is empty. Death did not have the last word. The resurrection is not only a moment we celebrate; it is a promise we live inside of. It tells us that no situation is beyond redemption. No child is beyond hope. No family is beyond healing. Even in the quiet, unseen places where nothing seems to be moving, God is still at work bringing life where we cannot yet see it.
When the days feel long, when the crosses feel heavy, when you wonder if you are still somewhere between Friday and Sunday, remember: Sunday is coming. It always comes.
Christ will rise. Hope is alive. And you are not walking this road alone. Wishing you and your family a truly blessed and hope-filled Easter.
If you are interested in learning more about Faith Formation at our parish, 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.
St. John Neumann Catholic School
SJNCS Construction
Each day brings us closer to enjoying our exciting new additions!