Category Archives: Diocesan News

September 2020 Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, As Catholics, we are called to bring our faith and beliefs into the public square. Most often, we do this through the…

A hallmark of the Diocese’s annual Women’s Conference is the abundant fellowship that comes to life among attendees. Traditionally, upwards of 1,000 women gather for the conference for Mass, spiritual…

Not so long ago the ground upon which St. John Neumann Church was built was rich farm soil that produced abundant harvests in Lancaster County. Today, that same ground is…

Over the course of the next several weeks, The Catholic Witness will introduce readers to the Diocese’s 35 new permanent deacons, with photos, biographical information, and their comments/words/remarks on service…

There’s a new bundle of joy among the pro-life movement in the Diocese of Harrisburg. Her name is Little Bee, and her purpose is to change the hearts and minds…

Following five years of discernment, studies, formation and deepening their relationship with God, 35 men in the Permanent Diaconate Formation Program were ordained to the Sacred Order of the Diaconate on Saturday, Sept. 12. In opening remarks at the start of the Mass, celebrated at Holy Name of Jesus Church…

Faced with the challenges of planning religious education programs that would ensure the physical and spiritual safety of students, one thing remained certain for parish directors and coordinators of religious education: the faith formation of young people would resume this fall. “No matter what is going on in the world,…

Meet Deacons Auchey, Ballinger and Barto Over the course of the next several weeks, The Catholic Witness will introduce readers to the Diocese’s 35 new permanent deacons, with photos, biographical information, and their comments/words/remarks on service to the Church.

More than a year ago, the Diocese’s Hispanic Apostolate began planning for a liturgical conference aimed at musicians and liturgical ministers who serve in Spanish liturgical celebrations. The Asociación de Músicos Pastorales Hispanos (Association of Hispanic Pastoral Musicians) offers a conference every two years, visiting a different diocese each time…

His family used to call him the monk — from an early age. “Because he was never one for possessions,” his mom explained. “He always had something rare about him,” his father said. “He was never attached to material things.”

Welcome to our new website. More than two years in the making, we pray you will find our new website delivers a user-friendly and dynamic browsing experience. Not sure where…

When Gail Ferree first laid eyes on the man who would become her husband, she was smitten. “I got butterflies in my stomach when he came home from the military and I saw him. We weren’t dating yet, but my sister’s husband said to me, ‘I can tell by the…

Bishop Ronald Gainer announces the following change to clergy assignments: Father John M. Kuchinski to Chaplain of York Catholic High School. Father Kuchinski remains pastor of Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish, York. This change takes effect August 29, 2020.

In parishes throughout the Diocese, summertime means Vacation Bible School. Religious educators, parish staff and volunteers spend months planning out the annual week of activities, which attract children for arts and crafts, songs and snacks as they learn about their faith. Confirmation students put on plays to act out Scripture…

The location was different but the fellowship and fun were the same during this year’s Diocesan camp for people with disabilities. Traditionally held on the grounds of Camp Kirchenwald in Lebanon County, plans were changed this year due to the ongoing Covid-19 virus. “The decision to host a virtual camp…

For hundreds of years, Catholic parishes in coastal cities have participated in the tradition of blessing the sea and praying for the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary on the Feast of the Assumption. While believers in landlocked areas may be unfamiliar with the practice, it is a longstanding tradition…

Catholic schools in the Diocese of Harrisburg continue to prepare for the start of the school year and this week administration and custodial staff from all 36 schools in the Diocese participated in the Custodial Considerations During Covid-19 training. This training, presented by High Environmental Health and Safety Consulting Ltd.,…

As teams return to their fields, courts and tracks for summer workouts and the official start of practice in a few weeks, the safety of student-athletes is the ultimate goal. Diocesan high school administrators, athletic directors and coaches welcomed hundreds of student-athletes back to campus in June and July, and…

“In this Church, we do not have to fight for our rights because we are black. She had colored saints: Augustine, Benedict the Moor, Monica. The Church is broad and liberal. She is the Church for our people.” Father Augustine Tolton, the first African-American priest, delivered these words at the…

The annual Pilgrimage for World Peace through Mary, which draws attendees to from the Diocese to the National Shrine Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes in Emmitsburg, Md., on the first Thursday of August, will take place Aug. 6 this year. Due to COVID-19 protocols and guidelines, the pilgrimage will…