Category Archives: News

The bishops of Pennsylvania and New Jersey engaged in a “free-flowing, open and frank” conversation with Pope Francis during their ad limina visit to Rome Nov. 25-29. Bishop Ronald Gainer told The Catholic Witness Dec. 9 that the 20 bishops of Region III who met with the holy father for…

December 12 is the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and more than 800 faithful gathered at St. Joseph Church in Hanover for Holy Mass celebrated by Bishop Ronald Gainer and concelebrated by more than 10 priests of the Diocese. The feast marks the Marian apparition in 1531 to St.…

As a way to honor teachers and staff for the important role they play, the girls’ basketball team at Bishop McDevitt High School in Harrisburg hosted a Teacher Appreciation Night before the start of their varsity match-up against Lower Dauphin on Dec. 10. In an endearing ceremony prior to tip-off,…

Myles Slade-Bowers, a junior at Bishop McDevitt High School in Harrisburg, visited the White House on Dec. 9 to participate in the Educational Empowerment Roundtable with President Donald Trump and speak about the positive impact that school choice has had on his education. Betsy DeVos, United States Secretary of Education,…

Joyful anticipation of Christmas was illustrated through artwork in the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., where many of this year’s 24 winners of the Missionary Childhood Association Christmas Artwork Contest gathered Dec. 6 with their families for the annual awards presentation. Contest winners…

Youth from across the Diocese experienced Christmas early on Saturday, Dec. 14, during the inaugural Around the World event. Coordinated by the Diocesan Office of Multicultural Ministries, the event celebrated the Christmas traditions from various cultures, explaining their unique, yet similar, ways of celebrating the birth of Christ. Before decorating…

Recently, as I was driving to work, I switched on the radio to listen to some Christian music. To my chagrin, even though in my world it was Advent, the station was blaring Christmas music. I was totally tempted to turn off the radio and growl at the culture for…

Father Thomas R. Hoke pastor of Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in Spring Grove, died suddenly on Dec.14. He was 70 years old. Father Hoke was born in Hanover on May 16, 1949, to the late Henry J. Hoke and Pauline C. (Schrader) Hoke. He attended St. Joseph Catholic School in…

Last November, with two master’s degrees in hand, Nicholas Higgins was planning to find a job as an industrial engineer in Florida. Today, he’s in rural Newville, working to open a coffee shop to benefit the people of Honduras. “I’ve had a total conversion. It is very clear that God…

Late January in Catholic schools across the country brings a plethora of open houses, community service activities, schoolwide assemblies, special breakfasts with grandparents and the ever-popular dress-down day. It also brings freezing rain, sleet and snow, and the cancellation of activities. This year, the National Catholic Educational Association introduced a…

Soon after the birth of my son Charlie*, who has Down syndrome, a visitor asked whether he was “mild, moderate, or severe”—referring to his level of cognitive impairment. I knew the terminology, but the question shocked me. In my arms I held my beautiful baby boy, who defied easy categorization.…

A presentation at York Catholic High School on autism awareness on Nov. 22 was more pep rally than assembly, as 21-year-old Ben Hartranft captivated and energized students with his story of exceeding expectations while living on the spectrum. “Hello everybody! This is Ben Hartfrant,” he eagerly summoned students over the…

A week before Thanksgiving, the entire student body from Holy Trinity School in York carried donated food items from their campus to nearby Our Daily Bread, to assist the soup kitchen in preparing Thanksgiving meals. Forming a line outside of the school, students carried bags of donated items – including…

Words. Words. Words. In today’s culture, words are little packets of information that fly from our fingers or our months with little or no thought. I never truly thought much about words until I began writing for The Catholic Witness. Writing causes me to slow down and actually reflect on…

When the third place winner in the Cavalcade of Bands Independence A Class Division was announced following performances by 12 high school marching bands at West Chester University on Nov. 7, Cecelia Mezza and Brian Yealy were already embracing. The marching band directors from York Catholic and Delone Catholic high…

It’s beautiful sign when word meets deed in a gracious manner. That has been a tradition on Thanksgiving Day at St. Philip the Apostle Parish in Millersville for 35 years. When you drive south on Millersville Road crossing over the meandrous Little Conestoga Creek, you ascend up a steep hill…

Sitting at Mass during her freshman year at Our Lady of Lourdes Regional School in Coal Township 20 years ago, Mary Mensch shrugged off the celebrant’s message about homegrown vocations. When Father Charles Persing predicted, “There will be one priest and one sister from this student body,” Mensch allowed the…

First published in 1820 by American author Washington Irving, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow has ever since been a popular tale of haunted mystery and human intrigue. Set the along the Hudson River in Tarrytown, N.Y., “this sequestered glen has long been known by the name of Sleepy Hollow,” Irving…

“I do not want what these guys did to ever be forgotten,” Christopher Adam, a Trinity High School sophomore, said about his recently completed Eagle Scout project at the United States Army Heritage and Education Center in Carlisle. Seventy-five years ago this past June 6, 160,000 Allied Troops stormed a…

“Our job is to take Christ out and reach all those who have fallen away.” These opening words from Peter J. Murphy, PhD, opened his keynote address to the more than 300 men and women who gathered for the annual Diocesan Catechetical Conference on Nov. 9. The event, hosted by…