Category Archives: News

In mid-August, Caitlin Nealon made the nearly 3,000-mile journey from her home in San Jose, Calif., to Lebanon County for the Diocese’s annual camp for people with disabilities. A highlight of the summer for more than 30 years, the week draws both new and returning campers and counselors to Camp…

Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, there lived a young maiden with her grandparents. Their home was of modest size and she, being the only child, had the freedom to go into any room except one. This room was constantly locked. The only key, to her…

The state of the Church and the results of a recent Pew Study weighed heavily on the heart and mind of Dr. Scott Hahn as he returned to New Oxford on Aug. 24 to present three talks to nearly 500 attendees from throughout the Diocese of Harrisburg, Maryland and as…

Give witness to the sanctity of human life and promote an end to abortion through the 40 Days for Life campaigns, which will take place in several locations throughout the Diocese this fall. 40 Days for Life is a community-based campaign that takes a determined, peaceful approach to showing local…

Dan Breen, a native of Massachusetts and a former Catholic school principal in Tennessee, was appointed the Diocese of Harrisburg’s Secretary for Education and Superintendent of Schools on July 1. In this role, he will oversee the operation of the Catholic schools in the Diocese. He will also work to…

The subject of immigration has been all over the news and all over the country in recent months. On Aug. 15, it was front and center at the Cathedral Parish of St. Patrick in Harrisburg. The Pennsylvania Catholic Conference joined Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Harrisburg and other community…

During a recent jubilee Mass, the priest celebrant gave a truly amazing homily about the nature of God and love. I was instructed to record the homily so that the individuals celebrating their jubilee could reflect on the message. As I type this, the recording is playing in the background.…

Five years ago, a week of service in late July was the last thing sisters Joanne and Autumn Cybulski wanted to do during summer break. But the days spent painting, pulling weeds and sorting boxes for residents and programs in Lancaster have since become a high point of their summer.

For nearly 40 years, NET Ministries has challenged young Catholics to leave behind their families, schools and jobs to travel the United States for nine months, sharing the Gospel with young people in parishes and schools. Each August, 175 young adults ages 18-28 set out on the journey to serve…

We’ve all been faced with those times of waiting. Traffic, appointments, checkout lines; waiting is a part of life. The Diocese of Harrisburg now has a new resource to help turn these waiting times into opportunities for deeper growth in the faith. Through the generosity of those who contributed to…

Located in the center of town, St. Joseph Church in Danville has been a centerpiece in the Montour County community for 150 years. Its historic bell tower has been a landmark and time keeper for decades, and its interior has witnessed the celebration of the sacraments, welcomed Diocesan bishops, and…

For the past four summers, St. Theresa School in New Cumberland has offered a musical theater camp for elementary students. The several-week program is hosted at Trinity High School in Camp Hill, where the camp attendees are treated to wonderful production quality sound and lighting systems to enhance the musical…

Nestled in “Pennsylvania Dutch Country,” among Amish homesteads and Baptist churches, Our Lady of Lourdes Parish has been a bastion of the Catholic Church for a century. For 100 years, parishioners have upheld the parish’s mission of living “the Catholic Tradition of Word, Sacrament, social justice, and respect for life”…

Just after Easter, I received a card from one of the readers of The Catholic Witness. The cover of the card featured a reproduction by Virginia Thomas of the Apparition of Jesus to St. Margaret Mary. In this rendition of the apparition, St. Margaret and Mary and Jesus’ glances are…

Rooted in a faith foundation grown a from a small chapel in the pastoral land of southern Franklin County a century ago, the Catholic community at St. Rita Parish in Blue Ridge Summit is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. Several decades before St. Rita Parish was formally established, Catholics…

An ornamental stone in Susan Betcke’s home is decorated with the names of each child she has fostered for the last seven years. The keepsake is also adorned with drawings of things the children’s favorite things, like animals and hobbies. There are currently 27 names on the stone, a reminder…

A new Catholic school is open in the city of York, forged from two school communities on mission to strengthen Catholic education in the deanery. Holy Trinity School, which became official on July 1, is a merger of St. Patrick School in York and St. Joseph School in Dallastown. The…

The year was 1969. Apollo 11 landed on the moon, Sesame Street debuted, gas was 35 cents a gallon and Woodstock attracted more than 350,000 rock and roll fans. The year also saw the marriage of more than 340 couples in the Diocese of Harrisburg. More than 100 of those…

“The full measure of a man is not to be found in the man himself, but in the colors and textures that come alive in others because of him.” These words from Albert Schweitzer were one of several inspirational quotes and prayers embedded in Maretta Schmidt’s e-mail signature – words…

Fiat Days is a retreat for young Catholic women, ages 15-25, who want to learn more about consecrated life, to deepen their faith, and to better discern God’s call in their lives. Held annually at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, Md., the retreat drew nearly 40 young women to…