Retreats & Pilgrimages
Pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 2022 with Father Michael Reid, pastor of St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Hanover. Father Reid will lead a group of 24 pilgrims on an active and spiritual tour of the Holy Land, Jan. 31-Feb. 11, 2022. The 12-day itinerary organized by Select International Tours includes Mount Tabor, Nazareth, Cana, Galilee, Tabgha, Magdala, Mount of Beatitudes, Capernaum, Mount Carmel, Caesaria Maritima, Bethlehem, Shepherd’s Field, Jericho, Baptism Site, The Dead Sea (with optional visit to Masada), Mount of Olives, Mount Zion, Jerusalem, St Anne’s Church, and Ein Karem. Land and Air cost is $3,695; a deposit of $500 is required by Oct. 3, 2021. Flights depart from and return to Newark International Airport. For a brochure and other information, please contact Father Reid at 717-637-4625, ext. 113.
Education & Enrichment
The Beginning Experience Team for the Harrisburg Diocese will hold a Beginning Experience Weekend April 16-18 at Camp Kirchenwald in Lebanon. The weekends are an approved program designed for those suffering the loss of a spouse through death, divorce or separation. Hundreds of persons have been helped to move towards successful, productive, happy lives by attending one of these weekends. The weekend is led by persons who have lost a spouse through death or divorce and are trained in facilitating a weekend. Each Beginning Experience Team is certified by the International Beginning Experience Organization. Beginning Experience is your Church at work to provide help, healing and spiritual restoration. Check the Harrisburg Diocesan website, www.hbgdiocese.org and visit “marriage and family,” or go to www.beginningexperience.org. Information can also be obtained by contacting the Harrisburg Beginning Experience Team at 717-379-0800 or jpennat_58@comcast.net.
Masks and social distancing will be required. Temperatures will be taken on arrival. Anyone sick will have to leave the weekend. Private rooms, hand sanitizer, masks, gloves will be available. Number of people to attend the weekend will be limited due to COVID regulations. This program could be cancelled pending changing pandemic circumstances.
The Harrisburg Diocesan Council of Catholic Women will host their 95th annual Convention, April 17 from 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m. in a virtual format. All women of the Diocese are invited to participate. The theme is “Rejoice and Be Thankful.” Bishop Ronald Gainer will celebrate the Mass. Keynote speaker, Sarah Christmyer, is the author of “Becoming Women of the World: How to Answer God’s Call with Purpose and Joy” and founding editor of “The Great Adventure Catholic Bible Study Program.” There are three workshops: “Finding Forgiveness on the El Camino de Santiago de Compostela,” by Donna Giberti; “Active Listening Basics – How to be a Better Listener,” by Kelly Gollick; and “SHINE”- Faith Based Exercise Program, by Tina Kowalski. Convention ends with a closing prayer service. Find details and register at https://hdccw.webs.com. Registration is requested by April 9. Contact Diane Roskos at HDCCWconvention@gmail.com 717-991-1605 with questions.
The Vatican International Exhibit of Eucharistic Miracles of the World, hosted at Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Cornwall, April 4-11. This photographic exhibit tells the stories of 153 Church-approved Eucharistic Miracles, displaying the events where the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist has been made physically present in flesh and blood, became luminous or appeared with images. The exhibit will be available for viewing in the Parish Center from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day from April 4-11.
Diocesan Office of Vocations’ bi-monthly Zoom discernment group. Young men (junior year in high school through young adults) are invited to take part in this online discussion. To register, e-mail the Office of Vocations at vocations@hbgdiocese.org with a valid e-mail address and mailing address so that the discussion material may be mailed. The Zoom discernment group meets on the 2nd and 4th Monday of the month from 8-9 p.m.
Women of Grace, upcoming studies and events: “St. Joseph and His World Webinar” with Mike Aquilana, Tuesday, April 13. Webinar is free, with book study led by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS. Visit www.womenofgrace.com. Fall study of the “Queen of Militants.” For more Information, contact Chris Arnold at carnold@womenofgrace.com or 717-379-6041.
Fundraisers & Events
Seven Sorrows BVM Catholic School in Middletown will launch the school’s outdoor Nature Lab on Earth Day, April 22. This hands-on classroom, envisioned by principal Rebecca Harvey, in partnership with landscape designer Kevin Boustead of Stauffers of Kissel Hill, enhances SSBVM’s early elementary curriculum. The Nature Lab shifts early childhood education from a primarily indoor, teacher-initiated model to one that embraces outdoor, child-initiated play–critical to children’s well-being. By moving children and their activities outdoors to this one-of-a-kind classroom, the experience of what they do is transformed! SSBVM students gain life skills when taking time to investigate and respond to authentic & engaging challenges during project-based lessons in the lab. The public is welcome to take part in the SSBVM Nature Lab ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday, April 22nd, 2021 at 9:00 AM, 360 E. Water Street, Middletown, PA 17057.
Seven Sorrows BVM Parish in Middletown is selling chocolate candy eggs through Easter or as long as supplies last. This year’s sale is limited to peanut butter milk chocolate, peanut butter dark chocolate, coconut dark chocolate, and butter cream milk chocolate. Each egg is hand-dipped and sold for $1. Orders may be placed via the online form at www.ssbvm.org (click on “Eggs”) and selecting a pickup time and location, including the parish’s weekly drive-thru fish fry. All eggs will be sold on a first-come, first-serve basis while quantities last.
Holy Infant Parish in Manchester is selling candy Easter eggs. A limited number of homemade chocolate peanut butter and coconut eggs can be bought individually for $1.25 each or $15 per dozen. Call the parish office at 717-266-5286 to order.
The Harrisburg Diocesan Council of Catholic Women is seeking applicants for its scholarship award. The council’s scholarship committee will award a $1,000 scholarship to a Catholic senior high school girl for the freshman year 2021-2022 at an accredited college, university or trade school. Applicants must be sponsored by a mother, grandmother or guardian who is a member of a Parish Council of Catholic Women. The applicant and her sponsor must be residents of the Diocese of Harrisburg. Applicants must meet all conditions established by the scholarship committee as set forth in its rules and regulations, which are included in the application packet. Applications are available from parish Council of Catholic Women presidents. More information and applications can also be obtained by contacting Joyce Scott, Scholarship Chair, at 717-737-0927 or joynbob10@aol.com. The application deadline is May 1, 2021.
Job Openings
St. Patrick School in Carlisle has several staff and faculty openings the 2021-2022 school year. The school, with students from PreK3 to eighth grade, is looking to fill the following positions: full-time early childhood teacher (certified for K-3); full-time middle school (6-8) religion teacher; full-time middle school (6-8) science teacher; music instructor, which may be full-time or part-time depending on the applicant’s experience; part-time nurse (Monday-Friday from 9 a.m.-2 p.m.; hours flexible); part-time middle school (6-8) math teacher, a few hours daily; part-time librarian, hours and days flexible.
Interested candidates should reach out to Principal Antoinette Oliverio at aoliverio@spscarlisle.org or visit www.spscarlisle.org and look under “About us” for employment information.
The Diocese of Harrisburg Catholic Schools Department has announced Principal Openings for the 2021-2022 school year: Our Mother of Perpetual Help in Ephrata (www.omphschool.com); St. Joseph, Hanover (www.sjshanover.org); St. John the Baptist in New Freedom (www.stjnschool.org); and Seven Sorrows BVM, Middletown (www.ssbvm.org). Minimum qualifications: Practicing, knowledgeable Catholic; thorough understanding of Catholic School Philosophy; commitment to modeling the values of Catholic Educational Leadership; PA Administrators Certificate (or in process); Catechetical Certification (or in process) and 5 years teaching experience. For more information, see the employment listings on the Diocese of Harrisburg’s website: www.hbgdiocese.org. Send résumé and letter of interest by April 5, 2021 to: Ann Everest, Department of Education; Diocese of Harrisburg; 4800 Union Deposit Road; Harrisburg, PA 17111-3710 or by e-mail: aeverest@hbgdiocese.org.
St. Francis Xavier Parish in Gettysburg is seeking a part-time Director of Communications. This role is a member of the parish staff that works with the pastor and staff to utilize all communication tools at the parish’s disposal in order to promote the overall mission of the parish and encourage engagement and tithing among the parish family. The Director of Communications would be a de facto member of the Parish Finance Council and Parish Pastoral Council. See the full job description at www.stfxcc.org/apply.
St. Francis Xavier Parish in Gettysburg is seeking a part-time Director of Evangelization. This role is a member of the parish staff who gives direction to evangelization efforts in the parish community. These efforts attend to the active community (particularly young adults and youth), to inactive Catholics, and to the unchurched. Therefore, this involves renewal and formation ministries within the parish, and outreach and welcome to those not active or connected with the Church. The Director of Evangelization aims to foster conversation and growth in discipleship among the faithful, to develop a welcoming community, to animate and equip parishioners to evangelize, and to accompany seekers or returning Catholics. Read the full job description at www.stfxcc.org/apply.
