Masses & Prayer Services
An ecumenical, interreligious candlelight remembrance service for anyone who has experienced the death of a friend, family member or loved one to suicide will take place Sunday, Dec. 12 at 6 p.m. at Sacred Heart Basilica in Conewago. For more information, please contact Sue Poist at 717-624-2055 or smpoist@hotmail.com. All are welcome, no matter when the suicide occurred. This service is a time for us all to come together to let you know you are not alone.
Caelorum at St. Joan of Arc Church in Hershey, Dec. 1 at 7 p.m. Join your brothers and sisters in Christ as we come together to adore, praise and worship our Lord and Savior. Feel the power of his presence and never-failing love as he attends to your needs and strengthens and blesses you with his abundant mercy. For more information, call 717-215-4175.
Education & Enrichment
The St. Katharine Drexel Parish Council of Catholic Women will sponsor an Advent Evening of Reflection at St. Katharine Drexel Church in Mechanicsburg on Dec. 6 at 7 p.m. The presenter will be Deacon Hall from St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in Mechanicsburg. His theme will be “Waiting” –– the essence of Advent and a huge part of our walk or faith.
Women of Grace upcoming studies and events: First Saturday at Holy Name of Jesus Parish in Harrisburg, Dec. 4, with breakfast at Skyline Diner following Rosary, Mass and Adoration. Women of Grace foundational study (in-person) winter/spring 2022 at Holy Name of Jesus Parish. Johnnette Benkovic Williams will return to Holy Name in Harrisburg for a one-day conference on Saturday, April 2, 2022. Additional Young Women of Grace retreat for girls 12-17 years of age! For information, contact Chris Arnold at carnold@womenofgrace.com or 717-379-6041.
Retreats & Pilgrimages
“Advent Retreat Day Enjoy,” a guided retreat, in person or virtually, will be presented by Sister Jean Marie Holup, SS.C.M., on Dec. 4 from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. This guided retreat will focus on the “special spiritual gifts” we will unwrap and rewrap as we wait in joyful and hope-filled anticipation of Christ’s coming. For more details and to register by Nov. 29, visit http://www.sscm.org or call 570-275-3581.
Christmas Bazaars
St. Peter Parish in Columbia will host its annual Christmas bazaar following all Masses the weekend of December 4 and 5 in the Parish Center. A ham dinner will be available for eat-in or take-out on Sunday, December 5 following the 10:30 a.m. Mass.
St. Rita Parish in Blue Ridge Summit will host a Kringle Fest on Dec. 4 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Christmas wreaths, Christmas centerpieces and more will be on sale.
Queen of the Most Holy Rosary Parish in Elysburg will have its Christmas bazaar on Dec. 11 from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. The bazaar will feature 40 crafters and vendors, raffles, delicious food, holly bread sale, Christmas cookie trays and a basket raffle.
The Women’s’ Auxiliary of St. Philip the Apostle Parish in Millersville will host its annual craft show on Dec. 4 from 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. More than 50 vendors will be selling their handmade wares. Books will be sold by the Friends of the Lancaster Public Library, and baked goods, food and drinks will be available for purchase. Free parking and admission.
Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Spring Grove’s 38th annual Christmas bazaar, Dec. 4 from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Event will feature two floors of vendors, breakfast with Santa, food served all day, bake sale, more than 30 raffle items, a silent auction, kids’ activity room, and much more. Please visit our website for more information: https://www.sacredheartsg.com/2021-christmas-bazaar.
Events & Fundraisers
All-you-can-eat pancake breakfast at Bishop McDevitt High School in Harrisburg, Nov. 27 from 7-11 a.m. Proceeds benefit the McDevitt Swimming and Diving Team. $10 for ages 12 and up, $5 for ages 6-11, ages 5 and under are free. Presale tickets and other information are available at swimming@bishopmcdevitt.org.
York Catholic Middle & High School will be open to the public on Wednesday, Dec. 1, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. for families who want to take a tour while classes are in session. One of the YC Student Ambassadors will escort families and let them observe a typical school day. All visitors will have a chance to meet with the Admissions Director to have questions answered. If you have any questions prior to “Welcome Wednesday,” please contact Heather Hoffman, Director of Admissions & Enrollment, at 717-846-8871, ext. 220 or hhoffman@yorkcatholic.org.
2022 CDA National Education Contest: Lancaster Court Queen of Peace #1023 of the Catholic Daughters of the Americas invites all youth in grades 4-12 from all schools -public, private, parochial, home, and cyber – to enter our 2022 National Education Contest. 2022 themes are, “With God All Things Are Possible” Mt. 19:26 and “Where is God in my life when I am struggling?” Enter one or more contests in art, essay, poetry, computer art, music and photography in your division. Go to http://www.catholicdaughters.org/ then under “members,” select “forms” and go to “contests” for contest rules and details, or visit https://www.catholicdaughters.org/documents/2021/9/2022%20Education%20Contest_English-1.pdf. Entries must be postmarked by or delivered to Margaret T. Giordano, Education Contest Chairman, 1530 Hollywood Drive, Lancaster, PA 17601 by Feb. 1, 2022. All first-place local winners will be entered in the state education contest, and first-place state winners will be entered at the national level. An awards ceremony for local winners will be planned for late May or early June 2022. Feel free to leave a voice message at 717-390-9035 if you have any questions.
Knights of Columbus Council 628 and The Christopher Club in Mount Carmel will sponsor the annual “Blessing of the Manger” on Dec. 11 at 7:15 p.m. The program will take place in the beautifully decorated social room. Local priests and members of the Mount Carmel Ministerium will participate. This is a community event which is open everyone. Refreshments and holiday snacks and cookies will be available.
Members of the Knights of Columbus Council 628 and The Christopher Club in Mount Carmel will participate in a Christmas Caroling program with the Mount Carmel Area Ministerium, Dec. 12 at 7 p.m. in the Mount Carmel Town Park. Hot chocolate and hot dogs will be available. Also, look for the arrival of St. Nick and Santa Claus.
Knights of Columbus Council 10502 from Holy Spirit Parish in Palmyra is sponsoring their annual coat drive the weekend of Nov. 27 and 28. Please drop off new and used coats in good condition, of any size, in the bins in the narthex of the church located at 300 West Pine Street, Palmyra. The items will be distributed to Lebanon County Christian Ministries and the Bethesda Mission in Harrisburg on Dec. 1. Coats only; please do not donate clothing.
St. Joseph Church in York will host Epiphany concerts at 7 p.m. on Friday, January 7 and Saturday, January 8, 2022. Churches from the greater York area are being invited to showcase their varied musical groups, choirs, ensembles and soloists to celebrate a joyful Christmas season and a spirit of community friendship. Refreshments will be served throughout the evening. All are welcome to join us in celebrating. If interested in participating, please contact Stephen Falencki, St. Joseph Church York Music Ministry, at Falencki@sjy.org or 717-755-7503, ext. 248.
Knights of Columbus Council #3625 of Prince of Peace Parish in Steelton is hosting an all-you-can-eat breakfast on Dec. 5 from 9 a.m.-noon in the parish center gymnasium. Cost is $9 for adults, $6 for children 6-12 and free for children 5 and under. Breakfast includes eggs, pancakes, sausage, bacon, blueberry muffins, juice, coffee or tea.
St. James Men’s Club in Lititz will host a special bingo, Nov. 28 in the St. James Parish Social Hall. Doors open at 12:30 p.m., and games start at 2 p.m. There is a $1,000 guaranteed jackpot. For more information, call 717-333-5620.
Trinity High School in Camp Hill is holding a “Merry Little Christmas Raffle.” Try your luck at winning more than 30 gift cards or cash prizes. A drawing will be held each day from Dec. 1-Jan. 1. Winning tickets will be thrown back in the pot, so each ticket has the chance to win many times. For the calendar or order form, see the event on Trinity’s Facebook page, or e-mail communications@thsrocks.us.
The Notre Dame Chorale will commence their 2022 Winter Tour with a performance at Saint Patrick Cathedral, Harrisburg, on Monday, Jan. 3. The Chorale performance will begin at 7 p.m. This is their first performance as part of the Winter Tour, which is leading up to the Chorale’s international tour in May 2022. The Chorale is being hosted by the Notre Dame Club of Harrisburg. The event is free but donations will gratefully be accepted.
Good Shepherd Parish in Camp Hill is sponsoring a deluxe motor coach bus to the 2022 March for Life on Friday, January 21. Round trip from Good Shepherd will be from 8 a.m.-6:30 p.m. with a requested donation of $25/person. Contact 717-761-1167, ext. 3613, or dsalldin@thegoodshep.org for information/reservations.
Our Mother of Perpetual Help School in Ephrata will host a Virtual Information Session for families interested in learning more about OMPH School’s full-day Preschool and full-day Kindergarten programs. The session will be on Nov. 30 at 6:30 p.m. via Zoom. Those attending the virtual session will hear from school leadership and OMPH Preschool and Kindergarten teachers about the importance of Preschool education in preparation for Kindergarten, STEM activities during a typical day in Kindergarten, and more. Information on the admissions process, along with a virtual tour, will also be shared. Registration is required to receive the Zoom link. For more information or to register, please email OMPH School’s Enrollment Office at enrollment@omph.org or visit the school’s web site at www.omphschool.com.
Job Openings
The Diocese of Harrisburg is seeking to fill an administrative assistant position in the Secretariat of Catholic Life and Evangelization. Must be a mission-oriented team player with an eye for detail. This position provides administrative support for department ministries, events and programs, screens phone calls and greets visitors, manages the department calendar and event logistics, maintains office supplies, acts as the assistant camp director for the Diocesan camp for persons with disabilities, and manages youth protection clearances for program volunteers. The successful candidate must be a Catholic in good standing with advanced verbal, interpersonal and written communication skills, the ability to develop project timelines and meet deadlines, be respectful and courteous, have initiative and a spirit of innovation, and be able to work independently and collaboratively. Candidates must have a high school diploma or GED and previous work experience as an administrative assistant or similar role. Must have proficiency with MS Office programs, web browsers and familiarity with office equipment. The ability to speak Spanish is a plus. This position offers a competitive salary & benefits package. To view the full job description, please visit www.hbgdiocese.org/careers. To apply, please send a résumé and cover letter to employment@hbgdiocese.org by Friday, Nov. 26.
The track and field team at Trinity High School in Camp Hill is seeking a throws coach. For details, visit thsrocks.us/employment.
Custodian Job Opening at Mother Cabrini Parish in Shamokin. Effective immediately, the parish invites interested applicants to contact the parish office to pick up a job description for the position of parish custodian at Mother Cabrini. The position is for 25 hours/week. This position will be available beginning Jan. 2, 2022. Appropriate references and clearances will be necessary. Please contact Jen Seidel at the parish office, 570-648-4512, ext. 211, with any questions.
Morning Star Pregnancy Services (MSPS) is seeking a Graphic Design and Communications Manager. MSPS provides no-cost services to women and men facing unplanned pregnancies in our community. The Graphic Design and Communications Manager is responsible for providing a broad range of communications, marketing and graphic design services and support to our client services and advancement team. This position will advertise MSPS to potential clients, as well as encourage, maintain and increase philanthropic and community support to meet the short-term and long-term needs of MSPS. These activities shall be consistent with MSPS mission, vision, Christian core operational values and beliefs. Visit our website for the full job description:
http://www.supportmorningstar.com/get-involved/job-openings/. Please send résumé and cover letter to sdiecidue@supportmorningstar.com. Please call 717-734-4630 for inquiries.
St. Leo the Great School in Rohrerstown is seeking a Social Studies middle school teacher to begin Dec. 1. Candidates must have a history of academic excellence, positive attitude, teamwork skills, and devotion to our Catholic identity. Teachers will be responsible for developing rigorous lesson plans, design and develop digital-age learning experiences and assessments daily, grade book management and assessments. A balanced program of direct instruction and sustained seatwork should offset extended periods of exploration and innovative hands-on lessons. Familiarity with Chromebooks, Google Education and its suite of applications is desirable. Our teachers collaborate in team meetings to ensure best practices and student growth. Candidate will need to submit current background clearances and an active Pennsylvania certification for Social Studies Grades 4-8 or similar certification like Citizen education. Qualified candidates should complete and submit to the Diocese of Harrisburg a teacher application, available at: https://www.hbgdiocese.org/catholic-schools/employment-applications/. Interested candidates should also contact Mrs. Christine McLean, Principal, at 717-394-1742, ext. 3, or principal@stleoschool.org.
St. Patrick School in Carlisle is looking for a motivated leader to oversee its before-school and after-school childcare program, CARES. Position is full-time, year-round with benefits. An early childhood degree and experience working with children is preferred. Responsibilities include: child care of all ages, although the director’s main focus is on students ages 3-4; oversight of childcare for all school-age participants, up to age 14; collection and maintenance of state compliance paperwork; oversight of classroom materials; management of part-time CARES workers (about 13 people), including training and scheduling; communication with parents, teachers, staff about student attendance, behavior, etc.; completion of daily usage paperwork; planning activities for students; and coordination of billing. Interested applicants should send a résumé and cover letter to Principal Antoinette Oliverio at aoliverio@spscarlisle.org or Saint Patrick School, 87 Marsh Drive, Carlisle, PA 17015 by Nov. 30.
