The youth of the parish are invited to participate in the the Keep Christ in Christmas poster contest.
There will be four age categories and cash prizes for the top three submissions in each age group for a total of $320.
AWARDS
- 1st place: $50
- 2nd place: $20
- 3rd place: $10
AGE GROUPS
- 5–7
- 8–10
- 11–14
- 15–18 (not yet a high school graduate)
RULES
- Each poster should be the original work (including concept, layout, slogan and any visual images) of a single person.
- Poster should be approximately 11x17 inches.
- However, the Council will not disqualify based on poster size.
- If pastels, chalk or charcoal are used, the poster must be laminated or covered with clear plastic.
JUDGING (posters will be judged using a 100-point system):
- Slogan (how clear is the theme): 30 points
- Visuals (how clearly the art conveys this message beautifully): 30 points
- Overall impact (degree to which it induces one to reflect on the topic and captures the viewers attention): 40 points
Once judged, all artwork will be on display at 112 State Street and winners will be announced at the Parish Christmas party on Saturday, December 27. Top scoring winners will be separated in to grade categories and will be sent to the State for further judging.
Submissions must be turned in to the Parish Office no later than SUN DEC 14.
Click here to see last years posters.
Due to the special circumstances and timing of having both a funeral and wedding on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025, the schedule will be as follows, without adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and without the pro-life Rosary.
- 7am: arrival of the body of Rebecca May, followed by a reduced portion of the Office of the Dead
- 8am: Solemn High Requiem Mass, immediately followed by burial at Paxtang Cemetery (490 N Paxtang Ave, Harrisburg, PA 17111).
- 11am: Reception on the third floor of the Parish Center
- 12noon: Hall-Brissette wedding
In honor of the victory given by Our Lady at the Battle of Lepanto in 1571, and seeking many more graces for ouselves, our families, our parish, and our nation, we will pray the Rosary publicly in the church from October 1 until All Souls Day, which falls on Nov. 3 this year. On weekdays, we will pray at 5:30pm.
We ask all parishioners to join us, in so far as circumstances allow, and we ask the men of the parish to volunteer to lead decades of the Rosary. Please signup here:
Week 1, Oct. 1 through 4
- Wednesday, Oct. 1 [ here ]
- Thursday, Oct. 2 [ here ]
- Friday, Oct. 3 [ here ]
- Saturday, Oct. 4 [ here ]
Week 2, Oct. 5 through 11
- Sunday, Oct. 5
- 7:30am Mass [ here ]
- 9am Mass [ here ]
- 10:30am Mass [ here ]
- Monday, Oct. 6 [ here ]
- Tuesday, Oct. 7 [ here ]
- Wednesday, Oct. 8 [ here ]
- Thursday, Oct. 9 [ here ]
- Friday, Oct. 10 [ here ]
- Saturday, Oct. 11 [ here ]
Week 3, Oct. 12 through 18
- Sunday, Oct. 12
- 7:30am Mass [ here ]
- 9am Mass [ here ]
- 10:30am Mass [ here ]
- Monday, Oct. 13 [ here ]
- Tuesday, Oct. 14 [ here ]
- Wednesday, Oct. 15 [ here ]
- Thursday, Oct. 16 [ here ]
- Friday, Oct. 17 [ here ]
- Saturday, Oct. 18 [ here ]
Week 4, Oct. 19 through 25
- Sunday, Oct. 19
-
- 7:30am Mass [ here ]
- 9am Mass [ here ]
- 10:30am Mass [ here ]
- Monday, Oct. 20 [ here ]
- Tuesday, Oct. 21 [ here ]
- Wednesday, Oct. 22 [ here ]
- Thursday, Oct. 23 [ here ]
- Friday, Oct. 24 [ here ]
- Saturday, Oct. 25 [ here ]
Week 5, Oct. 26 through Nov. 1
- Sunday, Oct. 26
- 7:30am Mass [ here ]
- 9am Mass [ here ]
- 10:30am Mass [ here ]
- Monday, Oct. 27 [ here ]
- Tuesday, Oct. 28 [ here ]
- Wednesday, Oct. 29 [ here ]
- Thursday, Oct. 30 [ here ]
- Friday, Oct. 31 [ here ]
- Saturday, Nov. 1 [ here ]
Week 6, Nov. 2 through Nov. 3
- Sunday, Nov. 2
-
- 7:30am Mass [ here ]
- 9am Mass [ here ]
- 10:30am Mass [ here ]
-
- Monday, Nov. 3 [ here ]
REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN FOR CCD
CCD (Sunday Catechism for K-12 & and elective class for Beginning Latin grades 7-12) will begin on October 5, 2025, and go through May 17, 2026.
Register before September 21, 2025, on which date there will be a mandatory parent meeting in the Aula Magna at 10:10am.
For those enrolled in Sacramental preparation classes, parents are required to bring a copy of each student's Baptismal Certificate to the parent meeting. By God’s grace, we again have a large group of volunteers to teach in our Sunday catechism program. We do, however, need a few more volunteers as aides, substitutes and hall monitors. If you feel the call to help, please reach out to let us know at
The duty of instructing the children of the parish in their catechism is very important, as so many popes and saints have told us. You may not know, however, that in Our Lady’s only proven apparition in the United States she emphasized the importance of teaching catechism. Our Lady of Champion (a title approved recently by the Holy See, and named for the town in Wisconsin where she appeared) told the visionary, Adele Brise:
“Gather the children in this wild country and teach them what they should know for salvation.”
“But how shall I teach them who know so little myself?” Adele said.
“Teach them,” replied her radiant visitor, “their catechism, how to sign themselves with the Sign of the Cross, and how to approach the sacraments; that is what I wish you to do. Go and fear nothing, I will help you.”
Source: www.championshrine.org
CONFIRMATION AND FIRST COMMUNION CCD PROGRAM —We are happy to announce that the diocese has given us a tentative date for next year’s Confirmations. Bishop Ronald Gainer is scheduled to do next year’s Confirmations on Saturday, March 14, 2026.
If your child is old enough to receive the sacrament of Confirmation (Age 13 by March 14, 2026), please register your Confirmation student for the 8th grade. The sacrament of First Communion will be on Sunday June 7, 2026.
If you want to register your student for Sunday First Communion class, they must reach age 7 by Oct 1.
You will need to register them in the 2nd Grade.
Another option for sacramental classes is our Friday Program which has openings for First Communion and a wait list for Confirmation.
The testing schedule for both programs is as follows:
Confirmation
Mid-Term: Dec. 6, 2025 (1:30-3:30pm)
Final: Feb. 14, 2026 (1:30-3:30pm)
Confirmation Rehearsal (with sponsors and confirmandi): Friday, Mar. 13, 2026 (7:30pm) Confirmation: Saturday, Mar. 14, 2026 (11am)
End of Course Final: May 23, 2026 (10-11am & 1:30-3:30pm)
First Communion
First Penance mid-term interview: Jan. 17 2026 (1:30-3:30pm)
First Penance final interview: Feb. 28 2026 (1:30-3:30pm)
First Penance rehearsal: Sunday, Mar. 22, 2026 (with the CCD Class)
First Penance: Saturday Mar. 28, 2026
First Communion final interview; May 9, 2026 (10-11:45am & 1:30-3:30)
First Communion rehearsal: June 6, 2026 (11am)
First Communion June 7, 2026 (10:30am)
"Indeed it fills Our soul with consolation and gratitude towards the divine Goodness to see, side by side with religious men and women engaged in teaching, such a large number of excellent lay teachers...All these labor unselfishly with zeal and perseverance in what St. Gregory Nazianzen calls 'the art of arts and the science of sciences,' the direction and formation of youth. Of them also it may be said in the words of the divine Master: 'The harvest indeed is great, but the laborers few.' Let us then pray the Lord of the harvest to send more such workers into the field of Christian education." - Pope Pius XI, Divini Illius Magistri
With the latest news from the Holy See that Pope Leo plans to name St. John Henry Newman as a doctor of the Church, we encourage you to get to know this great convert to the Faith by reading books in our parish library by him and about him. Find a selection of his books below. If you do not have a library card, click here to fill out an application for one.
