St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church anchors the Catholic community of Hershey, Pennsylvania, a parish of the Diocese of Harrisburg with roots reaching back to 1918. From its first Mass offered at the Central Theater by Father Patrick J. Phelan before 130 people, the parish has grown into one of the largest faith communities in Dauphin County, with more than 2,600 households and nearly 8,000 registered members. The parish mission statement has remained constant across the decades: to seek eternal salvation through God's Word, the sacraments, and prayer, while following the courage of its patron saint to know, love, and serve God in daily life.
Mass Times, Reconciliation, and Livestream
Daily Mass is celebrated Monday through Friday at 6:45 am and 9:00 am, with the 9:00 am Mass livestreamed. Saturday morning Mass is at 9:00 am (also livestreamed), and the Vigil Mass is offered at 5:00 pm. Four Sunday Masses fill the day: 7:30 am, 9:30 am (livestreamed), 11:30 am, and 5:00 pm. The Rosary is prayed after the 9:30 am Sunday Mass each week. Holy Days of Obligation bring a Vigil Mass at 6:00 pm and daytime Masses at 6:45 am, 9:00 am, and 7:00 pm.
The Sacrament of Reconciliation is heard on Wednesdays from 5:00 to 5:30 pm and on Saturdays from 4:00 to 4:45 pm. The parish is also an early mover in bringing Mass online. Livestreams are broadcast through the parish Facebook page, the YouTube channel "St Joan of Arc Hershey," and the BoxCast app on Apple TV, Roku, and Amazon Fire TV. Closed captioning is provided on Facebook and YouTube for those who are deaf or hard of hearing.
A Heritage Beginning in the Chocolate Factory Era
The Catholic community in Hershey traces its origins to the laborers who came to the area at the turn of the century to work at the Hershey Chocolate Factory and the quarries at Waltonville, Swatara, and Palmyra. In 1913, more than 400 Catholic laborers lived in the vicinity, most of them from Italy. Quarry owner Walter P. Bradley offered land and a generous donation for a chapel, but for reasons lost to history the chapel was never built.
On June 23, 1918, Father Patrick J. Phelan, an assistant pastor at St. Patrick's Cathedral in Harrisburg, gathered 130 persons for the first Mass in Hershey at the Central Theater, naming the new congregation the Catholic Mission of St. John the Evangelist. Milton S. Hershey, the founder of the chocolate company, opened his public buildings for worship and donated a plot of land on Cocoa Avenue that was later exchanged for a larger tract on West Chocolate Avenue.
At the suggestion of Bishop Philip R. McDevitt, a new church was planned in honor of St. Joan of Arc, who had been canonized only recently. Ground was broken on August 11, 1920; the cornerstone was laid on December 5, 1920, with the first Mass celebrated in the unfinished building the same day. Father Phelan was named pastor of the 300-member church on September 12, 1921, and the church was dedicated on May 26, 1922. The bell that crowned the original church tower was a gift from Milton Hershey in memory of his devoutly Catholic wife.
Religious sisters of the Daughters of Our Lady of Mercy from Steelton began visiting parish families in December 1924. They took up residence in a new convent in August 1925 and helped establish the parish school in September 1927. By 1947, with the parish still growing, Monsignor Anthony J. Mayan broke ground for a new school on West Areba Avenue. The school opened on September 1, 1948, with an enrollment of 220 children, and its auditorium doubled as the worship space while a larger church was being planned. A new rectory followed in 1953, a new convent in 1956, and on May 30, 1962, the magnificent current church was dedicated. The original church building still stands nearby, now home to a United Church of Christ congregation. In 2016, the parish purchased the home directly behind the convent and renovated it so the three remaining Daughters of Our Lady of Mercy could continue their residence in Hershey.
The Pastor, Priests, and Deacons
Father Al Sceski has served as pastor since June 2015. A native of Danville, Pennsylvania, he previously served as a parochial vicar at Good Shepherd Parish in Camp Hill, as Campus Minister at Bloomsburg University, and as pastor of Queen of the Most Holy Rosary Parish in Elysburg. Borrowing Saint Augustine's image of bishop and brother, Father Al greets the parish this way: "For you I am your priest and pastor. With you I am your brother."
Father Clark Stiteler serves as Parochial Vicar. Two Dominican priests reside at the parish and serve as chaplains at Penn State Health Hershey Medical Center: Father Moses Atta, O.P., and Father Christopher Oranyeli, O.P. Deacons Joe Gusherowski and Paul Koester assist with Masses, baptisms, weddings, funerals, and parish ministry. The parish also marks the formation journey of men discerning religious life, including James McDonough of the Congregation of Holy Cross and Tyler Grudi of the friars.
The parish staff includes Earl Tropp, Director of Religious Education and Coordinator of Faith Enrichment and OCIA; John Triscik, Youth and Young Adult Minister; and Conrad Smith, Director of Music. Michelle Gutshall serves as Finance Manager.
St. Joan of Arc School on Sand Hill Road
St. Joan of Arc School, located at 1525 Sand Hill Road in Hummelstown, serves students from preschool through eighth grade. The school community is supported by an active Parent-Teacher Organization and an Athletic Association that runs boys' and girls' basketball programs through the parish. The SCRIP gift card fundraiser helps families turn everyday purchases into tuition support. A Board of Education advises the principal on school affairs.
The Seven Sacraments
Parish families prepare for each of the seven Catholic sacraments through the parish office. Baptisms are celebrated on Sundays at 12:30 pm in the church; parents of first children are paired with mentor couples who walk them through prayer, instruction, and required forms. Godparents must be at least 16, have received the Sacraments of Initiation, and (if married) be in a marriage witnessed by a Catholic priest.
Children preparing for First Holy Communion and Confirmation follow age-appropriate formation through the parish school or the Religious Education Program. Reconciliation is offered weekly in the confessional and at special services during Advent and Lent. Anointing of the Sick is brought to those who are homebound, in the hospital, or preparing for surgery, and is celebrated at quarterly Healing Masses with the I Thirst Prayer Group.
Engaged couples work with Marriage Mentors trained by the Diocese of Harrisburg Office of Family Ministry. Holy Orders are promoted through the Vocations Ministry, which encourages men and women to discern priesthood, diaconate, vowed religious life, marriage, and single life. A traveling Vocations Cross moves from home to home, and weekly Vocations Corner messages appear in the bulletin.
Religious Education, OCIA, and Vacation Bible School
The Religious Education Program (REP) provides Catholic faith formation for parish children whose families do not attend the parish school. Classes meet on Sunday mornings during the school year. The REP supports all learners, including a dedicated special-needs class, one-on-one helpers in regular classrooms, and in-home instruction for children who cannot attend in person.
Adults seeking to enter the Catholic Church or to complete their initiation journey prepare through OCIA, the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults, under the direction of Earl Tropp. Adults who have been baptized and received First Communion but have not been confirmed are encouraged to complete the Sacrament of Confirmation to finish the three Sacraments of Initiation.
Vacation Bible School is offered each summer for a week in August, with programming built around a single scriptural theme. The parish also subscribes to FORMED, the Catholic streaming platform, giving parishioners free access to study programs, audio talks, movies, and e-books for every age.
Faith Enrichment sessions meet on Tuesday evenings at 7:00 pm in the Msgr. Mayan Room of the Parish Center, and on Thursday mornings at 10:00 am. Most sessions follow a video presentation and discussion format, with a summer break from mid-May through August.
Youth Ministry: Life Teen, EDGE, and Young Adults
Life Teen, the high school youth ministry for grades 9 to 12, meets on Sunday evenings from 6:15 to 7:30 pm in the Youth Room, immediately following the 5:00 pm Mass. EDGE, for middle school students in grades 6 to 8, gathers on the first and third Wednesday evenings of each month from 7:00 to 8:15 pm. Both programs are led by John Triscik with the help of adult Core Members and families who provide food.
Young Adults between the ages of 21 and 39, whether single or married, meet on the second and fourth Wednesday of the month from 7:00 to 8:15 pm in the Youth Room. Recent gatherings have featured Father Stiteler speaking on the Mass and on the Rosary, with rotating themes from John Triscik on the Saints and other topics.
Music That Leads the Assembly
The Music Ministry, directed by Conrad Smith, supports the sung prayer of the parish through four ensembles. The Choir sings regularly at the 9:30 am Sunday Mass and at special holy days and liturgies throughout the year, rehearsing on Thursday evenings from September through early May. The Resurrection Choir ministers at funeral liturgies, with optional Tuesday morning rehearsals beginning each September. Cantors lead the Responsorial Psalm and Gospel Acclamation at Sunday and holy day liturgies. Schola Cantorum, a select ensemble of nine singers drawn from the parish's music groups, provides music for 40 Hours Devotion, the Parish Mission, and other special liturgies.
Walking with Families in Sorrow and Joy
The Consolation and Bereavement Ministry has been part of St. Joan of Arc for more than ten years. Consolation Ministers meet with families shortly after the loss of a loved one to help plan the funeral liturgy, from selecting scripture readings and music to walking through the Order of Christian Funerals. Bereavement Ministers follow up with a phone call and a visit in the weeks after the funeral and remain in contact for up to a year. The Healing Hearts Grief Support Group is offered for those mourning any significant loss. Each November 2, All Souls Day, the ministry sponsors a Mass of Remembrance. Parishioners are also invited to pre-plan their own funeral Masses with the help of planning forms and a hymn list.
The Arimathea Ministry, named for the man who buried Jesus, sends parishioners to attend funeral Masses of fellow parishioners as a sign of support to the bereaved family. The Prayer Shawl Ministry knits and crochets shawls for the infirm and homebound. Marriage Mentors walk engaged couples through marriage preparation. The Mom's Group, called "Play and Pray," gathers young mothers and their children for prayer and fellowship. The Special Needs Ministry assists parishioners who need help attending Mass and events, including transportation, and supports religious education for children with special needs.
Service to Hershey and Beyond
The Food Bank Ministry partners with the Hershey Food Bank, with Knights of Columbus Council 6693 facilitating a monthly collection of non-perishable food and personal care items on the first weekend of every month. Monetary donations are also accepted; the Hershey Food Bank distributes food twice monthly at its East Derry Street site in Hershey.
Meals on Wheels volunteers deliver hot meals to homebound neighbors. The parish's St. Vincent de Paul conference reaches out to neighbors in need. St. Joan of Arc maintains a sister-parish relationship in Haiti, and the Council of Catholic Women sponsors two Haitian students each year. The Knights of Columbus Council 6693 hosts Catholic men in fraternity, service, and faith; "That Man Is You!" offers a parallel men's program focused on authentic male leadership. Boy Scout Troop 108, Cub Scout Pack 108, and Girl Scouts give young people a long tradition of service in the parish.
The I Thirst Prayer Group gathers on Wednesday evenings from 7:00 to 8:30 pm in the Parish Center for scripture study, small-group discussion, Eucharistic Adoration, and a quarterly Healing Mass with Anointing of the Sick. The Legion of Mary and Junior Legion of Mary take up evangelization and prayer. The Respect for Life ministry teaches on life issues, and the Road to Kindness promotes acts of kindness within the parish community.
The Council of Catholic Women
The SJA Council of Catholic Women is affiliated with the Harrisburg District CCW and the National Council of Catholic Women, whose tri-fold mission is spirituality, leadership, and service. CCW opens every gathering with prayer, supports the parish and school through events like the Rummage Sale, the Christmas Bazaar, the Lenten Luncheon, and the annual Nut Roll Sale, and gives back through donations to many community and diocesan charities. The CCW Prayer Group prays the Divine Mercy Chaplet every Tuesday at 3:00 pm in the Saint Lucy Chapel at the Parish Office, interceding for the sick, terminally ill, and dying. The annual Covered Dish meeting in September welcomes new members, and the year closes with a December Christmas Party hosted jointly with the Knights of Columbus.
Joining the Parish and Supporting Its Mission
New parishioners can register through the parish office or online. Online giving is available through a dedicated giving portal, and parishioners can direct their support to the weekly offertory, the parish school, the Haiti sister parish, or specific funds including the Heart of the Parish, Mustard Seed, and Love Thy Neighbor appeals. Donations to St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church are tax deductible under Section 170 of the Internal Revenue Code. Gift planning options include a Matching Gift Program, year-end giving, and bequests.
The parish offices at 305 West Areba Avenue are open Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, closed for lunch from noon to 1:00 pm. The Parish Center, with meeting rooms available for parish events, anchors the West Areba Avenue campus alongside the church, rectory, and convent. The parish follows St. Joan of Arc School's schedule for delays and closings in severe weather. The parish bulletin is available in print and online, and a mobile app brings Mass times, readings, and giving to parishioners' phones.