A Bilingual Parish in Downtown York
On South George Street, in the heart of downtown York, Pennsylvania, stands a Gothic brick church whose story stretches back to 1852. That year, Bishop John N. Neumann authorized the purchase of property for a new church and cemetery to serve the German-speaking Catholics who had settled in the city. The cornerstone of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary was laid on July 25, 1852, and the first German Mass was said on October 25 of that same year. The parish was formally dedicated the following summer, with a parochial school opening alongside it under lay teachers.
Today St. Mary's Immaculate Conception, part of the Diocese of Harrisburg, is a multilingual territorial parish with particular care for Hispanic immigrants. Father John M. Kuchinski, the pastor, describes a "welcoming parish family that is striving to put into practice the Gospel which we have received from our Lord." English and Spanish fill the church side by side during the week, and the rhythms of one congregation have woven into the other across more than three decades of shared life.
Mass Times and the Bilingual Rhythm
St. Mary's Mass schedule is built around two streams, English and Spanish, running through the week.
- Saturday: 5:30 p.m. (English)
- Sunday: 9 a.m. (English) and 11:30 a.m. (Spanish)
- Tuesday: 8 a.m.
- Wednesday: 7 p.m. (Spanish)
- Thursday: 8 a.m.
- Friday: 8 a.m.
There is no morning Mass on Monday or Saturday. The Sunday 9 a.m. English Mass and the 11:30 a.m. Spanish Mass are both livestreamed on YouTube, and recordings of past Sunday Masses are kept in a video archive that stretches back through recent years. The parish's livestream page on YouTube keeps that archive within easy reach for those at home or in the hospital.
Reconciliation is heard on Wednesday from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. and on Saturday from 4 to 5 p.m., with other times available by appointment. The priests and deacons of St. Mary's also visit WellSpan York Hospital, where Father Damon Tritle serves as the full-time Catholic chaplain.
The Sacraments at St. Mary's
St. Mary's prepares members for the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church and offers each one in both English and Spanish.
Baptism. English Baptisms are celebrated on the second Sunday of the month at 1:30 p.m., and Spanish Baptisms on the second Saturday at 3 p.m. Parents and godparents attend a preparation class, English on the third Tuesday at 7 p.m. and Spanish on the third Saturday at 10 a.m. Children unbaptized at age seven or older enter the parish's two-year sacramental preparation program, with the sacraments of initiation typically celebrated at the Easter Vigil.
Reconciliation. Children typically prepare for First Reconciliation in second grade, and adults prepare through the parish's Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA).
Eucharist. First Holy Communion is most often received in second grade, after Baptism and Reconciliation. Adults receive the Eucharist through OCIA.
Confirmation. In the Diocese of Harrisburg, the ordinary age for Confirmation is eighth grade. Preparation is offered both through the religious education program at St. Mary's and as part of the curriculum at York Catholic High School.
Holy Matrimony. Couples contact a priest or deacon at least nine months before their desired wedding date. Preparation includes several meetings with a priest or deacon, sessions with a parish mentor couple, and a diocesan seminar titled "God's Plan for a Joy-filled Marriage," or alternatively a weekend Engaged Encounter retreat. Most weddings are scheduled on Saturdays, with no ceremony after 2 p.m. Parishioners are given preference when booking dates.
Holy Orders. The parish encourages young men discerning a call to the priesthood or diaconate to speak with the pastor. One parishioner, Lorenzo Aguero, has been admitted to the aspirancy stage of the permanent diaconate program in the diocese.
Anointing of the Sick. Any parishioner facing major surgery or serious illness may receive this sacrament by appointment or after parish Masses. Father Tritle brings it and Holy Communion to Catholic patients at WellSpan York Hospital.
A Church of Art and Music: The Murals and the Organ
The 1884 brick church that worshippers enter today is a Gothic building whose interior was transformed in 1921 under the direction of then-Father George Breckel. Italian marble altars, a pulpit, altar rail, and statuary were imported from the Pietrasanta quarries of Carrara. To complete the renovation, Breckel commissioned the artist Frederick de Henwood, a Cheltenham-born painter who lived most of his life in the United States, to decorate the ceiling, side altars, and sanctuary walls.
Henwood painted fourteen ceiling murals depicting the life of the Blessed Virgin Mary, from the young Virgin at the knee of her mother St. Anne through her Espousals to St. Joseph, the Annunciation, the Visitation, the Nativity, the Presentation in the Temple, the Flight into Egypt, the Return from Egypt, the Boy Christ and His Mother, the Parting of the Son and Mother, the Return from Calvary, the Dormition, and finally the Coronation of the Blessed Virgin. Together with the side-altar paintings, including a rendition of Tiepolo's "Queen of the Rosary" above one altar and a "Vision of St. Simon Stock" above the other, the ceiling forms what parishioners call a catechism in paint and stone.
The 1952 centennial renovation painted over most of the Henwood frescoes, and a stylized green-and-gold replacement was hung in their place. In 2002, while the 1952 paintings were being removed for restoration in advance of the parish's 150th anniversary, the parish secretary discovered the original 1921 Presentation in the Temple beneath. The pastor at the time, Rev. Robert M. Gillelan, called in local artist and restorer Othmar Carli, who advised that the murals could and should be brought back to life. Restorer Nancy Stamm completed the work by the end of July 2002, and the ceiling once again lifts the eyes of the faithful upward.
The pipe organ has its own long story. The first instrument, built by the Pomplitz Organ Company of Baltimore, was dedicated in 1853. The present organ, purchased for $3,000 and installed in 1885, originally had 1,091 pipes, 23 speaking stops, and ten octaves. A muffled installation in the bell tower led to a relocation into the gallery above the vestibule, a 1930s conversion from mechanical tracker to electro-pneumatic action by the Gundling Company of Lancaster, a 1970s restoration after steam damage, and the addition of chimes. After the turn of the millennium the parish chose a full rebuilding by SDG Organ Company of Millersville, completed and rededicated on July 26, 2009. The instrument went from 14 to 21 ranks and now totals 1,295 pipes across three divisions, with all four organ pipe families represented.
Faith Formation for All Ages
St. Mary's partners with parents, the primary educators of their children, in a religious education program that walks alongside the family from kindergarten through high school. K-8 classes meet on Sundays from 10:00 to 11:20 a.m., and grades 9-12 meet from 12:45 to 2:00 p.m., a schedule that lets families attend Mass together before or after class. Students in public school are encouraged to enroll continuously from kindergarten onward. The curriculum builds on prior years of catechesis and focuses on knowing and loving Christ and His Church, not only on preparing for sacraments.
For adults, the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) meets in two weekly sessions through the Easter season: English on Monday evenings at 6 p.m. and Spanish on Monday evenings at 7 p.m. Unbaptized adults, baptized Christians from other denominations, baptized Catholics seeking to complete their sacraments, and Catholics interested in additional study all take part. The Director of Religious Education, Marisa Starceski, oversees both the English and Spanish tracks and can be reached at 717-846-6001.
Beyond the classroom, a number of parish groups meet on a regular basis:
- Immaculate Conception Youth Group, open to ages 12-17, gathers every Wednesday from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. for sports nights, prayer and planning, and pizza.
- That Man Is You, a men's program built around social sharing, a video presentation, and small-group discussion, meets in English on Thursday evenings in the Seton room from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. and on Saturday mornings in the Parish Hall from 6:30 to 7:30 a.m. A Spanish-speaking group meets on Thursday evenings.
- Movimiento Juan XXIII, a group of Latino parishioners, gathers every Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. in the school cafeteria to practice the corporal and spiritual works of mercy.
- Movimiento de Cursillos de Cristiandad, a Spanish-language ecclesial movement, meets every Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. in the Guadalupe Room.
- Spanish Prayer Group, Maria Puerta del Cielo, offers prayers and devotions in the Spanish tradition every Friday at 7 p.m. in the cafeteria.
- Crafty Ladies, a crafting group, meets on Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the parish basement to prepare items for the annual Holiday Bazaar.
- Oldtimers Basketball, a recreational basketball group for men 35 and older, plays in the St. Mary's School gym on Sunday afternoons from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.
An annual fall Adult Education series titled "What We Believe" walks through Catholic identity and practice over eight weeks, with a Wednesday morning session from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. and a Tuesday evening session from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. The Women's Society of St. Mary's, open to women age 17 and older, hosts the renowned annual Holiday Bazaar. The Iris Dramatic and Social Club brings parishioners together for theatrical and social events through the year.
Music, Liturgy, and a Lively Volunteer Life
Music holds a central place in the liturgies of St. Mary's. Melissa Schneider serves as Director of Music and Organist, joined by Assistant Organist Dominic Russo. The Adult Choir, open to anyone age 14 and older, rehearses on Thursday evenings at 7:00 p.m. in the choir loft from September through May. Cantors lead the congregation in song at weekend Masses, and instrumentalists accompany the choir for special liturgies and weddings. The Spanish Choir sings every Sunday for the 11:30 a.m. Mass and rehearses on Monday evenings at 7:00 p.m.
Liturgical volunteers are central to the smooth running of each Mass. Students in grades 3 through 12 who have received Baptism, Reconciliation, and First Communion serve as altar servers, with training provided. Lectors proclaim the Word of God at Mass and receive a workbook of the annual readings to prepare in advance. Ushers and greeters welcome parishioners and visitors, distribute bulletins, take up the collection, and tidy the church afterward. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion assist the priest at Mass and bring Communion to the homebound.
A Parish at Work: Social Welfare and Outreach
The parish's social welfare work reaches well beyond the walls of the church. Father Kuchinski has often pointed to the Beatitudes and the spiritual and corporal works of mercy as guides for the parish's life, and the ministries that have grown up around that vision carry much of its weight.
Catholic Harvest Food Pantry, located at 628 E. Market St. in York, receives non-perishable food and personal hygiene items collected by the parish on a quarterly basis. Volunteers help stock the shelves and distribute food to clients.
Our Daily Bread Soup Kitchen, located next to the parish, serves a nourishing meal to the poor and underprivileged of the community. During the parish's assigned month, parishioners are asked to provide specific food items.
St. Mary's Thrift Shop, at 26 E. College Ave., offers new, nearly new, and gently used clothing, accessories, household items, and jewelry. Proceeds go to the parish's general operating fund, and the shop partners with local social service agencies to provide clothing free of charge to those in need.
Off the Streets, a nondenominational 501(c)(3), provides the homeless with the financial resources to secure and furnish a home, with parishioners helping to load and unload furniture.
Women's Care Center, located at 40 S. Richland Ave. in York, offers positive and supportive services, including financial assistance, to women in crisis pregnancies.
St. Vincent de Paul Society, in which St. Mary's has joined with St. Patrick's, offers direct assistance, care for the homeless, social housing, and other forms of support.
Members of the parish also gather in groups that walk with one another through suffering and loss. The Bereavement Committee provides a luncheon in the parish hall the day of a funeral. The York Deanery Prayer Chain lifts up those facing illness, bereavement, or special family circumstances.
The Knights of St. Paul Roman Catholic Beneficial Association, open to Catholic men ages 16 to 74 in any deanery parish in good standing, offers illness and death benefits, financial assistance to students attending Roman Catholic parochial schools in the York Deanery, and stipends for men of the deanery studying for the priesthood or diaconate. The Spanish-language Knights of Columbus council offers another path for parish men to serve.
Catholic Education in York
St. Mary's has long supported Catholic education in York. Today the parish provides financial contributions and pastoral leadership on the school board for Holy Trinity Catholic School, the local Catholic elementary school at 235 South Beaver Street, where many parish children are educated at in-parishioner tuition rates. The parish also supports York Catholic High School, located at 601 East Springettsbury Avenue, where the parish assists with Confirmation preparation as well.
The Thrift Shop at 26 East College Avenue
A short walk from the church, the parish thrift shop is a small enterprise in its own right. Run entirely by volunteers, it sells new, nearly new, and gently used clothing, accessories, household items, and jewelry to the general public. The shop is open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., and on Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The phone number is 717-812-9999. Profits go to the parish's general operating fund, while the shop works with local social service agencies to provide clothing free of charge to those in need. The shop is also present on Facebook.
Becoming Part of the Parish
Those who would like to register as parishioners can fill out the parish registration form online, or stop by the parish office at 309 S. George St. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., closed for lunch from noon to 1 p.m. A bilingual community waits to welcome new faces, with a year-round rhythm of Masses in English and Spanish, sacraments prepared with care, religious education for every age, and ministries that reach out into the city of York and beyond.
The Parish Team
Father John M. Kuchinski serves as pastor. Three deacons assist him in pastoral ministry: Deacon Catalino Gonzalez, Deacon Steve Pichler, and Deacon Bill Autrey. Father Damon Tritle is the full-time Catholic chaplain at WellSpan York Hospital. Marisa Starceski directs religious education for both English and Spanish, and July Ginett Torres coordinates Hispanic Ministry. Melissa Schneider leads the parish's music ministry as Director of Music and Organist, supported by Assistant Organist Dominic Russo. The parish council and finance council, with elected parishioners and the deacons, work alongside the pastor on spiritual and financial matters. Parish leadership meets regularly, with the parish council gathering on the second Monday of the month at 6:00 p.m. in the Parish Hall, and the finance council meeting quarterly.