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St. Ignatius Loyola Parish Facts

1817 - St. Ignatius Parish was formed as a Mission from Conewago in Adams County.                                Eventually became a Mission from Gettysburg then Chambersburg

1817 - The Cemetery was erected

1817 - Rectory was built

1844 - The first altar was built 

1868 - The Diocese of Harrisburg was formed

1900 - Rectory burnt to the ground, new Rectory was built
 
1903 - Newspaper article reading "Annual Picnic, St. Ignatius Church, Saturday July 18th 1903,                Dinner 25 cents   

1911 - Became a full independent Parish with a resident full time pastor, the second Rectory                  was built

1912 - Second Rectory burnt to the ground and the present day Rectory was completed

1915 - The "Old Parish Hall" was built

1915 - The Picnic Grove was started

1963 - Outside Dining Hall was erected

1967 - Msgr. Yeager was pastor and the church served over 150 families "widely                                        scattered in the Mountain Region"

1988 - Dedication of the Loyola Center

2011 - Was the 100th Anniversary as a parish

2017 - Was the 200th Anniversary of the church cornerstone

2023- Rededication of 3 Stained Glass Windows


Parish Households
Households - 242  ~  Members - 499
Active Households - 207   ~  Active Members - 420
Inactive Households - 35   ~   Inactive Members - 86

Number of students receiving their First Holy Communion at St. Ignatius ~ 1
Number of students receiving their Confirmation at St. Ignatius ~ 3

Number of Candidates entering the church from our Parish ~ 1
Number of Ordinations this year in the U.S. ~ 523
Number of Ordinations this year in the Diocese ~ 3
Number of Priest to Parishioner's ~ 1 for every 2000
Number of Catholic Hospitals in the U.S. ~ 541
Number of Patients served by Catholic Hospitals ~ 94.5 million


The Catholic Church in the United States
Dioceses ~  176
Parishes ~ 17,755
(excluding the Archdiocese for military services) 
Bishops ~ 441 (active & retired)
Arch Bishops ~ 28
Priests ~ 37,302
Religious Sisters & Brothers ~ 49,053
Permanent Deacons ~ 18,977

Catholic Population
61.9 million (2023)

Priests who faithfully served St. Ignatius
                                                     1911 - 1914 Rev. William Howard
                                                     1914 - 1915 Rev.Patrick F. Sullivan
                                                     1915 - 1917 Rev. Jules C. Foin
                                                     1917 - 1938 Rev. William W. Whalen
                                                     1938 - 1942 Rev. Mark P. McElwee
                                                     1942 - 1946 Rev. Daniel J. Crowley
                                                     1946 - 1947 Msgr. Joseph Gotwalt
                                                     1947 - 1973 Msgr. Louis J. Yeager
                                                     1973 - 1973 Rev. Thomas Gralinski
                                                     1973 - 1978 Rev. John S. Paukovits
                                                     1978 - 2005 Rev. Carl J. Steffen
                                                     2005 - 2011 Rev. Kenneth G. Smith
                                                     2011 - 2014 Rev. Daniel O'Brien
                                                     2014 - 2016 Rev. Raymond LaVoie
                                                     2016 - 2016 Rev. Sebastian Thekkedath, CMI
                                                     2016 - present Rev. Dominic DiBiccaro















 

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