SJN Youth Ministry is open to grades 6-12. The Catholic faith is integral to every meeting, but our meetings are open to all teens within the designated age range. We focus on growing in relationship with God and one another. Our meetings include various games, activities, and prayer/reflectoin as an essential part of each meeting. Our youth group goes on social trips (e.g. Hershey Park, Cape Henlopen beach trip, and bowling),  spiritual retreats (e.g. Kairos, Steubenville, and Fan the Fire), and service experiences (e.g. Works of Mercy Week). 

You can connect with the youth group as a teen or parent below: 

SJN Youth Ministry Text List
SJN Youth Ministry Instagram
SJN Youth Ministry Liability Form
SJN Youth Ministry Code of Conduct Form

Hello,

My name is Joseph Gonzalez, and I am the new youth minister here at St. John Neumann! Fr. Dan asked if I could write a bio in order to introduce myself to the youth and the rest of the parish. I thought to myself, “this has to be one of the easiest assignments I’ll receive while I’m here. I could talk about myself all day!” Well, hopefully that already tells you a little about me. As you read that, hopefully you’re able to tell that I have a silly side…either that or you think I am full of myself.

It is so exciting to be living in Lancaster County again! I grew up in Quarryville. I helped out in many ways at my home parish, St. Catherine of Siena. My favorite role at the parish was being the youth minister for 3 years. Thanks to that experience I already know several of the teens and their families here at St. John Neumann as well as from other parishes in Lancaster. As a bit of a side note, I am also actively involved with the young adults (those in their 20s and 30s) in Lancaster and throughout the diocese. This past school year I worked as a campus minister at Shippensburg University. God blessed me with so much joy and peace while ministering to teens and young adults. That is what led me to a full-time ministry position here at St. John Neumann.

Now for a few fun facts about me. I am a fairly active person, and I am outgoing, so if you want to do an activity together or just talk, please let me know! I am pursuing a masters degree in theology through the Theology of the Body Institute. I enjoy martial arts, juggling, and a good movie or book.

I am wrapping up my first week here as the youth minister, and we already have many exciting opportunities coming up! If you are currently in grades 6-12 then these are for you. We will have our next regularly scheduled youth group meeting on May 21. We will not be meeting this weekend due to Mother’s Day nor on Memorial Day weekend. From June 19-23 we will be heading to Cape Henlopen, and we still have several spots available. There’s also the Steubenville youth conference happening from June 16-18.

On a related note, we are also looking for adults that are willing to volunteer in various ways. We need a few chaperones that have the energy to keep up with the teens to join us on the beach trip. If you are willing to occasionally donate a meal for our youth group meetings, we would greatly appreciate that. Also, if you would be willing to help out at any of our regular meetings, please let me know. If there are teens and/or adults that would like to help with the parish picnic, we will gladly take the help!

I look forward to getting to know each of you. Please pray for the teens as well as for those of us helping to minister, that God may work in and through us so that we may all grow in our relationship with Jesus.

St. John Neumann, pray for us!

Email: [email protected]

Office: (717) 569-8531 Ext. 220

Sunday: 5:00 - 9:00 pm (Youth Group Meeting 6:00-8:30 pm)
Monday: 9:30 am - 5:00 pm
Tuesday: 9:30 am - 5:00 pm
Wednesday: 9:30 am - 5:00 pm
Thursday: 8:30 am - 5:00 pm
Friday: 9:30 am - 3:30 pm
Saturday: Not in office

Email: [email protected]
Office Phone: (717) 569-8531 Ext. 220