About Our Lady of Fatima · Jonestown, Pennsylvania
Our Lady of Fatima Mission is a Roman Catholic mission church located at 560 N Mill Street in Jonestown, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania. It is a mission of Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish (formerly St. Mary's) in Lebanon, sharing that parish's pastor and staff, and is part of the Diocese of Harrisburg. Established in 1953 by Monsignor Paul D. Weaver to serve the growing Catholic population of northern Lebanon County, the mission hosts a single Sunday Mass, an outdoor shrine to Our Lady of Fatima, and a small but active community of faith-sharing, outreach, and Marian devotion along U.S. Route 22.
- Established
- 1953
- Patron
- Our Lady of Fatima (Blessed Virgin Mary under the title of Our Lady of Fatima)
- Rector
- Rev. Robert M. Gillelan, Jr.
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg
Why belong here
Our Lady of Fatima is a small, mission-style Catholic community that offers a quiet Sunday Mass in a converted-chapel setting with a beloved outdoor Marian shrine along Route 22. Worshippers who value a close-knit, rural parish served by the priests and deacon of Assumption BVM in Lebanon, weekly Eucharistic devotion to Our Lady of Fatima, and active lay ministries (Legion of Mary, Holy Name Society, Council of Catholic Women, Knights of Columbus, food-bank outreach through Jonestown Outreach / JOY, and bereavement ministry) will find a warm, devoted home here.
Mass times at Our Lady of Fatima
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- By appointment (Sacrament of Penance offered by appointment at the mission; regular scheduled confessions are offered at the parent parish, Assumption BVM, on Saturdays 4:00–5:00 PM)
History of Our Lady of Fatima Mission
Catholic life in the Jonestown area reaches back to the 1700s, when local Catholics depended on visiting missionary priests or a 25-mile trek to Harrisburg for Mass. By the mid-20th century, with three parishes already established in the city of Lebanon, the Catholics of northern Lebanon County still had no permanent chapel. In 1953, Monsignor Paul D. Weaver, pastor of St. Mary's in Lebanon (now Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary), directed that a census be taken in Jonestown. It found more than 50 Catholic families, prompting the purchase of a former two-story combination restaurant and gas station on U.S. Highway 22. The building was remodeled into a chapel and dedicated as Our Lady of Fatima Mission on October 13, 1953, by Bishop George L. Leech. The mission took its name from Our Lady of Fatima because of Msgr. Weaver's deep devotion to her. Over the decades the chapel underwent several phases of refurbishment, and an outdoor shrine to Our Lady of Fatima was added on the several-acre property along Route 22. The mission has continued under the pastoral care of the St. Mary's / Assumption BVM pastors, including Father Cletus Wagman, Monsignor George Rost, Father Michael W. Rothan, and (since June 19, 2017) Father Robert M. Gillelan, Jr.
- Founded 1953 by Monsignor Paul D. Weaver, pastor of St. Mary's, Lebanon
- Dedicated October 13, 1953, by Bishop George L. Leech of Harrisburg
- Original chapel: remodeled former restaurant/gas station on U.S. Route 22
- Outdoor shrine to Our Lady of Fatima on Route 22 grounds
- Pastoral visit by Bishop Ronald W. Gainer, January 8, 2017
Mass & Worship
Our Lady of Fatima Mission celebrates one Sunday Mass each week at 9:00 AM. Weekday Masses are scheduled on a week-to-week basis and announced through the Assumption BVM Parish Facebook page and website at abvmlebpa.org. The Sacrament of Penance is offered by appointment at the mission; regularly scheduled confessions are available at the parent parish, Assumption BVM, on Saturdays from 4:00 to 5:00 PM. Holy Day Vigil Mass is celebrated at 7:00 PM at the mission. The little chapel is also the focal point of Marian devotion through the outdoor Our Lady of Fatima shrine, which is open to visitors year-round.
- Sunday Mass — 9:00 AM
- Weekday Mass — announced weekly via Assumption BVM Facebook/website
- Holy Day Vigil Mass — 7:00 PM
- Sacrament of Penance — by appointment at the mission; Saturdays 4:00–5:00 PM at Assumption BVM
Clergy & Parish Staff
Our Lady of Fatima Mission shares its clergy and staff with Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish in Lebanon. Rev. Robert M. Gillelan, Jr. serves as Pastor of both parishes, appointed by Bishop Ronald W. Gainer effective June 19, 2017. Deacon Richard W. Wentzel assists in pastoral ministry at the mission. Parish staff coordinated through the Assumption BVM office include AnneMarie Boltz (Coordinator of Religious Education), Diane Whitehead (Parish Secretary), Charles Neubauer (Financial Secretary/Bookkeeper), Patricia Anderson (Custodian), and Timothy Kanode (Maintenance).
- Pastor: Rev. Robert M. Gillelan, Jr.
- Deacon: Richard W. Wentzel
- Coordinator of Religious Education: AnneMarie Boltz
- Parish Secretary: Diane Whitehead
- Financial Secretary/Bookkeeper: Charles Neubauer
- Custodian: Patricia Anderson
- Maintenance: Timothy Kanode
Parish Life Ministries
The mission's lay ministries, organized through the parent parish, give parishioners a variety of ways to live out their faith and serve the Jonestown community and the wider Lebanon County area.
- Holy Name Society — Catholic men's organization honoring the Holy Name of Jesus (contact: Robert Mettley, 717-272-9871)
- Council of Catholic Women — affiliated with the Harrisburg Diocesan Council of Catholic Women and the National Council of Catholic Women; meets the third Saturday of each month at 8:30 AM in the East Meeting Room
- Knights of Columbus — Catholic fraternal service organization (contact: Robert Mettley, 717-272-9871)
- Pastoral Council — advises the pastor on the spiritual and temporal needs of the parish
- Finance Council — advises the pastor on the annual budget and stewardship of parish funds
Pastoral Care & Outreach
Outreach and pastoral care ministries reflect the mission's call to serve those in need in Jonestown, Lebanon, and the surrounding area. At Fatima, food collected through the parish food bank is distributed specifically through Jonestown Outreach (JOY), the local community aid network.
- Food Bank — third Sunday of each month; non-perishables distributed at Fatima through Jonestown Outreach (JOY) (contact: Robert Reigh, 717-273-4776)
- Free Lunch Committee — partners with Lebanon County Christian Ministries to prepare meals for those in need (contact: Melody Reigh, 717-273-4776)
- Bereavement Luncheons — provided to families at their request (contact: Margie Fava, 717-274-2216)
- Poor Boxes — placed in the church; all proceeds support the needy in the local area
- Legion of Mary — weekly evangelization outreach; meetings Wednesdays at 9:45 AM with two hours of community work each week
- St. Mary's Library — large selection of religious books, tapes, and movies, open after all weekend Masses
Faith Formation & Sacraments
Religious Education and sacramental preparation for the mission are coordinated through the Assumption BVM Parish office by AnneMarie Boltz, Coordinator of Religious Education. The parish supports preparation for First Reconciliation, First Communion, Confirmation, and the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA), and provides ongoing faith formation for children, youth, and adults. Schedules and registration are communicated through the parish bulletin and website at abvmlebpa.org.
- Coordinator of Religious Education: AnneMarie Boltz
- Sacramental preparation in coordination with Assumption BVM, Lebanon
- Sacrament of Penance offered by appointment at the mission
- RCIA and adult faith formation coordinated through the parent parish
Visiting Our Lady of Fatima
Visitors and pilgrims are welcome at Our Lady of Fatima Mission, located at 560 N Mill Street, Jonestown, at the intersection of U.S. Route 22 and North Mill Street. The several-acre grounds include the church, an outdoor shrine to Our Lady of Fatima, parking, restrooms, and a social hall. Whether stopping for Sunday Mass, praying at the outdoor Marian shrine, or visiting on a weekday for private devotion, travelers and locals alike find a quiet, welcoming place of prayer along Route 22. For specific accessibility needs, group visits, or to schedule a tour, contact the Assumption BVM parish office at (717) 272-5674.
- Address: 560 N Mill Street, Jonestown, PA 17038
- Intersection of U.S. Route 22 and North Mill Street
- On-site parking, restrooms, and social hall
- Outdoor Our Lady of Fatima shrine open for prayer year-round
- Parish office (Assumption BVM): (717) 272-5674
Marian Devotion & the Fatima Centennial
Our Lady of Fatima Mission lives out the message of the 1917 Marian apparitions at Fátima, Portugal — peace, prayer (especially the Rosary), and penance. The mission's very name honors Our Lady of Fatima, and an outdoor shrine on the Route 22 grounds invites passers-by to stop and pray. In June 2016, the mission's parent parish Assumption BVM in Lebanon hosted the World Apostolate of Fatima's Centennial U.S. Tour for Peace, which brought the world-famous International Pilgrim Virgin Statue (traveling the world since 1947) to Lebanon County for veneration, Mass, exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, and presentations — a powerful reminder of the parish's deep Marian identity on the centennial of the Fátima apparitions.
- Named for Our Lady of Fatima; founded in the wake of the 1917 Fátima apparitions
- Outdoor Marian shrine on Route 22
- Hosted the World Apostolate of Fatima's Centennial U.S. Tour for Peace, June 25–26, 2016, with the International Pilgrim Virgin Statue
- Patronal Feast of Our Lady of Fatima Mission: May 13
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Msgr. Paul D. Weaver1948–1962 (as pastor of parent parish St. Mary's, Lebanon)
Founded and dedicated Our Lady of Fatima Mission in 1953 in a converted restaurant/gas station on U.S. Route 22; named the mission for Our Lady of Fatima due to his great devotion to her; directed the census of Jonestown-area Catholics that revealed more than 50 Catholic families.
- Rev. Cletus Wagman1962–c.1972 (parent parish)
Succeeded Msgr. Weaver as pastor of St. Mary's / Assumption BVM, Lebanon, retaining pastoral care of Our Lady of Fatima Mission.
- Msgr. George Rostc.1972–c.1982 (parent parish)
Served as pastor of Assumption BVM and Our Lady of Fatima Mission for approximately ten years.
- Rev. Michael W. Rothanprior to 2017 – June 2017 (parent parish)
Pastor of Assumption BVM Parish, Lebanon, and Our Lady of Fatima Mission, Jonestown, and Chaplain of Lebanon Catholic School; reassigned by Bishop Ronald W. Gainer to a personal leave of absence effective June 19, 2017.
- Rev. Robert M. Gillelan, Jr.June 19, 2017 – present
Appointed by Bishop Ronald W. Gainer from sabbatical leave to serve as Pastor of Assumption BVM Parish, Lebanon, and Our Lady of Fatima Mission, Jonestown.