About Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton · Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania
Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton is a Roman Catholic parish in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, situated atop Mount Allen at 310 Hertzler Road. Founded in 1977 from 230 founding families, it has grown to serve approximately 1,500 households in Cumberland County and belongs to the Diocese of Harrisburg. The parish community gathers for daily and weekend Mass, offers a full sacramental life, religious education for children, RCIA for adults, youth ministry, faith-sharing groups, and outreach through the Knights of Columbus and food bank collections. After major renovations completed in 2016, the church continues to serve as a 'beacon of faith on the hill.'
- Established
- 1977
- Patron
- Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton
- Rector
- Rev. Charles L. Persing
- Diocese
- Diocese of Harrisburg
Why belong here
Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton is a thriving Roman Catholic community of about 1,500 households atop Mount Allen in Mechanicsburg, offering a full sacramental life, daily and weekend Mass, and ongoing faith formation for every age. Parishioners can grow through RCIA, Religious Education from Pre-K through 12th grade, Confirmation prep, Vacation Bible School, Youth Group, Cursillo, a Gospel Reflection Group, a Spiritual Book Club, and one-on-one Spiritual Direction. Outreach runs deep here too: the Knights of Columbus and Columbiettes, the New Hope Ministries Food Bank collection, Saint Francis Parish Mission giving, and a Mental Health Ministry mean there are concrete ways to put faith into action for neighbors near and far.
Mass times at Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM
- Also by appointment through the Parish Office
Parish History
Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton was canonically established on April 21, 1977, when Bishop Joseph Daley created the parish to serve the growing Catholic community in the Mechanicsburg area. Father Daniel Menniti was named founding pastor, and the first Mass was celebrated at nearby Saint Peter's Lutheran Church on May 21, 1977. The 230 founding families gathered a year later atop Mount Allen for Mass, a picnic, and the groundbreaking of a modified colonial-design church, which was dedicated on July 17, 1979.
- Established April 21, 1977
- Founding pastor: Father Daniel Menniti
- First Mass: May 21, 1977, at Saint Peter's Lutheran Church
- Church dedicated July 17, 1979, by Bishop Joseph Daley
- Father Richard Waldron named pastor in 1982; served nearly 30 years
- Monsignor William King named pastor in 2011, full-time in 2012
- 2015–2016 expansion and renovation; rededicated May 22, 2016, by Bishop Ronald Gainer
- Father Charles L. Persing installed as pastor on July 3, 2021
Parish Staff and Clergy
The parish is led by Father Charles L. Persing, with Father Robert A. Yohe in residence. A team of lay staff supports parish operations, faith formation, communications, and facilities. Together they shepherd roughly 1,500 households from the parish offices atop Mount Allen.
- Rev. Charles L. Persing — Pastor
- Rev. Robert A. Yohe — In Residence
- Donna Nebistinsky — Pastoral Associate
- John Durle — Parish Business Manager
- Patty Wargo — Director of Religious Education
- Ron Kline — Facilities Manager
- Denise Pouss — Communications Coordinator and Social Media Manager
Sacraments
The Parish Office coordinates all sacramental preparation. The Sacrament of Penance (Reconciliation) is heard every Saturday from 2:30 PM to 3:30 PM and by appointment. Baptisms, First Communion, Confirmation, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick, and Funeral Masses are arranged through the Parish Office. Adults seeking full communion with the Catholic Church journey through the parish's RCIA process.
- Reconciliation: Saturday 2:30–3:30 PM and by appointment
- Baptism
- First Communion (with First Penance preparation)
- Confirmation (preparation through grades 6–8)
- Marriage
- Anointing of the Sick
- Funeral Mass
- RCIA for adults seeking full communion
Learning the Faith — Religious Education and RCIA
The parish runs Religious Education from Pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade, with grade-level milestones along the way. Second graders prepare for Reconciliation and First Eucharist, while sixth through eighth graders progress through Sacred Scriptures, Christology, and the Holy Spirit on the way to Confirmation. Adult formation happens through the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA), where sponsors, team members, and prayer partners accompany those discerning full communion with the Church.
- Religious Education (Pre-K through grade 12)
- First Penance and Holy Communion preparation
- Confirmation preparation (grades 6–8)
- Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA)
- Vacation Bible School
- Registration typically opens in June
Grow in Faith — Adult and Family Formation
Beyond formal classes, parishioners have many ways to deepen their spiritual lives together. Cursillo meets Mondays in the Parish Library at 7:00 PM; the Gospel Reflection Group gathers Tuesdays in the Narthex at 7:30 AM; the Spiritual Book Club meets via Zoom (announced in the Friday Feed and Seton Sunday); and Life in the Spirit meets Thursdays in Seton Classroom 8 at 6:30 PM. One-on-one Spiritual Direction is available by contacting Donna Nebistinsky.
- Cursillo — Mondays, 7:00 PM, Parish Library
- Gospel Reflection Group — Tuesdays, 7:30 AM, Narthex
- Spiritual Book Club — via Zoom
- Life in the Spirit — Thursdays, 6:30 PM, Seton Classroom 8
- Spiritual Direction — by appointment through Donna Nebistinsky
- Youth Group — now forming (contact Patty Wargo)
Care and Serve — Outreach and Service
Putting faith into action is central to parish life. The Knights of Columbus and Columbiettes meet regularly in the Bayley Conference Room, and the parish sustains ongoing collections for the New Hope Ministries Food Bank and the Saint Francis Parish Mission. A relatively new Mental Health Ministry gathers twice a month to support parishioners and connect with the National Catholic Mental Health Campaign.
- Knights of Columbus — 1st and 3rd Tuesdays, 7:00 PM, Bayley Conference Room
- Columbiettes — 2nd and 4th Tuesdays, 7:00 PM, Bayley Conference Room
- New Hope Ministries Food Bank Collection — bins in the narthex
- Saint Francis Parish Mission Collection — mission box containers in the narthex
- Mental Health Ministry — 2nd and 4th Wednesdays, 7:00 PM, Bayley Conference Room
Visiting and Joining the Parish
New visitors are warmly invited to introduce themselves to the priest after Mass. Parishioner Registration Forms are available in the mailboxes near the parish office, or can be downloaded directly from the website. The Parish Office is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM, and can be reached at (717) 697-2614 or [email protected] for questions about sacraments, registration, or getting involved.
- Address: 310 Hertzler Road, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055
- Office hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM
- Phone: (717) 697-2614
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.steas.net
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Daniel Menniti1977–1982
Founding pastor of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, established April 21, 1977. Celebrated the first Mass at Saint Peter's Lutheran Church on May 21, 1977.
- Father Richard Waldron1982–c.2011
Pastored for nearly 30 years. Oversaw two expansions adding classrooms, meeting rooms, expanded seating, and parish offices during a period of rapid neighborhood and parish growth.
- Monsignor William King2011–2021
Vicar General of the Diocese of Harrisburg; named pastor in 2011, became full-time in 2012 after nearly 28 years in diocesan administration. Oversaw the 2015–2016 expansion, narthex, sanctuary renovation, and Divine Mercy Chapel.
- Rev. Charles L. Persing2021–present
Installed as pastor by Bishop Ronald Gainer on July 3, 2021.