About St. Hippolyte · Guys Mills, Pennsylvania
St. Hippolyte Parish is a small rural Catholic community in the village of Frenchtown, Guys Mills, in Crawford County, Pennsylvania, in the Diocese of Erie. The parish is twinned with Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in nearby Cochranton, and together they share clergy, faith formation, and ministry under the mission statement: 'to fully, consciously, and actively grow as a family centered in Christ ministering to the entire Christian community.' Founded in the mid-1830s, it is one of the historic French-settler parishes of the region, and the present brick church — built by parishioners' own hands in the 1880s — still anchors the village.
- Established
- 1834
- Patron
- St. Hippolytus (known locally as 'St. Hippolyte')
- Rector
- Rev. Jeffrey J. Lucas
- Diocese
- Diocese of Erie
Why belong here
St. Hippolyte is a small, family-centered rural parish where members know one another by name and ministries are woven into everyday life. Sunday Mass at 11:00 a.m. is followed by a Sunday Social, the choir rehearses weekly, and a Helping Hands Ministry provides meals, odd jobs, and caregiver relief to neighbors in need. With a full Faith Formation program for children through Confirmation, Adult Education, Small Group Bible Study, a Cursillo Ultreya, and the long-running Le Nom du Pere Society, there are many ways to grow in faith and serve — all grounded in the parish's stated mission to be 'a family centered in Christ ministering to the entire Christian community.'
Mass times at St. Hippolyte
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- First Sunday of the month, following Mass
- By appointment — call 814-336-1112
Adoration times
- Monday 8:30 a.m. at St. Hippolyte, Guys Mills (Adoration and Rosary)
- Friday 8:30 a.m. at Our Lady of Lourdes, Cochranton (Adoration and Rosary)
- Thursday 6:00 p.m. at Our Lady of Lourdes, Cochranton (per weekly bulletin)
Parish History
St. Hippolyte Parish traces its roots to the early French settlers of Frenchtown, a small village in Crawford County named for its immigrant founders. Catholic missionaries on horseback had been visiting the settlement for several years before the parish was formally established in 1834. The first frame church went up in 1837, was enlarged in 1866, and by 1886 — under the leadership of Father Cogneville — the community was ready to build a much grander home, donating land (George DeMaison), pledging $6,500, and doing virtually all the labor themselves. Bishop Tobias Mullen of Erie dedicated the new church on June 10, 1888, before more than 2,500 people, capping the day with the now-traditional chicken fricassee dinner.
- Parish founded 1834 (diocese records show 1835 as the official establishment year)
- First church built 1837; enlarged and remodeled 1866
- Present church construction began 1886 under Father Cogneville on land donated by George DeMaison
- Parishioners quarried the foundation stone, cut native lumber, and ran their own brick factory
- Church dedicated June 10, 1888 by Bishop Tobias Mullen of Erie
- Exterior restoration completed fall 1998
- Interior renovation completed and consecrated September 8, 2002 by Bishop Donald W. Trautman
Who Is Saint Hippolyte?
The parish's name is a centuries-old phonetic shift from 'Saint Hippolytus,' the early third-century Roman priest, theologian, and (briefly) antipope who was martyred around AD 235. Drawing on the parish's own historical essay, the Frenchtown founders were apparently more familiar with a folk legend in which Hippolytus was a Roman soldier dragged to death by horses — making him, in the Middle Ages, the patron saint of horses. A 19th-century painting of Hippolyte in military dress with a horse at his side, which once hung in the sanctuary, is still preserved in the Religious Education hallway.
- Early documents show the Frenchtown church was originally dedicated to Saint Hippolytus
- Hippolytus was a leading third-century Christian writer and the first antipope
- His feast is kept on August 13
- Tradition (via a confused medieval legend) made him patron of horses
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The parish runs a 'Whole Community Catechesis' Faith Formation program for children from Pre-School through Grade 11, meeting Sunday mornings at 9:15 a.m. at St. Hippolyte (and at Our Lady of Lourdes on alternate schedules). Older students (Grades 9–11) prepare for Confirmation through a multi-year process that culminates with the Bishop, and the parish also offers an EDGE youth program with parent sessions. Adult faith formation includes Small Group Bible Study, a Sunday Faith Sharing Group, Adult Education sessions, and a Cursillo Ultreya. Joyce Tarr coordinates Faith Formation and can be reached at 814-671-1009 / 814-671-1099.
- Faith Formation Grades PS–8 — Sundays 9:15 a.m. at St. Hippolyte
- Faith Formation Grades 9–11 (Confirmation prep) — Sundays after Mass
- EDGE Youth Ministry with parent sessions
- Adult Education / Small Group Bible Study
- Faith Sharing Group
- Cursillo Ultreya
- Coordinator: Joyce Tarr, 814-671-1009
Liturgy & Music
Liturgical music is led by Darcie Schoenfeldt, the parish's Director of Music Ministries. The choir rehearses weekly (Tuesday evenings at St. Hippolyte; some seasons at Our Lady of Lourdes). Lectors are formed through periodic training sessions, and lay faithful help lead the Rosary before Mass and during weekday Adoration.
- Director of Music Ministries: Darcie Schoenfeldt
- Weekly Choir rehearsals (Tuesday evenings)
- Lector Ministry with periodic training
- Rosary led by parishioners before Mass and at weekday Adoration
Parish Life & Fellowship
Fellowship is a defining mark of the parish: a Sunday Social follows the 11:00 a.m. Mass at St. Hippolyte, and the Family Society hosts a monthly breakfast at Our Lady of Lourdes. During Lent the community gathers for Soup and Bread suppers and Stations of the Cross. Divine Mercy Sunday is observed each year at St. Hippolyte with afternoon Adoration and the Divine Mercy Chaplet. The Le Nom du Pere Society, the Helping Hands Ministry, and the SGW Committee (which runs a popular Cornhole & Craft Show) give members concrete ways to support one another and the wider community.
- Sunday Social after 11:00 a.m. Mass
- Monthly Family Society Breakfast at Our Lady of Lourdes
- Lenten Soup and Bread suppers
- Stations of the Cross — Thursdays in Lent at 7:00 p.m. at St. Hippolyte
- Divine Mercy Sunday observance at St. Hippolyte
- Le Nom du Pere Society
- Helping Hands Ministry (meals, odd jobs, caregiver relief)
- SGW Committee — Cornhole & Craft Show fundraiser
Helping Hands Ministry
Helping Hands is the parish's practical outreach to neighbors in need — providing meals, odd jobs, and short-term relief to caregivers. Coordinators are listed in the parish bulletin so parishioners and visitors can call directly.
- Meals — Amy Mercier, 814-795-0052
- Odd Jobs — Scott Wheelock, 814-967-4319
- Temporary relief for a caregiver — Mary Everitt, 814-853-0599
- General line — 814-350-6218
Sacraments
Information on the celebration of each sacrament is published in the weekly bulletin. Parents seeking Baptism must complete the Pre-Baptism Program before scheduling; couples preparing for Marriage are asked to contact the parish office at least six months ahead, with at least one party registered and active in the parish for a full year. The Sacrament of the Sick is available by calling the parish office whenever a loved one is sick or hospitalized, and the Sacrament of Penance is offered on the First Sunday of the month following Mass and by appointment.
- Baptism — Pre-Baptism Program required; call parish office to register
- Marriage — 6 months' notice; one-year active registration; priest interview before date is set
- Anointing of the Sick — call parish office immediately
- Penance — First Sunday after Mass, or by appointment (814-336-1112)
Parish Staff & Councils
St. Hippolyte is served by a Pastor and Parochial Vicar (shared with Our Lady of Lourdes), supported by an Administrative Assistant, a Director of Music Ministries, a Faith Formation Coordinator, and parish support staff. Parishioner leadership is exercised through the Pastoral Advisory Council (PAC), the Finance Council, and standing committees like the SGW (fundraising) committee and the Le Nom du Pere Society.
- Pastor — Rev. Jeffrey J. Lucas
- Parochial Vicar — Rev. Kyle Seyler
- Faith Formation Coordinator — Joyce Tarr (814-671-1009)
- Director of Music Ministries — Darcie Schoenfeldt
- Administrative Assistant — Desiree Wagner
- Support Staff — Allison Mattis, Kathleen Wheelock
- Pastoral Advisory Council (PAC)
- Finance Council
- SGW Committee
Contact, Office & Facilities
The parish office is at 25997 State Highway 27, Guys Mills, PA 16327, open Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. To schedule an appointment with Father Lucas or Father Seyler, parishioners call the shared line 814-336-1112. The church itself sits at 26012 N. Frenchtown Road. Two social halls serve the linked parish community — the St. Hippolyte Social Hall (814-789-4533) and the Our Lady of Lourdes Social Hall in Cochranton (814-425-7550).
- Parish Office — 25997 State Highway 27, Guys Mills, PA 16327
- Phone — (814) 789-2022; Fax — (814) 789-2025
- Email — [email protected]
- Clergy appointments — 814-336-1112
- Office Hours — Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
- St. Hippolyte Social Hall — 814-789-4533
- Our Lady of Lourdes Social Hall (Cochranton) — 814-425-7550
- Church physical address — 26012 N. Frenchtown Road, Guys Mills, PA 16327
Membership
According to the parish bulletin, 'Membership includes active participation in the sacramental life of the Church, involvement in the activities of the faith community and financial support of the parish. New members are welcome to register by calling the parish office.'
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Cogneville1886–
Began the fundraising drive for the present church in 1886, leading to its dedication in 1888.