About St. Ignatius Loyola · Orrtanna, Pennsylvania
St. Ignatius of Loyola is a small Catholic parish nestled in scenic Buchanan Valley in rural Adams County, Pennsylvania, about 11 miles west of Gettysburg. Tracing its origins to a Jesuit mission laid in 1817, the parish has served families of the South Mountain region for over 200 years. Today it is a faith community of roughly 409 households (about 197 members) within the Diocese of Harrisburg, pastored by Rev. Joseph R. Howard with Deacon Steve Huete serving as Parish Manager. Known affectionately as 'the mountain church' or 'old Jesuit Mission,' St. Ignatius combines country warmth with the rhythms of weekday Mass, a Sunday CCD program, monthly Holy Hours, and the annual Buchanan Valley Picnic — Adams County's longest-running parish gathering.
- Established
- 1817
- Patron
- St. Ignatius of Loyola (1491–1556)
- Rector
- Rev. Joseph R. Howard
- Diocese
- Diocese of Harrisburg
Why belong here
St. Ignatius offers the rare experience of a small, country Catholic parish with deep roots — a community where the same families have worshipped for generations in the same Buchanan Valley since 1817. Parishioners enjoy a full sacramental life (daily Mass four days a week, two Sunday Masses, Saturday confessions, First Communion and Confirmation formation through the CCD program, and an active OCIA), monthly Holy Hours, devotion through the Marian Pavilion overlooking the cemetery, and the famous annual Buchanan Valley Picnic held each August in the picnic grove. If you are local or just passing through South Mountain, the welcome is warm and the Eucharistic tradition spans more than two centuries.
Mass times at St. Ignatius Loyola
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:15 pm – 4:45 pm (Parish Center)
- By appointment
Adoration times
- Second Friday Holy Hour at 3:00 pm (monthly, per bulletin)
Welcome and Parish Identity
St. Ignatius of Loyola introduces itself with the Jesuit motto 'Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam' — 'For the Greater Glory of God' — words of the parish's patron saint. The community sees itself as a faith-filled mission located in 'beautiful Buchanan Valley,' inviting all peoples called by the Holy Spirit to join in the Living Gospel and to share the experience of salvation in the Catholic tradition. Whether you are a local resident or a visitor, the parish explicitly welcomes you to its liturgies and parish life.
- 'We invite all peoples called by the Holy Spirit, to join us in the living Gospel as a way of life…'
- Parish motto: Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam (AMDG)
- Patron: St. Ignatius of Loyola (1491–1556), Memorial July 31
Church History
The little country church was originally a Jesuit mission laid on October 17, 1817, and was often called 'The Old Jesuit Mission of Buchanan Valley.' The land was purchased in 1819 by Rev. S.J. Debarth on behalf of the Jesuits. After Jesuit care ended in 1858, the parish was tended by secular priests, then by priests from Corpus Christi, Chambersburg, beginning May 1893. In 1911 St. Ignatius became a full independent parish with its first resident pastor, Rev. William A. Howard. The parish celebrated 100 years as a parish in 2011 and the bicentennial of its cornerstone in 2017.
- 1817 – Parish formed as a Jesuit mission from Conewago; cornerstone laid October 17, 1817
- 1817 – Cemetery erected; rectory built
- 1844 – First altar built
- 1868 – Diocese of Harrisburg formed
- 1900 – Rectory burned; rebuilt
- 1911 – Became full independent parish with first resident pastor
- 1915 – Old Parish Hall built; Picnic Grove started
- 1963 – Outside Dining Hall erected
- 1988 – Dedication of the Loyola Center
- 2011 – 100th Anniversary as a parish
- 2017 – 200th Anniversary of the church cornerstone
- 2023 – Rededication of three stained glass windows
Rectory, Cemetery, and Buildings
St. Ignatius's campus has grown organically across two centuries. The original 1817 rectory was followed by a replacement that burned in 1900 and was rebuilt that year; a second rectory (built 1911) burned the next year and was replaced by the present-day rectory, completed in 1912. The Old Parish Hall was constructed in 1915, the same year the Picnic Grove began; an Outside Dining Hall was added in 1963. The Loyola Center, completed in 1988 with cornerstone laid in 1987, houses parish offices, classrooms, a conference room, bathrooms, a large multipurpose room, and a kitchen. The Marion Pavilion overlooks the cemetery and is used for outdoor prayer and Mass. A statue of Mary Jemison, the 'White Squaw,' stands on the grounds as a reminder of the region's history.
- Original rectory (1817)
- Present-day rectory (completed 1912)
- Old Parish Hall (1915)
- Outside Dining Hall (1963)
- Loyola Center (1988) — offices, classrooms, multipurpose room, kitchen
- Marion Pavilion — overlooks cemetery, outdoor prayer and Mass
- Mary Jemison ('White Squaw') statue and 1817 cemetery
Mass and Sacramental Schedule
The parish offers a robust schedule of Masses and the Sacrament of Reconciliation for its size. Weekend Masses are celebrated Saturday evening at 5:00 pm and twice on Sunday morning, with daily Mass four days a week. Confessions are heard Saturday afternoons in the Parish Center, with appointments available.
- Saturday Vigil – 5:00 pm
- Sunday – 8:00 am and 10:30 am
- Monday, Tuesday, Friday – 10:00 am daily Mass
- Wednesday – No Mass
- Thursday – 5:00 pm daily Mass
- Holy Days of Obligation – see bulletin
- Confessions – Saturday 4:15–4:45 pm in the Parish Center, or by appointment
Religious Education (CCD) and OCIA
Faith formation at St. Ignatius is described as an extension of parents' responsibility — the primary teachers of their children. All catechists have cleared background checks. The Religious Education Program is available for children in pre-school through high school; second graders prepare for First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion, while eighth graders prepare for Confirmation. The parish also runs OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) for those seeking to enter the Catholic Church or complete the Sacraments of Initiation.
- Religious Education for pre-school through High School
- First Reconciliation / First Holy Communion prep (Grade 2)
- Confirmation prep (Grade 8)
- OCIA for adults and children
- Catechists and subs needed — contact Jeanette Backus at 703-508-6981
- Annual Men's Retreat at Mt. St. Mary's University
Parish Life and Annual Picnic
St. Ignatius is known as much for its community life as for its liturgy. The Buchanan Valley Picnic — held each August in the parish's historic Picnic Grove with Outside Dining Hall — is the parish's largest annual event, drawing hundreds for home-style dinners, family-style games, and country fellowship. The picnic tradition dates to at least 1903, when a local newspaper noted an 'Annual Picnic' at St. Ignatius with dinner at 25 cents. Visitors from across the region know the parish through this beloved gathering.
- Buchanan Valley Picnic — annual August event in Picnic Grove
- Family-style dinners and games
- Picnic tradition documented since 1903
Clergy and Staff
The parish is pastored by Rev. Joseph R. Howard under the leadership of Most Rev. Timothy C. Senior, Bishop of Harrisburg. Deacon Steve Huete serves as Parish Manager, helping to run day-to-day operations. The Office Manager and parish office can be reached at 717-677-8012 during Tuesday–Thursday office hours.
- Rev. Joseph R. Howard — Pastor
- Deacon Steve Huete — Parish Manager
- Most Rev. Timothy C. Senior — Bishop of Harrisburg
- Office Hours: Tuesday–Thursday, 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Contact and Directions
Parishioners and visitors can reach the office by phone or email and stop by during office hours (Tuesday–Thursday, 9:00 am–4:00 pm). The parish is located on Church Road off Route 234 East (Buchanan Valley Road), easily reached from Gettysburg, Chambersburg, and Biglerville/Arendtsville.
- Address: 1095 Church Road, Orrtanna, PA 17353
- Phone: 717-677-8012
- Email: [email protected]
- Office Hours: Tue–Thu 9:00 am–4:00 pm (closed Mon, Fri, Holy Days, federal holidays)
- From Gettysburg: Rt. 30 W 11 miles → Rt. 234 E (Buchanan Valley Rd) → bear right onto Church Rd
- From Chambersburg: Rt. 30 E past Caledonia → Rt. 234 E → bear right onto Church Rd
- From Biglerville/Arendtsville: Rt. 234 W 6 miles past South Mountain Fairgrounds → left onto Church Rd
Parish at a Glance
According to the parish's own timeline and diocesan records, St. Ignatius today is a community of roughly 409 registered households and 197 members, with First Communion classes typically involving about four children annually and Confirmation preparation serving roughly one candidate per year. About four adults typically enter the Church through the parish each year — evidence of a small but active faith community rooted in two centuries of Catholic tradition.
- 409 parish households
- 197 members listed on the parish timeline
- Approximately 4 First Communions per year
- Approximately 4 OCIA candidates entering the Church per year
- Four daily Masses per week; two Sunday Masses; Saturday Vigil
- Director: Rev. Joseph R. Howard; Parish Manager: Deacon Steve Huete
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Francis Noel1894–1911
Jesuit-era missionary pastor; oversaw the move toward parish independence.
- Rev. William A. Howard1911–1914
First resident pastor after St. Ignatius became a full independent parish.
- Rev. Patrick F. Sullivan1914–1917
- Rev. William W. Whalen1917–1938
Long-serving pastor who authored 'The Golden Squaw' (1928) about Mary Jemison and installed her statue.
- Rev. Jules C. Foin1938–1942
- Msgr. Louis J. Yeager1947–1973
Purchased land and built the picnic pavilion; known for decisive leadership.
- Rev. Carl J. Steffen1978–2005
27-year pastor; bought surrounding land to protect the parish from outside development; promoted the annual Mt. St. Mary's Men's Retreat.
- Rev. Kenneth G. Smith2005–2011
- Rev. Daniel O'Brien2011–2014
- Rev. Raymond J. LaVoie2014–2016
- Rev. Sebastian Thekkekunnel2016–2024
- Rev. Mark Gralinski
Listed on parish timeline (between Rev. Carl Steffen and current pastor).
- Rev. Joseph R. Howard2024–present
Current pastor.