About St. John the Baptist · New Baltimore, Pennsylvania
St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church & Retreat Center is a small rural parish in New Baltimore, Somerset County, Pennsylvania, in the Diocese of Altoona–Johnstown. Founded by 19th-century Catholic settlers and rebuilt in 1890 along with a Carmelite novitiate, it has been served continuously by religious orders — first the Carmelites and now the Capuchin Franciscan Friars of the St. Augustine Province. Known locally and to travelers as the "Church of the Turnpike" for its hilltop setting and Pennsylvania Turnpike steps, the parish combines a historic Romanesque Revival church with a restored 27-bedroom retreat center hosting individual, youth, and group retreats.
- Established
- circa 1820 (log church); 1890 (present brick church and Carmelite novitiate)
- Patron
- St. John the Baptist
- Rector
- Fr. Mark Pattock, OFM Cap (Pastor)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Altoona–Johnstown
Why belong here
St. John the Baptist is a deeply rooted rural parish where generations of mountain families have worshipped together for two centuries. Visitors and parishioners are welcomed into a working Capuchin Franciscan community that celebrates daily Mass, offers Saturday confessions, holds monthly First Friday adoration and Night Prayer, and runs one of the most unusual ministries along the Pennsylvania Turnpike — a restored 1890 retreat house hosting everything from individual quiet days to Confirmation retreats and Father-Son / Mother-Daughter weekends. It is the kind of place where homemade parish dinners, fish fries, turkey dinners, and Fourth of July chicken barbecues keep the community tied together year after year.
Mass times at St. John the Baptist
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 5:00 – 5:45 PM (before the Saturday Evening Mass)
- By appointment anytime
Adoration times
- Adoration and Night Prayer with the Capuchin Friars — First Friday of the Month, 7:00 – 7:45 PM, in the Church (check the church bulletin)
The Famous Church on the Turnpike
St. John the Baptist sits on a hill above tiny New Baltimore, Pennsylvania (population about 180) and is locally and nationally known as the "Church of the Turnpike." For roughly 75 years, travelers between the Somerset and Bedford exits of the Pennsylvania Turnpike could stop on the berm, climb a flight of stone steps, and reach the church for Mass — an arrangement negotiated in 1937 by pastor Father Sebastian Joseph Urnauer, who traded cemetery land to the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission in exchange for those steps. It was the only such arrangement along the entire length of the highway. A later Pennsylvania Turnpike widening project has since removed those legendary steps, changing how visitors find this parish.
- Built 1890 by the Carmelite order from German-supplied plans
- Romanesque Revival brick with English-bond masonry and a tall central tower
- 14 Tiffany-style stained-glass windows imported from Germany
- Oak-paneled interior with altar and pews by Henry Engbert of Pittsburgh
Parish Life & Community
St. John the Baptist Parish describes itself as a Catholic Christian community centered in rural New Baltimore. As members of the Body of Christ, parishioners seek to live as stewards of their time, talents, possessions, and faith, supporting one another in bringing about God's kingdom. Two centuries of mountain families have made this a place where parish hall dinners — Lenten fish fries, spring turkey dinners, and Fourth of July chicken barbecues — carry as much spiritual weight as the sermons.
- Motto: stewards of time, talents, possessions, and faith
- Parish hall used for community meals and events
- Hall phone: 814-733-4113
Clergy & Capuchin Friars
The parish is staffed by the Capuchin Franciscan Friars (OFM Cap) of the St. Augustine Province, continuing a centuries-old tradition of religious orders serving New Baltimore. Fr. Mark Pattock, OFM Cap, is the current Pastor; Fr. Stephen Shin, OFM Cap, is in residence.
- Fr. Mark Pattock, OFM Cap — Pastor
- Fr. Stephen Shin, OFM Cap — In Residence
- Pastoral care entrusted by the Diocese of Altoona–Johnstown
Sacraments
Reconciliation is offered every Saturday afternoon before the Vigil Mass and by appointment, with a separate Sacramental Emergency phone line (724-272-5474). Information for receiving the other sacraments is published on the parish website, with Holy Day schedules always confirmed through the weekly bulletin.
- Confession: Saturday 5:00–5:45 PM or by appointment
- Sacramental Emergencies: 724-272-5474
- Holy Day Masses: see bulletin
St. John the Baptist Retreat Center
Built in 1890 as a Carmelite novitiate and completely restored with attention to its historical value and architectural style, the retreat center sits in the Allegheny Mountains surrounded by the rolling hills of Somerset County. The restoration preserved chestnut-wood hallways, original doors, and schoolhouse lights, and rooms are decorated in keeping with Carmelite simplicity — a few themed after St. Therese of Lisieux or St. Francis. The first floor, plus one special bedroom and bath, is wheelchair-accessible. Meals are homemade by parish women.
- 27 bedrooms / 8 private bathrooms (29 bedrooms, 40 beds total, 40-person maximum)
- Dining room with handmade oak tables and chairs seating 48
- Four conference rooms and a small private chapel
- Secure Wi-Fi and projection for business retreats
- Rooms start at $50 first night, then $25/night
Retreat Programs Offered
The retreat center welcomes both individuals and groups. Pastors and group leaders can book day, overnight, or multi-day retreats; staff are happy to plan themed retreats, team-building days, leadership training, business/faculty meetings, or parish formation weekends. Meals are home-cooked by the parish staff.
- Individual and couples retreats
- Group retreats (up to 40 people)
- Adult, Youth, and Confirmation retreats
- High School and College retreats (with discount rates)
- Communion Retreats
- Father–Son and Mother–Daughter activities
- Days and Evenings of Recollection
- Team Building and Leadership Training
- Business Retreats and Dinner Meetings
Facility & Building Features
The complex is a rare combination of working parish, historic retreat house, and tourist landmark. The first floor of the retreat house (plus one accessible bedroom and bath) is set up for the physically challenged. The retreat center kitchen is available to guests making individual retreats, and special diets can be accommodated with advance notice.
- Tiffany-style stained-glass windows from Germany
- Original chestnut-wood hallways and doors
- Wheelchair-accessible first floor
- Home-cooked meals; special diets accommodated
- On-site parking for retreat guests and Mass attendees
Bulletin & Parish News
The parish publishes weekly bulletins online. These are the official source for Holy Day of Obligation Mass times, special parish events, and updated information about the schedule and the retreat center.
- Weekly bulletins posted online
- Bulletins confirm Holy Day Mass times and special events
- Sacramental planning information referenced through the bulletin
Visiting New Baltimore
The village of New Baltimore is in Somerset County in the Allegheny Mountains of southwestern Pennsylvania, about 90 miles east of Pittsburgh. Travelers used to reach the church directly from the Pennsylvania Turnpike via its famous steps; with those steps removed by highway widening, visitors now arrive via local roads (the Meyersdale exit area is the practical reference point). The parish is a destination not only for Sunday Mass but also for Confirmation retreats, family retreats, and the homemade parish meals that have become a tradition.
- Somerset County, southwestern Pennsylvania
- About 90 miles east of Pittsburgh
- Closest turnpike reference: Meyersdale area
- GPS navigation recommended; turnpike steps removed
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Richard Tomkosky
Pastor at the time of the Pennsylvania Turnpike widening project that removed the church's steps from the highway.
- Fr. Sebastian Joseph Urnauer
Negotiated the 1937 deal with the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission that gave the church its famous steps up from the highway.