About St. John the Baptist [Ruthenian] · Hawk Run, Pennsylvania
St. John the Baptist Byzantine Catholic Church is a Ruthenian (Greek Catholic) parish in the small community of Hawk Run, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, founded in 1904 by Slavic immigrants from the Subcarpathian region of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire (counties of Špiš, Šariš, and Zemplyn). The parish belongs to the Byzantine-Ruthenian Archeparchy of Pittsburgh and is in full communion with the Pope of Rome. The original wood-frame church built on a stone foundation remains in use today, with its century-old iconostas, bronze Byzantine dome, and illuminated cross visible for miles. St. John the Baptist also helped found a sister parish in Clarence in 1906 and assists the Byzantine Catholic mission at Penn State University in State College.
- Established
- 1904
- Patron
- St. John the Baptist
- Rector
- Rev. William (Will) Rupp
- Diocese
- Byzantine-Ruthenian Archeparchy of Pittsburgh (Ruthenian Metropolitanate sui juris of Pittsburgh, in full communion with Rome)
Why belong here
St. John the Baptist offers a rare piece of living Carpatho-Rusyn heritage in central Pennsylvania: a 120-year-old wooden church with a preserved early-20th-century iconostas and an illuminated bronze Byzantine dome visible from miles away. The community is small, warm, and rooted in family — the kind of parish where the 1st-Sunday brunch after Divine Liturgy is a real gathering. It is also a missionary parish, having planted sister communities in Clarence (1906) and State College (2004), and it continues to serve Byzantine Catholic students at Penn State, so visitors and newcomers join a congregation with a tradition of hospitality and outreach.
Mass times at St. John the Baptist [Ruthenian]
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Fridays at 5:00 PM
- By appointment
Parish History
St. John the Baptist was founded in 1904 by Ruthenian (Greek Catholic) immigrants from the Subcarpathian region of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. After two earlier area parishes had affiliated with the Orthodox Church, the remaining Greek Catholic families purchased land in Hawk Run and built a wood-frame church on a stone foundation, dedicated to St. John the Baptist on July 7, 1904, with about 2,000 people present. The parish grew to include a cemetery (burials from 1906), a social hall (1930s), and a floor-to-ceiling iconostas (c. 1920) that still stands. In the 1950s the parish adopted the Gregorian calendar and English liturgy, and the broader eparchy rebranded from 'Greek Catholic' to 'Byzantine Catholic.'
- Founded July 7, 1904 — Feast of the Birth of St. John the Baptist
- First pastor: Rev. Stephen Polansky
- Iconostas installed c. 1920; bronze dome & cross added in later tower renovations
- Cemetery burials dating to 1906; social hall built in the 1930s
- Adopted Gregorian calendar and English liturgy in the 1950s
Architecture & Sacred Furnishings
The original 1904 wooden church on a stone foundation remains in use today, later brick-sided for durability. Its most striking interior feature is the floor-to-ceiling iconostas installed around 1920, which has been carefully preserved. The bell tower has undergone several renovations; the original wooden dome and cross were replaced with a bronze Byzantine dome and new cross that is illuminated at night — visible from as far as five miles beyond Philipsburg.
- Wood frame on stone foundation (1904), later brick-sided
- Iconostas c. 1920 — well preserved
- Bronze Byzantine dome & illuminated cross — regional landmark
Clergy & Pastoral Team
The parish is served by a pastoral team that also covers the sister community at Dormition of the Mother of God in Clarence and the Byzantine Catholic mission at Penn State University in State College.
- Rev. William (Will) Rupp — current priest (appointed effective Aug 1, 2024)
- Deacon John A. Custaney (parish contact)
- Deacon Dennis M. Prestash
Pastor Succession
The parish has maintained a continuous succession of pastors since the first pastor, Father Stephen Polansky, in 1907. The full list — compiled from parish and Ruthenian community records and published by The Carpathian Connection — names more than thirty priests who have served the parish across its 120-year history.
- First pastor: Rev. Stephen Polansky (1907–1908)
- Mid-century pastors include Revs. Nicholas Duda, Stephen C. Gulovich, John A. Fiffick, Paul Waselus, Nicholas X. Smiciklas
- Late-20th-century pastors include Revs. Francis Gera, Edward Semko, Peter Donish, Christopher Petruska, Edward Higgins, Peter Hosak
- 21st-century pastors include Revs. J. Michael Venditti (2002–2014), Frank Hanincik (2014–), James A. Ragan (administrator, before 2024), and William (Will) Rupp (effective Aug 1, 2024)
Divine Liturgy & Worship Schedule
St. John the Baptist follows the Byzantine liturgical calendar. The principal weekly worship is the Sunday Divine Liturgy preceded by Festal Matins. During Great Lent, the parish gathers on Friday evenings for the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts.
- Sunday — Festal Matins 8:00 AM; Divine Liturgy 9:00 AM
- Friday (Lent) — Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, 6:00 PM
- Confessions — Fridays 5:00 PM, or by appointment
- Anointing of the Sick — upon request
Sacraments
The parish celebrates the Byzantine-rite sacraments (Holy Mysteries) including Confession, Marriage, and Anointing of the Sick. Couples are asked to begin marriage preparation at least six months before the wedding date.
- Confession — Fridays 5:00 PM or by appointment
- Marriage — 6 months advance arrangement
- Anointing — upon request
- Pre-Cana talks given by Deacon Dennis Prestash and Father Will Rupp
Sister Parishes & Outreach
St. John the Baptist has a long tradition of planting and supporting other Byzantine Catholic communities. In 1906 it helped establish the Dormition of the Mother of God parish in Clarence, twenty-five miles northeast. In 2004 it assisted in founding the Byzantine Catholic Community in State College, twenty-five miles southeast, and the pastor and deacons continue to provide Byzantine Catholic liturgical services and ministry to Byzantine Catholic students at Penn State University.
- Dormition of the Mother of God, Clarence (1906) — sister parish
- St. Basil Community, State College (2004) — assisted foundation
- Penn State University Byzantine Catholic student ministry
Parish Life & Fellowship
As a small Carpatho-Rusyn-rooted community, the parish places strong emphasis on hospitality and intergenerational fellowship. The parish social hall, built in the 1930s, hosts regular gatherings.
- Parish brunch on the 1st Sunday of each month after Divine Liturgy
- Parish social hall (built 1930s)
- Monthly and seasonal fellowship gatherings
Cemetery
The parish maintains a large cemetery on land acquired with the original 1903–04 land purchase; burials there date to 1906, making it a tangible record of more than a century of the Hawk Run Byzantine Catholic community.
- Large parish cemetery
- Burials dating to 1906
- Located on land purchased by the founding families 1903–04
Location & Visiting
St. John the Baptist sits at 24 Fulton Street in Hawk Run, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, near Philipsburg. The illuminated bronze Byzantine dome over the bell tower is a regional landmark visible for miles. Visitors are warmly welcomed at any Divine Liturgy.
- Address: 24 Fulton Street, P.O. Box 2, Hawk Run, PA 16840-0002
- Phone: (814) 342-4315
- Located in Morris Township, Clearfield County, near Philipsburg
- Bronze dome illuminated at night — visible from ~5 miles beyond Philipsburg
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Stephen Polansky1907–1908
First pastor of St. John the Baptist
- Rev. John Dorozusky1908–1909
- Rev. Victor Kaminsky1909–1910
- Rev. Nestor Dmytrow1910–1911
- Rev. Stephen Janickyj1911–1913
- Rev. Michael Mitro1913–1917
- Rev. Michael Andrejkovich1917–1919
- Rev. Stephen B. Gulyassy1919–1920
- Rev. John Krusko1920–1924
- Rev. Basil Lipeczky1924–1925
- Rev. Stephen Kozak1925–1928
- Rev. Nicholas Duda1928–1936
- Rev. Stephen C. Gulovich, D.D.1936–1941
- Rev. Theodore Mankovich1941–1943
- Rev. Vladimir Firczak1943–1944
- Rev. Andrew Sokol1944–1947
- Rev. Michael Durisin1947–1949
- Rev. John A. Fiffick1949–1954
- Rev. Paul Waselus1954–1959
- Rev. Nicholas X. Smiciklas1959–1962
- Rev. Louis Sismis1962–1966
- Rev. John Pakan1966–1967
- Rev. Francis Gera1967–1973
Relieved of his duties as a Catholic priest on Feb. 20, 2003
- Rev. Edward Semko1973–1975
- Rev. Peter Donish1975–1978
- Rev. Christopher Petruska1978–1982
- Rev. Edward Higgins1982–1988
- Rev. Peter Hosak1988–2002
- Rev. J. Michael Venditti2002–2014
- Rev. Frank Hanincik2014–
- Rev. James A. Raganprior to 2024
Administrator for the Hawk Run / Clarence / State College cluster before being reassigned
- Rev. William (Will) RuppEffective Aug 1, 2024
Current priest for St. John the Baptist, Dormition in Clarence, the State College mission, and Byzantine Catholic students at Penn State