St. Leo the Great

Our History

Established in the winter of 1964 by Bishop George Leo Leech, the parish began with Mass celebrated in a rented Silver Spring barn on a tract of farmland three miles west of Lancaster in Rohrerstown. Bishop Leech chose St. Leo the Great as patron because it was his own name; he had grown up in another St. Leo the Great Parish where he celebrated his first Mass. The current church along Marietta Avenue was dedicated on November 3, 1991 by Bishop Nicholas Dattilo, and the parish marked its 60th anniversary in November 2024 with Bishop Timothy C. Senior.

Parish Staff & Clergy

The parish is led by Pastor Rev. Msgr. Peter I. Hahn and Parochial Vicar Rev. Thomas M. Kappes, assisted by Deacons Eugene D. Vannucci and Frank A. Kuchinski, Ph.D. (who also serves as Parish Manager). The lay staff includes Sister Dorothy Wilkinson, SSC as Director of Religious Education; Kyle Postlethwait as Director of Music; Tina Johnson as Communications Coordinator and Youth Ministry Facilitator; Jennifer Miller as School Principal; Mary Jo Diffendall as Director of Development; Deacon Frank as Parish Manager; and parish-office and school-office support staff.

• Pastor — Rev. Msgr. Peter I. Hahn
• Parochial Vicar — Rev. Thomas M. Kappes
• Deacon — Rev. Mr. Eugene Vannucci
• Deacon / Parish Manager — Deacon Frank A. Kuchinski, Ph.D.
• Director of Religious Education — Sister Dorothy Wilkinson, SSC
• Director of Music — Kyle Postlethwait
• Communications Coordinator & Youth Ministry Facilitator — Tina Johnson
• Parish Manager — Deacon Frank A. Kuchinski
• Parish Finance Manager — Melissa Kardas
• Secretary & Accounts Payable — Maggie Griesser
• Religious Education Secretary — Deborah Johnson
• Sacristan — Ginny Pryor
• Director of Information Technology — Kim Evans-Werner
• IT Assistant — Bill Burns

Catholic Education

Saint Leo the Great Catholic School is a parish Pre-K through Grade 8 elementary school whose mission is to develop disciples of Jesus Christ within a secure Catholic atmosphere, strengthening the covenant between school and family to educate the whole child spiritually, intellectually, physically, emotionally and socially. The school is led by Principal Jennifer Miller, with Administrative Assistants Sharon Hoover and Elizabeth Duvall, and shares the parish campus at 2427 Marietta Avenue.

• Saint Leo the Great Catholic School — Pre-K through Grade 8
• Principal — Jennifer Miller ([email protected])
• Administrative Assistant — Sharon Hoover ([email protected])
• Administrative Assistant — Elizabeth Duvall ([email protected])
• Advancement — Melissa Kardas ([email protected])
• Office hours — Mon–Fri 8:25 AM – 3:10 PM

Faith Formation & Religious Education

Faith Formation at Saint Leo the Great encompasses the Parish School of Religion (PSR) for students in grades 1–8 — which also prepares them for First Penance, First Holy Communion, and Confirmation — and the RCIA process for adults and older children seeking to enter the Catholic faith. Classes are taught by Director of Religious Education Sister Dorothy Wilkinson, SSC, supported by Religious Education Secretary Deborah Johnson. A Mother Teresa Library, Vacation Bible School, and Marriage Mentor Couples round out the educational offerings.

• Adult Faith Formation / RCIA — Mondays 7:00–8:30 PM, September through Easter
• Parish School of Religion (PSR/CCD) — grades 1–8
• Sacramental preparation — First Penance, First Eucharist, Confirmation
• OCIA
• Vacation Bible School
• Mother Teresa Library
• Marriage Mentor Couples

Youth Ministry

The parish offers several programs for young parishioners, from catechetical to athletic and scouting-style fellowship. One Voice Regional Youth Ministry serves the broader area, Troops of St. George provides a Catholic outdoor adventure program, and CYO Basketball is offered for grades 2–8 and a High School Boys (grades 9–12) league.

• One Voice Regional Youth Ministry (Kim Moore)
• Troops of St. George (Mike Lorenz)
• CYO Basketball — grades 2–8 (Maggie Propst)
• High School Boys CYO Basketball — grades 9–12 (Tina Johnson)

Liturgical Ministries

Liturgical service at the parish is supported by lay volunteers in nearly every role at Mass: readers, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, altar servers, ushers, the music program and choirs, and church cleaning. Eucharistic Adoration also depends on committed lay adorers.

• Mass Readers — Tina Johnson
• Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion — Maggie Griesser
• Altar Servers — Rev. Thomas Kappes
• Ushers — Deacon Frank Kuchinski
• Music / Choirs — Kyle Postlethwait
• Church Cleaning — Ginny Pryor
• Eucharistic Adoration — Tina Johnson

Prayer Ministries

Saint Leo the Great sustains a wide prayer life beyond Sunday Mass. The parish offers a First Friday Prayer Group, a Charismatic (Sanctuary) Prayer Group, a Rosary Group, a Prayer Chain, a Catholic Grandparents Association, and the parish's signature weekly Eucharistic Adoration in the Chapel.

• First Friday Prayer Group — Theresa Kline
• Charismatic (Sanctuary) Prayer Group — Cecile Ritchey
• Rosary Group — Beth Tomlinson
• Prayer Chain — Maggie Propst
• Catholic Grandparents Association — Jean Polansky
• Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament — Tina Johnson

Support & Outreach

Outreach and service are a major part of parish life, with groups supporting the poor, the hungry, expectant mothers, and parish families in need. The parish participates in the wider community through the Hempfield Food Pantry and Saint Mary's Meals, and supports life issues through its Sanctity of Life ministry and the Giving Tree.

• St. Vincent de Paul — Tina Johnson
• Sanctity of Life — Sister Dorothy Wilkinson & Mary Ellen Reitmeyer
• Saint Mary's Meals — Eric Weaver
• The Giving Tree — Terry & Pam Groft
• Knights of Columbus — Steve Rozell
• That Man is You — Price Morris
• LAMBS (Let us All Meet as Brothers & Sisters) — Sandy DeFranco
• Hempfield Food Pantry — Mary Veitch
• Alternative Gift Giving Fair — Jean Markow

Sacraments

The parish celebrates the seven sacraments and provides formation for each. Children typically prepare for First Penance, First Holy Communion, and Confirmation through the Parish School of Religion or the parish school, while adults enter the Church through the RCIA process, culminating at the Easter Vigil. Pastoral care is also offered to the homebound, the sick, and engaged couples through marriage preparation.

• Baptism
• First Penance & First Holy Communion (via PSR or school)
• Confirmation — 8th grade (or Easter Vigil for adults in RCIA)
• Holy Communion to the Sick / Homebound
• Matrimony — marriage preparation with mentor couples
• Anointing of the Sick
• RCIA / OCIA
• Sponsor Certificates (for active registered parishioners)

Events & Hospitality

Saint Leo the Great welcomes newcomers and gathers the parish family through hospitality events throughout the year, including a New Parishioners Dinner, weekly Coffee & Donuts, and the annual Forty Hours Dinner that follows the Forty Hours devotion.

• New Parishioners Dinner — Jane Murphy (717-898-4819)
• Coffee & Donuts — Cassie Allia
• Forty Hours Dinner — Tina Johnson

Contact & Visit

Parish Office hours are Monday through Thursday 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM and Friday 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM. The parish office phone is (717) 394-1742 and the fax is (717) 394-1779; the general email is [email protected]. The parish and school share the same address along the Marietta Pike in Rohrerstown, with on-site parking, restrooms, and a social hall.

• Address — 2427 Marietta Avenue, Lancaster, PA 17601
• Phone — (717) 394-1742
• Fax — (717) 394-1779
• Email — [email protected]
• Parish Office Hours — Mon–Thu 8 AM–4 PM; Fri 8 AM–1 PM
• Religious Education Phone — (717) 394-1742 ext. 4 (Mon–Fri 9 AM–3:10 PM)