Alongside the old Lincoln Highway in the rolling Allegheny foothills, the steepled silhouette of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church has long been a familiar landmark for travelers, so much so that locals know it as "the famous church on the turnpike." Tucked into rural New Baltimore in Somerset County, the parish serves a small farming community at the same address that has hosted Catholic prayer and religious life for more than a century. Today, St. John the Baptist is a Roman Catholic parish of the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown, staffed by the Capuchin Franciscan Friars of the St. Augustine Province, and it shares its grounds with a retreat center whose roots go back to 1890.
The Parish in New Baltimore
St. John the Baptist Parish is a Catholic Christian community centered in rural New Baltimore. Its mission statement describes members of the parish as stewards of their time, talents, possessions, and faith, called "to put our lives in proper focus and to live in accord with one another giving love and caring support; to accept Christ's challenge as related in the Gospels - to serve one another." The words of John 8:12 - "I am the light of the world. He who follows me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life" - anchor the parish's identity and appear throughout its printed materials.
The parish is pastored by Fr. Mark Pattock, OFMcap, and is also served by Fr. Stephen Shin, OFMcap, who serves as pastor of Ss. Philip & James in Meyersdale and St. Gregory in MacDonaldton while living in residence at New Baltimore. The parish office is open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., and on Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The parish hall can be reached at 814-733-4113, and a 24-hour line for sacramental emergencies is available at 724-272-5474.
Mass Times and the Rhythm of the Week
Parishioners gather for Mass seven days a week, with a different feel to weekday and Sunday worship. On Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday mornings, Mass is celebrated at 8:00 a.m. in the chapel. On Tuesday evenings, Mass moves to 7:00 p.m. in the chapel, an option that helps working families and travelers participate. There is no Saturday morning Mass.
On Sunday, the parish offers two Masses in the main church - one at 8:00 a.m. and a second at 10:30 a.m. The Saturday Vigil Mass is celebrated at 6:00 p.m. in the church. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is heard each Saturday from 5:00 to 5:45 p.m., just before the Vigil Mass, and confessions can also be arranged by appointment.
On the First Friday of each month, the Capuchin Friars lead Adoration and Night Prayer in the church from 7:00 to 7:45 p.m. Holy Day and Holy Day Vigil Masses do not appear on the printed weekly schedule; the parish directs visitors to the online bulletin for those particular dates and times. Throughout the year, the parish also publishes a Sunday bulletin online that lists announcements and Mass intentions.
Sacraments at St. John the Baptist
Like every Catholic parish, St. John the Baptist prepares members for the seven sacraments. The bulletin outlines how the three most commonly requested are arranged.
- Baptism is scheduled in advance, with parents asked to take part in pre-baptismal instructions before the ceremony.
- Matrimony requires a minimum of nine months of preparation. Couples are expected to participate in a pre-marriage program, in keeping with diocesan norms.
- Reconciliation is available each Saturday afternoon before the Vigil Mass or by appointment.
For sacramental emergencies - such as anointing of the sick in a hospital or at home - the parish provides an after-hours line at 724-272-5474.
The Capuchin Friars
St. John the Baptist is one of several parishes and apostolates in the United States served by the Capuchin Franciscan Friars of the St. Augustine Province, based in the Pittsburgh area. The Capuchins are a reform branch of the Franciscan order, known historically for their preaching and their presence in pastoral and missionary work. The parish credits the friars with continuing a legacy of religious management that stretches back more than a century at this site.
The friars do not only celebrate Mass and hear confessions. They preach parish retreats, lead the monthly First Friday hour of adoration and night prayer, and serve as Father Director of the parish's Confraternity of Christian Mothers. In the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown, they collaborate with other parishes in the region; Fr. Shin, for example, divides his time between New Baltimore and two nearby Somerset County parishes.
The Retreat Center: A Restored 1890 Carmelite Novitiate
Sharing the parish grounds is the St. John the Baptist Retreat Center, one of the most distinctive features of this Somerset County Catholic community. The main retreat house was built in 1890 as a Carmelite novitiate, a place where men discerning a vocation with the Carmelites would live, pray, and study. For more than a hundred years, the property carried the prayers and songs of Carmelite monks, and the chapel and hallways still hold their original chestnut woodwork, doors, schoolhouse lights, and Tiffany-style stained-glass windows imported from Germany a century ago.
In recent decades the building has been completely restored, with attention paid to its historical character and architectural style. Today the retreat center welcomes more than 40 guests at a time. There are 29 bedrooms and 40 beds in all; some rooms contain two double beds. Eight private bathrooms serve the guest rooms, and the first floor (along with one accessible bedroom and bath) is set up for guests with mobility challenges. A small, private chapel sits within the building, and four conference rooms of different sizes accommodate groups. Secure Wi-Fi is available throughout, and a projector supports PowerPoint presentations and streaming video for business or faculty gatherings.
Meals at the retreat center are a particular point of pride. Food is prepared by women of the parish, and the recipes come from local kitchens - simple, homemade fare that, in the retreat center's own words, "will surpass your expectations." The dining room is furnished with handmade oak tables and chairs and can seat 48 people. Special diets can be accommodated if the kitchen is notified in advance.
Retreats and Group Stays
The retreat center is open to a wide range of Catholic and non-Catholic groups. Day-long and evening recollections are scheduled alongside overnight retreats. Adult retreats, confirmation retreats, communion retreats, mother-daughter and father-son activities, youth retreats, high school retreats, religious-group retreats, leadership training programs, dinner meetings, business retreats, and team-building events all find a place on the calendar. Discounted rates are available for college and high school retreats.
Individuals and couples who wish to make an individual retreat are also welcome; the kitchen is available for guest use during those stays. Rates start at $50 for the first night, dropping to $25 per night after that. Home-cooked meals are offered to guests at modest prices - cold breakfast $10, hot breakfast $11, lunch $10, and supper $16 - or guests may prepare their own food. Those interested can call 814-733-2210 for current availability and bookings.
The Confraternity of Christian Mothers
One of the parish's most distinctive ministries is its Confraternity of Christian Mothers, a chapter of an international Catholic women's organization whose American headquarters is in Pittsburgh under the direction of the Capuchin Friars. The Confraternity at St. John the Baptist has its own long local history: a plaque at the parish honors the living and deceased members of the parish Confraternity of Christian Mothers from 1953, the year the local chapter was established.
Women who are Catholic mothers and regularly attend Mass at St. John the Baptist are eligible for full membership, while other Catholic women may join as associate members. The Confraternity gathers monthly for Holy Mass, community prayers, a spiritual conference from the Father Director, and time for fellowship. Solemn receptions for new members are held twice a year, in May and September. Each ceremony includes an Act of Consecration to Mary, with members promising to consecrate themselves and their children to the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title of Our Lady of Sorrows.
The members pray daily for their families and for one another, pay modest annual dues, and use the Mother Love book as part of their spiritual reading. In return, they share in Masses offered throughout the year for members living and deceased, the prayers of Confraternities worldwide, and the opportunity to gain plenary indulgences. Membership can also be transferred from another parish Confraternity, with names recorded in the local register and forwarded to the National Office in Pittsburgh.
The Patron: St. John the Baptist
The parish takes its name from John the Baptist, the forerunner and baptizer of Christ. According to the parish's own account, John was born through the intercession of God to Zachariah and Elizabeth, who was beyond childbearing age. The Angel Gabriel announced the birth, and Zachariah's doubt was answered with months of silence, broken only when the child was named John in fulfillment of God's will. When the pregnant Elizabeth was visited by the pregnant Mary, John leapt in her womb, an event that revealed to Elizabeth the identity of Mary's child.
John began public ministry around 30 A.D., drawing large crowds across Judaea and the Jordan River. When Jesus came to him for baptism, John recognized him and said, "It is I who need baptism from you." He obeyed the Lord's instruction to baptize him anyway, after which, according to Scripture, the heavens opened and the Spirit of God descended like a dove. John pointed his own followers to Christ as the "Lamb of God," and several of those early disciples became the first Christians.
His denunciation of King Herod's marriage to his half-brother's wife led to his arrest and eventual beheading between 33 and 36 A.D. His feast day is June 24; the anniversary of his death, August 29, is also observed. The parish notes that John is venerated across the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Eastern Catholic, Oriental Orthodox, and Anglican traditions, and even appears in Islam and Mandeanism. He is the patron saint of Jordan, Puerto Rico, French Canada, the Knights Hospitaller, Florence, and Genoa.
Office Hours and Practical Information
The parish office at 101 Findley Street is staffed Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., and on Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The mailing address is PO Box 10, New Baltimore, PA 15553. Visitors can reach the parish by phone at 814-733-2210, and the parish hall at 814-733-4113. Sacramental emergencies are handled at any time through 724-272-5474. Inquiries about the retreat center can be made through the main parish number.
Local Attractions Around the Retreat
The parish is in the heart of a region rich in American history and outdoor recreation, and the parish itself offers a list of nearby places to visit. The historic New Baltimore Bridge, a Queenpost truss covered bridge built in 1879 over the Raystown Branch of the Juniata River, is one of ten covered bridges still standing in Somerset County. About 20 minutes from the retreat center, the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville marks the site of the September 11, 2001 crash and draws visitors year-round. To the west, Seven Springs offers a mountain resort experience; to the east, Bedford County welcomes travelers with antique shops, country dining (including the historic Jean Bonnet Tavern and the Bedford Tavern), the Crystal Room at the Omni Bedford Springs, Horn O Plenty, and state parks such as Shawnee. Day-trippers can also reach the Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium, the Allegheny Mountain Tunnel, and the antique trail along U.S. Route 30.
A Continuing House of Prayer
From the Carmelite novitiate of the 1890s to today's combination of parish church and retreat house, the property on Findley Street has remained a house of prayer for more than 130 years. Its halls still echo with the chestnut wood of the original doors and schoolhouse lights, the German-imported Tiffany windows still lead the eye toward prayer, and the parish still gathers - as it has for generations - to celebrate the Eucharist, welcome newcomers, and tend the grounds of a small Catholic community in the Alleghenies. For travelers along the turnpike or retreatants seeking silence in the mountains, St. John the Baptist in New Baltimore is one of those places where the old stonework and the living parish continue the same work together: helping those who arrive "to experience the living God and go home renewed."