• Festival with Fireworks to Kick off our anniversary festivities with a parish festival and fireworks display honoring:
• The 50th anniversary of St. John Neumann's canonization (1977–2027)
• The 175th anniversary of his appointment as Bishop of Philadelphia (1852)
• The 190th anniversary of his arrival in America and ordination as deacon and priest (1836)
• The 215th anniversary of his birth (1811)
• Sunbury 4th of July Parade
• Volunteers worked hard to build a float modeled after our church.

• Parish History Series

Watch for special bulletin articles highlighting the stories, memories, and contributions of our parish families throughout the years.

• Online History & Photo Archive

Explore historical photos, parish milestones, and stories from our community right here on our website.

• Video Reels & Stories

Follow along on Facebook and Instagram as we share short videos, memories, and highlights celebrating our parish's rich history and vibrant future.

• Parish Cookbook Project

The Women of St. John Neumann are compiling a cookbook featuring favorite recipes from our parish family. We invite everyone to participate (see below for steps

to submit a recipe)

• 2027 Pictorial Directory

Help us create a new parish pictorial directory that will capture and preserve our community for future generations.

• Closing Anniversary Celebration

Our anniversary observance will conclude on September 4, 2027, marking the 50th anniversary of the first Mass celebrated in Sunbury by our parish community, with the Bishop joining us for this special occasion.

St. John Neumann, the patron saint of our parish, was a strong advocate for the Forty Hours Devotion and helped introduce it to America in the 1800s. This cherished Catholic tradition consists of continuous prayer and Eucharistic Adoration before the Blessed Sacrament exposed in a monstrance. The forty hours symbolize the time Jesus spent in the tomb before His Resurrection.

For nearly three decades, Eucharistic Adoration has been an important part of the spiritual life of St. John Neumann Parish.

Adoration at St. John Neumann began on November 3, 1998, in the original church with a 30-hour devotion led by our pastor, Father James Walter.

Following the completion of the new church in September 2004, the parish expanded Adoration to 54 hours beginning on Divine Mercy Sunday, April 3, 2005. As the parish grew and church space became increasingly needed for other activities, Adoration was later reduced to a 24-hour period from Monday through Tuesday, with scheduled adorers keeping watch before the Blessed Sacrament.

When construction began on the expanded church and chapel in 2013, the parish remained committed to this important devotion. Rather than pause Adoration, it was temporarily moved to the lower level of the parish offices. Upon completion of the chapel later that year, enough parishioners had committed to serving as adorers to expand Adoration once again to 60 hours each week.

In 2016, St. John Neumann achieved a significant milestone by establishing Perpetual Adoration, offering prayer before the Blessed Sacrament 24 hours a day, seven days a week, except during Mass.

Like many ministries, Adoration was interrupted during the COVID-19 pandemic. When it resumed, a number of longtime adorers had relocated, and the schedule was reduced to five days per week. Under the leadership of Father Dury, who became pastor in 2021, the parish adopted the We Adore Him scheduling system, making it easier to coordinate substitutes and maintain coverage.

If you are willing to take an hour, or would like more information, please see https://saintjohnsunbury.org/adoration-chapel

The success of Eucharistic Adoration at St. John Neumann is a testament to the many parishioners who have committed an hour each week to spend with Our Lord.

We are especially grateful to Kathy McDonough, Melanie Goode, Amy Davis, and Debbie Braun, who have coordinated volunteers and schedules throughout the nearly 30-year history of Adoration at our parish.

Jesus is waiting for you in the Adoration Chapel.

Whether you can commit to a regular hour each week or would simply like to learn more, we invite you to become part of this beautiful ministry of prayer.

Learn more or sign up for an hour of Adoration:

Visit the Adoration Chapel page

"Could you not keep watch with me for one hour?" — Matthew 26:40