A Dream & a Vision

Thank you so much for visiting Lycoming County Catholic. It’s been a dream of mine to start an interparish initiative in support of our local Catholic parishes, families, and faith community. Along with t

his website, blog, and podcast I’ll be publishing Lycoming Parish Neighbors mailed out for free to Catholic homeowners in the county.

Lycoming Parish Neighbors is only possible due to the investment of the wonderful sponsors you’ll see featured throughout these pages. Thanks to all of them, you’ll receive this magazine each month. You’ll see features of local families, stories, church and community events. This is just a teaser of what’s to come! Thank you so much to our sponsors for making this happen. I sincerely ask the readers to patronize the sponsors of this magazine. You’ll find articles written by our Professional S

potlight sponsors and a directory in the back with the contact information of each sponsor. I’ve met with all of these business owners. They are trustworthy and reliable. They care about this community. Please give them your support.

And who am I? Well, my name is Jesse Martin, I’m a husband, father, and local Catholic with a dream and vision to make my local community the best it can be. I grew up in South Louisiana, just outside of New Orleans, where I was a Theology Teacher, football and softball coach. In 2016, th

rough God’s providence, I had a once in a lifetime opportunity to work for a Catholic non-profit in Philadelphia, the Culture Project, with a mission to restore the culture through the experience of virtue. We gave talks in high schools on the dignity of the human person and living a life of chastity. And then, as the story so often goes, I met a girl. Alisan was working in Philadelphia at the time, but she was from a town named Williamsport. When we met for coffee a few days before Thanksgiving in 2016, she found out that I didn’t have anywhere to go for the holiday, took pity on me, and invited me to her family's home in Williamsport for Thanksgiving dinner. I had figured out halfway through my coffee that I was going to marry her. So, when she invited me, I figured I might as well go meet my future in-laws. 17 months later, Alisan and I were married in my hometown at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Paulina, Louisiana.

And now here we are, raising two half-Cajun children in her hometown in the “Deep North.” I want these kids to grow up in a great town with great Catholic parishes, and a thriving faith community. In my time here in Lycoming County, I’ve met beautiful, holy, and amazing families at all of our parishes. There are people and families doing such great work in their churches, but they don’t always get to know e

ach other. I hope this monthly magazine can help alleviate that. I hope this is a place where we can share stories, successes and events; seek prayer and support; where we can meet each other and grow in faith together, no matter what the future holds for any particular parish. I also look forward to reaching those who have stepped away and who we no longer see regularly in the pews. We’d like to have you back. You are a son or daughter of God. You were claimed for Christ at your Baptism. You’re a part of this family

and this is where you belong.

Thank you for reading and thank you for your faith. Please pray for this magazine. If you have a story that you think should be shared in these pages, please reach out to me. If you or someone you know would like to be a sponsor to help grow this initiative, please be in touch. My email is jessemartin@decidedexcellence.com. I think our greater Catholic community here in Lycoming County can be excellent. Let’s decide to be excellent. God Bless you and your families!