About the Parish
Our Mission Statement
We, the Catholic faithful of St. John the Evangelist, are a small, rural, family-oriented community of parishioners who are striving to be stewards of our time, talent and treasure within our parish and community.
Following in the footsteps of Jesus Christ, called by our Baptism, nourished by the Eucharist and strengthened by the Holy Spirit, we are committed to developing the gifts of our youth, deepening the prayer life of our parishioners and strengthening our Faith through vibrant liturgies and life-long faith formation.
We are further committed to Evangelization and Ecumenical outreach to the residents of Nicholas County through personal witness of our lives, efforts to share our Catholic beliefs and services to the poor and needy.
Our Parish History
Long before the Civil War, the Catholic faithful in Nicholas County were visited periodically by priests from as far away as New Orleans, Louisiana, who traveled the rivers to visit the Catholic families living in the then western part of Virginia.
In 1846, Bishop Richard Whelan, Bishop of Richmond, Virginia appointed Father Thomas Farrell to minister to the Catholics of Nicholas, Braxton, Fayette, and Kanawha counties. Father Farrell died in 1847 after just one short year of visits to this mission area.
In 1846, Bishop Richard Whelan, Bishop of Richmond, Virginia appointed Father Thomas Farrell to minister to the Catholics of Nicholas, Braxton, Fayette, and Kanawha counties. Father Farrell died in 1847 after just one short year of visits to this mission area.
In 1848, thanks to John H. Duffy, a pioneer member of this Catholic community, a brick church replaced a log house used as a gathering place, marking the beginning of the parish of St. John the Evangelist.
The Civil War ended the period of relative peace and order enjoyed by the people of the county. Some of our faithful fought on both sides of the struggle, and both the Union and Confederate armies dug trenches on "Catholic Hill," the site of our present parish cemetery and the location of the original brick church. The Union forces burned the church to keep it from falling into the hands of the Confederate army.
In 1902, the Society of Mary (The Marists) was invited to establish a residence in the nearby town of Richwood to care for the large numbers of immigrants coming into the state to work in the coal and timber industries. Summersville became one of the many missions served by the Marists. On July 26, 1977, Father James McCafferty, S.M. was named by Bishop Joseph H. Hodges as the first residential pastor of St. John the Evangelist Church.
The past years have seen several other Marist priests who have volunteered to pastor our church after becoming a diocesan parish. Father Thomas Carey, Father Kane, Father Gerard James, Father Jerome Rawa, and Father William Seli have all answered God's call to lead the Catholic faithful at St. John's.
After spending several months without a pastor, God smiled on our small, rural community and sent us Father Xavier Cooney, S.V.D.
After spending several months without a pastor, God smiled on our small, rural community and sent us Father Xavier Cooney, S.V.D.
| Today |
Singing My Way Toward the Priesthood
by Neven Pesa
I'm a son of Croatian immigrants who first emigrated to Italy and subsequently to America in the 70's. Within two years of their marriage, my brother and I were both born. My mother lovingly tells me that God willed very much that I come into this world because I came as a "happy surprise" to both my parents, having been conceived only 4 months after my older brother had been ... >>read more
| The Edge |
by Mickey Addison
Can you name the largest megachurch in the world? Is it in San Antonio or Colorado Springs? Maybe Los Angeles or Orlando? Nope....it's in Rome. The world's largest megachurch is the Catholic ... >>read more
