St. John the Evangelist Catholic Parish

St. John the Evangelist,Catholic Parish, is the first Catholic Church founded in Lawrence, Kansas in 1858. St. John parish welcomes all who are called to be disciples of Jesus Christ and proclaims His Gospel through prayer, worship, His Word, the sacraments, and each other.

Members, inspired by the Holy Spirit through faith formation and spiritual renewal, witness to the Gospel in lives of justice and charity, build up families and children through education, hospitality and fellowship, and serve those in need with compassion and commitment.

Our history:

1855 - A few Catholic families settled in Lawrence 

1860 - The first St. John the Evangelist Church was built 

1871 - The second St. John the Evangelist Church was built, a larger 45 x 80-foot brick building

1873 - 1874 - The Carmelite Fathers served the parish

1883 - Number of parishioners grew to 150

1907 - Rev. G. J. Eckart served as Rector

1920 - Reuter organ was installed

1924 - The Church was destroyed by fire 

1924 - The Church currently at 1234 Kentucky Street in Lawrence was constructed with Father Henry Fitzgerald as pastor

2000 - The current church was rededicated

St. John church offers sacraments including: 

• Baptism preparation and Baptism - The sacrament of baptism is the first sacrament one receives within the Catholic Church, and thus us the gateway to all of the other sacraments. 
• Confirmation celebrated in the 8th grade year 
• The Eucharist 
• Daily and Weekly Mass and Spanish Mass twice weekly
• Funeral Mass with Funeral Dinners prepared by volunteers at St. John’s
• Marriage and Marriage Preparation
• Reconciliation and preparation for first Reconciliation

St. John the Evangelist School, founded in 1956, is a pre-school through 8th grade elementary school. St. John Catholic School students are challenged to grow in their faith and knowledge, learn to show respect and compassion for themselves and others, and live their beliefs through service in their community and the world.

CYO - Catholic Youth Organization athletics are offered to all students at St. John.

Families Forming Disciples religious education

RCIA - For those interested in learning more about the Catholic Faith, the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is a program described as a journey of conversion that is gradual and suited to each person’s needs. 

The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is a Montessori-based religious formation program for children, beginning at the age of three and ends at the age of 12.  It seeks to create and facilitate a sacred, ‘hands-on’ space for children, called an atrium, in which both the children and the catechist can hear, ponder, and celebrate the most essential mysteries of the Christian faith as revealed in the scriptures and the liturgy. 

Hospital and Homebound Ministry volunteers bring Holy Communion to those who cannot attend Mass due to age or illness.

PTO - The St. John School Parent-Teacher Organization is designed to assist the school Principal with community building and stewardship efforts. To this end, this organization will plan social activities for school families and coordinate volunteer efforts for both in-and-out-of -school service programs.

St. John parish has many exciting opportunities where anyone in our community can volunteer.

The Fiesta is an annual event celebrating the diversity and appreciation of the Mexican American culture within the Lawrence community. What started as a simple fundraiser has grown into a large orchestrated event that requires more than 300 volunteers and is attended by thousands of people. Proceeds from the Fiesta fund a Spanish language program at St. John’s School and a scholarship fund for post secondary education to Mexican youth in Lawrence.

Oktoberfest is annual multi-cultural outdoor festival offering home-made Bierocks, brats, schnitzel, and a variety of food and entertainment where members of the community are welcomed to celebrate German and other cultural heritage.

Rummage House a thrift store, run by volunteers, offering previously owned items at discount prices for anyone in the community. 

St. John the Evangelist Annual Auction - St. John Parish School holds benefit auction in November that helps to fund our elementary school. The auction is managed by volunteers and relies on volunteers to donate auction items and serve guests in a variety of ways. The benefit includes dinner, music, and a live and silent auction. 

The Outdoor Gardening ministry helps maintain the grounds and gardens around our school and church campus, making a beautiful environment for parishioners as well as visitors for weddings, baptismal services, funerals, and many festivals.