About St. John Interlachen · Interlachen, Florida
St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church is a small Roman Catholic parish serving Interlachen, Florida and the surrounding rural communities of Putnam County in the Diocese of St. Augustine. The parish describes itself as 'a welcoming and embracing community centered on Jesus in the Eucharist,' offering Mass in both English and Spanish each Sunday, and weekday Masses throughout the week. Established in 1967, the parish is pastored by Rev. Anthony Basso, with Ivette M. Alfaro serving as Office Administrator. The church is located on State Highway 20 at the Manitoba Avenue address used for postal purposes, and it ministers to a bilingual congregation through its regular liturgical schedule, First Friday Eucharistic Adoration, and faith formation programs.
- Established
- 1967
- Patron
- St. John the Evangelist
- Rector
- Rev. Anthony Basso
- Diocese
- Diocese of St. Augustine
Why belong here
St. John the Evangelist is a small, bilingual Catholic parish where weekly Mass is offered in both English and Spanish, making it a spiritual home for the diverse Catholic population of Interlachen and Putnam County. The parish centers its life on the Eucharist, gathering Sunday mornings and Saturday evenings for Mass, with weekday Masses Tuesday through Friday and a Wednesday evening Mass. First Friday Eucharistic Adoration and a parish emphasis on Christian formation offer parishioners regular opportunities for prayer and catechesis. For Catholics in the Interlachen area seeking a welcoming, family-sized community with Spanish-language liturgy, this parish provides a faithful, accessible home.
Mass times at St. John Interlachen
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Before all Masses (per the Diocese of St. Augustine parish listing)
- Saturday: by appointment (per 2019 diocesan directory)
Adoration times
- First Friday of each month after the 8:30 AM Mass (parish website)
- First Friday: 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. — Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament (2019/2022 diocesan directories)
- First Friday: 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. — Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament (current diocese parish listing)
About St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church
St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church is a small Roman Catholic parish in Interlachen, Florida, in the Diocese of St. Augustine. Founded in 1967, the parish has long served the Catholic faithful of Interlachen and the rural communities of Putnam County. The parish's own mission statement describes it as 'a welcoming and embracing community centered on Jesus in the Eucharist.' It is a bilingual community, offering Mass in both English and Spanish each Sunday.
- Founded 1967
- Diocese of St. Augustine
- Patron: St. John the Evangelist
- Mission: 'a welcoming and embracing community centered on Jesus in the Eucharist'
History
St. John the Evangelist was established in 1967 as a mission parish of the Diocese of St. Augustine to minister to the Catholics of Interlachen and surrounding Putnam County. Over the decades the parish built a bilingual liturgical life, with a regular Spanish Sunday Mass added to serve the area's growing Hispanic Catholic population. Diocesan directories from 2019 and 2022 document a stable but small staff structure under Rev. Pablo Fuentes, with a Coordinator for Christian Formation, a Music Coordinator, and lay-run bulletin publication. The youth minister and stewardship coordinator roles have been listed as vacant in recent directories, reflecting the typical challenges of small-rural-parish staffing.
- 1967: parish established in the Diocese of St. Augustine
- Bilingual (English / Spanish) liturgical tradition developed over the decades
- 2019 diocesan directory: pastor Rev. Pablo Fuentes; Office Manager Harry Burridge; Coordinator for Christian Formation John J. Mathe, Jr.; Coordinator of Music Zane Price
- 2022 diocesan directory: pastor still Rev. Pablo Fuentes; Office Assistant/Bulletin Editor Carmen Velasquez
- Pastoral transition to Rev. Anthony Basso recorded on the current parish website
Pastor and Staff
The parish is currently served by pastor Rev. Anthony Basso, with Ivette M. Alfaro as Office Administrator. Diocesan directories from prior years list Rev. Pablo Fuentes as pastor, along with Christian Formation coordinator John J. Mathe, Jr. and music coordinator Zane Price, who continue to be associated with the parish in published records.
- Pastor: Rev. Anthony Basso (email: [email protected])
- Office Administrator: Ivette M. Alfaro
- Coordinator for Christian Formation: John J. Mathe, Jr.
- Coordinator of Music: Zane Price
- Former pastor: Rev. Pablo Fuentes ([email protected])
Parish Ministries and Formation
As a small parish, St. John the Evangelist relies on a core of lay leaders to coordinate its religious education, music, and communications. Christian Formation is coordinated by John J. Mathe, Jr., and Zane Price serves as Coordinator of Music. The parish bulletin — historically edited by Harry Burridge and Bill Bradley, and more recently by Carmen Velasquez — is the main vehicle for parish-wide communication.
- Christian Formation (Coordinator: John J. Mathe, Jr.)
- Music Ministry (Coordinator: Zane Price)
- Bulletin editing and publication
- Stewardship (vacant in recent diocesan directories)
- Youth Ministry (vacant in recent diocesan directories)
Visit, Contact, and Parish Office
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM by phone, email, or in person. The parish maintains a mailing P.O. Box as well as a physical church address on State Highway 20.
- Church address: 1200 State Highway 20, Interlachen, FL 32148
- Mailing address: P.O. Box 207, Interlachen, FL 32148
- Diocesan/UPS address: 106 N. Manitoba Avenue, Interlachen, FL 32148
- Phone: (386) 684-2528
- Fax: (386) 684-3819
- Parish email: [email protected]
- Pastor email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Mon–Fri 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Pablo Fuentesthrough 2022 directory
Listed as pastor in the 2019 and 2022 diocesan directories of the Diocese of St. Augustine; parish email [email protected].
- Rev. Anthony Bassocurrent
Currently listed as pastor on the parish's own website and on joinmychurch.com; email [email protected].