About St. John · Laddonia, Missouri
St. John is a Catholic mission church serving the small community of Laddonia, Missouri, in Audrain County. Established in 1889, it is one of the historic rural parishes of the Diocese of Jefferson City and currently operates in association with the parishes at Martinsburg and Vandalia. Sunday Mass is celebrated each week at 7:00 AM at the church on West Elm Street, and parish correspondence is directed through a mailing address in nearby Vandalia. The mission is cared for by a parochial administrator appointed by the diocese.
- Established
- 1889
- Patron
- St. John (the Evangelist, presumed — no patron saint detail published beyond the parish name)
- Rector
- Rev. Derek J. Hooper (Parochial Administrator)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Jefferson City
Why belong here
St. John offers a quiet, longstanding Catholic presence in rural Audrain County where weekly Sunday Mass is celebrated in an intimate mission setting. As part of a three-parish association with Martinsburg and Vandalia, the mission benefits from a shared priest and shared pastoral resources, making it possible to keep weekly Mass and sacramental life available to this small farming community. It is a good home for Catholic families in the Laddonia area who want to remain rooted in their own town while still being connected to the wider life of the Diocese of Jefferson City.
Mass times at St. John
Weekly Mass schedule
St. John Catholic Mission, Laddonia
St. John is a Catholic mission church serving Laddonia, a small community in Audrain County in central Missouri. It belongs to the Diocese of Jefferson City and, although independent in name, is currently cared for together with the parishes at Martinsburg and Vandalia. Sunday Mass is celebrated weekly at 7:00 AM, and the mission can be reached at the contact details published by the diocese.
- Type: Mission
- Diocese: Jefferson City
- Deanery: Central
- County: Audrain
- Associated Parishes: Martinsburg (St. Joseph) and Vandalia (Sacred Heart)
History of the Mission
The Catholic presence in Laddonia took root in 1889. According to the diocesan history, the 1803 Louisiana Purchase was the remote cause of Laddonia becoming an organized township: the surrounding land was long a sea of grass six to eight feet tall, untillable until the steel plow opened it up to farming. From that agricultural community the parish of St. John was organized in the late nineteenth century and has continued to serve Catholic families in the area ever since.
- 1889 — Mission of St. John founded
- Located in the historic tall-grass prairie region of Audrain County
- Now grouped in an associated-parish model with Martinsburg and Vandalia
Mass and Worship Schedule
Sunday Mass is the principal weekly liturgy at St. John, celebrated at 7:00 AM. As a mission served by a parochial administrator who also pastors St. Joseph in Martinsburg and Sacred Heart in Vandalia, weekday and holy-day schedules are typically coordinated across the three associated parishes; parishioners are encouraged to call the parish office for current information.
- Sunday Mass: 7:00 AM
- Weekday and holy-day Masses: coordinated across the Associated Parishes (Martinsburg / Vandalia)
- Contact: (573) 594-2717
Clergy and Pastoral Leadership
The mission is currently led by Rev. Derek J. Hooper, a priest ordained in 2021 for the Diocese of Jefferson City. Father Hooper serves as Parochial Administrator of St. John, Laddonia, together with St. Joseph, Martinsburg, and Sacred Heart, Vandalia. He can be reached through the diocesan offices at [email protected] or (573) 445-7915.
- Rev. Derek J. Hooper — Parochial Administrator
- Ordained 2021
- Email: [email protected]
- Diocesan phone: 573-445-7915
Visit and Contact Information
St. John's physical address is at 601 West Elm Street in Laddonia, Missouri, while parish mail is handled through PO Box 29, Vandalia, MO 63382. The listed parish contact number is (573) 594-2717, with email reaching the parish office at [email protected].
- Physical address: 601 W. Elm St., Laddonia, MO 63352
- Mailing address: PO Box 29, Vandalia, MO 63382
- Phone: (573) 594-2717
- Email: [email protected]
- Diocese website: diojeffcity.org