About St. John · Naches, Washington
St. John Catholic Church is a small Roman Catholic parish in Naches, Washington, part of the Diocese of Yakima. Founded in 1959 and located on Moxee Avenue in this small Yakima Valley town, the parish serves local Catholics with daily and weekend Masses, regular confession, weekly Eucharistic Adoration, and the rosary. Today the parish is led by Rev. Brooks F. Beaulaurier, who simultaneously serves as pastor of nearby St. Juan Diego Parish in Cowiche, and the parish continues the sacramental and devotional life of central Washington's Catholic community along the Naches River valley.
- Established
- 1959
- Patron
- St. John (the Apostle)
- Rector
- Rev. Brooks F. Beaulaurier
- Diocese
- Diocese of Yakima
Why belong here
St. John Parish offers the full rhythm of Catholic sacramental life in a small, close-knit rural community: daily Mass Tuesday through Friday at 8:30 a.m., a Saturday Vigil Mass at 5:00 p.m., and a Sunday Mass at 8:30 a.m., complemented by regular confession, Eucharistic Adoration on Sundays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, and a weekly rosary prayed before Wednesday Mass. The parish is led by a pastor (Fr. Brooks Beaulaurier) who also shepherds the neighboring St. Juan Diego Parish in Cowiche and serves as Director of Deacon Formation for the Diocese of Yakima, and it is supported by an active Finance Council and Pastoral Council along with music coordinators and a bookkeeper. For Catholics in the Naches and upper Yakima Valley, it is a faithful, devotional, and accessible parish home.
Mass times at St. John
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00–4:45 p.m. (Diocese directory lists 4:00–4:30 p.m.; Catholic Church Times lists 4:00–5:00 p.m.)
- Sunday 9:30–10:00 a.m.
- Wednesday 7:45–8:30 a.m.
- Thursday 9:00–10:00 a.m. (following Mass, with Adoration)
- By appointment
Adoration times
- Sunday 9:30–10:30 a.m.
- Wednesday 8:00–8:30 a.m.
- Thursday 9:00–10:00 a.m. (Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament following Mass, with Confession until 10:00 a.m.)
About St. John Parish, Naches
St. John Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in the small community of Naches, in the upper Yakima Valley of central Washington. It is part of the Diocese of Yakima and serves Catholics in Naches and the surrounding area along the Naches River. The parish is staffed and supported by a pastor, a bookkeeper (Carrie Peterson), music coordinators (Doug Rich and Steve Smith), a Finance Council, and a Pastoral Council, and it is twinned administratively with St. Juan Diego Parish in nearby Cowiche.
- Parish founded in 1959
- Located at 206 Moxee Ave., Naches, WA 98937
- Mailing address: P.O. Box 128, Naches, WA 98937
- Phone: (509) 653-2534
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://stjohnnaches.org/
History of the Parish
According to the official Chronology of Events of the Diocese of Yakima, St. John's Parish in Naches was established in 1959. This was part of a wave of new Catholic parishes created across central Washington in the years following the erection of the Diocese of Yakima by Pope Pius XII in 1951. The parish has continued as a worshiping presence in Naches for more than six decades, developing a regular schedule of Mass, confession, adoration, and faith formation. On March 8, 2019, Bishop Joseph J. Tyson formally installed Rev. Brooks F. Beaulaurier as Pastor of St. John Parish.
- 1959: St. John's Parish in Naches established
- 1951: Diocese of Yakima created by Pope Pius XII
- March 8, 2019: Bishop Tyson installs Fr. Brooks Beaulaurier as Pastor
- September 1, 2019: Formal assignment date of Fr. Brooks as Pastor per Diocese of Yakima directory
Pastor and Clergy
St. John Parish is served by Rev. Brooks F. Beaulaurier, who was assigned as pastor effective September 1, 2019 and formally installed by Bishop Joseph J. Tyson on March 8, 2019. Fr. Brooks simultaneously serves as pastor of St. Juan Diego Parish in Cowiche and as Director of Deacon Formation for the Diocese of Yakima.
- Rev. Brooks F. Beaulaurier — Pastor (current)
- Pastoral care also extended to St. Juan Diego Parish, Cowiche
Parish Staff and Councils
The parish is supported by a small staff and two lay councils, as listed in the Diocese of Yakima Official Directory (2020 edition).
- Bookkeeper: Carrie Peterson
- Religious Educator: Vacant (per 2020 directory)
- Adult Religious Education: Vacant (per 2020 directory)
- Music Coordinators: Doug Rich and Steve Smith
- Finance Council Chairman: Charlie Barr
- Finance Council Members: Betty Jo Murray, Kevin Cays, Paul Kauzlarich, Carter Miller, Marty Close
- Pastoral Council Chairman: Troy Suing
- Pastoral Council Members: Irene Niemi, Andy Bommersbach, Dave Desmarais, Felipe Montes de Oca
Faith Formation and Religious Education
The parish offers faith formation for parishioners. As of the most recent published diocesan directory, the position of Religious Educator is vacant and Adult Religious Education is vacant; formation is overseen by the pastor and pastoral council in the interim.
- Children's Faith Formation / Religious Education
- Adult Religious Education (currently vacant per 2020 directory)
Music and Liturgy
Liturgical music at St. John is coordinated by Doug Rich and Steve Smith, working with the pastor to support the parish's daily Masses, Sunday Mass, and other liturgical celebrations.
- Music Coordinators: Doug Rich and Steve Smith
Parish Identity and Diocese
St. John Parish belongs to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Yakima, which was canonically erected on June 23, 1951 by Pope Pius XII from territory taken from the then-Diocese of Seattle (elevated to an archdiocese concurrently) and the Diocese of Spokane. The diocese covers Benton, Chelan, Douglas, Grant, Kittitas, Klickitat and Yakima Counties in central Washington. St. Paul's Cathedral in Yakima is the diocesan cathedral, and the current diocesan bishop is Most Rev. Joseph J. Tyson.
- Diocese: Diocese of Yakima
- Diocesan cathedral: St. Paul Cathedral, Yakima
- Diocesan bishop: Most Rev. Joseph J. Tyson
- Diocese erected: June 23, 1951
Visiting, Location, and Contact
St. John Parish is located on Moxee Avenue in Naches, a small community in the upper Yakima Valley. From US Highway 12, take the Naches Arterial, turn right at the next corner, then turn left onto Moxee Avenue. The parish can be reached by phone at (509) 653-2534 for Sacramental Emergencies, parish information, and inquiries about Catholic schools. The parish bulletin is posted on the About page of the parish website.
- Address: 206 Moxee Ave., Naches, WA 98937
- Mailing: P.O. Box 128, Naches, WA 98937
- Phone: (509) 653-2534
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://stjohnnaches.org/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Brooks F. BeaulaurierAssigned September 1, 2019; installed March 8, 2019
Current pastor; also pastor of St. Juan Diego Parish, Cowiche, and Director of Deacon Formation for the Diocese of Yakima.