About St. John the Baptist · Fort Lauderdale, Florida
St. John the Baptist is a Roman Catholic parish in the northeast corner of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, founded in 1969 by Archbishop Coleman F. Carroll and serving roughly 1,200 participating members today. The parish belongs to the Archdiocese of Miami and sits next door to Cardinal Gibbons High School, for which it has long been a spiritual home. Its church, designed by architect Charles McAlpine and dedicated in 1971, is a rectangular building with a sloped glazed tile roof dominated by a large stained-glass window depicting St. John the Baptist baptizing Jesus.
- Established
- 1969
- Patron
- St. John the Baptist
- Rector
- Rev. Alberto Paima Bardales Petroff (Pastor, since July 2023)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Miami
Why belong here
St. John the Baptist offers a personalized, family-oriented Catholic life in northeast Fort Lauderdale, with about 1,200 participating members and a wide range of ways to get involved — from cantors, lectors, ushers and altar servers to St. Vincent de Paul outreach, Respect Life, the Women's Guild and Men's Club, Bible studies and a study of St. Francis de Sales's Introduction to the Devout Life. The parish sits beside Cardinal Gibbons High School, livestreams its 9 a.m. Sunday Mass, runs an active children's religious education program (170+ students), and warmly welcomes both year-round families and the large seasonal community that fills the parish in winter.
Mass times at St. John the Baptist
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturdays: 3:45–4:45 pm
Adoration times
- Friday after 8:45 am Mass until 12:00 pm
- First Fridays: after 8:45 am Mass until 5:00 pm
Parish History
St. John the Baptist Parish was established November 7, 1969, by Archbishop Coleman F. Carroll to serve nearly 400 families in northeast Fort Lauderdale and to be a spiritual home for Cardinal Gibbons High School next door. Founding pastor Father Thomas A. Dennehy got the parish organized while also serving as principal at Gibbons. The current church, designed by architect Charles McAlpine, was dedicated December 18, 1971. Father Paul Leo Manning, pastor from 1972, led construction of the meeting hall, rectory and offices dedicated in March 1977. Msgr. Vincent Kelly served as pastor from February 10, 1982, for 37 years, growing ministries and membership before retiring in 2019. The parish marked its 50th anniversary that year under the theme 'A Journey of Faith.'
- Founded: November 7, 1969
- Founding pastor: Rev. Thomas A. Dennehy
- Church dedicated: December 18, 1971
- Architect: Charles McAlpine
- Meeting hall/rectory/offices dedicated: March 1977
- 50th anniversary celebrated 2019 with Archbishop Thomas Wenski
Parish Mission & Identity
Located in the northeast corner of Fort Lauderdale, St. John the Baptist describes its mission as 'nurturing a community of faith in Jesus Christ through worship, study, service and community.' The parish serves approximately 1,200 participating members and is known for a personalized, family-oriented approach to Catholic formation.
- Approximately 1,200 participating members
- Estimated 700+ families served
- Spiritual home for Cardinal Gibbons High School next door
- Large seasonal (winter) resident population
Meet the Pastor — Fr. Alberto Petroff
Rev. Alberto Paima Bardales Petroff became Pastor of St. John the Baptist in July 2023. He was born in Argentina, was ordained to the priesthood in 2004, and received his formation in Maryland (1999–2001), Argentina (2001–2003) and Italy (2003–2004). He later studied Biblical Theology in Italy, then from 2008–2019 served the Catholic Church in Athens, Greece — especially the Latin-Rite community and many American Embassy families. He joined the Archdiocese of Miami in 2019, serving at St. Patrick in Miami Beach (2019–2020) and St. Timothy in Miami (2020–2023) before his assignment to St. John the Baptist.
Parish Staff
The parish is supported by a small dedicated staff. Cathy Stayton serves as Parish Secretary and is the main contact for weddings and funerals. Sandy Gans is the Office Manager. Meg Cairns is the Coordinator of Religious Education, a Georgetown and Tulane alumna and former psychotherapist, fitness instructor and yoga teacher, and mother of two daughters — one of whom, Emilia, is an altar server and lead high school aide for the Religious Education program.
- Rev. Alberto Petroff — Pastor
- Cathy Stayton — Parish Secretary (weddings, funerals)
- Sandy Gans — Office Manager
- Meg Cairns — Coordinator of Religious Education
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Children's Religious Education is a centerpiece of parish life, with around 170 youngsters currently enrolled. Coordinator Meg Cairns and her team of catechists and high school aides walk families through preparation for First Reconciliation, First Holy Communion and ongoing formation. Adults seeking full initiation into the Catholic Church enter through the Becoming Catholic (RCIA) process. Bible study is offered through Catholic Conversations on the Scriptures — a resource originally launched at the parish by Msgr. Vincent Kelly in 2004 — and the parish also hosts a weekly study of St. Francis de Sales's Introduction to the Devout Life on Mondays at 2:00 pm in the Parish Hall.
- Children's Religious Education (170+ students)
- Becoming Catholic — RCIA
- Catholic Conversations on the Scriptures
- St. Francis de Sales study — Mondays 2:00 pm, Parish Hall
Liturgical Ministries
St. John the Baptist invites parishioners of all ages to take an active role in the liturgy. Children's altar servers assist at Mass; lectors proclaim the Word of God; extraordinary ministers of holy communion distribute the Eucharist (and help bring communion to the homebound and to nursing homes); cantors and musicians lead congregational singing; and ushers provide a first, welcoming face of hospitality before and during Mass.
- Children's Altar Servers
- Lectors / Readers
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- Music Ministry (cantors and musicians)
- Ushers / Hospitality
Parish Life, Outreach & Service
The parish is well known for a strong culture of service. The St. Vincent de Paul Society assists those in need with food, clothing and financial help for rent and utilities. The Pro-Life / Respect Life Ministry promotes the dignity of human life from conception to natural death. A dedicated Ministry to the Homebound reaches parishioners who cannot attend Mass in person. The Women's Guild raises funds and supports many outreach activities, and the Men's Club provides fellowship and service. Prayer groups, Bible studies and the Parish Pastoral Council round out parish life and governance.
- St. Vincent de Paul Society
- Pro-Life / Respect Life Ministry
- Ministry to the Homebound
- Women's Guild
- Men's Club
- Prayer Groups
- Bible Studies
- Pastoral Council
Sacraments at St. John the Baptist
Couples preparing for Matrimony are asked to begin at least eight months before their desired wedding date and to contact Parish Secretary Cathy Stayton ([email protected]) for available dates and times; pre-marriage counseling is also offered. Funerals are coordinated through Cathy Stayton, with the church's funeral coordinator providing guidance and support to the family. Children's Religious Education is the path to First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion, and adults enter the Church through the RCIA 'Becoming Catholic' process. Confession is heard Saturday afternoons; Anointing of the Sick is arranged through the parish office.
- Matrimony — begin 8 months ahead, contact Cathy Stayton
- Funerals — coordinated through parish office
- First Reconciliation & First Communion — Children's Religious Education
- Becoming Catholic (RCIA) — adult initiation
- Reconciliation — Saturdays 3:45–4:45 pm
- Anointing of the Sick — contact the parish
Visit, Connect & Contact
Visitors and newcomers are warmly welcomed. The parish office is the main point of contact for registrations, sacramental preparation and general inquiries. Sunday Mass at 9:00 am is livestreamed on Facebook and the parish website for those unable to attend in person. The official Facebook page (facebook.com/SJBFTL) carries parish news, livestream updates and event announcements.
- Address: 4595 Bayview Drive, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308
- Phone: (954) 771-8950
- Fax: (954) 771-4178
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://stjohncc.org/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SJBFTL/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Thomas A. Dennehy1969–1972
Founding pastor; also served as principal at Cardinal Gibbons High School.
- Rev. Paul Leo Manning1972–c.1982
Led construction of the meeting hall, rectory and offices dedicated in March 1977.
- Msgr. Vincent KellyFebruary 10, 1982 – retired (after 37 years, to c. 2019)
Irish-born; came to the Archdiocese of Miami in 1969. Served 37 years as pastor; also oversaw Catholic Conversations on the Scriptures and was supervising principal at Cardinal Gibbons and St. Thomas Aquinas. Currently retired, assigned to the Archdiocesan Pastoral Center.
- Rev. Alberto Paima Bardales PetroffJuly 2023 – present
Born in Argentina; ordained in 2004; formation in Maryland, Argentina and Italy. Served in Italy, then Athens, Greece (2008–2019) with the Latin-Rite Catholic community and American Embassy families, before assignments at St. Patrick (Miami Beach) and St. Timothy (Miami) in the Archdiocese of Miami.