About St. John The Baptist · Silver Spring, Maryland
St. John the Baptist Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish located in the Colesville/Springbrook area of Silver Spring, Maryland, belonging to the Archdiocese of Washington. Founded in 1960 by Father E. Carl Lyon on ten acres purchased by the Archdiocese four years earlier, the parish today serves more than 2,100 families and over 6,000 persons. It operates a Blue Ribbon preschool-through-eighth-grade Catholic school, offers daily and Sunday Masses in English, runs weekly Religious Education and a Bible study program, and engages in outreach such as a twice-monthly food drive for St. Camillus Food Bank.
- Established
- 1960
- Patron
- St. John the Baptist
- Rector
- Rev. Andrew T. Wakefield
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Washington
Why belong here
St. John the Baptist offers a full Catholic life in a single community: three Sunday Masses and a daily morning Mass schedule, Saturday confessions, and weekly Eucharistic Adoration every Thursday morning. Parishioners can grow in faith through Religious Education (K–8), the OCIA process for adults, the Walking with the Word Bible study, Small Church Communities, and an active Youth Ministry. The parish is also home to St. John the Baptist Catholic School, a Blue Ribbon preschool–8th-grade school, and supports outreach such as a twice-monthly food drive for the St. Camillus Food Bank — making it an especially welcoming fit for families and for anyone looking for both sacramental depth and concrete service.
Mass times at St. John The Baptist
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM
- By appointment — call the Parish Office at 301-622-1122 to arrange a confession with one of the priests
Adoration times
- Every Thursday in the Chapel: 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM (Eucharistic Adoration)
Our History
St. John the Baptist Parish was canonically founded on June 18, 1960, when Archbishop Patrick A. O'Boyle appointed Father E. Carl Lyon to lead a new community in the Springbrook–Colesville area of Silver Spring. The first Mass was celebrated the next morning in a chapel built out in the basement of the purchased rectory, with 275 people present; the permanent church and school were dedicated by Archbishop O'Boyle on May 16, 1962. From its earliest days the parish has paired celebration of the Eucharist with Catholic education (the school opened in 1962), and has grown into one of the larger parishes of the Archdiocese of Washington — more than 2,100 families and over 6,000 persons.
- 1956: Archdiocese of Washington purchases 10 acres in Springbrook–Colesville
- June 18, 1960: Parish canonically established; Fr. E. Carl Lyon named founding pastor
- May 7, 1961: Outdoor Mass and groundbreaking
- May 16, 1962: Church and school dedicated by Archbishop O'Boyle
- 1969: First 8th-grade graduating class from the school
- 1988: Lyon Center built under Msgr. Kazista
- 2001: Visitation Chapel and Kazista Parish Center added
- Mid-1990s: Visit of Mother Teresa and 19 Missionaries of Charity taking vows
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The parish runs a weekly Religious Education program for children in Grades 1–8 who are not enrolled in Catholic school. Classes meet in the school building on Sunday mornings from 10:15 to 11:25 AM and are taught by volunteer catechists and aides. First Reconciliation must be received before First Communion, and Confirmation is a separate two-year program at Grade 8. The parish also sponsors Walking with the Word, a Saturday-morning Bible study held in the Lyon Center.
- Religious Education for Grades 1–8 (Sundays 10:15–11:25 AM)
- First Reconciliation and First Communion preparation
- Confirmation (Grade 8 — separate registration form)
- Walking with the Word Bible Study (Saturdays 7:30–8:30 AM, Lyon Center)
- OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) for those becoming Catholic
- Volunteer catechist, aide, and curriculum-planner opportunities (Virtus training provided)
St. John the Baptist Catholic School
The parish school opened in 1962 for the first two grades and added a grade each year until the first eighth-grade class graduated in 1969. Today it enrolls about 258 students in preschool through 8th grade — one class per grade — and is a recognized Blue Ribbon school. Most graduates go on to Catholic high schools, and many earn academic scholarships.
- Preschool through 8th grade, co-educational
- Approximately 258 students, one class per grade
- Blue Ribbon School of Excellence
- All-day kindergarten since 1993; preschool since 2017
- Originally staffed by the Servants of the Holy Heart of Mary (Kankakee, IL) through 2000
- Current principal: Brian Blomquist (since 2014)
- Parent organizations: School Advisory Board and Home & School Association
Ministries and Community Life
Beyond the liturgy and the school, the parish offers a wide range of parish-life programs. Small Church Communities gather in groups of twelve for prayer, scripture reflection, and fellowship; a Youth Ministry serves teens; and the Athletic Ministry runs soccer, basketball, and baseball/softball for children from kindergarten through high school. Outreach includes a twice-monthly food drive.
- Small Church Communities
- Youth Ministry
- Athletic Ministry (soccer, basketball, baseball/softball)
- Bible Study (Walking with the Word)
- OCIA Sponsor Ministry
- Parish Food Drive (1st & 3rd Saturdays, 9:00 AM–12 noon) supporting St. Camillus Food Bank
Sacraments
The parish prepares members for and celebrates all seven Catholic sacraments. Sacramental preparation begins in faith formation classes for First Reconciliation and First Communion, and a separate two-year program at Grade 8 leads to Confirmation. Adults seeking full initiation participate in OCIA. Couples should contact the Parish Office for Matrimony preparation, and the priests are available for Anointing of the Sick by arrangement.
- Baptism
- First Reconciliation and First Communion
- Confirmation (Grade 8)
- Matrimony
- Anointing of the Sick
- OCIA (initiation of adults into the Catholic Church)
Parish Staff and Giving
Day-to-day operations are supported by a small parish staff and volunteer leadership. Online giving is handled through Faith Direct (Parish Code: MD 300).
- Pastor: Rev. Andrew T. Wakefield
- Deacon James J. Gorman (Retired)
- Deacon Edward J. McCormack
- Business Manager: Kathleen Brown
- Secretary: Mary Frances Vassiliou
- Virtus Child Protection Coordinator: Martha Kerley
- Online Giving: Faith Direct — Parish Code MD 300 (866-507-8757)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. E. Carl Lyon (later Msgr. Lyon)1960–1987
Founding pastor; appointed by Archbishop Patrick A. O'Boyle. Built the church, rectory, and school. Died in 1999.
- Rev. Francis G. Kazista (later Msgr. Kazista)1987–2011
Had earlier served as parochial vicar at St. John's from 1975 to 1981. Built the Lyon Center (1988) and the Visitation Chapel and Kazista Parish Center (2001).
- Rev. Y. David Brault2011–2023
Succeeded Msgr. Kazista; retired in 2023.
- Rev. Andrew T. Wakefield2023–present
Ordained in 2017; previously served at St. Patrick, Washington, D.C. Started at St. John the Baptist on July 5, 2023.