About St. John the Evangelist · Latrobe, Pennsylvania
St. John the Evangelist is a Roman Catholic parish in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, in the Diocese of Greensburg. Founded in 1901 by Polish immigrant families and established as its own parish in 1911, St. John is today a partner parish with neighboring Holy Family Catholic Church under a single pastor, Rev. E. George Saletrik. The parish celebrates Mass on Saturday evenings and Sunday mornings, hosts the sacrament of Reconciliation before Saturday Mass, and shares faith formation, the parish school (Christ the Divine Teacher), and pastoral staff with Holy Family.
- Established
- 1901
- Patron
- St. John the Evangelist
- Rector
- Rev. E. George Saletrik
- Diocese
- Diocese of Greensburg
Why belong here
St. John the Evangelist is a welcoming, prayer-filled community rooted in the Eucharist, with the explicit mission of being "an instrument in the hand of God to draw all people to salvation for eternal life." As a partner parish with Holy Family, St. John offers the full sacramental life of the Church — daily and Sunday Mass, Saturday Reconciliation, Baptism and Marriage preparation, and First Communion and Confirmation preparation through the shared Faith Formation program — alongside a regional Catholic school (Christ the Divine Teacher), a coordinated music ministry, and lay councils (Pastoral Council and Finance Council) that invite parishioners to share their time and talents as lectors, Eucharistic ministers, altar servers, cantors, greeters, and ushers.
Mass times at St. John the Evangelist
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturdays at 4:15 p.m. (before the 5:00 p.m. Saturday Mass)
- Or by appointment
Adoration times
- Eucharistic Adoration is held at the Holy Family Eucharistic Chapel (shared with partner parish): Sunday Noon–6 p.m.; Tuesday 11 a.m.–10 p.m.; Wednesday 3 p.m.–10 p.m.; Thursday 11 a.m.–10 p.m. (Contact Carol at 724-858-7333)
About St. John the Evangelist
St. John the Evangelist Catholic Parish serves the Latrobe, Pennsylvania community as a partner parish of Holy Family Catholic Church within the Diocese of Greensburg. The parish mission, as stated on the parish website, is to be 'an instrument in the hand of God to draw all people to salvation for eternal life by living our baptismal promises and deepening our relationship with Jesus Christ.' The parish office is open Mondays and Wednesdays 9 a.m.–4 p.m. and Thursdays 10 a.m.–2 p.m., and the parish publishes a combined weekly bulletin — 'The Spirit of Truth' — together with Holy Family.
- Parish Office: 306 Saint John Drive, Latrobe, PA 15650
- Phone: 724-537-8909
- Diocese of Greensburg
- Partner parish: Holy Family Catholic Church, 1200 Ligonier Street, Latrobe
Parish History
St. John the Evangelist was founded in 1901 by Polish Catholic families who had settled in Latrobe after the Civil War; the parish was formally established in 1911. A Golden Jubilee volume (1901–1951) published by the parish is preserved in the University of Pittsburgh's Digital Pitt collection, and the Latrobe Historical Society records the parish's growth through the 20th century — the arrival of the Bernardine Sisters in 1924, a school closure during the Great Depression and reopening in the 1940s under Father Bronislaus E. Mieruniski, the addition of more than 900 new families in the 1960s, a new school in 1967, a convent in 1968, and a new rectory in the 1970s.
- 1901 — Polish community dedicates a church building under Mr. Nicholas Rynkowski
- 1903 — Parish school founded
- 1911 — Parish formally established as independent
- 1924 — Bernardine Sisters arrive to staff the school under Father Joseph Frania
- 1940s — School reopens after Great Depression closure
- 1960s — 900+ new families join; new school built 1967; convent built 1968
- 1970s — New rectory constructed
- 1990 — Christ the Divine Teacher School formed with Holy Family and St. Vincent Basilica
- 1992 — RCIA program begins
Clergy and Parish Staff
The parish is led by Pastor Rev. E. George Saletrik, who also serves as pastor of partner parish Holy Family. He is assisted by Senior Priest Active Rev. John M. Foriska and Deacon Rev. Mr. Michael Orange. The parish secretary is Lesley Benyo; the Business Manager (shared with Holy Family) is Gretchen Winklosky; the Coordinator of Liturgical Music is Bob Mason; and Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is facilitated by Anita Wright.
- Rev. E. George Saletrik — Pastor
- Rev. John M. Foriska — Senior Priest Active
- Rev. Mr. Michael Orange — Deacon
- Lesley Benyo — Parish Secretary
- Gretchen Winklosky — Business Manager
- Bob Mason — Coordinator of Liturgical Music
- Anita Wright — Facilitator, Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
Pastoral and Finance Councils
Lay leadership at St. John the Evangelist is provided through a Pastoral Council and a Finance Council, whose members are listed in the parish bulletin. The councils assist the pastor in planning parish life and overseeing parish resources.
- Pastoral Council: Chris Couch, Julie Hunter, Mary Repko, Binky Sargent, Dave Thomas, Melissa Yazvec
- Finance Council: Chuck Chamberlain, Sue Patts, Karen Stynchula, Paul Blycheck
Liturgical Ministries
St. John welcomes parishioners of all ages to assist at Mass as altar servers, lectors, Eucharistic ministers, ushers, and greeters, and to serve as cantors and musicians in the liturgical music program. The parish bulletin publishes weekly ministry schedules, naming lectors, cantors, servers, and Eucharistic ministers for each Mass. The parish is currently recruiting new liturgical ministers and an Arts & Environment Coordinator.
- Altar Servers
- Eucharistic Ministers
- Lectors
- Ushers and Greeters
- Cantors and Liturgical Music (Bob Mason, Coordinator)
- Arts & Environment Coordinator (currently needed)
Faith Formation and Sacraments
Faith Formation and Confirmation Preparation for St. John are offered through the partner parish program at Holy Family during the academic year. Children attend Faith Formation on Sundays from 9:00–10:15 a.m. (Sept.–May), and Confirmation Preparation is held on the second Thursday of each month from 7:00–8:30 p.m. The parish also offers the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd program facilitated by Anita Wright, and supports OCIA (formerly RCIA) for adults preparing to enter the Church. Sacramental preparation for Baptism and Marriage is handled directly through the parish office.
- Faith Formation (shared with Holy Family) — Sundays 9:00–10:15 a.m., Sept.–May
- Confirmation Preparation — 2nd Thursday of each month, 7:00–8:30 p.m.
- Catechesis of the Good Shepherd — Anita Wright, Facilitator
- OCIA / RCIA for adults
- Baptism preparation (Parental Preparation Class required)
- Marriage preparation (contact pastor at least six months in advance)
- Anointing of the Sick on request
Christ the Divine Teacher School
St. John's parish children attend Christ the Divine Teacher School (CDT), the regional Catholic elementary school in Latrobe. Founded in 1990 as a consolidation of the Holy Family, St. John the Evangelist, and St. Vincent Basilica parish schools — and tracing its roots back to 1861 — CDT today serves students from 19 parishes and other religious denominations across Latrobe, Ligonier, Derry, Greensburg, Mount Pleasant, Champion, Blairsville, Acme, Saltsburg, and Pleasant Unity. In 2016–17 the school adopted a classical curriculum, and in 2017 and 2019 it re-opened its 7th and 8th grade programs. The school is led by Principal Teresa Tallarico.
- Christ the Divine Teacher School, Chestnut Street, Latrobe
- Principal: Teresa Tallarico — 724-539-1561 — [email protected]
- Classical curriculum adopted in 2016–17
- 7th grade reopened 2017; 8th grade reopened 2019
- Diocesan regional school serving 19 parishes
Bulletins and News
St. John the Evangelist publishes a combined weekly bulletin — 'The Spirit of Truth' — shared with partner parish Holy Family. The bulletin carries the Mass schedule, weekly ministry assignments (lectors, cantors, servers, Eucharistic ministers), parish announcements, faith-formation news, and stewardship information. Recent and archived bulletins are available on the parish website.
- Weekly bulletin: The Spirit of Truth
- Available online at stjohnlatrobe.org/bulletins/
- Bulletin by mail or email available on request from the parish office
- Parish registration forms available in the Gathering Area or by mail
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Joseph Frania1924
Brought the Bernardine Sisters to staff St. John School
- Father Bronislaus E. Mieruniski1940s
Reopened the parish school in the 1940s after it had closed during the Great Depression