About St. John the Evangelist · Marion, Virginia
St. John the Evangelist Parish is a small Roman Catholic parish serving the Catholics of Smyth County in the town of Marion, Virginia, in the southwestern part of the state. It is part of the Diocese of Richmond and is twinned with Christ the King Church in nearby Abingdon, with which it shares a pastor (currently Rev. Chris Masla) and staff. The parish offers Sunday and Tuesday Mass, Eucharistic Adoration and Confession on Tuesdays, sacramental preparation, and a prison ministry at the Marion Correctional Treatment Center and Smyth County Jail.
- Established
- 1952 (mission church dedicated); 1974 (first resident pastor)
- Patron
- St. John the Evangelist
- Rector
- Rev. Christopher (Chris) Masla
- Diocese
- Diocese of Richmond
Why belong here
St. John the Evangelist offers the full rhythm of Catholic life in a small, close-knit setting: Sunday and Tuesday Mass, weekly Eucharistic Adoration, and Confession twice on Tuesdays. The parish runs a prison ministry at the Marion Correctional Treatment Center and Smyth County Jail, participates in regional outreach through Faith in Action, Meals-on-Wheels, Crossroads Medical Mission, and Jose's Village (a Mexico mission founded by a parishioner), and provides sacramental preparation for First Reconciliation, First Communion, Confirmation, Marriage, and Anointing of the Sick — all under the personal care of a resident pastor.
Mass times at St. John the Evangelist
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday 11:30 AM – 12:00 PM
- Tuesday 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Adoration times
- Tuesday 11:30 AM – 12:00 PM
- Tuesday 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Welcome from the Pastor
Fr. Chris Masla greets visitors on the parish welcome page, introducing himself as pastor of both St. John the Evangelist in Marion and Christ the King in Abingdon. He invites newcomers to find a spiritual home and thanks visitors for joining the community.
- Pastor: Rev. Chris Masla (appointed 1 July 2023)
- Cluster parish: Christ the King, Abingdon
Parish History & Timeline
Catholic presence in Marion began on 14 April 1952 when Cardinal Francis Spellman dedicated the new church of St. John the Evangelist as a mission of St. Mary Mother of God in Wytheville, under the Diocese of Wheeling, WV. The southwest Virginia parishes were transferred to the Diocese of Richmond on 28 May 1974, and on 10 December 1974 Rev. Daniel Bain became the first resident pastor. In April 1975 the Abingdon mission took the name Christ the King, beginning the parish cluster that exists today.
- 14 April 1952 – Cardinal Spellman dedicates the church
- 28 May 1974 – Transferred to the Diocese of Richmond
- 10 December 1974 – Rev. Daniel Bain becomes first resident pastor
- April 1975 – Abingdon mission named Christ the King
- 7 May 1983 – Dedication of new Christ the King Church
Parish Staff
The parish is small and shares staff with Christ the King in Abingdon. Office Manager William O'Shea and Bookkeeper Adam Brock handle parish administration and finances, with Michael Robinson serving as Finance Council Chair. As a small mission parish, regular office hours are not maintained; the parish asks visitors to leave a voice message or email.
- Pastor – Rev. Chris Masla
- Office Manager – William O'Shea
- Finance Council Chair – Michael Robinson
- Bookkeeper (Christ the King & St. John) – Adam Brock
Sacraments
The parish prepares members for the seven sacraments according to the norms of the Diocese of Richmond. Infant baptism is the ordinary entry into the Church, and the Pastor prepares parents and godparents in advance. First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion are ordinarily received in the 2nd Grade, and Confirmation in the 10th Grade. The Anointing of the Sick is offered to the seriously ill, those preparing for or recovering from surgery, and the dying — the latter combined with Confession and Viaticum as the 'last rites.' Marriage preparation begins at least six months before the wedding, and Holy Orders inquiries are directed to the pastor or the diocesan Vocation Office.
- Baptism – preparation required; preferably celebrated within Sunday Mass
- First Reconciliation – 2nd Grade
- First Holy Communion – 2nd Grade, Easter Season
- Confirmation – 10th Grade, with the Bishop or his delegate
- Anointing of the Sick – contact the parish office
- Marriage – 6 months of preparation with the Pastor and mentor couples
- Holy Orders / Vocation discernment – by referral
Social Outreach & Charity
An Outreach Committee plans, implements, and evaluates the parish's social-justice ministries, meeting three or four times a year. Parishioners participate in Faith in Action, Haiti Outreach, Meals-on-Wheels, Crossroads Medical Mission, and the Good Ness Jail & Prison Ministry. The parish has long supported 'Jose's Village,' an outreach founded by parishioner Jose Olguin that delivers food and supplies to 15 small villages in a remote part of Mexico; the Olguin family travels annually to organize the distribution. The parish also keeps a Prison Ministry serving inmates at the Marion Correctional Treatment Center and the Smyth County Jail.
- Outreach Committee (Jo Ann Detta, contact)
- Faith in Action
- Haiti Outreach
- Jose's Village (Mexico)
- Crossroads Medical Mission
- Meals-on-Wheels
- Good Ness Jail & Prison Ministry
- Prison Ministry – Marion Correctional Treatment Center & Smyth County Jail
Faith Formation: FORMED On Demand
The parish subscribes to FORMED, a Catholic streaming platform offering Bible studies, sacramental-preparation resources, family-friendly movies, and children's programming. Parishioners can sign up free of charge by entering the parish zip code 24354 at formed.org/signup.
- FORMED – Catholic Faith On Demand
- Access code/zip: 24354
Visiting & Contact
St. John the Evangelist is located on Park Boulevard off Exit 47 of Interstate 81 in Marion, Virginia. As a small mission parish it does not keep regular office hours; the office can be reached by phone at (276) 783-7282 or by email at [email protected].
- Address – 124 Park Blvd, Marion, VA 24354
- Phone – (276) 783-7282
- Email – [email protected]
- Website – https://christthekingsaintjohn.org
- Located off Exit 47, I-81
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Daniel Bain10 December 1974
First resident pastor of St. John the Evangelist and the Abingdon mission
- Rev. Carl DeSouza28 February 1983 (Administrator); 31 May 1983 (Pastor)
Dedication of new Christ the King Church in Abingdon, 7 May 1983
- Rev. Leo Cervantes29 May 1985
- Rev. Kenneth Stofft26 August 1988
Administrator
- Rev. Robert Krenik30 May 1989
- Rev. Paul Maier1 September 2003
Moved his residence to Abingdon during his tenure
- Rev. Francis Xavier Musolooza1 July 2012
- Rev. Rolo B. Castillo1 August 2022
- Rev. Chris Masla1 July 2023
Current pastor; also pastors Christ the King, Abingdon