About St. John the Evangelist · Seattle, Washington
St. John the Evangelist Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in Seattle's Greenwood neighborhood, founded in 1917 and serving the north end of the city for more than a century. It belongs to the Archdiocese of Seattle and today is part of 'Parish Family 14' together with St. Alphonsus in Ballard and St. Benedict in Wallingford, sharing one pastor and pastoral team. The parish welcomes newcomers with weekend Masses, an active Catholic school, faith formation for children and adults, OCIA (formerly RCIA), and outreach through the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, with sister-parish ties in Peru and connections in Kenya and Malawi.
- Established
- 1917
- Patron
- St. John the Evangelist (Apostle and Evangelist, traditionally identified as author of the Gospel of John and the Book of Revelation; patron saint of authors and friendships)
- Rector
- Rev. Colin S. Parrish (pastor of Parish Family 14 — St. John the Evangelist, St. Alphonsus, and St. Benedict — since July 2024)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Seattle
Why belong here
St. John the Evangelist is a 100+ year-old Greenwood parish that combines the warmth of a neighborhood church with the reach of a global community: a Catholic school (grades K–8) in continuous operation since 1923, OCIA for adults exploring the faith, faith formation for children and families, an active St. Vincent de Paul conference serving neighbors in need, ministries to the homebound and homeless women, and sister-parish ties in Peru with deep connections in Malawi and Kenya. Weekend Masses (Saturday Vigil 5pm; Sunday 8:30 & 10:30am), Friday morning weekday Mass, OCIA, choir, lectors, altar servers, and a live-stream make it easy to plug in — and with three parishes now sharing a single pastoral team, newcomers are explicitly welcomed whether they are cradle Catholic, returning, or just curious.
Mass times at St. John the Evangelist
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday, 9:45 AM – 10:15 AM (at St. John)
- By appointment (call 206-782-2810 or email [email protected])
- Parish-wide Evening of Mercy / Parish Penance twice a year during Advent and Lent (includes Adoration and individual reconciliation)
- Confession is also available at sister parishes in Parish Family 14: Mon–Thu 7:00–7:20 AM at St. Alphonsus; Thu 5:00–5:45 PM at St. Benedict; Sat 4:00–4:45 PM at St. Alphonsus; Sun 8:00–8:45 AM at St. Alphonsus; First Fri 7:00–8:00 PM at St. Alphonsus (with Adoration)
Adoration times
- No regularly scheduled Adoration listed at St. John itself; Adoration is offered as part of Advent and Lent Evening of Mercy events at St. John
- First Friday Adoration 7:00–8:00 PM at St. Alphonsus (sister parish in Parish Family 14)
Parish History
Founded in 1917 in Seattle's working-class Greenwood neighborhood at the request of local families (and a 1916 letter from a non-Catholic neighbor to Bishop O'Dea), St. John the Evangelist has served the north end of Seattle for more than a century. The parish grew out of an amusement hall, a frame church on N 80th Street (1918), the 1923 school, and ultimately the present-day Romanesque brick church of 1931. Through ten pastors and a $3.2 million capital campaign, the parish has maintained a parish school, convent (Quigley House), parish hall (Egan Hall), and outreach ministries spanning Seattle, Peru, Malawi, and Kenya. In 2024 it was grouped into Parish Family 14 with St. Alphonsus and St. Benedict.
- 1916 — Anna Mitchell's letter to Bishop O'Dea
- 1917 — parish established; Father William Quigley appointed founding pastor
- 1918 — frame church built at 121 N 80th St
- September 4, 1923 — St. John Catholic School dedicated by Bishop O'Dea; BVM sisters staff it
- 1926 — two-story rectory built at N 79th & 1st Ave NW
- 1931 — Romanesque brick church designed by Abraham Albertson opens
- 1944/1948 — Quigley House (convent) completed
- 1963 — Egan Hall (parish hall + gymnasium) opened under Msgr. John Egan
- 2008 — extensive church renovation under Fr. William McKee
- 2024 — Joined Parish Family 14 with St. Alphonsus & St. Benedict; Fr. Colin Parrish becomes pastor
Clergy, Staff & Parish Leadership
The parish is currently pastored by Rev. Colin S. Parrish, who also serves as pastor of sister parishes St. Alphonsus (Ballard) and St. Benedict (Wallingford) as part of Parish Family 14. Rev. Fr. Paul Nkolombidzo serves as Parochial Vicar. Day-to-day operations and ministries are supported by a parish team that includes a Director of Parish Operations (Dani D'Amelio), Director of Development (Teresa Gillett), Liturgy Coordinator (Daniel Pelfrey), Sacramental Coordinator (Julia Rudden), Director of Communications (Racquel Servito), Choir Directors (Toni Fortunato, Joseph Tancioco, Kate Reinhard), Bookkeepers (Margaret Golliver, Michelle Knott), Administrative Assistants (Mary Wiseman, Sheila Marty, HongPhuc Nguyen), and maintenance staff (Lara Garcia, Beatriz Palomo Paredes, Adam Peterson, Martin Cortez).
- Fr. Colin Parrish — Pastor (Parish Family 14)
- Fr. Paul Nkolombidzo — Parochial Vicar
- Dani D'Amelio — Director of Parish Operations
- Teresa Gillett — Director of Development
- Daniel Pelfrey — Liturgy Coordinator
- Julia Rudden — Sacramental Coordinator
- Racquel Servito — Director of Communications
- Toni Fortunato, Joseph Tancioco, Kate Reinhard — Choir Directors
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith Formation at St. John spans childhood through adulthood, animated by the parish's Faith Formation Commission (co-chaired by Jim Russell and Telia Oines). Children's Liturgy of the Word (CLOW) invites ages 5–12 to step out of the 10:30 AM Mass into a classroom on the ground floor of the school for an age-appropriate Gospel reflection led by parent volunteers. Adult Education and Family Programs round out parish offerings, and the School Commission (chaired by Melissa Herron) advises the pastor and principal on parish-school policy.
- Children's Liturgy of the Word (CLOW) — ages 5–12, Sundays during 10:30 Mass
- Adult Education
- Family Programs
- Faith Formation Commission
- School Commission
Becoming Catholic — OCIA (formerly RCIA)
The Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA) welcomes any adult coming into the Catholic faith — whether brand new, from another Christian tradition, a baptized Catholic seeking First Communion or Confirmation, or simply curious to learn more. The parish OCIA team meets year-round and walks inquirers through the four canonical stages: Pre-Catechumenate (inquiry), Catechumenate (formation), Enlightenment/Purification during Lent, culminating in the Sacraments of Initiation at the Easter Vigil, and Mystagogia (lifelong reflection and integration into the parish community).
- Pre-Catechumenate — inquiry
- Catechumenate — formation
- Enlightenment / Purification — Lent
- Mystagogia — lifelong
- Contact: Claire Shea, [email protected]
St. John Catholic School
St. John Catholic School has educated Greenwood-area children since 1923, when it opened under the Sisters of the Blessed Virgin Mary (BVM) of Dubuque, Iowa. Originally built to serve 400 students, it now offers a faith-based K–8 program with a mission to embody Gospel values, Catholic social teaching, stewardship of creation, and the development of the whole child — body, mind, and spirit. The school has expanded in 1949, 1952, and most recently 1993, and the parish's gymnasium and Egan Hall (1963) are part of the school-parish campus.
- Founded September 4, 1923 by Bishop Edward O'Dea
- Originally staffed by BVM Sisters of Dubuque, Iowa
- Serves K–8 students in the Greenwood neighborhood
- Expansions in 1949, 1952, and 1993
- Gym and Egan Hall adjacent to school (1963)
Mass Ministries (Liturgical Service)
Liturgical life at St. John is supported by a robust set of lay ministries that invite parishioners of all ages into the celebration of the Mass. Choir members and cantors lead music at the 5 PM, 8:30 AM, and 10:30 AM Masses; altar servers (open to children grade 4 and above) assist at weekend Masses, funerals, and weddings; lectors proclaim the readings; extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion distribute the Eucharist; sacristans prepare the liturgical vessels, books, and altar; and a videographer live-streams the 5 PM Mass and special events. Live-stream viewers at home also participate remotely in parish worship.
- Music Ministry / Choir Directors (Toni Fortunato, Joseph Tancioco, Kate Reinhard)
- Altar Servers (grade 4+) — Laura Root [email protected]
- Lectors — open to adults and confirmed teens
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- Sacristans
- Videographer / Live-stream — Julia Rudden [email protected]
Outreach & Service
St. John the Evangelist carries on a long tradition of service to neighbors near and far. The parish's active Society of St. Vincent de Paul Conference visits neighbors who request help (via the SVdP Helpline Center, 206-767-6449) and assists with food, rent, utilities, and other needs without discrimination or judgment. The parish also offers an overnight shelter program for homeless women, Ministers to the Homebound who bring Communion to those unable to attend Mass, and active sister-parish relationships in Peru along with deep connections in Malawi and Kenya. Parishioners are encouraged to share their time, talent, and treasure both within the parish and through ministries that 'reach all over the world.'
- Society of St. Vincent de Paul Conference — contact Joyce Farrell [email protected]
- Overnight shelter for homeless women
- Ministers to the Homebound
- Sister parish in Peru
- Connections in Malawi and Kenya
Councils, Commissions & Getting Involved
Parishioners are invited to engage through formal councils and commissions as well as informal volunteer roles. The Faith Formation Commission assesses and supports faith formation programming for all ages; the School Commission advises the pastor and principal on parish-school policy and the school's Five-Year Plan; and the parish maintains a pastoral/executive committee (chaired in 2017 by Frank Feeman) along with a fuller ministries directory (PDF) covering everything from liturgy to hospitality. Newcomers and returning Catholics are warmly invited to register online, meet with the pastor, or simply show up at Mass.
- Faith Formation Commission — Jim Russell & Telia Oines, co-chairs
- School Commission — Melissa Herron, chair
- Parish Executive Committee
- Volunteer Opportunities (Ministries Directory PDF)
- Parish Registration (online form or paper)
Sacraments & Pastoral Care
The parish celebrates all seven sacraments and is happy to walk with parishioners through preparation for Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick, and Holy Orders discernment. Children typically prepare for First Communion and Confirmation through St. John Catholic School and the Faith Formation program; adults prepare through OCIA. Pastoral emergencies outside office hours are handled by an after-hours phone line (206-271-3543). Mass Intentions, Mass Cards, and Prayer of the Faithful remembrances can be requested through the parish office.
- Baptism preparation
- First Communion & Confirmation (children via school/FF; adults via OCIA)
- Marriage preparation
- Anointing of the Sick / pastoral emergency line
- Mass Intentions, Mass Cards, Prayer of the Faithful
Visit, Location & Practical Info
St. John welcomes visitors at all Masses, with ushers ready to help newcomers follow the worship aid provided for the unfamiliar. The church's front entrance is at 7916 1st Avenue NW, with a wheelchair-accessible entrance on N 80th Street and a parking lot between N 79th and N 80th Streets. The parish office at 106 N 79th Street is open Monday–Friday, 8 AM–noon and 1–4 PM. To get there from I-5, take exit 172 and follow N 80th Street west to 1st Avenue NW.
- Church address: 7916 1st Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98117
- Parish office / mailing: 106 N 79th St, Seattle, WA 98103
- Office hours: Mon–Fri 8 AM–12 PM and 1–4 PM
- Wheelchair-accessible entrance on N 80th St
- Parking lot between N 79th & N 80th, near Quigley House and the school
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. William Quigley (1879–1951)1917–1951
Founding pastor; Irish-born priest from County Limerick who established the parish, built the 1923 school, 1926 rectory, and 1931 Romanesque church; served more than 30 years.
- Msgr. John Egan (1891–1966)1952–1966
Built the parish hall/gymnasium (Egan Hall) opened in 1963.
- Rev. John Murphy (1884–1985)After Egan, through 1971
Also born in County Tipperary, Ireland.
- Rev. Thomas Pitsch (1914–1978)
- Rev. James McEachern (1927–1982)
- Rev. Edward Boyle
Died 1987.
- Rev. James Picton (b. 1948)
- Rev. William McKee (b. 1947)
Oversaw extensive church renovations completed in 2008.
- Rev. Crispin Okoth2008–2024
Native of Kenya; led the parish through its centennial, oversaw the recently concluded $3.2 million capital campaign; reassigned July 2024 to Holy Spirit, Kent and St. John the Baptist, Covington.
- Rev. Colin S. Parrish2024–present
Arrived July 2024 from St. Anne Parish; formerly chaplain at Bishop Blanchet High School; pastor of Parish Family 14.