St. John the Evangelist

Parish Identity and Mission

The parish family of St. John the Evangelist in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Greensburg, has celebrated the Catholic faith in Fayette County since 1852. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, the community is committed to embracing and spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ in their lives and in their community with love and respect for one another. Through Baptism and Confirmation they accept a common mission to follow in the footsteps of Jesus; the Eucharistic liturgy is recognized as the primary celebration of their faith, nourishing parishioners by the Word, the Blessed Sacrament, prayer, song and each other on their journey to God's kingdom.

History

Founded in 1852 by Bishop Michael O'Connor with the first brick church consecrated in 1853, the parish grew from nine founding families in 1849 to a thriving community that survived the coal-and-coke immigration boom of the 1880s. In 1894–95 the present downtown church was built, with the cornerstone laid June 10, 1894 and the church dedicated May 19, 1895 alongside the new rectory.

• 1754: first Mass at present-day Brownsville for French troops
• 1849: Rev. Thomas McGowan celebrates Mass in the Keffler home; nine families (Keffler, Hagan, Griffith, Dorsey, Monahan, Lonergan, Keenan, Lynch)
• 1852: Bishop O'Connor creates St. John as a parish sharing its pastor with St. Peter, Brownsville
• 1853: first brick church on Morgantown Hill consecrated December 7; cemetery established behind it (still standing)
• 1877: first resident pastor, Father Edward Brennan
• 1886: Father Edward Kittell appointed during the coal-and-coke boom (Polish, Slovak, Irish, Italian, German, Russian immigrants)
• 1894: cornerstone of present Jefferson Street church laid June 10
• 1895: church and rectory dedicated May 19; bell (largest in Fayette County) donated by the Lynches and blessed December 19; pipe organ donated by the Cray family
• 1917: St. John High School founded together with the parish grade school
• 1938: Cooper home on Pennsylvania Avenue acquired as a nuns' convent
• 2003: 1084-family parish completes major interior facelift of the 1894 church
• 2024: old rectory torn down; LED exterior lighting installed; church interior repainting and LED ceiling lighting planned

Clergy and Staff

St. John the Evangelist is led as a clustered parish by Father Anthony J. Klimko, VF, who also serves as Vicar Forane of Deanery 7 and pastor/administrator of the Roman Catholic Churches of Uniontown. He is assisted by multiple parochial vicars, including Father Alien Rocamora (assigned March 26, 2024 from the Diocese of Ipil in the Philippines), Father Teodoro Cortezano, Father Vincent Ye Concepcion, and Father Innocent Orduah, along with Father Anthony Cortado. Theresa Mazur became Regional Director of Faith Formation on July 1, 2024, with a long background in catechesis and youth ministry across the Uniontown parishes.

• Father Anthony J. Klimko, VF — Pastor
• Father Alien Rocamora — Parochial Vicar
• Father Teodoro Cortezano — Parochial Vicar
• Father Vincent Ye Concepcion — Parochial Vicar
• Father Innocent Orduah — Parochial Vicar
• Father Anthony Cortado — Parochial Vicar
• Theresa Mazur — Regional Director of Faith Formation

Ministries and Parish Life

St. John the Evangelist supports more than thirty active ministries spanning liturgy, formation, fellowship and outreach. Liturgical roles — Altar Servers, Lectors, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, Sacristans, Ushers, the Music Ministry with organist Joel Hudock, and Art and Environment — keep Mass reverent and welcoming. Pastoral care is carried through Homebound, Bereavement, and Prayer Blanket Makers; catechesis happens in Children's Liturgy of the Word, Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, Tiny Tots Disciples of Christ, RCIA-adjacent adult Bible Studies (including the 'The Search' video series), Vacation Bible School and Catechists; community groups include the Christian Mothers, Jefferson Club, Ladies of Charity, Catholic Men's Group, Secular Franciscan Order, and Vocation Ministry.

• Altar Server, Lector, EMHC, Sacristan, Usher
• Music Ministry (organist Joel Hudock), Art and Environment
• Children's Liturgy of the Word, Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, Tiny Tots Disciples of Christ
• Homebound Ministry, Bereavement Ministry, Prayer Blanket Makers
• Christian Mothers, Jefferson Club, Ladies of Charity, Catholic Men's Group, Secular Franciscan Order
• St. Vincent de Paul, Vocation Ministry, Youth Ministry, Vacation Bible School
• Sponsor Couple, Pastoral Council, Finance Council

Sacraments and Faith Formation

Sacraments of initiation and healing — Baptism, First Reconciliation, First Communion, Confirmation, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick — are prepared through the parish office, and Reconciliation is heard Thursday afternoons and the third Saturday of each month (with special seasonal announcements during Advent and Lent). Faith Formation is led by Regional Director Theresa Mazur and works closely with the families of the parish, including Parent/Child meetings in November for First Reconciliation and Confirmation.

• Baptism preparation via parish office
• First Reconciliation and First Communion
• Confirmation preparation
• Marriage preparation (call 724-437-4441)
• Anointing of the Sick / Homebound visits
• Thursday and 3rd-Saturday Reconciliation
• Thursday Eucharistic Adoration

Roman Catholic Churches of Southern Fayette (Cluster)

Since the early 2000s St. John the Evangelist has been part of a parish cluster that shares clergy and provides unified faith formation, youth ministry, sacramental preparation, and seasonal events across the Roman Catholic Churches of Uniontown. Sister parishes within the broader Southern Fayette grouping include St. Mary (Nativity), St. Joseph, St. Therese Little Flower of Jesus, Ss. Cyril & Methodius (Fairchance), St. Hubert (Point Marion), St. Joan of Arc (Farmington), and St. Francis of Assisi in Western Fayette County. The cluster also collaborates with St. Peter Parish in Brownsville and St. Cecilia in Grindstone, pastored by Father Efren Ambre.

• Cluster website: faysouth.org
• Clustered parishes: St. Mary (Nativity), St. Joseph, St. Therese Little Flower of Jesus
• Extended cluster: Ss. Cyril & Methodius, St. Hubert, St. Joan of Arc, St. Francis of Assisi
• Deanery 7, Diocese of Greensburg (Vicar Forane: Fr. Anthony J. Klimko)

St. John the Evangelist Regional Catholic School

Tracing its roots to the parish grade school and St. John High School founded in 1917, St. John the Evangelist Regional Catholic School continues the parish's long educational mission. Father Anthony Klimko serves on the school's board representing the Uniontown parishes along with Father Efren Ambre of St. Peter/St. Cecilia.

• School founded with the parish grade school in 1917
• First class graduated on a three-year schedule; next class expanded to a four-year schedule
• Regional school serving multiple parishes in the cluster

Visiting and Contact

All visitors are warmly welcomed. The church is located in downtown Uniontown at 50 Jefferson Street, while the parish office is at 61 North Mount Vernon Avenue and may be reached at 724-437-4441, Monday–Thursday 9:00 AM–4:00 PM and Friday 9:00 AM–12:00 PM. Parking is available on site (improvements to the lower lot are slated in the 2024 Annual Report), and news, bulletins, online giving and ministry sign-ups are all available through the cluster website faysouth.org.

• Phone: 724-437-4441
• Alternate phone: 724-437-7569
• Office hours: Mon–Thu 9 AM–4 PM, Fri 9 AM–12 PM
• Cluster site: faysouth.org