About St. John the Evangelist · Waynesville, North Carolina
St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church is a parish of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte, located at 234 Church Street in Waynesville, North Carolina, in the heart of the Smoky Mountains. The parish has served the Catholics of western North Carolina for almost one hundred years and is the oldest Catholic parish west of Asheville. It is the mother church from which several missions and daughter parishes in the surrounding mountain counties grew. Currently pastored by Very Reverend Lucas C. Rossi, St. John the Evangelist shares its pastoral life with Immaculate Conception Mission Church in nearby Canton, and worship is offered in both English and Spanish. The parish welcomes area residents and visitors alike to find fellowship, peace, and the Catholic faith in Word and Sacrament.
- Established
- 1926
- Patron
- St. John the Evangelist
- Rector
- Very Reverend Lucas C. Rossi
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte
Why belong here
St. John the Evangelist offers Sunday and weekday Mass in both English and Spanish, a full confession schedule (including Saturdays and Wednesdays), and First Friday Adoration — making Catholic life accessible for families across western North Carolina. Its faith formation covers children (Catechesis of the Good Shepherd K–1, Elementary and Middle School sacramental prep), high school youth ministry, adult Bible study, and bilingual altar serving, while ministries such as Knights of Columbus, Catholic Daughters, Homebound Ministry, the Pilgrim Queen and Elijah Cup prayer programs, and outreach through the Living Waters Catholic Reflection Center in Maggie Valley give parishioners concrete ways to serve. The parish warmly welcomes both longtime residents and the many Catholic visitors who come to enjoy Haywood County's cool mountain air.
Mass times at St. John the Evangelist
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday, Thursday, and Friday — following Morning Mass
- Wednesday 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
- Saturday 3:00 PM – 4:45 PM
- By appointment
Adoration times
- First Friday Adoration Program (see parish ministry)
- Tuesday 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM (church open for individual prayer; no Mass)
About St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church
St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church is a parish of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte, located at 234 Church Street in Waynesville, North Carolina, in the heart of the Smoky Mountains. According to the parish's own description, it has been a place of peace and contemplation for almost one hundred years, where area residents and visitors alike are invited to find fellowship and to seek God through the teachings of His Son, Jesus Christ, in Word and Sacrament. The parish is the oldest Catholic parish west of Asheville and today shares its pastoral life with Immaculate Conception Mission in Canton, offering Mass in both English and Spanish.
- Parish of the Diocese of Charlotte
- 234 Church Street, Waynesville, NC 28786
- Phone: (828) 456-6707
- Oldest Catholic parish in western NC west of Asheville
History of the Parish
Catholic life in Haywood County predates the parish itself: priests from Asheville traveled on horseback to offer Mass in private homes long before 1900, and by 1920 Mass was being said in the ballroom of the Gordon Hotel on Main Street. Bishop William J. Hafey of Raleigh established the parish in 1926 and appointed Father Bernard McDevitt as the first resident pastor; the first Mass was offered in May 1926 with 27 people present in a chapel made from Miss Sally McDowell's home on Church Street. The new parish covered eight western counties (3,471 square miles) and contained only about 50 Catholics at its start.
- Established 1926 by Bishop William J. Hafey
- First pastor: Father Bernard McDevitt
- First Mass May 1926 with 27 people present
- Original territory: 8 western NC counties / 3,471 sq miles
The 1941 Church and Fr. Ambrose Rohrbacher
In 1938 a young priest from Milwaukee, Father Ambrose Rohrbacher, was assigned to the parish. Over the next three years he and his parishioners raised the money and labor to build the first Catholic church in the area. On September 10, 1941, Bishop Eugene J. McGuinness of Raleigh dedicated the new St. John the Evangelist Church in a Pontifical High Mass. The building served the parish for decades until it fell into disrepair about a decade before the present church was built.
- Dedicated September 10, 1941 by Bishop Eugene J. McGuinness
- First Catholic church built in the area
- Father Ambrose Rohrbacher of Milwaukee, assigned 1938
St. John's School
In 1939 the Sisters of St. Francis of Milwaukee opened St. John's School in the Victorian-era house that is now the rectory. The school later passed to the Sisters of St. Francis of Tiffin, Ohio, and then to the Daughters of Charity. A separate school building was eventually constructed that accommodated grades K through 12; the school closed in 1980.
- School opened 1939 by Sisters of St. Francis of Milwaukee
- Later staffed by Sisters of St. Francis of Tiffin and Daughters of Charity
- Separate K–12 school building closed in 1980
Mother Church of Western North Carolina
From 1951 onward, St. John the Evangelist became responsible for missions across the mountains — in Fontana, Murphy, Franklin, Canton, and Sylva. Most of these became independent parishes over time. Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Canton is the only mission that remains directly tied to the Waynesville parish.
- Served missions in Fontana, Murphy, Franklin, Canton, and Sylva
- Most missions became independent parishes
- Immaculate Conception in Canton remains as the sole mission
2007 New Church and Renovation of the Old Church
A new church was dedicated on the parish campus by Bishop Peter Jugis in December 2007, and the original 1941 church — unused since the previous December after a decade of disrepair — was later converted into ministry and meeting space for the growing parish through a 'Repair My House' campaign.
- New church dedicated by Bishop Peter Jugis, December 2007
- 1941 church later renovated as ministry / meeting space
Immaculate Conception Mission (Canton, NC)
Immaculate Conception Mission traces its beginnings to the 1940s, when Catholics in the Canton area gathered for Mass in private homes celebrated by Father Ambrose Rohrbacher, then-pastor of St. John the Evangelist. During the gasoline-rationed World War II years, a school bus brought Canton Catholics over the mountains to Waynesville for Mass. The local Catholic population swelled after the war when veterans returned home and a new paper mill brought Catholic workers to town. Father (later Msgr.) Lawrence Newman, pastor of St. John the Evangelist, with the help of parishioner Mrs. R. E. Davis, purchased a lot in Canton, tore down the house on it, and built a parking lot. Bishop Vincent S. Waters of Raleigh dedicated the new mission in 1954 with 54 members present. Today the mission church features a simple redbrick design with a native pine ceiling and ornate stained-glass windows; Mass attendance climbs each summer as Catholic visitors come to enjoy Haywood County's cool mountain air.
- Origins in 1940s home Masses
- Dedicated 1954 by Bishop Vincent S. Waters of Raleigh
- 54 founding members
- Redbrick structure with native pine ceiling and stained glass
- Spanish Mass offered monthly
Parish Ministries
The parish maintains an extensive ministry list spanning liturgical, formation, outreach, and service roles. The Knights of Columbus and Catholic Daughters anchor the men's and women's parish life, while the Emmaus Men's and Women's Programs and a Charismatic Program Coordinator serve the Spanish-speaking community. Three choirs provide music for the Saturday Vigil, Sunday English, and Sunday Spanish Masses.
- Knights of Columbus (Jeff Schandevel)
- Catholic Daughters
- Emmaus Men's & Women's Programs (Spanish)
- Charismatic Program Coordinator (Spanish)
- Three Mass choirs (Sat 5 PM English, Sun English, Sun 5:30 PM Spanish)
- Bilingual Altar Server Program
Faith Formation & Youth Ministry
Children's faith formation runs from pre-school through high school. Catechesis of the Good Shepherd serves K–1st graders; Elementary School and Middle School Faith Formation include sacramental preparation; and High School Youth Ministry, led by Jessica Martin Portillo, keeps teens engaged. Adult formation includes an Adult Bible Study Program.
- Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (K–1)
- Elementary Faith Formation & Sacramental Prep
- Middle School Faith Formation & Sacramental Prep
- High School Youth Ministry (Jessica Martin Portillo)
- Adult Bible Study
Outreach, Hospitality & Service
Outreach at St. John's reaches both the homebound and the parish campus. The Homebound Ministry visits nursing homes and hospitals; the White Glove Ministry handles volunteer cleaning of parish buildings; the Green Thumb Ministry cares for the landscaping; and a Parish Office Volunteer Ministry and Collection Counter Ministry support parish operations. Flocknote keeps parishioners connected, and a Parish Census Update Ministry keeps records current.
- Homebound Ministry
- White Glove (cleaning) Ministry
- Green Thumb (landscaping) Ministry
- Parish Office Volunteers
- Collection Counter Ministry
- Flocknote Communication Ministry
Devotions: Pilgrim Queen & Elijah Cup
Two devotional prayer programs deepen family spirituality at the parish. The Pilgrim Queen Prayer Ministry sends images of Our Lady home with families after the 11 AM English and 5:30 PM Spanish Masses, rotating through Our Lady of Lourdes (Feb–Apr), Our Lady of Mount Carmel (May–Jul), Our Lady of Fatima (Aug–Oct), and Our Lady of Guadalupe (Nov–Jan), with an enclosed brochure and daily rosary. The Elijah Cup Vocation Prayer Ministry sends home a chalice, paten, purificator, corporal, and Charlotte Diocese prayer card so families can pray for vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life.
- Pilgrim Queen Prayer Ministry (Our Lady images rotate monthly)
- Elijah Cup Vocation Prayer Ministry
Parish Staff & Leadership
The parish is pastored by Very Reverend Lucas C. Rossi, with Fr. Paul McNulty serving on the Parish Finance Council. The Stewardship page lists Mr. Alan Markos as SJE Financial Council Chairman and Mrs. Beth Maida as Immaculate Conception Finance Council Branch Chairwoman, alongside council members Mrs. Raean Broecker, Mr. David Norton, Mrs. Virginia Venegas, Mr. Michael Zande, and Mr. Jan Chervenak. Numerous ministry leaders — including Mary Easter and Amy Huber (youth ministry), Jessica Martin Portillo (high school youth), and Jeff Schandevel (Knights of Columbus) — round out the lay leadership team.
- Very Rev. Lucas C. Rossi, Pastor
- Fr. Paul McNulty (Finance Council)
- Mr. Alan Markos, SJE Finance Council Chair
- Mrs. Beth Maida, IC Finance Council Branch Chair
- Council members: Broecker, Norton, Venegas, Zande, Chervenak
Joining the Parish
St. John the Evangelist invites newcomers and visitors to join them for worship, to enjoy their hospitality, and to explore the Catholic faith and tradition. The parish's Join Us page welcomes Catholics and visitors, area residents, and seasonal travelers alike. Visitors are encouraged to attend Mass, register with the parish office, and connect through the many ministries, faith formation programs, and devotional opportunities offered on campus.
- Welcomes residents and visitors
- Hospitality, worship, and faith exploration
- Parish registration through the parish office
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Bernard McDevitt1926–c.1938
First resident pastor of St. John's, appointed by Bishop William J. Hafey of Raleigh when the parish was established.
- Father Ambrose Rohrbacher1938–c.1940s
Young priest from Milwaukee who built and dedicated the first Catholic church in Waynesville on September 10, 1941.
- Msgr. Lawrence Newman
Pastor of St. John the Evangelist when parishioner Mrs. R. E. Davis helped secure property for a future Canton church.
- Father Gabriel Meehan
Former pastor; concelebrated at the parish's 75th anniversary Mass in 2001.
- Father Thomas Walsh
Former pastor; concelebrated at the parish's 75th anniversary Mass in 2001.
- Father W. Becket Soule, O.S.A.
Augustinian pastor of St. John the Evangelist and Immaculate Conception Mission.
- Augustinian Father Dennis McGowan, O.S.A.
Augustinian pastor of St. John the Evangelist and Immaculate Conception Mission at the time of the 2004 mission 50th anniversary and 2001 parish 75th anniversary.
- Very Reverend Lucas C. Rossipresent
Current pastor, listed by the Diocese of Charlotte.