About St. John the Evangelist · Wellsburg, West Virginia
St. John the Evangelist Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in Wellsburg, Brooke County, West Virginia, serving the small Ohio River community of the Northern Panhandle. Founded in the mid-1850s, it belongs to the Diocese of Wheeling–Charleston and continues a long tradition of weekly Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and a local food pantry that assists Brooke County residents in need. The parish gathers daily around the Eucharist and is led by clergy assigned by the diocese, currently working through a period of pastoral transition.
- Established
- 1854
- Patron
- St. John the Evangelist
- Rector
- Father Arul Anthony (Administrator through January 2024; reassigned to Epiphany of Our Lord Parish, Moorefield, effective February 1, 2024 — current pastoral assignment not yet confirmed on parish website)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Wheeling–Charleston
Why belong here
Worshippers at St. John the Evangelist encounter a warm, mission-focused parish whose stated purpose is 'to evangelize God's people beginning with the gift of the Eucharist.' The faithful enjoy daily Mass Monday through Friday, two Sunday Masses plus a Saturday Vigil, a substantial weekly Eucharistic Adoration (Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., plus First Friday devotions), and Sacramental Reconciliation every day of the week. Beyond the liturgy, the parish operates the St. John Food Pantry at 2200 Charles Street, assisting Brooke County residents in need of food on Wednesday afternoons.
Mass times at St. John the Evangelist
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 2:30 – 3:30 p.m.
- Sunday: 1:00 – 2:00 p.m.
- Monday: 8:00 – 8:25 a.m.
- Tuesday: 8:00 – 8:25 a.m.
- Wednesday: 6:00 – 6:30 p.m.
- Thursday: 8:00 – 8:25 a.m.
- Friday: 6:00 – 6:30 p.m.
Adoration times
- Wednesday: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament)
- First Friday: Mass with Exposition at 5:30 p.m., Adoration (with Confessions) 6:00 – 7:00 p.m., Benediction 7:00 p.m.
About St. John the Evangelist Parish
St. John the Evangelist is a small, mission-driven Catholic parish situated on Charles Street in Wellsburg, in the Northern Panhandle of West Virginia. Its mission statement reads: 'We the family of St. John the Evangelist Parish commit ourselves to the call of Baptism: To Listen, To Learn, To Live and To Share the Word of God through our lives.' The parish's working mission is 'to evangelize God's people beginning with the gift of the Eucharist.' It is part of the Diocese of Wheeling–Charleston and welcomes visitors, new residents, and returning Catholics alike.
Parish History
Missionaries from Pittsburgh first visited the Ohio Valley towns in the early 19th century; after Bishop Richard Whelan formed the Diocese of Wheeling in 1846, priests from Wheeling began to serve Wellsburg's small Catholic community. The first pastor, Rev. John F. Brazill, was appointed in 1854, with the first recorded baptism on June 18 of that year and the first marriage on June 13. His short tenure was followed by the era-defining pastorate of Rev. Stephen Huber (1855–c.1885), who built the first Catholic Church in Wellsburg, dedicated by Bishop Whelan in 1858, and founded a parish school that ran from 1861 to 1887. The early congregation was mainly Irish, joined by Swabian and other German Catholic families in the 1850s–1860s.
Clergy and Staff
The parish has been served by Father Arul Anthony, appointed Administrator by Bishop Mark E. Brennan on August 31, 2020, in consultation with Archbishop Anil Joseph Thomas Couto of the Archdiocese of Delhi. As of the diocese's January 26, 2024 announcement, Father Arul Anthony was appointed pastor of Epiphany of Our Lord Parish in Moorefield, St. Mary Parish in Petersburg, and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in Franklin, with residence in Moorefield, effective February 1, 2024; the current pastoral assignment for St. John the Evangelist was not specified in the searches conducted.
- Father Arul Anthony — Administrator (Aug 31, 2020 – Feb 1, 2024)
First Friday Devotions
First Friday is observed with Mass followed by Exposition of the Most Blessed Sacrament at 5:30 p.m., Adoration (with Confessions offered) from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m., and Benediction at 7:00 p.m.
St. John Food Pantry (Outreach)
St. John the Evangelist operates a parish Food Pantry located at 2200 Charles Street in Wellsburg. The pantry is open on Wednesdays from noon to 3:00 p.m. and assists Brooke County residents in need of food. This is a key piece of the parish's local outreach and an expression of its call 'To Share the Word of God through our lives.'
- Location: 2200 Charles Street, Wellsburg, WV
- Hours: Wednesdays, noon – 3:00 p.m.
- Eligibility: Brooke County residents in need of food
Weekly Bulletin
A parish bulletin is published regularly and made available through the parish website for ongoing announcements and reflections.
Contact and Visit
St. John the Evangelist Parish is located at 1300 Charles Street, Wellsburg, West Virginia 26070. The parish office is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The parish can be reached by phone at (304) 737-0429 or by email at [email protected]. The official website is stjohnwellsburgwv.com.
- Address: 1300 Charles St., Wellsburg, WV 26070
- Phone: (304) 737-0429
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Mon–Fri, 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. John F. Brazill1854–1855
First pastor; first baptism recorded June 18, 1854 (Mary Frances White); first recorded marriage June 13, 1854 (Michael Fanahan and Anna Gaughan).
- Rev. Stephen Huber1855–c.1885
Built the first Catholic church in Wellsburg, dedicated by Bishop Whelan in 1858; founded the parish school (1861–1887); served an extended missionary circuit from Colliers to Marshall County.
- Rev. John A. ReynoldsAfter Father Huber
Acquired a frame building south of the church for use as a rectory.
- Rev. Terrence J. Duffy1886–1912
Extended the old church with a new sanctuary and sacristy; retired March 1912 and died after an accident at Wheeling Hospital.
- Rev. Father Hermanns1912–
Previously attended the Follansbee mission; expanded religious instruction of youth.
- Father Arul Anthony2020–2024
Appointed administrator by Bishop Mark E. Brennan on August 31, 2020 (in consultation with Archbishop Anil Joseph Thomas Couto of Delhi); reassigned as pastor of Epiphany of Our Lord Parish, St. Mary Parish Petersburg, and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish Franklin, effective February 1, 2024.