About St. John Vianney · Darrington, Washington
St. John Vianney is a small Catholic mission church serving the mountain community of Darrington, Washington, in Snohomish County. It is a mission of Immaculate Conception Parish in Arlington and part of Parish Family 5 of the Archdiocese of Seattle, which also includes St. Cecilia in Stanwood and St. Mary in Marysville. The mission is housed in a converted 1941 logging bunkhouse on Riddle Street, with a stunning view of White Horse Mountain in the North Cascades, and the small faith community gathers for Saturday Vigil Mass and hosts brunch for visitors.
- Established
- 1916
- Patron
- St. John Vianney
- Rector
- Rev. Peter G. Mactutis
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Seattle (Metropolitan Archdiocese of Seattle)
Why belong here
St. John Vianney offers something rare in the Pacific Northwest: an intimate mission church with a sweeping view of White Horse Mountain, where parishioners know one another by name and brunch is shared after Mass. As a mission of Immaculate Conception in Arlington, it gives worshippers in remote Darrington a place to receive the Eucharist and the sacraments without driving over the mountains, while still being connected to the wider parish family of Immaculate Conception, St. Cecilia, and St. Mary for faith formation, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, and other ministries.
Mass times at St. John Vianney
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Confessions are not regularly scheduled at St. John Vianney itself; they are heard at the parent parish, Immaculate Conception in Arlington, on Tuesdays 4:00–5:40 pm and on Thursdays after the 10:30 am Mass.
Adoration times
- Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament during Confession hours at Immaculate Conception, Arlington (Tuesdays 4:00–5:40 pm; Thursdays after 10:30 am Mass).
About St. John Vianney Mission
St. John Vianney is a Roman-Latin rite mission church in Darrington, Washington (Snohomish County), at 1150 Riddle Street on the corner of Commercial and Riddle Streets. It is a mission of Immaculate Conception Parish in Arlington and a member of Parish Family 5 in the Archdiocese of Seattle, alongside St. Mary in Marysville and St. Cecilia in Stanwood. The church shares the parish phone number, (360) 435-8565, and mailing goes through the Arlington office at 1200 E 5th Street, Arlington, WA 98223.
- Type: Mission
- Rite: Roman-Latin
- Diocese: Archdiocese of Seattle
- Parent Parish: Immaculate Conception, Arlington
- Parish Family 5: Immaculate Conception (Arlington), St. Cecilia (Stanwood), St. Mary (Marysville), St. John Vianney Mission (Darrington)
- Mailing address: Immaculate Conception Parish, 1200 E 5th Street, Arlington, WA 98223-1119
History of St. John Vianney
The Catholic community in Darrington traces its roots to about 1915, when the Campbell family arranged for a priest from Snohomish to make the long monthly trip — by train, then horse and buggy, with an overnight stay — to celebrate Mass. The mission was officially established on October 25, 1916, the same day that Immaculate Conception in Arlington was set up as a parish. In 1941 the Catholic Women's Club bought an old logging-company bunkhouse for $300, had it moved and remodeled into a chapel, and the parish has worshipped there ever since. The 2016 centennial was marked with a 'giving thanks' feast and reflections on the generations of faithful who built the church.
- ca. 1915: First Masses celebrated monthly by a visiting Snohomish priest, organized by the Campbell family
- October 25, 1916: Mission officially established together with Immaculate Conception Parish, Arlington
- ca. 1940: Worship moves from a room next to a restaurant to a purpose-built chapel
- 1941: Catholic Women's Club purchases a logging-company bunkhouse for $300; it is moved and converted into the present church
- 2009: Campbell Hall built, named in honor of the founding families
- October 2016: Centennial celebrated jointly with Immaculate Conception, Arlington
Parish Ministries and Outreach
As part of the Immaculate Conception / St. John Vianney parish family, the mission shares in a robust set of ministries that serve both the local area and the wider world. Volunteers have historically helped with community service projects, paid for funerals for families affected by the 2014 Oso mudslide, cooked and served meals to low-income families in the Stillaguamish Valley, sponsored about 100 students around the world, and raised money to help a sister parish abroad. The Mary's Guild brings parish women together for service, prayer, and fellowship, meeting monthly after the 9:00 am Sunday Mass at Immaculate Conception.
- Society of St. Vincent de Paul — Immaculate Conception Conference (home visits, rent/utility/food aid, thrift-store support, Assistance Helpline 425-355-3504)
- Faith Formation for the parish family — Wednesdays 5:00 pm at St. Cecilia, Stanwood; contact Collin Mason at [email protected]
- Mary's Guild — parish women's service, prayer, and fellowship group
- Stillaguamish Valley meal and outreach programs
- Oso mudslide family support (since 2014)
- Sister-parish and student-sponsorship mission support
Sacraments and Pastoral Care
Pastoral care for St. John Vianney is coordinated through the Immaculate Conception Parish office in Arlington. The Saturday Vigil Mass is the mission's regular sacramental gathering; baptisms, marriages, and other sacraments are prepared in coordination with the Arlington office. Anointing of the Sick and Last Rites are available around the clock through the after-hours emergency line, and Catholic funeral planning is handled through the parish office at [email protected].
- Mass: Saturday Vigil 11:00 am at St. John Vianney
- Baptism, Marriage: coordinated via Immaculate Conception Parish office, Arlington
- Anointing of the Sick / Last Rites: (360) 435-8565, ext. 4 for emergencies
- Catholic Funeral services: contact [email protected]
The Healing Shrine of the Living Water
On the grounds of the mission stands the 'Healing Shrine of the Living Water,' a cross-shaped outdoor shrine created by Marv Kastning, a bronze artist and parishioner. The shrine mixes flowing water with Catholic and indigenous symbols, and has become a distinctive landmark of the Darrington mission as well as a point of interest on the local tourism map. The artistic furnishings and artwork inside the church were likewise largely created by parishioners over the years.
- Bronze and water shrine by Marv Kastning
- Combines Catholic and native imagery
- Parishioner-made artwork and furnishings inside the church
Parish Staff and Clergy
St. John Vianney Mission is led by the pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish, with pastoral and administrative support from a parochial vicar, the parish bookkeeper, and a Faith Formation coordinator. Since the launch of Partners in the Gospel in 2024 — the Archdiocese of Seattle's strategic pastoral planning process — the parishes of Immaculate Conception (Arlington), St. Cecilia (Stanwood), St. Mary (Marysville), and St. John Vianney Mission (Darrington) have been grouped together as Parish Family 5 under one pastor.
- Pastor: Rev. Peter G. Mactutis
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Rajasekar Savarimuthu, H.G.N.
- Bookkeeper: Karla Lowe
- Faith Formation contact: Collin Mason ([email protected])
- Mary's Guild contact: Mary Scollard (via parish office)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Tim Sauercirca 2016
Priest for both St. John Vianney Mission and Immaculate Conception Parish in Arlington at the time of the 2016 centennial celebration.
- Father Treacy
Retired priest who continued to help out in the parish family, celebrating Monday Mass at Immaculate Conception.