About St. John Vianney · Prince Frederick, Maryland
St. John Vianney Roman Catholic Church is a parish of the Archdiocese of Washington serving Calvert County, Maryland, from its campus at 105 Vianney Lane in Prince Frederick. Canonically established in 1965, the parish grew out of a mission church begun in the late 1920s by Father Maurice B. Alexander from Our Lady Star of the Sea in Solomons. Today the parish offers daily and Sunday Mass in English, a weekly Spanish Mass, an extensive Eucharistic Adoration schedule, faith formation for children and adults through OCIA, a Catholic preschool (Christian Beginnings), a parish cemetery, and a robust calendar of ministries including the Knights of Columbus Council 11259, Hispanic Ministry, and fellowship events.
- Established
- 1965
- Patron
- St. John Vianney (Patron of Parish Priests)
- Rector
- Father John B. Benson
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Washington
Why belong here
St. John Vianney offers the rare combination of a small-parish family feel with the resources of a large, active community: three Sunday Masses (including a weekly Spanish Mass), six days of daily Mass, daily Eucharistic Adoration with extended hours into the night on Wednesdays and through First Friday into Saturday morning, a faithful OCIA Journey-in-Faith process that has welcomed converts since 1983, a Christ-centered preschool, a Knights of Columbus council (Our Lady Seat of Wisdom #11259), a Hispanic Ministry, ongoing faith formation for children, fellowship events like the annual Oktoberfest and May Crowning, and a parish cemetery — all on a single campus in the heart of Calvert County.
Mass times at St. John Vianney
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 8:30 AM until confessions have ended
- First Friday 8:30 AM until confessions have ended
- Tuesday 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM during Lent
- By appointment with a priest
Adoration times
- Monday 8:30 AM–1:30 PM
- Tuesday 8:30 AM–9:00 PM
- Wednesday 6:00 PM–Midnight (Evening Prayer at 5:30 PM, except July and August)
- Thursday 8:30 AM–9:00 PM
- Friday 8:30 AM–1:30 PM (except First Friday)
- First Friday 6:00 PM through 8:00 AM Saturday, followed by Mass and Rosary
Parish History & Heritage
St. John Vianney Parish was canonically erected on May 29, 1965, by Archbishop Patrick A. O'Boyle, but its roots run much deeper: it began as a mission of Our Lady Star of the Sea in Solomons in the late 1920s under Father Maurice B. Alexander. The cornerstone of the original church in Prince Frederick was laid in 1937, and Mass was first celebrated there in 1938. After Father Alexander's death in 1946, several short-term pastors cared for the mission until Archbishop O'Boyle made it an independent parish of 100 families under Father Joseph J. Naughton in 1965. The parish marked its 25th anniversary in 1990 and became a tithing parish several years before that. In 1997, a Catholic cemetery was established on the church grounds.
- Late 1920s: Father Maurice B. Alexander begins the Prince Frederick mission
- 1937: Cornerstone laid for the church under the patronage of St. John Vianney
- 1938: First Mass celebrated in the new church
- May 29, 1965: Canonically erected as a parish by Archbishop O'Boyle
- 1966: Present rectory purchased
- 1979: Parish Center (Vianney Room) built
- 1990: 25th anniversary celebrated
- 1997: Parish cemetery established on the grounds
Clergy & Parish Staff
Father John B. Benson currently serves as pastor of St. John Vianney, supported by three deacons and a strong lay staff. Mrs. Kim Stack coordinates Religious Education, Mrs. Mila Arness directs music, Mrs. Anne Hilker manages the parish office, Mrs. Tamara Sapp handles bookkeeping, and Mrs. Karen VanDuzer directs Christian Beginnings Preschool. Ramon Veras leads the Hispanic Ministry, and Mr. Thomas Voegtli oversees maintenance and the Family Life Center.
- Father John B. Benson — Pastor
- Deacon James L. Caldwell, Jr.
- Deacon Joseph F. Mills
- Deacon Chris Lindsey
- Mrs. Kim Stack — Coordinator of Religious Education
- Mrs. Mila Arness — Music Director
- Mrs. Anne Hilker — Office Manager
- Mrs. Tamara Sapp — Bookkeeper & HR Representative
- Mrs. Karen VanDuzer — Director, Christian Beginnings Preschool / Parish Secretary
- Ramon Veras — Hispanic Ministry
- Mr. Thomas Voegtli — Maintenance Director / FLC Manager
- Ms. Cheryl Hee
Faith Formation & Religious Education
St. John Vianney's faith formation program is built on the conviction that catechesis is a lifelong process and a form of evangelization. Children not enrolled in a Catholic school are welcomed into K–8 religious education classes, and additional formation pathways serve middle school, high school, Confirmation candidates, families, and children through Catechesis of the Good Shepherd and Children's Liturgy of the Word.
- K–8 Religious Education / CCD (Director: Mrs. Kim Stack)
- Middle School & High School Faith Formation
- Confirmation preparation
- Family Faith Formation
- Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
- Children's Liturgy of the Word
- RCIC (Rite of Christian Initiation of Children)
OCIA — Journey in Faith (Adult Initiation)
The Journey-in-Faith, St. John Vianney's OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) program, has been in continuous operation since 1983. It welcomes unbaptized adults seeking the Catholic faith, baptized Christians preparing for full communion, baptized Catholics needing First Eucharist and/or Confirmation, and inactive Catholics wishing to return to the active life of the Church. Meetings are held every Thursday at 7 PM in the Columbus Room or Church Library from September through Easter, under the leadership of Father John Benson and a lay team coordinated by Jeremy Woollen.
- Meets Thursdays at 7 PM, September through Easter
- Locations: Columbus Room or Church Library, church basement
- Contact: Jeremy Woollen, (240) 246-4370
- Parish Office: (410) 535-0223
Christian Beginnings Preschool
Operated on the parish campus, Christian Beginnings Preschool is a Christ-centered, Archdiocese of Washington–approved preschool fully accredited by the Maryland State Department of Education with the highest possible EXCELS Quality Rating of 5. It serves three-year-olds and four-year-olds (PreK) during the school year (Labor Day through Memorial Day) in a nurturing environment that introduces children to Catholic prayer, liturgy, and the sacraments alongside developmentally appropriate play.
- Director: Karen Van Duzer
- Phone: 410-535-0223 ext. 105
- Email: [email protected]
- Address: 105 Vianney Lane, Prince Frederick, MD 20678
- Programs: Three-Year-Olds class; Four-Year-Olds (PreK) class
Parish Life, Fellowship & Spanish Ministry
Parish life at St. John Vianney centers on the mission statement: 'We the parishioners of St. John Vianney Catholic Church seek to know, love and serve God in and through the Holy Spirit, by following the example and teachings of our Lord, Jesus Christ.' The community gathers for monthly Faith & Fellowship potluck dinners, the annual Oktoberfest hosted by the Knights of Columbus, May Crowning, 1st Sunday Breakfasts, and a Hispanic Night of Prayer that brings together Spanish-speaking Catholic communities from Charles and St. Mary's counties on the second Friday of each month.
- Faith & Fellowship — monthly potluck at 6:30 PM, program at 7:00 PM
- Hispanic Night of Prayer — 2nd Friday of the month, 6:30–9:00 PM, Vianney Room
- Oktoberfest — annual fundraiser hosted by Knights of Columbus Council 11259
- May Crowning of Mary
- 1st Sunday Breakfast
Knights of Columbus — Our Lady Seat of Wisdom Council #11259
St. John Vianney is home to Council #11259 of the Knights of Columbus, which meets the second Wednesday of each month in the Columbus Room. The council offers free online membership promotions, sponsors annual events such as the Oktoberfest, and provides scholarships for elementary, high school, and Catholic college students.
- Council #11259 — Our Lady Seat of Wisdom
- Business meetings: 2nd Wednesday of each month, 7:30 PM, Columbus Room
- Annual Oktoberfest fundraiser
- Scholarships: Elementary, Maryland State High School, and Catholic College
Funerals & Parish Cemetery
St. John Vianney offers the Mass of Christian Burial and other funeral rites, with arrangements made through the parish office (no funerals are scheduled on Sundays). The parish also maintains its own on-site Catholic cemetery, established in 1997. Cemetery plots are available to any Catholic family through the Catholic Cemeteries of the Archdiocese of Washington, Southern Maryland Regional Office.
- Funeral arrangements: contact the Parish Office
- Saint John Vianney Parish Cemetery — established 1997 on church grounds
- Cemetery plots: Catholic Cemeteries of the Archdiocese of Washington, Southern Maryland Regional Office — (301) 475-5005 or (301) 932-1766
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Joseph J. Naughton1965–1970
First pastor; appointed by Archbishop O'Boyle when the mission became an independent parish with 100 families.
- Father Aloysius T. Newman1970–1971
- Father Louis G. Troch1971–1971
- Monsignor Lawrence P. Gatti1971–1974
- Father Donald F. Kelly1973–1974
- Father Gerald J. Horgan1974–1975
- Father W. Paul Hill1975–1981
- Father James A. Finan1981–1985
- Monsignor John B. Brady1985–1994
- Father Peter J. Daly1994–2017
- Father Dan Carson2017–11/2019
- Father Francisco Tovar11/2019–7/2020
- Father Joseph Pierce7/2020–7/2024
- Father John Benson2024–Present
Current pastor.