About St. John Vianney · Vashon, Washington
St. John Vianney Catholic Church is a welcoming island parish on Vashon Island in Puget Sound, Washington, serving Catholics in this rural island community since 1964. It is currently part of Parish Family 36 (the Tacoma-Vashon Parish Family) under the Archdiocese of Seattle, sharing pastoral leadership with Holy Cross and St. Patrick in Tacoma. The parish offers daily and Sunday Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, a Zoom Rosary, and a robust St. Vincent de Paul Society outreach to island neighbors.
- Established
- 1964
- Patron
- St. John Mary Vianney
- Rector
- Rev. David T. Mulholland
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Seattle
Why belong here
St. John Vianney is a small-island Catholic community where Mass, confession, adoration, and a weekly Zoom Rosary knit parishioners together across Vashon Island. Through its active St. Vincent de Paul Society, the parish offers direct, person-to-person help with rent, utilities, food, clothing, and transportation to neighbors in need. Whether you live year-round or are a summer resident, you will find a warm, accessible parish committed to both worship and outreach.
Mass times at St. John Vianney
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 4:00 PM to 4:30 PM
- Thirty minutes before all daily Masses
- By Appointment: Contact Parish Office
Adoration times
- First Friday: 6:30 PM (preceded by Benediction/Vespers at 6:00 PM)
Parish Overview
St. John Vianney Catholic Church is the Catholic parish serving Vashon Island in Puget Sound, Washington. The parish belongs to the Archdiocese of Seattle and, since 2024, is part of Parish Family 36, sharing pastoral leadership with Holy Cross and St. Patrick in Tacoma. The parish describes itself as a 'welcoming community of faith on Vashon Island,' serving both year-round residents and summer residents.
- Parish Family 36: Holy Cross (Tacoma), St. John Vianney (Vashon), St. Patrick (Tacoma)
- Member of Partners in the Gospel pastoral planning initiative
- Address: 16100 115th Ave SW, Vashon, WA 98070
History of the Parish
Catholic life on Vashon Island began in 1921 when Fr. Herbert Mertens celebrated Mass at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Theodore Berry in Dockton. From these humble beginnings — fifteen Croatian families tied to the 1891 shipbuilding industry — the community grew, built the Church of Saint Patrick (dedicated June 23, 1923), and eventually outgrew it. On September 19, 1962, the new parish took the name St. John Mary Vianney, and the new church was dedicated May 7, 1964, with the parish seat officially transferred from Dockton on June 12, 1964.
- 1921 — First Mass in Dockton by Fr. Herbert Mertens at the Berry home
- 1923 — St. Patrick Church dedicated in Dockton (cost: $15,827.11)
- 1932 — Mission entrusted to the Jesuit Fathers of Bellarmine
- 1940 — Mission canonically attached to Holy Family Parish, West Seattle
- 1950 — Church expanded for ninety-two families
- 1953 — Archdiocese of Seattle purchased current Vashon property from Massa Mukai
- 1962 — Parish name 'St. John Mary Vianney' dedicated; Fr. Victor Cloquet remodeled Mukai home as rectory
- 1964 — New church completed May 1; first Mass May 7 (Feast of the Ascension); parish seat transferred June 12
- 1995 — Capital Campaign remodeled building into current Sanctuary and Social Hall
Building, Grounds, and Architecture
The present church has a distinctive origin story: it was originally built in 1964 as the planned cafeteria and gymnasium of a never-built Catholic school. When the proposed bridge to the mainland never materialized, the population never grew enough to sustain the school. In 1995, a Capital Campaign remodeled the structure to its current layout while keeping the original footprint. The cafeteria became the Social Hall and the gymnasium was reconstructed as the Sanctuary.
- Memory Garden on the parish grounds
- Stations of the Cross outdoors
- Rosary Garden with a statue of Mary
- Grassy area and spiritual artwork visible through the altar-side window
- Social Hall (former cafeteria)
Clergy and Staff
The parish is led by Pastor Very Rev. David T. Mulholland, supported by Parochial Vicar Rev. David L. Mayovsky and Priest in Residence Rev. Matt Fish. Three deacons serve the parish family: Rev. Mr. Steve Cano, Rev. Mr. Bill Eckert, and Rev. Mr. Jim Fish (Senior status). Lay staff include Maria Pottinger (Pastoral Assistant for Administration), Kristen Elliott (Parish Administrative Assistant), and Michelle Casad (Pastoral Assistant for Music).
- Pastor: Very Rev. David T. Mulholland
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. David L. Mayovsky ([email protected])
- Priest in Residence: Rev. Matt Fish
- Deacons: Rev. Mr. Steve Cano, Rev. Mr. Bill Eckert, Rev. Mr. Jim Fish (Senior status)
- Pastoral Assistant for Administration: Maria Pottinger
- Pastoral Assistant for Music: Michelle Casad
- Parish Administrative Assistant: Kristen Elliott
Zoom Rosary
Every Wednesday at 7:00 PM, parishioners gather online to pray the Rosary together via Zoom. The parish describes it as 'a warm group of parish family friends and an easy parish connection outside of Mass' — a way to stay connected across Vashon Island even when getting to church is hard.
- Wednesdays at 7:00 PM via Zoom
- Open to all parishioners and friends
Parish Ministries
The parish's most prominent outreach is the St. Vincent de Paul Society, which serves Vashon Island neighbors in need. The parish also supports a Music Ministry led by Pastoral Assistant for Music Michelle Casad, and the weekly Zoom Rosary group. Volunteers and donors can connect through the parish office.
- St. Vincent de Paul Society (SVdP) — rent, utilities, food, clothing, transportation, and basic-needs help; visit svdpvashon.org
- Music Ministry (Pastoral Assistant: Michelle Casad)
- Zoom Rosary prayer group (Wednesdays 7:00 PM)
St. Vincent de Paul Society
The St. Vincent de Paul Society at St. John Vianney is dedicated to helping individuals and families on Vashon Island in their time of need. The chapter offers person-to-person help with rent, utilities, food, clothing, transportation, and other basic necessities, inspired by Gospel values and the SVdP mission of 'a network of friends, inspired by Gospel values, growing in holiness and building a more just world through personal relationships with and service to people in need.'
- Assistance with rent, utilities, food, clothing, transportation
- Donations and assistance requests: svdpvashon.org
- Active parish outreach on Vashon Island
Sacraments and Devotions
Beyond the regular Mass schedule, the parish celebrates the Sacrament of Reconciliation on Saturdays, before daily Masses, and by appointment. First Fridays include Benediction followed by Eucharistic Adoration. Holy Day Masses and other sacramental needs (Baptism, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick) are arranged by contacting the Parish Office.
- Reconciliation: Saturday 4:00–4:30 PM, 30 minutes before daily Masses, and by appointment
- Eucharistic Adoration: First Fridays at 6:30 PM
- Benediction/Vespers: First Fridays at 6:00 PM
- Baptism, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick — by appointment through the Parish Office
Parish Family 36 — Partners in the Gospel
In 2024, the Archdiocese of Seattle grouped parishes into parish families under Partners in the Gospel, a strategic pastoral planning process. St. John Vianney on Vashon Island was placed into Parish Family 36 along with Holy Cross in Tacoma and St. Patrick in Tacoma. Fr. David T. Mulholland was appointed pastor and Fr. David L. Mayovsky parochial vicar for the family.
- Parish Family 36: Holy Cross (5510 N 44th St, Tacoma), St. John Vianney (Vashon), St. Patrick (1123 North J Street, Tacoma), St. Patrick School (1112 North G Street, Tacoma)
- Pastor: Rev. David Mulholland
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. David Mayovsky
- Priest in Residence: Rev. Matt Fish
- Deacons: Steve Cano, Bill Eckert, Jim Fish (Senior status)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Herbert Mertens1921–
Pioneer priest who celebrated the first Masses on Vashon at the home of Mr. & Mrs. Theodore Berry in Dockton
- Fr. James Buck1956–1960
First resident priest on Vashon
- Fr. Victor Cloquet1962
Pastor who received permission to remodel the former Mukai home as the parish rectory
- Rev. David T. Mulholland2024–
Appointed Pastor of Parish Family 36 under Partners in the Gospel