About Sts. Mary and John Parish (St. Mary Church) · Evansville, Indiana
Sts. Mary and John Parish is a Roman Catholic parish of the Diocese of Evansville located in downtown Evansville, Indiana. It was formed on July 1, 2014 by the merger of historic St. Mary Parish (founded 1866) and St. John the Apostle Parish (founded 1941), and today worship takes place at St. Mary Church, the oldest standing Catholic church building in the city. The parish is known for its 1867-vintage brick church on Cherry Street, its weekday noon Mass with Eucharistic Adoration, and its traditional Latin Mass celebrated on Sundays. Fr. Eugene Schmitt has served as pastor since March 1, 2023.
- Established
- 1866
- Patron
- St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception (St. Mary Church); St. John the Apostle (former St. John campus)
- Rector
- Fr. Eugene Schmitt
- Diocese
- Diocese of Evansville
Why belong here
Sts. Mary and John Parish offers daily weekday Mass in the heart of downtown Evansville, with Eucharistic Adoration each weekday morning before the noon Mass and confessions before every Mass. Parishioners can take part in OCIA (the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults), Catholic school enrollment through the parish, parish-supported food pantry outreach at the Ministry Center, and a rich liturgical life that includes a Sunday Latin Mass. Worship takes place in St. Mary Church, the oldest Catholic church building in Evansville — a congregation with deep roots in the German-Catholic heritage of the Ohio River Valley and an ongoing commitment to Christian education and outreach.
Mass times at Sts. Mary and John Parish (St. Mary Church)
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 3:15 – 3:45 pm
- Sunday: 9:15 – 9:45 am
- Sunday: 3:15 – 3:45 pm
- Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 11:30 – 11:55 am
Adoration times
- Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 11:00 am (before the 12:05 pm Mass)
History of Sts. Mary and John Parish
Sts. Mary and John Parish was formed on July 1, 2014 when Bishop Charles Thompson of the Diocese of Evansville merged historic St. Mary Parish with St. John the Apostle Parish. The merged parish retained both church campuses and today operates principally from St. Mary Church at 613 Cherry Street. The parish honors the German-Catholic roots of St. Mary (founded 1866) and the African-American heritage of St. John the Apostle (founded 1941).
- 1866: Bishop de St. Palais appoints Fr. Johannes (John) Viefhaus to found a new German-speaking Catholic parish in Evansville
- October 28, 1866: Cornerstone of St. Mary Church laid; architect Ludwig Reidinger of Lawrenceburg, Indiana
- December 23, 1867: First Mass celebrated in the new church
- January 1, 1868: Church dedicated under the patronage of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception
- 1910: Brick exterior of the church covered with stone
- 1941: St. John the Apostle Parish established to serve African-American Catholics
- 1967: St. John becomes a vicariate; restored as a parish in 1978
- 1996: St. John becomes the first Evansville parish led by a Pastoral Life Coordinator; the old St. Mary school building is remodeled into the Ministry Center
- July 1, 2014: Merger of St. Mary and St. John parishes creates Sts. Mary and John Parish
- 2016: Parish assumes the former Holy Trinity property; noon Latin Mass moves to St. Mary Church
- March 1, 2023: Fr. Eugene Schmitt named pastor
Art and Architecture of St. Mary Church
As visitors stand outside the main doors of St. Mary Church, they can see the cornerstone placed by Bishop DeSaint Palais on October 28, 1866 — at that time Evansville was still part of the Diocese of Vincennes. The building measures 66 feet wide by 140 feet long; construction cost in 1867 was $60,000, including bells, altars, organ and pews. Terrazzo floors were installed in 1954 and restored in 2007. A major refurbishing completed in 2007 — funded by the generosity of parishioners and friends — preserved the original worship space, the oldest Catholic church building in Evansville.
- Architect: Ludwig Reidinger of Lawrenceburg, Indiana
- Dimensions: 66 ft wide × 140 ft long
- Original construction cost (1867): $60,000
- Exterior clad in stone (1910)
- Terrazzo floors installed 1954, restored 2007
- Major refurbishing completed 2007
Catholic Education and School Support
The parish's mission statement commits it to passing on the Catholic faith through Catholic education, evangelization, and ongoing Christian formation. The Parish Pastoral Councils, working with the Education and Finance Committees, support Catholic school enrollment for parish families. To enroll a child in a Catholic school, families must meet annually with Fr. Eugene Schmitt, participate regularly in the liturgical life of the parish, share their time and talents in at least one ministry, and make a financial commitment to the parish.
- Parish-supported Catholic school enrollment
- Meeting required with Fr. Eugene Schmitt (ext. 205) for new and re-enrolling families
- Annual participation in parish liturgical and ministerial life required
OCIA — Becoming Catholic
The Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA) is a parish process that proceeds over weeks and months. The parish's practice of OCIA is grounded in the vision and theology of the rite, with the community gathering to uphold and support those on the journey to initiation. Inquiries about becoming Catholic or joining the OCIA team can be directed to Fr. Eugene Schmitt at 812-425-1577 ext. 205.
- OCIA process offered for adults seeking initiation
- Community-based formation model
- Contact: Fr. Eugene Schmitt, 812-425-1577 ext. 205
Outreach and Parish Ministry
The Ministry Center — created from the remodeled 1866 brick school building in 1996 — houses the parish's administrative offices, meeting rooms, Christian education space, a chapel, a library, and a food pantry. In 2006, a parish strategic plan established endowments to fund ministries of Christian Education, Parish Life, and Outreach.
- Ministry Center (former 1866 school building)
- Parish food pantry
- Christian Education, Parish Life, and Outreach endowments
Clergy and Parish Staff
Fr. Eugene Schmitt serves as pastor (named March 1, 2023), with parish staff supporting liturgy, music, communications, faith formation, and operations.
- Fr. Eugene Schmitt — Pastor ([email protected], ext. 205)
- Deacon Tom
- Deacon Dennis Russell
- Lee Fitzsimmons (per bulletin)
- Kim Kuehn (per bulletin)
- Tina Kempf (per bulletin)
- Tina Kraibley (per bulletin)
- Pat (per bulletin)
- Parish phone: 812-425-1577
Visiting and Contact
The parish office and St. Mary Church are located at 613 Cherry Street, Evansville, Indiana 47713. The church sits one block southwest of the Evansville library, in the downtown area, at the corner of 6th and Cherry Streets west of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.
- Address: 613 Cherry St., Evansville, IN 47713
- Phone: (812) 425-1577
- Email: [email protected]
- Web: https://stsmaryandjohnparish.org/
- Downtown location at 6th & Cherry
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Johannes (John) Viefhaus1866 (founding pastor)
First pastor; appointed by Bishop de St. Palais to found the German-speaking parish; built the school and oversaw construction of St. Mary Church.
- Rev. John C. Rager
Served the parish for 26 years as pastor; the former boys' school was renamed Rager Hall in his honor.
- Fr. Dave Martin2014 – June 13, 2016
First pastor of the merged Sts. Mary and John Parish; appointed by Bishop Charles Thompson.
- Fr. Gordon MannJanuary 2016 – June 14, 2017
Appointed pastor; oversaw assumption of Holy Trinity property and the move of the Noon Latin Mass to St. Mary Church.
- Fr. Benny Chackofrom June 14, 2017
Appointed Administrator of the parish.
- Fr. Alex ZenthoeferJune 30, 2017 – June 30, 2021
Served as pastor; also named Vicar General of the Diocese of Evansville; later named rector of St. Benedict Cathedral while continuing as pastor of Sts. Mary and John.
- Fr. Eugene SchmittMarch 1, 2023 – present
Named pastor; previously served as Parochial Vicar at St. Benedict Cathedral and Associate Pastor at Sts. Mary and John.