Service and Social Justice Ministries
The following ministries are primarily devoted to serving the parish community through works of service and craftsmanship and doing the works of mercy in the wider community of St. Mary's County. If you are interested in assisting with any of the following ministries or apostolates, please contact the parish office at (301) 373-2281 or email the appropriate contact person listed below.
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For information about CareNet Pregnancy Centers, please click here, or contact our parish representative, Rich Olon. CareNet provides information and support to women in crisis or unplanned pregnancies.
The Knights of Columbus are Catholic gentlemen committed to the exemplification of charity, unity, fraternity, patriotism, and defense of the priesthood. The Order is consecrated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Order is unequivocal in its loyalty to the Pope, the Vicar of Christ on earth. It is firmly committed to the protection of human life from conception to natural death and to the preservation and defense of the family. It was on these bedrock principles that the Order was founded over 125 years ago, and it remains true to them today.
Our mission is to be the hands of St. John’s parishioners as we use their donations to respond to calls for help from the needy, and to meet the suffering Christ in those we help. Grounded in the Catholic faith, nourished by the sacraments, invigorated by a prayerful life, united in liturgical celebration, and supported by our parish family, our parish must turn outward to serve the broader local community. St. John’s Charitable Society has as our sole goal to be the instrument through which the parish reaches out to meet the needs of those who request our help.
Mary Maids
Contact: Victoria Spalding Dean
Please contact the parish office at (301) 373-2281 if you would like to help.
St. John's Church is a place of worship, which houses the tabernacle of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. If it is to reflect the beauty and wonder of the One who dwells within it, it must be lovingly kept clean and neat. Our group consists of teams of 4 individuals who clean the church after the 8am daily mass. This includes cleaning the altar, choir loft, and main church. We clean the church every week (alternating between Mondays or Tuesdays). Every other Wednesday a team cleans the Sacristy. We occasionally meet and have lunch together to build community and team cohesion.
Right to Life
Coordinators: Rich & Catherine Schwartz
Our goals are: to help people in the parish community understand that life begins at conception, and that every human being, no matter how young, old, infirm or developmentally challenged, deserves respect and protection from harm; to support the efforts of St. Mary’s County Right-to-Life and Maryland Right-to-Life to educate lawmakers and citizens that every abortion takes a human life; to keep parishioners informed on pro-life issues by encouraging enrollment in the Maryland Catholic Conference’s Legislative Action Network and by assisting with letter-writing campaigns as they become necessary; and to support the efforts of the CareNet Pregnancy Center by participating in their annual dinner fundraiser.
Grounds Maintenance
Contact: John Shimski
Please contact the parish office at (301) 373-2281 if you would like to help.
Household Green Team
Contact: Mike Thompson
Please contact Mike Thompson at mikeandbarbarat@gmail.com with questions or for more information.
St. John's Parish sits on a large tract of land and contains many buildings. Landscaping, grass mowing, building repair, snow/ice removal, and trash pickup are amoung the many activities required to keep St. John's beautiful. The Grounds Maintenance team at St. John's faithfully performs these services with skill, knowledge, and attention to detail, thus ensuring that the appearance of our parish will reflect the beauty of God and his creation and be an inviting place for our parishioners and local community members.
Join us for a study on Pope Francis' encyclical Laudato Si' "on care for our common home." This study is being organized to help individuals and families assess their environmental impact and develop individual actions to reduce environmental impacts and to reduce financial expenditures. Meetings are held the 2nd Tuesday monthly in the Jude Rm at 7:00 pm. Click HERE for more information.