Saint John the Evangelist Parish was established in 1852 when the Commonwelth's Catholic Population was only 12,000. The parish priest was not only required to serve the new Saint John's Parish, but Saint Peter Parish in Brownsville as well.
It was in 1790 and the first bishop of the United States was selected and was provided with about 30 priests to serve the whole nation. But from this rapid start, the roman catholic population increased steadily and so did the number of priests. The growth came principally through immigration from many parts of the European World. There were at the time four bishops, one of them being in charge of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, which would absorb the present day area here.
The rapid growth continued at such a pace that in 1843, Pennsylvania was divided into two dioceses, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, respectively east and west.
The Most Rev. Michael O'Connor was the first bishop of the Diocese of Pittsburgh (the Greensburg Diocese wasn't created out of it until 1951.) and in 1852, nine years after his appointment the area surrounding Uniontown as Saint John the Evangelist Parish.
The first priest in charge was the Rev. William Lambert, who was resident priest of Saint Peter's in Brownsville. In 1853, a small brick church was erected on Morgantown Street. Some names of early church pioneers are interred in the church graveyard here.
In 1877, the first resident pastor was obtained. He was the Rev. Edward Brennen, and he was delaegated to care for the people of Farmington and Lemont Furnace as well as the parishioners in the vicinity of Uniontown.
Father Brennen was succeeded by the Father Dingnam, several members of the passionate order of Pittsburgh as well as Rev, William Kitteli and most noteworthy, Father Bernard Kenna.
In December of 1893, Father Kenna had a pastorate of 41 years. In 1894, he directed the building of the present church. The congregation continued to grow as the region grew to be the Coal and Coke Capitol of the World.
Hundreds of Immigrants came here from Italy and the different Slavic countries of Europe. Saint John's could only minister to them in a limited way and needed priests who could speak their languages. A school and auditorium were constructed for classes in 1913. It was initally staffed by the teachers of the Sisters of Saint Joseph, whose motherhouse and training school were in Baden, Beaver County, PA.
In 1920, high school grades were introduced and academic and commercial subjects were taught. Father Kenna served almost to his death in November 1933. He had assisting priests beginning in 1909.
The Revs. George Hurley and Father Bonfield temporarily served as priests until the Rev. T. J. Dunn was called upon on February 7, 1935. One of his first activities was to find accommodations for the school. A building committee was commenced and the decision was made to purchase the Allen Cooper Property for additional school rooms. That residence was used as an enlarged convent for the teaching sisters. Many months passed before the heirs agreed and a sale price was finalized for the property in July 1938.
After the property was secured in 1938 to construct the present school plant. In May of that year, the cornerstone was laid by the Father Kolb of nearby Masontown. acting as delegate for Bishop Boyle. The sermon was given by Rev. Paul E. Campbell, who was superintendent of parichocial schools in the diocese.
In February 1939, a new building was blessed by Father Henry Geibel and consisted of eight classrooms and a gymnasium. The grade school moved in the new building and the the High School Grades occupied the older building.
Because of the available Gymnasium space, the athletic and physical education programs were developed. A athletic program and sports teams were also developed in the 1940s.
For several years post World War II, the parish school flourished in enrollment to the point it had to turn away applicants and two new schools were established in the 1950s at other city Roman Catholic Parishes.
In 1952, this parish, along with all the parishes in Armstrong, Fayete, Indiana and Westmoreland Counties of the former Pittsburgh Diocese became part of a new Greensburg Diocese and the interior of the present church was renovated for the parish centennial in 1952. The transformation of the church edifice took place from May to November of 1952 and on Thanksgiving, the newly appointed bishop, the Most Rev. Hugh. Lamb, presided over mass.
Under the tutelage of James "Lash" Nesser, who coached for a quarter-century, the Saint John Eagles won the Diocesan championship year after year. In 1965, they won the state championship, and in their final year, they advanced to the state public-parochial finals.
On April 5, 1976, Bishop William Connare of the Greensburg Diocese ratified the closing of the High School at the start of the 1976-1977 term citing budgetary and financial constraints. The upper grades were shattered and the students would attend Geibel Catholic High School at Hillcrest, near Connellsville as it would become a regional high school and the range of it would be expanded further south into Fayette County. Because of the schools age, the old high school was torn down after it closed.
Growing enrollment and enhanced programs created the need for more space. The carriage house for the convent, known as the "music room" for years, was converted into the first kindergarten in 1977. Locker rooms were converted into additional classrooms, and additional classrooms were established in the Saint Francis Center, the former Trinitarian Convent, in 1992. Recent additions to the school program include a preschool for three and four-year-old children since the 1990-91 school years and a learning support program for students with special needs in the 1993-94 school year.
The gymnasium was restored in the fall of 1991. In the summer of 1993, the main entrance of the school was reconstructed and equipped with a ramp. Side entrances were rebuilt adding a ramp and planters in the summer of 1994. The school and gymnasium roofs were replaced along with air conditioning installed in the gymnasium in 1997-98.
The main school building, located next to St. John Church and rectory, is a two-story brick structure with a multi-functional lower level. This building houses eight classrooms and teachers' workroom. The lower level houses the gymnasium, which also serves as the cafeteria, one conference room and one computer lab. The administrative offices are in the lower level of the school. It also houses the nurse's office and guidance office. Preschool is in the former carriage house of the parish convent. A room for the Kindergarten students was built in the basement of the former carriage house. Speech therapy, remedial math/reading and learning support are in the upper level of the carriage house.
In 2010, the school absorbed the population of the former Saint Mary's School, just one mile away in the city limits. Furthermore, the school again absorbed another catholic school population, the former All Saints School in Masontown, whose parish was merged with six other parishes on the western half of Fayette County into one parish.
Sources: Uniontown Herald Standard Articles in 1958 and 1977 and the School's Website's About Page (
visit link)