Saint John Catholic Church

History of St. John Parish

      Father Boniface Spanke, an energetic resourceful monk from New Subiaco Abbey, set out to evangelize rural areas of Arkansas by taking the Church to the people. He did this by outfitting a wagon with an altar and purchasing a team of horses. Receiving a friendly reception as he entered Pope County, Fr. Boniface parked his gospel wagon on Matt Gillespie's land known as Sunny Point. His mission campaign brought about conversions, the first of which was Mrs. Gillespie, Matt's non-Catholic wife. This campaign was the foundation of St. Ann's, which would eventually become St. John's.
          Matt Gillespie was generous, ecumencial, and 50 years ahead of his time. Not only did he donate the land for St. Ann's, he also gave land to two other denomiations for their churches. He set a good example for all of the parish.
          In 1950 Rev. Rudolph Maus, with help from John Zakes, broke ground for the erection of a new church and rectory on St. John's present location. Many hours of labor were contributed by a list of families as prominent in the Church today as they were then.
          Rev. Thomas Reynolds built a new convent and school in 1954, and we proudly celebrated the dedication of a beautiful parish hall in 1960. Rev. Louis V. Stemac helped us continue our growth. Among his many accomplishments was the establishment of the Catholic Cemetery and the beginning of the planning of a new larger church. It was in God's plan that Rev. Thomas Sebaugh be the one to make this new church a reality. This was not a small endeavor. Rev. Joseph Correnti became the next pastor to celebrate in our new church. By 1987 the school needed expansion and renovation. A new parish center was also required. Rev. David Jacobs led the way to the successful completion of these building projects. In 1988 Bishop Andrew J. McDonald dedicated the new parish center. Our current pastor, Rev. Ernest Hardesty came to St. John's in 1996. Since his arrival, St. John's School has remodeled its Administrative offices, added on a music room and a nursery for the Extended School Care program. The church has also added a youth activity room to the parish center and moved its Administrative offices to the center as well.