Saint John the Evangelist Church (Columbus, Ohio)

Saint John the Evangelist Church
Community of Holy Rosary-St. John
39°57′06″N82°58′16″W / 39.95171°N 82.97115°W / 39.95171; -82.97115
Location	Old Oaks Historic District
Address	648 South Ohio Avenue Columbus, Ohio, 43205
Denomination	Catholic
Religious institute	Society of Jesus (1992-2009)
History
Founded	1897
Consecrated	24 September 1899
Architecture
Architect	William P. Ginther
Style	High Gothic
Closed	12 May 2024
Specifications
Capacity	800
Length	136 ft.
Width	54 ft.
Number of spires	2
Spire height	132 ft.
Administration
Diocese	Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus
Parish	St. Dominic

Saint John the Evangelist Church was an African-American Catholic church of the Diocese of Columbus located in the Old Oaks Historic District of Columbus, Ohio. The initially German-American congregation was founded in 1897, and the High Gothic church building was completed the following year.

In 1979, neighboring Holy Rosary Church was merged into the parish, forming the Community of Holy Rosary-St. John and within the decade was 70% black. The merged community was again merged into Saint Dominic Church in 2024. ^[1] While all Masses for the merged parish are hosted at St. Dominic, the St. John campus continues to host a food bank, learning center and a health clinic sponsored by the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. ^[2] Columbus Landmarks designated the complex as one of its "most endangered" sites the year of its merger and closure. ^[1]

History

Founding

The Josephinum's original campus in downtown Columbus hosted the St. John community for Mass before the construction of the current church.

In November 1897, Fr. Simon Weisinger, the first pastor of St. John's, was reassigned from St. Augustine Church in New Straitsville, Ohio to oversee the founding of a new parish to serve the southeastern portion of the city of Columbus, at the request of bishop John Watterson. ^{[3] [4] [5]} Catholics, mainly those of German heritage, had been drawn to the area following the establishment of the Pontifical College Josephinum on East Main Street, which hosted public Mass on Holy days of obligation as well as Sundays. ^[6] This growth in the lay Catholic population prompted Joseph Jessing to recommend to bishop Watterson that a parish be formed to serve this community. ^[7]

The first Mass of the parish was said by its founding pastor on January 22, 1898, at St. Turibius Chapel at the Josephinum's campus where services continued to be held until property could be purchased. ^{[8] [4]} The following month, six lots of land were purchased on Ohio Avenue, with ground being broken for the foundation in May and the cornerstone being laid by Watterson on July 3, 1898. ^{[9] [7] [4] [10]} The rectory on the property was finished on December 6, 1899, and the completed church was dedicated by Fr. Francis Xavier Specht on September 24, 1899, due to the death of Bishop Watterson in April. ^{[4] [11]}

Church

The interior of St. John Church in 2013.

The High Gothic church building designed by architect William P. Ginther and completed in 1899 is built of rock-faced vitrified brick. ^{[12] [13] [14]} There are stained-glass windows of the Four Evangelists in the sanctuary, along with a depiction of the Adoration of the Magi in honor of Bishop Sylvester Rosecrans in one transept and on the facing side the Ascension of Jesus in honor of Bishop Watterson. The reredos of the main altar is 32 feet high, the spires of the church 132 feet high, and the original seating capacity of the church is 800. ^{[15] [16]} The organ for the church was installed by December 1899, and required the enlargening of the choir loft to be made to fit in the space. ^[17] The church building, rectory, and land cost $51,000. ^[5]

In 1903, bishop Henry Moeller defined the territorial boundaries of the parish of St. John the Evangelist as composed of most of the eastern side of the city of Columbus, roughly bordered by Truro Township to the north, Madison Township to the south, St. Leo Church to the west, and the Franklin County line to the east. ^[18]

School

The St. John school building, now home to the St. John Community Center.

The congregation began to organize a parochial school in 1905 and the schoolhouse, with eight classrooms and an auditorium with a seating capacity for 800, was dedicated by Bishop James Hartley on August 26, 1906. ^{[4] [19]} The building, constructed of the same brick as the church and rectory, was built on a vacant lot directly north of the church building, and was designed by Columbus architect David Riebel. ^[20]

150 pupils were enrolled in its first year of operation and by 1918 that number had grown to 400. ^{[21] [22]} Students from the primary school usually went on to Holy Rosary High School. ^[4] The teachers were Sisters of St. Francis of Penance and Christian Charity, housed in a convent on the property which was completed in August 1908. ^{[23] [24] [25]} The school hall hosted a lecture on Catholicism and socialism given by James Boyle, former American consul to Liverpool, in February 1911. ^[26] The construction debts of the parish were paid off by September 1922. ^[27] In July of that same year, Corpus Christi Church was formed from the territory of St. John south of Columbus Street. ^{[28] [29]}

The parish also operated a ninth grade beginning in 1935, also taught by the Sisters of St. Francis, which had an enrollment of about 30 for its decade of operation. This number began to decline due to World War II and closed in 1945 or 1946. ^[30] A parish center with eight bowling lanes, social hall, gymnasium, and meeting spaces located across the street from the church was blessed by Bishop Clarence Issenmann on January 10, 1960. ^[31] He also bowled the first frame of the alley. ^[32]

Decline and Merger with Holy Rosary

In the early 1960s, St. John had over 2,000 parishioners. This number declined to less than 300 by 1972, and school enrollment similarly declined. As a result, St. John School merged with the schools of the nearby parishes of Saint Dominic and Holy Rosary, forming a joint school called John XXIII School, which served primarily a primarily African-American and Protestant student body. St. John's school building hosted grades 1–3. ^[33] John XXIII School closed in 1983 due to budget deficits. ^[34]

Following the departure of the Franciscan sisters who formerly inhabited the convent on the church grounds in 1971, ^{[35] [36]} the Blackman's Development Center, a militant Black power group under the leadership of Hassan Jeru-Ahmed, opened a drug rehabilitation facility there, prompting controversy. This was particularly due to its proximity to the still-active school building. ^{[37] [38] [39]} The convent went on to house staff members of the BDC. ^[40] Major renovations were undertaken to the church in 1973, with two-thirds of the pews being removed from the building to create a flexible worship area, the walls being painted white, and a confessional being removed to make space for a handicapped ramp. ^[41] Removed items, including statues, pieces of altar rail, and side altars, were auctioned off in the church yard. ^[42]

In May 1979, neighboring Holy Rosary church was merged into St. John, forming the Community of Holy Rosary-St. John, which worshipped exclusively at the St. John campus, as Holy Rosary's church building was sold to a Baptist congregation shortly following its merger. ^{[43] [44]} Holy Rosary's membership had significantly declined following the construction of Interstate 70, and White flight lead to neighborhoods being inhabited by mostly non-Catholic African-Americans. ^[45] These issues also affected St. John. ^[46]

Outreach

Children and parents at the Head Start program hosted at St. John.

In the mid-1980s, St. John began to introduce Gospel music in services to make black congregants feel more welcome, and attendance grew from 75 to 200 over the course of a year. ^[47] Ohio State University's Division of Black Studies operated continuing education courses from the parish hall in the mid-1970s. ^[42] The parish hosted commemorative Masses for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and George Stallings Jr. spoke at a parish revival in 1986. ^{[47] [48] [49]} By the end of the decade, congregation was approximately 70% black. ^[50]

In 1971 the parish founded the St. John Community Center, which organized food drives. ^[51] The program was serving free hot lunches to 200 people per weeekday in 1985, serving primarily people from the Near East Side of Columbus out of the old St. John school building. ^{[52] [53]} In 1990, priests of the Jesuits took over staffing the parish due to the order's familiarity with urban parochial work. ^{[54] [55]} Responsibility for the parish was returned to the Diocese of Columbus in 2009. ^{[56] [6]}

The St. Cecilia stained-glass window which sustained damage in 2011.

Damage from a piece of the rose window at the rear of the church falling into the choir loft in 2011 required $67,000 in repairs, which was paid for by an anonymous donor. $35,000 was also given for new lighting for the interior of the church building. ^[57]

Closure and merger into St. Dominic

As part of a wider campaign of church mergers and closures in the Columbus diocese, Holy Rosary-St. John was merged into St. Dominic Church, another predominantly African-American church on the East Side of Columbus, by Earl K. Fernandes on January 17, 2024. ^[58] The Columbus Diocese stated that this was in part due to low Mass attendance and deteriorating facilities which necessitated millions of dollars of repairs. ^[59] While the St. John church building is no longer the site of Masses, the St. John Community Center continues to operate out of the school building, hosting a food bank, GED classes, and a medical clinic sponsored by the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. ^[2]

References

1. "2024 Most Endangered Sites – Columbus Landmarks" . Retrieved 2025-10-27.
2. "St. John Center to continue community services". The Catholic Times. Retrieved 2025-10-28.
3. "Rev. S. Weisinger, Pastor f St. Augustine's Church". The Catholic Columbian. 6 November 1897.
4. Catholic Church. Diocese of Columbus (Ohio) (1918). Diocese of Columbus : the history of fifty years, 1868-1918. Cornell University Library. Columbus, Ohio : [Diocese of Columbus].
5. Schlegel, Donald (January 2005). "Parish Histories of 1903 and 1907 Columbus - St. John the Evangelist Parish" (PDF). Bulletin of the Catholic Record Society of Columbus.
6. "Holy Rosary-St. John parishioners express gratitude for 125 years". The Catholic Times. Retrieved 2025-10-28.
7. "Growth of the Church in Columbus". The Catholic Columbian. 4 June 1898.
8. "The parishoners of St. John the Evangelist church". The Catholic Columbian. 29 January 1898.
9. "Rt Rev. Bishop Watterson has rat fled the purchase of six lots on Ohio Avenue, near Livingston avenue, upon which will be erected the church of St. John the Evangelist, the new parish for the south-eastern part of the city". The Catholic Columbian. 5 February 1898.
10. "St. John the Evangelist". The Catholic Columbian. 9 July 1898.
11. "A social and house warming will be held by the parishoners of St. John the Evangelist in their parochial residence at 648 South Ohio avenue. Their pastor, Rev. F.S. Weisinger, will move into the residence next Monday". The Columbus Dispatch . 30 November 1898.
12. "Cleveland Landmarks Commission Cleveland Architects William P Ginther". Cleveland Landmarks Commission.
13. The Ohio Architect and Builder. 1912.
14. Valleriano, Anthony J. (2012). Dedication: the work of William P. Ginther, ecclesiastical architect. The sacred landmarks series. Kent, Ohio: Kent State University Press. ISBN   978-1-60635-103-1.
15. "Our Handsomest Church St. John the Evangelist's to be Dedicated September 24th". The Catholic Columbian. 16 December 1899.
16. "Cornerstone of St. John's Church". The Columbus Dispatch . 2 July 1898.
17. "The new organ for St John the Evangelist's church on Ohio avenue will be in place and ready for use by December 15. It was found necessary to enlarge the organ loft to make room for the instrument and to accommodate large choir. The use of the new organ will be formally inaugurated with a recital". The Columbus Dispatch . 28 October 1899.
18. Mattingly, Herman (July 1987). "BOUNDARIES OF THE FRANKLIN COUNTY PARISHES AS ESTABLISHED BY BISHOP MOELLER IN 1903 -- ST. JOHN EVANGELIST'S PARISH" (PDF). Barquilla de la Santa Maria BULLETIN of the Catholic Record Society- Diocese of Columbus. Beginning on the South East corner of Oak and 18th Sts., East on south side of Oak St. to Winner St.; South on west side of Winner St. to Bryden Ave.; East on south side of Bryden Ave. to Linwood Ave.; South on west side of Linwood Ave. to Livingston Ave.; East on south side of Livingston Ave. to County line; South along County line to northern boundary of Madison Township; West by northern boundary of Madison Township to Marion Township; South along eastern line of said Township to northern boundary line Hamilton Township; West along northern line of Hamilton Township to Lockbourne Road; North on east side of Lockbourne Road to Reinhard Ave.; West on north side of Reinhard Ave. to Parsons Ave.; North on east side of Parsons Ave. to Fulton St.; East on south side of Fulton St. to 18th St.; North on east side of 18th St. to place of beginning. N.B. Families now living, or in future moving into that portion of the parish bounded by Oak St. on the North; Winner St. on the East; Bryden Ave. on the South, and 18th S. on the West, may go to the Cathedral if they desire to do so.
19. "St. John's School". The Catholic Columbian. 1 September 1906.
20. "New School Building for the Church of St. John the Evangelist". The Columbus Dispatch . 30 April 1905. The Church of St. John the Evangelist on Ohio avenue will soon have a new school building, after plans drawn by D. Riebel & sons, architects. The building will he of the same kind of dark brook of which the church and parish house are built, and will be located o the vacant Iot north of the latter It is expected the three buildings will make as fine looking a row of church property as can he found in Columbus. The school will have a large assembly room on the ground floor.
21. The official Catholic directory for the year of Our Lord. Boston Public Library. New York : P.J. Kenedy. 1907.
22. "The new school for the parish of St. John the Evangelist will soon be under roof. It adjoins the rectory on the north and will be a handsome building when completed. The material used is vitrified brick, to match the church and rectory. It will be ready for occupancy by September". The Catholic Columbian. 1 July 1905.
23. "School Dedication -- The handsome new school building of St. John the Evangelist on Ohio avenue will be solemnly dedicated to the cause of Catholic education on Sunday, August 20, at 3 p. in. Rt. Rev. Bishop Hartley will officiate, assisted by thhe pastor, Rev. S. Weisinger and members of the city clergy". The Catholic Columbian. 11 August 1906.
24. "852S1551889". digital-collections.columbuslibrary.org. Retrieved 2025-10-28.
25. "The seven Sisters of St. Francis who teach at the school of St. John the Evangelist on Ohio avenue moved into their new convent on last Saturday afternoon". The Catholic Columbian. 29 August 1908.
26. "MR. JAMES BOYLE'S FINE LECTURE ON SOCIALISM". The Catholic Columbian. 10 February 1911.
27. "St. John the Evangelist Free of Debt— To Celebrate Silver Jubilee". The Catholic Columbian. 1 September 1922.
28. by Catholic Church. Diocese of Columbus (Ohio) (1943). The History Of The Diocese Of Columbus: Volume II, 1918 1943.
29. "Rev. Father Edmund Burkley was removed as pastor of the St. Mary's Church and appointed to the pastorship of the new Corpus Christi church, for which, he will be building supervisor". The Columbus Dispatch . 2 July 1923.
30. "A Survey of Catholic Secondary Education in Franklin County -- St. John the Evangelist High School, 1935- about 1946" (PDF). Catholic Record Society of Columbus. May 2007.
31. "Bishop Issenmann will bless the recently completed St. John the Evangelist Parish Center". The Catholic Times. 1960-01-08. p. 3. Retrieved 2025-10-28.
32. "Bishop Bowls". The Catholic Times. 1960-01-15. p. 10. Retrieved 2025-10-28.
33. Buzby, Barbara (16 January 1972). "Pupils and Parishoners Learn Brotherhood at John XXIII School". The Columbus Dispatch .
34. Gray Foster, Kathy (8 June 1983). "Pope John XXIII School will Close". The Columbus Dispatch .
35. The official Catholic directory for the year of Our Lord. Boston Public Library. New York : P.J. Kenedy. 1970.
36. The official Catholic directory for the year of Our Lord. Boston Public Library. New York : P.J. Kenedy. 1971.
37. Bradshaw, James (6 February 1972). "Ex-Addicts Worry Neighbors". The Columbus Dispatch .
38. "Council Delays Ruling on Blackman's Center". The Columbus Dispatch . 1 February 1972.
39. "Officials say BDC Building Goods Taken". The Columbus Dispatch . 28 June 1973.
40. Switzer, John (1 July 1972). "Addict Tells Court About BDC Incident". The Columbus Dispatch . A Columbus drug addict told a US District Court magistrate Friday that he was beaten, imprisoned and driven to Washington DC by officers of the Black-man's Development Center (BDC) at 1100 E. Main St. The victim told the court that Col. Danyil Sulieman, 40, director of the BDC, began the beatings when he hit him over the head with a blackjack ... He was living at the center and was visiting his wife at 1066 Oak St. on June 15 when he received a phone call from the center and was told to return to work on a reception desk. WHEN HE arrived at the center he was taken into an ofiice and questioned about the theft of $10 of the center's money. He said Suleman hit him with a blackjack and Kemo hit him with an axe handle. He said he admitted taking the money Then he was taken to a residence at 630 S. Ohio Ave. that he said was provided by St John's Church. He said BDC single women and married couples lived there.
41. "Between Old and New: St. John's Bridges the Gap". The Columbus Dispatch . 10 February 1973.
42. "St. John's to Mark Birthday". The Columbus Dispatch . 30 June 1973.
43. "Merger of Parishes OK'd". The Columbus Dispatch . 5 May 1979. Bishop Edward J. Herrmann of the Columbus Catholic Diocese has approved the merger of tro parishes effective June 1. Combining will be the congregations of Holy Rosary Church, 1651 E. Main St.. and St. John the Evangelist Church, 648 S. Ohio Ave. THE TWO parish councils proposed the merger because their memberships were too small to finance the maintenance of both church buildings. Holy Rosary has a Sunday attendance of 75 and St. John the Evangelist has 169. The merged congregation will be known as the Community of Holy Rosary and St. John the Evangelist and will hold services at St. John the Evangelist. The names of the church buildings will not be changed. THE ROOF will be repaired at Holy Rosary, the church will be boarded up and some of the furnishings will be sold.
44. Weiker, Jim. "Holy Rosary Church and school renovation key to plans on making East Main a 'diamond'". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved 2025-10-30.
45. Daft, Betty (14 January 1979). "Holy Rosary Church is a Victim of Changing Times". The Columbus Dispatch .
46. Steiden, Bill (28 December 1986). "BELLS SUMMON THE PAST AMID HOPES FOR FUTURE". The Columbus Dispatch . Like Bates, they fled the neighborhood as the city expanded after World War II. Highways forging through to Downtown obliterated old streets and cut former residents' ties to the community.
47. Mason, Debra (6 September 1986). "FIVE-DAY REVIVAL ORGANIZED BY CATHOLIC CHURCH". The Columbus Dispatch . That perception is that the church has not been open to blacks or has not adapted its worship style to incorporate Gospel music and revival-style services common in black Protestant churches." "Gribble said the church, as one of four inner-city Catholic parishes with a large black population, also uses Gospel music during worship services and has Afro-American art lining the rectory's walls in an attempt to make blacks feel comfortable in the Catholic church. THE EFFORTS in this congregation appear to be working. Since Gribble arrived at St. John's a year ago, membership has grown by 75 to about 200 people. And Gribble said he is seeing more children and young adults at Mass, a necessary part of a parish if it is expected to thrive.
48. "SPEECHES, MARCH PLANNED TO HONOR KING". The Columbus Dispatch . 15 January 1989.
49. Hoover, Felix (12 January 1993). "Many to March in King's Honor". The Columbus Dispatch .
50. Mason, Debra (15 July 1989). "Racism dispute among Catholics felt here, too". The Columbus Dispatch .
51. "Center Conducts Food Campaign". The Columbus Dispatch . 25 October 1971.
52. Peterson, Kathy (18 July 1985). "FREE PIZZA IS CROWD-PLEASER". The Columbus Dispatch .
53. Pearl, Janet (29 November 1986). "MOTHER HELPS OTHERS IN SAME BOAT". The Columbus Dispatch .
54. Mason, Debra (21 April 1990). "JESUITS MAY ASSUME STAFFING OF URBAN COLUMBUS CHURCH". The Columbus Dispatch .
55. Donald Schlegel (2001). Illustrated History Of The Diocese Of Columbus Donald Schlegel 2001.
56. The official Catholic directory for the year of Our Lord. Boston Public Library. New York : P.J. Kenedy. 2009.
57. Ferenchik, Mark (11 March 2011). "Renovated church glows". The Columbus Dispatch .
58. "Decree of Suppression for Holy Rosary and Saint John" (PDF). columbuscatholic.org. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2025-01-09. Retrieved 2025-10-15.
59. and Nate Tinner-Williams (2023-06-07). "'The diocese has been disingenuous': Holy Rosary & St. John Catholic Church facing closure in Columbus". Black Catholic Messenger. Retrieved 2025-10-28.