St. John Vianney Parish
History
Originally a mission church of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in St. Petersburg, St. John Vianney opened in 1937 to provide a place of worship for the 50 catholic families in the communities on the barrier islands. Located at 87th Ave. and Blind Pass Rd., the original building was called the “Little Church” and seated 150 people. In 1948, this church officially became a parish church and received its current name: St. John Vianney Catholic Church.
Postcard picturing the church auditorium. Postmarked November 14th, 1951.
Our Lady of Fatima Grotto pictured on a postcard. Dated in the 1960's.
Postcard picturing aerial view of church. Postmarked February 21st, 1983.
The “Little Church” continued to grow, and a larger church was built in the current location of 82nd Ave and Blind Pass Rd. Even this new building couldn’t keep up with the growth, especially with increasing numbers of seasonal tourists. A Ringling Brothers circus tent needed to be purchased for Easter Sunday of 1950, in order to shelter all who attended. The current church building seating 1,550 was completed and held its first mass on Easter Sunday, 1963. Today, even with this larger building, the community continues to grow. At Easter time, a circus tent is still needed to accommodate the large numbers of people attending mass.
Community involvement and impact
There is no doubt that St. John’s has impacted the Gulf Beaches Community immensely. For practicing Catholics, attending Sunday mass is highly revered, and many Catholics take proximity to a Catholic Church into consideration when choosing a location for residence. Additionally, St. John Vianney Catholic School opened in 1951 on site of the parish and gave parents in the community the option of sending their children to a local Catholic School. The parish has many ministries that serve not only the parish community, but also the St. Pete Beach Community at large. One ministry is the Legion of Mary which, among other programs, visits nursing homes to provide fellowship, pray with the residents, and arranges the meal for Pinellas Hope once a month. The parishioners also donate food and money to the Church’s St. Vincent DePaul Society Chapter that serves the needs of many homeless individuals and those struggling financially in the community. There are many more ministries that are discussed in depth in the oral history interview below.
Our Lady of Fatima Grotto
The entrance of St. John's Church
A welcoming sign hanging outside the church
Statue of St. John Vianney speaking with child
In the same way that the church has a big impact on the Gulf Beaches Community, the community also has a big impact on the on the church. The church has about 3,500 families in their data base, but only about 2,000 of those families are year-round parishioners. The parishioners that are not year round include seasonal residents, or "snow-birds," and those that visit the area to see family or as tourists. During the times when the seasonal population is present, the church has a greater participation in its ministries and in the mass. There are also more financial donations during this time, which aids the church greatly. This creates more work for the parish, but it is well worth it. Much like the Gulf Beaches community as a whole, the demographic of the parish is mostly individuals of retirement age; however, parishioners have noticed more participation and attendance of middle aged parishioners. For the younger parishioners, the parish provides many opportunities to learn about and grow in their faith, offering biweekly youth nights and opportunities to attend summer camps.
Joanne Tomassi is the parish manager at St. John Vianney Catholic Church and has been a member of the parish since she was two years old. She attended St. John Vianney Catholic School, and has participated in many ministries at the parish over the years. In this interview, Tomassi shares the history of St. John Vianney Catholic Church and the changes it has gone through over the years from her first-hand perspective as a member of the community. She explains the parish's impact on the community and how being a member of this parish has impacted her life for the better. Her interview and transcript are now available.
