There are 3 components of the 25th Anniversary celebrations at St. John XXIII church:

  • Novena Prayer (see below to download)
  • Mission Speaker night, Wednesday, August 27, 6:30pm
  • Mass of Thanksgiving with Reception to follow, Wednesday September 3, 6:30pm.


More details can be found on the flier:

Anniversary Event Details

September 3 is the "main event"  and promises to be a great celebration!  There is much to celebrate.
If you can only do one thing, come to the Mass, celebrate with all the former pastors, celebrate fellowship as a parish at the reception.

If you are able, also come to our mission speakers and join us in the novena!


Any weeknight, 6:30pm, join us for a novena being prayed for the intentions of the parish, followed by the rosary.

Or, print out the novena and pray it at home, on your own or as a household.  This way, we will all meet in prayer as a parish family!


To pray the novena at home, download the necessary pages below:

Coming Soon: days 8-9

  • What is a novena?

    Novenas are a cherished devotional practice in Catholic tradition, consisting of prayers or spiritual exercises repeated for nine consecutive days. Rooted in the Latin word "novem," meaning nine, novenas trace their origins to the 9 days that apostles and Mary spent in prayer between Christ’s Ascension and Pentecost. Each novena is typically dedicated to a particular intention, such as seeking a saint’s intercession or preparing for a feast day. The practice is both communal and deeply personal, inviting the faithful to cultivate perseverance, patience, and trust in God's providence. Whether recited in a church group or in the quiet of one’s home, praying a novena is considered a meaningful way to deepen one’s spiritual life and connect more intimately with God and the communion of saints.

  • Why pray this novena?

    We pray a novena to our patron Saint John XXIII in hopes of drawing inspiration from his compassion, humility, and vision for the Church and the world. As the architect of the Second Vatican Council, his legacy is one of renewal and evangelization.  We pray for the same for our parish.  We seek his intercession for guidance in times of change, for fellowship within our parish family, and for leadership in the greater community.

From the 8/24 bulletin:


To the parishioners of Saint John XXIII,


              Here’s an important task at hand, demanding your attention… you, not just anyone in the parish, but YOU (each and all of you)! I rarely drop the “spiritual father” hammer, but it is warranted.  Do this: I’m asking for prayer, participation, and celebration! As we near our 25th anniversary, engage the three interrelated opportunities of prayer, catechesis, and celebration. All weeknight events start at 6:30pm. Since our joy is sustained in prayer, starting tomorrow we begin a parish-wide novena. We will be praying the Novena—nine days of prayer—each evening leading up to the anniversary mass. Whatever evening you are able to make would be great, but if you don’t join us physically at the Church, join spiritually in prayer. Each day of the novena is going to be available on our website to print out.


 Wednesday, we are hosting a presentation on “the Good Pope” by dynamic speakers with a long devotion to St. John XXIII. Then the big event: the following Wednesday, Sep. 3rd, we are celebrating with high solemnity the Most Holy Eucharist, with all the prior pastors in attendance. A well-considered reception, with catered “heavy hor de oeuvres” will follow—you won’t want to miss out! If sacrifices need to be made in order to come, make them. Put it in your calendar now! Invite others.


              You might be thinking I’m laying it on thick, but I believe this is an essential opportunity to strengthen our bonds as a parish family and so strengthen our relationship with Jesus Christ. I’m not exaggerating, engaging in these events will be good for your soul. This community is not just about meeting our own personal, spiritual needs, but about coming together to experience Christ and then be Christ to the world. This is a remarkable parish community, and I am privileged to be your pastor. Thanks be to God for St. John XXIII, the Good Pope and the Good Parish.


Looking forward to our 25th, yours in Christ,
Fr. Greg