The church of St. John was built out of the desire by the Archdiocese of Oregon to provide a means by which Catholic’s who cut wood and skiers using the Mt. Hood Forest would be able to meet their duty of attending Mass on Sundays, and was to be serviced by Benedictine priests from the Mt. Angel Abbey.
A one-acre piece of property was donated by Mrs. Honora Murphy, the aunt of Abbot Bernard Murphy O.S.B. of Mt. Angel, from her ranch called Ilo Ilo in Welches, Oregon. The Holy Name Society was given the task of raising the money needed to build the chapel. The chapel was designed by William Laing of Portland and constructed by J.L. Sheasgreen of Portland.
On July 18, 1926 the new St. John Chapel was blessed by the Rt. Referend A. Hildebrand, Administrator of the Archdiocese, and Fr. Bonaventure O.S.B., was named as the pastor. It was to be a mission of St. Michael’s in Sandy. The Chapel met the needs of the approximately 40 families living in the area and the many visitors wanting to attend Mass on Sundays.
In 1937 the chapel collapsed from the weight of heavy snow and rain. The new chapel was built by John Steiner and was blessed by Archbishop Howard on September 6, 1937. Fr. Martin Doherty, pastor of St. Aloysius was named as pastor of St. John, and it became a mission of St. Aloysius in Estacada and would remain there until 1952 when it was transferred back to St. Michael in Sandy.
At times during these years there were two masses said in the summer months on Sundays and during the winter one mass at 8:30 am.
The log cabin church served the mountain community until 1971 when Highway 26 was widened to four lanes and took 16 feet of property from the church. Due to land use laws the church had to be relocated. It was too costly for the church to be moved by the Archdiocese and was sold to the Mt. Players, a local theatrical group. Eventually the Mt. Players sold the former church. In 1979 the new owners applied for and received historical landmark status for the log cabin from the Oregon Historical Commission.
A new church was built at its present location on Woodsey Way. The stained glass windows and log pews had been removed from the log cabin church and placed in the new church where they remain today. The “third” version of St. John was blessed by Archbishop Dwyer on June 9, 1972. Fr. Gimpl from St. Michael in Sandy was named as the priest, administrator.
Over the years, St. John has been a home for Lutherans and Episcopalians living on the mountain. Ties between St. John and St. Michael continued and it wasn’t until 1997 that St. John received its own administrator, Fr. Robert Palladino. He served St. John until his retirement in 2007. It was during this time that the “in the Woods” was added to the name St. John. It came from Fr. Jack Krall who used the phrase when describing the whereabouts of the church to friends and colleagues.
In 2007, St. John renewed its relationship with St. Michael’s and Fr. Pat Walsh held services until his retirement in 2012. Today we are blessed to have Fr. Gregg Bronsema be a part of the St. John Family.
St. John has changed over the years thanks to talents and sacrifices of its leaders, their friends and the members of the congregation. But what hasn’t changed is the caring and kind people who make up the membership of this special church.
1926 – 1935 Fr. Notker O.S.B.
Fr. Bonaventure O.S.B.
Fr. Raphael O.S.B.
Fr. Hilary O.S.B.
1935 – 1939 Fr. Doherty
1939 – 1940 Fr. Ready
1940 – 1943 Fr. Cowder
1943 – 1953 Fr. Deplanche
1953 – 1958 Fr. Fritz
1958 – 1966 Fr. Jackson
1966 – 1968 Fr. Cormier
1968 – 1973 Fr. Gimpl
1943 – 1975 Fr. Batory
1975 – 1978 Fr. Arata
1978 – 1984 Fr. Gimpl
1984 – 1994 Fr. Rodrigues
1994 – 1995 Fr. Dare
1995 – 1997 Fr. Mayo
1997 – 2007 Fr. Palladino
2007 – 2012 Fr. Walsh
2012 – 2016 Fr. Dominic
2016 - 2018 Fr. Manuel Becerra
2018 - Fr. Gregg Bronsema