About Our Parish

Blessed John XXIII Catholic Parish was founded July 1, 2005, taking the late Pope John XXIII as its patron.

Like “Good Pope John,” this parish exudes warmth, kindness, and welcome to all. Located in rural Wood County, its mission is to gather those who are seeking a fuller relationship with the Lord, create a caring Catholic community, and send each other forth in service.

Areas of emphasis for the parish are an inviting liturgy that inspires and a faith formation process that includes people at every age. Key words to guide parishioners are: Reverence for God’s presence and all God’s creation, including one another; an on-going Invitation to those who are seeking and those who are struggling; Hospitality and a spirit of inclusion as community is built; and Outreach as we look beyond ourselves to all in the community and the world.

Everyone is welcome to attend Blessed John XXIII Parish. Membership registration forms are available at all Masses.

Diocesan Press Releases

These press releases are available as PDF (Portable Document Format) files for download. You will need the Adobe Reader to view these files.

DIOCESE ANNOUNCES NEW PARISH IN WOOD COUNTY

BLESSED JOHN XXIII CATHOLIC PARISH PLANS FIRST MASS

About Our Patron

The late Pope John XXIII was beatified by Pope John Paul II in the year 2000, receiving the title “Blessed.” With that, the man who began life as a peasant with the name Angelo Roncalli, moved one step closer to being canonized. (When that happens, our parish name will change to Saint John XXIII.)

Angelo was one of thirteen children in a poor family from Sotto il Monte (meaning “under the mountain”), a small town in northern Italy. Very good-natured and quite intelligent, Angelo was drawn to the priesthood at an early age.

When he was elected pope in 1958 at the age of 76, most people felt that he would be an interim pope, simply filling the position for a few years until his death, not causing many waves in the church.

However, Pope John XXIII shocked the world by calling for an ecumenical council, which was eventually known as the second Vatican Council. It was John’s wish that the church offer a message of hope and direction to the world. He also felt the Catholic Church needed to review itself and be “updated” in areas of Liturgy, Inter-church activity, the role of the laity, and more.

The council began October 11, 1962, with bishops from throughout the world in attendance. They would convene in Rome for four consecutive years, each fall for several months. It was an incredible undertaking. Sadly, Pope John XXIII only saw the first of the sessions. He died June 3, 1963. Our parish received the name Blessed John XXIII on June 3, 2005.

In “Journal of a Soul,” his personal reflections through the years, he wrote, “My soul is open before you like a blank sheet of paper. Write on it what you will, O Lord: I am Yours.” We, John XXIII Parish, say the same thing: “Write on our soul what you will, O Lord. We are yours.”