St. John's Marks 125-Year Milestone in Center Moriches

A beacon of light and resilience in the Center Moriches community for 125 years, the Parish of St. John the Evangelist is celebrating its quasquicentennial this year with a special mass June 17th at 5 p.m.

“What an incredible milestone to celebrate,” said the church’s Pastor, Reverend Patrick M. Riegger, who shared some of the esteemed institution’s long history. “The roots of our parish go back to the mid-1870's, according to the records of the Dioceses of Brooklyn, which at the time included Long Island,” the Pastor noted. Its first Mass was celebrated in 1898.

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“Since that time our parish has experienced tremendous growth both spiritually and socially and whose faith has served to grow our parish community,” he continued. “Together we have made St. John's a strong and loving place to worship as well as a beacon of light and resilience in the Center Moriches community.”

Inspired by its patron, St. John the Evangelist, one of the 12 Apostles of Jesus, the Roman Catholic Church seeks to “bring the light of Christ to a world in need, so that as Christ has done, we may also do,” it says in its mission statement. “From the celebration of the Eucharist, we are sent forth to serve God and neighbors through ministries of formation, education and outreach.”

Brookhaven Supervisor Edward Romaine, a congregant since moving to the area 44 years ago, said the parish is like an extended family. “You go to the services and you know everybody,” he said. “It’s wonderful to be part of it; you really have a sense of belonging to something special.”

Reverend Riegger likened the beginnings of the church to a mustard seed, starting out very small and growing to the vibrant parish it is today. “We’re celebrating 125 years of parish ministry and parish life, six generations of the faithful who have built this church to what it is today, a faith-filled community here in small town America.”

A future bishop of the Roman Catholic Church, Robert Eric Guglielmone, began his early education at Saint John’s after he moved with his family from New York to Mastic Beach in 1949. He went to first grade at the elementary school where many local children attended before heading off to the Catholic Mercy High school in Riverhead. As part of the 125th Anniversary, the church has invited back some of its former priests to conduct various masses.

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Now holding services in a spacious, cathedral-like setting, the parish endured some controversy when the Diocese decided to replace the church that had served the community for more than a century with a larger facility. In building the new church, leaders kept the stunning stained-glass panels of the historic church, along with its altar, which had come from St. Augustine’s in Brooklyn. The new church, opening its doors in 1999, also retained a beloved chapel, Baptismal fonts and stations of the cross, a priority of those who wanted to keep the old church in remembrance. Another challenge was faced when the church suffered significant damage in 2017 by a man who committed suicide after setting a fire in the building.

“As we reflect on our past with gratitude, our present with appreciation and to the future we look with great hope, we ask for your continued support during this period of celebration,” Reverend Riegger said in a message to the community. The Pastor is celebrating an anniversary himself, one year since he came over from Infant Jesus in Port Jefferson where he served for 12 years. “The anniversary has personally helped me come to know the parish during the year, writing bulletins about it, getting to know the history,” he said. “It was a nice way to begin my term.”

To recognize its amazing milestone, St. John's is producing a commemorative journal to serve as a keepsake. For more information, call or email St. John's at History@sjem.org.