Until recent years, Calvert County was a rural area with dusty narrow roads, acres of planted fields, and far from everything. Although Southern Maryland was the first part of the original thirteen colonies to be settled by Roman Catholics (as early as 1634), Catholicism in Calvert County had a long and difficult path to follow. By 1706 there were 3,611 people living in our county but only 48 were Catholics.
Father Maurice B. Alexander, pastor of Our Lady Star of the Sea in Solomons, started our parish as a mission in the late 1920’s. In 1937 our Church was built. Following Father Alexander’s death in 1946, a succession of short term pastors served both Our Lady Star of the Sea and the Prince Frederick mission. In 1965, we became an independent parish with 100 families and Father Naughton as our first pastor.
St. John Vianney Parish has progressed from a mission church to a rapidly growing community requiring larger facilities. In 1990, we celebrated our twenty-fifth anniversary. Several years before then we became a tithing parish and through tithing we have witnessed many blessings and a strengthening of our growing faith. God has blessed us with much growth and change.
The son of a small farmer, Jean-Marie Vianney was born near Lyons, France on May 8, 1786. At age 20, he started his studies for the priesthood. During Lent in 1807, Jean-Marie received the sacrament of Confirmation. He chose the Confirmation name "John Baptist" after his favorite saint. Jean-Marie was ordained August 12, 1815.
In 1818, Jean-Marie was made the parish priest of Ars, a small sleepy village France. Today, Ars is known over the world for this priest, a "model of goodness."
For more than thirty years, Ars was a place of pilgrimage for people from all over France. They came and waited two or three days to go to confession to the Curé . They went back home with new courage and hope.
Jean Marie Baptiste Vianney was the parish priest of Ars for forty-one years. He died on August 4, 1859. Eighty six years later he was canonized by Pius XI, and in 1929 he was declared the principal patron saint of parish priests throughout the world.
1903 Rev. John McNamara was named pastor of St. Francis de Sales, Benedict. He served the areas of Benedict, Solomons, and Prince Frederick.
1920 Rev. Maurice B. Alexander became the first pastor of Our Lady Star of the Sea, Solomons. He also celebrated Mass in Prince Frederick until 1938.
1937 The cornerstone was laid for the new church in Prince Frederick under the patronage of St. John Vianney, Patron of Parish Priests.
1938 Mass was celebrated for the first time in the new church.
1965 Archbishop Patrick O’Boyle designated St. John Vianney as a parish and appointed Father Joseph Naughton as the first pastor.
1966 Present rectory was purchased.
1979 Parish Center (Vianney Room) was built.
1990 Parishioners observe the 25th Anniversary of the canonical establishment of St. John Vianney Parish.
1993 New wing on Parish Center was built which contains the parish office, classrooms and a library. The entry foyer was capped with a square cupola to reflect the waterfront areas of our community. It is symbolic of the church’s role in being a guiding light to those who live in the community.
1995 The adult religious education program, Pathways, began.
1996 Christian Beginnings, the parish pre-school, along with a playground was established. A new porch and arbor were added to the Church along with additions to the Church’s Community Room including a handicapped bathroom and a kitchenette.
1997 A Catholic cemetery was established on the Church grounds. The parish assisted with the establishment of a crisis pregnancy center, Birthright, and a homeless shelter, ECHO.
2002 Dedication of new church.
2006 Safe Nights program started.
2007 Completed church basement build out.
2008 Started Nicaragua housing program.
2010 Parish became debt free.
2011 Vianney Room renovation and expansion completed.
2014 Expanded cemetery to area along Main Street with a second columbarium.