St. John the Baptist Parish is unusual in the Rockville Centre diocese. Territorially huge, it takes in an area which is bordered by the Long Island Sound on the north, and includes Wildwood State Park; by St. Mark’s Parish, Shoreham, in the west; south to Ridge, including the Brookhaven National Laboratories, and east to Manorville and a portion of Calverton.

Because of the geographic scope of the boundaries, St. John the Baptist is a mother church, serving a mission within its area -- Sts. Peter and Paul in Manorville. The Rev. John P. Vitsas has been the pastor since February 1973.

The number of year-round Catholic families is relatively small, about 600. But in summer, the numbers better than double. The summer people are those who have come year after year to cottages which they own. They bring stability, and support the parish in every way.

Religious education of the children has been of prime concern for many years, and its evolution has been unique. Father Crowley introduced the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine program after his coming. Before that, Mrs. Dorothy Magnani taught classes for the young children in Manorville, the priest instructed at Wading River, and some parents took their children to the nuns at Little Flower for pre-Communion and pre-Confirmation instructions. In Father Crowley’s and Father Madden’s time, elementary level classes were taught by lay women in Wading River, Manorville, and Shoreham. The priests taught the high school students. When enrollment became too large, religious instructions were given in the Little Flower school facility. Since the Fall of 1973, Wading River children have been taught by lay people in the various facilities on St. John’s property, and Manorville children at Sts. Peter and Paul. As of last Fall, 1974, Sister Renata has given direction to the CCD program as its coordinator. This year will see the program materialize in a building especially designed to accommodate it and other relevant parish functions.

Interestingly enough, records from 1974 show 58 baptisms in that one year and 18 marriages. From a small, rural parish of less than 50 Catholic families in 1912, St. John’s parish has grown, divided, and developed to twelve times its original size, and still has not reached saturation!

The parish is grateful to the Rev. Frederick R. Lerner, a retired priest; the Rev. John T. Fagan, the director of Little Flower House of Providence; and all the clergy who have helped the parish over the years.