St. John the Baptist Catholic Church

08/22/2026

🔥🚨 TODAY IS THE DAY! 🚨🔥

The St. John the Baptist Annual Block Party & Car Show is happening TODAY from 10 AM–3 PM! 🎉🏎️

We’ve got a BIG day waiting for you:

🎮 Dellstar VR Mobile Arcade — 10 AM–NOON!
🎣 Reelin’ Family Fishing Fun
🏎️ Tons of cars to check out
🛍️ Local vendor booths
🍖 Delicious food
🎶 Music
🎉 Activities & family fun — and MORE!

Bring the kids, bring your friends, come hungry, and plan to stay awhile! There is truly something for EVERYONE today. ❤️🤍🖤

📅 TODAY — August 22
⏰ 10 AM–3 PM
📍 3616 St. John’s Way, South Bend

🚨 And don’t forget — the Mobile Arcade is only here from 10 AM–NOON, so come early! 🚨

It’s going to be an incredible day at St. John’s. We’ll see you at the BLOCK PARTY! 🙌🎉🏎️

08/21/2026

❤️ It’s Never Goodbye… Just See You Later, Father Patrick Ernst! ❤️

This morning was a bittersweet one at St. John’s as our students and staff gathered to celebrate and thank Father Patrick Ernst for the incredible blessing he has been to our school and parish this summer. 🥹

While Father Augustine has been away, Father Patrick stepped into our St. John’s family and brought with him so much joy, kindness, faith, and love. From spending his summer with us to being here for those precious first days of a brand-new school year, he has truly left his mark on our students, faculty, and staff. Our students have absolutely loved having him in our halls, celebrating Mass with him, talking with him, laughing with him, and simply getting to know the wonderful person behind the collar. ❤️

This morning, our Spartans got the chance to say “thank you” in the sweetest way—with a school-wide poster filled with love from our students and staff and a small gift for him to take along as a reminder of the little school in South Bend that will always be cheering him on.

As Father Patrick spends his final weekend with us before enjoying a little time at home and then beginning his journey back to Europe, we send him with so many prayers for safe travels, wonderful adventures, and countless blessings wherever God leads him next. 🙏

Father Patrick, thank you for choosing to spend this chapter with us. Thank you for the smiles, the laughter, the prayers, the Masses, and the love you poured into our St. John’s family.

A little piece of St. John’s will always travel with you, just as a little piece of you will always remain here with us. ❤️

So this certainly isn’t goodbye…

It’s simply, “See you later, Father Patrick.” 🥹🙏❤️
Once a part of our St. John’s family, always a part of our St. John’s family.

08/19/2026

🚨 THIS SATURDAY — THE BLOCK PARTY IS THE PLACE TO BE! 🚨

We’ve been working hard to make our Block Party & Car Show a day that’s really about bringing our kids, families, parish, and entire community together and we’ve been keeping one pretty exciting surprise under wraps. 🎮👀

A MOBILE ARCADE IS COMING! 🕹️🎮✨

Deacon Summers has been working SO hard on making this special surprise happen, and we’re finally ready to share it. Our kids will get to climb inside a mobile gaming arcade, grab a controller, and play with their friends right in the middle of all the Block Party fun.

And that’s just ONE of the things waiting for you Saturday…

🎈 Tons and tons of activities for the kids
🎮 The Mobile Arcade
🚗 Tons of amazing cars to check out
🍖 Some of the BEST barbecue around
🛍️ So many awesome local vendors
🎉 Games, entertainment, family fun & so much more

Bring the kids, let them play, grab some incredible food, shop our local vendors, check out the cars, and spend the day enjoying everything we have planned.

📅 THIS SATURDAY
⏰ 10:00 AM - 3 PM
📍 St. John the Baptist Catholic School — South Bend

So bring your family, bring your friends, come hungry, and make sure the kids are ready to have some FUN. ❤️🤍🖤

Saturday is going to be a BIG day at St. John’s.

08/17/2026

🚗🏁 Our St. John the Baptist Car Show is THIS SATURDAY! 🏁🚗

We are so excited to welcome our parish family and community to St. John’s for a wonderful day of cars, food, fellowship, and family fun! ❤️

We already have tons of vehicles planning to join us, along with some of our favorite local vendors, delicious food, music, a 50/50 raffle, trophies & awards, and plenty of fun for the whole family.

Whether you have a vehicle to show off or simply want to come walk around, grab something delicious to eat, and enjoy the afternoon with our St. John’s community — we would love to have you!

📅 Saturday, August 22
⏰ 10 AM–3 PM
📍 St. John the Baptist Catholic Church
3616 St. Johns Way, South Bend

✨ Admission is FREE!
🚘 $5 to enter a vehicle — ALL vehicles are welcome!

Invite your family, bring your friends, and help us fill the St. John’s grounds for a beautiful day together. We can’t wait to see our parish and community come together! ❤️🙏🏁

🏁🚗 ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST CATHOLIC CHURCH CAR SHOW! 🚗🏁

Join us for an exciting day of classic cars, community fun, food, and fellowship at the St. John the Baptist Catholic Church Car Show!

📅 Saturday, August 22, 2026
⏰ 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
📍 3616 St. Johns Way, South Bend, IN 46628

‼️All vehicles welcome‼️
• Trophies & awards given 🏆
• Music & food 🎶🌭
• Vendors 🛍️
• 50/50 raffle 🎟️
• Family-friendly fun for everyone
• FREE admission for spectators!

🚘 Vehicle Entry Fee: $5.00

📧 To register your vehicle, email: [email protected]

Bring your family and friends for a great day of cars, community, and celebration we can’t wait to see you there!

08/12/2026

✝️ What a beautiful way to begin a new school year together in the presence of Christ. ❤️

Today, our students and staff gathered for our first all-school Mass of the year, filling our church once again with young voices in prayer, song, and worship.

There is something incredibly special about seeing our pews filled with our students and knowing that before the lessons, activities, and memories of this year unfold, we begin where everything should begin with God.

We pray that the Lord walks beside each of our students and staff throughout this school year, guiding their hearts, strengthening their faith, and reminding them each day that they are deeply loved and wonderfully made.

May God bless our students, our teachers, our families, and this beautiful school year ahead. 🙏❤️

What a blessing it is to have our Spartans gathered around His table once again. ✝️

08/11/2026

⛪️ A FRIENDLY REMINDER TO OUR ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST PARISH FAMILY! ⛪️

With our students returning tomorrow, we want to remind everyone of an important change to our weekday Mass schedule.

Beginning this week:

🙏 Tuesday Mass — 8:00 a.m.
🙏 Thursday Mass — 8:00 a.m.

Please note that this is a change from our previous 9:00 a.m. Mass time on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Moving Mass to 8:00 a.m. allows our students to continue beginning these days gathered with our parish community around the altar, while also allowing the school to meet new state requirements for instructional time in each subject.

We are so grateful for the flexibility and support of our parish family as we make this transition! ❤️

And as our students head back tomorrow, we ask our entire parish to keep them, their families, teachers, and staff in your prayers as they begin a brand-new school year. May the Lord bless our classrooms, our parish, and all those who walk through the doors of St. John the Baptist! 🙏

We look forward to seeing you at 8:00 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays! ⛪️❤️

08/04/2026

🎉 Happy Birthday, Deacon Summers! 🎉

Today we joyfully celebrate a man whose servant’s heart, steadfast faith, and love for Christ continue to bless our St. John the Baptist family every single day.

Deacon Summers faithfully reminds us what it means to live a life rooted in humility, compassion, and service. Whether he’s proclaiming God’s Word, offering a kind smile, sharing words of encouragement, or walking alongside our students, families, and parishioners, his presence is a true gift to our community.

We are incredibly grateful for the example he sets through his unwavering faith and dedication to serving God’s people. We thank him daily for answering God’s call and for helping lead others grow closer to Christ through his witness.

Please join us in wishing Deacon Summers a very happy birthday! May the Lord bless him abundantly in the year ahead with good health, endless joy, renewed strength, and countless reminders of how deeply he is loved and appreciated.

“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you.” — Numbers 6:24–25💙🙏

08/01/2026

🎉🎂 Happy Birthday, Father Augustine! 🎂🎉

Today, the St. John the Baptist family is blessed to celebrate the birthday of our incredible Priest, Father Augustine!

We are so grateful for Father Augustine and the countless ways he blesses our parish and school each day. His joyful spirit is contagious, his infectious laugh brings smiles wherever he goes, and his genuine love for our community is felt by everyone who has the privilege of knowing him. He has a remarkable way of making people feel welcomed, encouraged, and reminded of God’s love!

As we celebrate this special day, we also lift Father Augustine up in prayer.

Heavenly Father, we thank You for the gift of Father Augustine and for his faithful “yes” to Your call. Continue to bless him with abundant joy, good health, wisdom, peace, and strength for the year ahead. Renew his spirit when he grows weary, surround him with Your love and protection, and fill his heart with the same hope and joy that he so generously shares with others. May the Holy Spirit continue to guide his ministry, and may the Blessed Mother watch over him each day. Grant him many more years of faithful service, abundant blessings, and the knowledge that he is deeply loved and appreciated by the St. John the Baptist family. Amen.

Please join us in wishing Father Augustine a very happy birthday! May God continue to bless him today and always. 🎉🙏❤️

07/07/2026

📚✏️ A New School Year Brings New Beginnings!

As we prepare to welcome another wonderful school year, we’re also making a few adjustments to better support our students and teachers.

To help implement Indiana’s new educational standards and maximize valuable classroom instructional time, our weekday Mass schedule will be slightly adjusted.

Beginning August 12th:
⛪ Tuesday and Thursday Masses will begin at 8:00 AM.

Monday, Wednesday, and Friday Masses will remain at their regular times.

Thank you for your understanding and continued support of our school and parish community. We look forward to another blessed year of faith, learning, and growing together!