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Today Catholics observe the martyrdom of St. John the Baptist. Learn more about it on the Radio Family Rosary program starting tonight at 6:30 p.m. on KXXT 1010AM. The program is also aired online.

Catholics should know at least the basics about Jesus’ cousin and herald who was steadfast in his vocation and was ultimately beheaded. How much do you know about the Laveen parish named in his honor?

St. John Indian festival. (2007 Catholic Sun archive)

St. John the Baptist Parish in Laveen

• Franciscan priests from St. Mary’s in Phoenix built and dedicated a chapel to St. John the Baptist in 1897 on the Gila River Reservation. A school was opened in 1899 and was, at one time, a boarding school.
• Became a “mission” in 1910. A fire destroyed most of the church in 1922, but it was rebuilt and became a parish Oct. 27, 1950.
• The school served all grades beginning in 1943 until the high school portion closed in 1975. The remainder of the school closed in 1990 due to financial strain and low enrollment. Vandals burned down most of the school buildings over the years.
• The church is the mother parish to four Native American Missions. Deacon James Trant serves as parish life coordinator with Franciscan Father Dale Jamison the canonical pastor.