St. John Neumann Catholic Church on Polo Road in northeast Columbia is a Roman Catholic parish of about 2,100 households with English and Spanish worship and a Korean Community Mass. Rooted in the growth of northeast Columbia's Catholic population, it is known for bilingual liturgies, a full sacramental life, extensive formation and service ministries, a parish school and a long-term project to build a new church and hall on the school campus. Its motto, “Striving together to be Christ for our neighbor,” joins worship, family, education and service in a shared mission.
From a Northeast Columbia Mission to a Parish
The church's patron, St. John Neumann, was a Bohemian-born priest, the first Redemptorist to profess vows in the United States and the fourth Bishop of Philadelphia. He established diocesan schools, advanced Catholic education and defended the poor. After his 1860 death and beatification, he was canonized in 1977. That same year, the Diocese of Charleston named its new northeast Columbia parish for him, giving the local community a patron whose life connected education, missionary service and care for people in need.
In 1976, a representative of St. Joseph Church purchased five acres on Polo Road with the authority of Bishop Ernest L. Unterkoefler. The land became a mission of St. Joseph Parish, and Jesuit priest Fr. Bert Connor began the Catholic Community Northeast in Columbia. The first Sunday Mass was celebrated at E. L. Wright Middle School on February 7, 1977. Fr. Thomas M. Gillin, S.J., became the first pastor that June, the community was officially declared a parish in August, and the name St. John Neumann Catholic Church was adopted in December. Nearly 50 families registered during the first months, and more than 200 had registered by the end of that year.
The church building on Polo Road was dedicated in 1979. Its original plan included seating for 600, parking for 125 cars, a nursery, social hall, kitchen and rooms for religious education and group meetings. Portable chairs and movable partitions allowed the worship area to be arranged in sections. St. John Neumann Catholic School was purchased in 1986, and under the 22-year leadership of Fr. Frederick Masad, the parish more than doubled in size while the school became a two-time National Blue Ribbon Award winner.
Mass on Polo Road: English, Spanish and a Korean Community
St. John Neumann's worship life centers on the Eucharist, which the parish describes as the source and summit of Christian life. The regular Mass schedule gives visitors several ways to join the parish:
- Saturday: 5:15 pm.
- Sunday: 8 am, 10 am, 2 pm in Spanish and 5 pm.
- Monday, Tuesday and Friday: 12 pm.
- Wednesday: 10 am in the SJN gym when school is in session.
- Thursday: 12 pm and 7 pm in Spanish.
The Korean Community has an active membership of more than 100 people, and Mass is celebrated for that community at 7 pm on the second and third Sundays of each month. The parish also welcomes adults and families with several languages and cultural backgrounds through its worship, formation, social organizations and service ministries.
Reconciliation is offered Thursday from 6 to 6:45 pm and Saturday from 4 to 5 pm. Eucharistic adoration follows the Thursday noon Mass, with Spanish-language community prayer beginning at 6 pm and Benediction at 6:30 pm. The parish's Catholic teaching is grounded in Scripture and Tradition, and visitors are encouraged to look for the scriptural readings that accompany the Mass.
What a First Visit Looks Like
Clothing should express reverence for the Eucharist, but attire should never stop or slow a person's reception of Communion. The parish frames this as an invitation to approach the sacrament with reverence and without discouragement.
Visitors should use marked parking spaces. Two parking-lot entrances flank the church, with additional spaces behind it. Accessible parking is on the right when facing the church, and the accessible entrance is at the rear through Gillin Hall. Overflow parking is available along the side streets when needed. The church is at 100 Polo Road, while the parish office and mailing office are at 721 Polo Road in the gym building on the school campus.
Children are welcome at the 10 am Sunday Mass. On most Sundays, children through second grade are invited to participate in the Children's Liturgy of the Word. The parish also offers an annual Vacation Bible School program, youth activities, Scouting, Girl Scouts and a Thursday playgroup for Catholic families with young children.
New parishioners may register online or with printed forms in English or Spanish. Registration is the formal way to join the parish community and helps make sacramental preparation, sponsor certificates and donation statements available. An offering is appreciated but never expected, and the parish also welcomes gifts of time and talent. New parishioner registration information is available online, with printed copies in the parish office and church vestibules. Office hours are 9 am to 4 pm Monday through Friday, with Friday hours ending at noon during summer vacation.
Lifelong Formation with Families at the Center
Faith formation at St. John Neumann is intended to promote knowledge of the faith, understanding of liturgical and sacramental life, moral formation in Christ, prayer, service in community and an evangelizing missionary spirit. The parish describes discipleship as a lifelong process in which people learn more about God, love him through liturgy and daily life, and live their faith within families, workplaces, communities and the wider world.
Parents are regarded as the primary educators of their children, so the parish uses a family-centered approach. Parents and children work together in a hybrid program that alternates between in-person and home-based learning. Formation is offered from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade, with additional preparation for high school students who need sacraments. First Reconciliation and First Communion are normally celebrated in second grade, with six family sessions for each sacrament. Confirmation preparation begins in sixth grade, and students must have completed the prior year of religious education or Catholic school.
Adults have several paths for continued formation. My Catholic Faith meets Monday mornings in Gillin Hall, while workshops, book studies, seminars and faith-sharing groups cover a range of subjects. Small Christian Communities usually bring together eight to 12 people for weekly discussion and mutual support, with six-week terms in fall and Advent and during Lent. The parish also offers online learning activities for adults with varied spiritual, religious and cultural interests.
The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults is the main path for adults and older children who want to become Catholic or receive the remaining sacraments of initiation. The process normally takes at least a year and includes prayer, study, questions, spiritual growth and special rites that mark each step. Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist are generally received at the Easter Vigil. Adults who are already baptized and have received First Communion follow a separate Confirmation preparation path.
Formation is paired with careful protection of children and vulnerable adults. Adults and volunteers with access to minors must complete a background screening, sign a Volunteer Code of Conduct, acknowledge the diocesan policy and complete sexual-abuse awareness training before beginning their service.
The Sacraments and Devotions That Shape Parish Life
Baptism is the beginning of Christian initiation. The parish describes it as the point of entry into the life of Christ, forgiveness of sin, adoption as a child of God and membership in the Body of Christ. Because Baptism is not repeated, preparation is arranged at least 60 days before the desired date. Monthly preparation sessions are offered for parents and sponsors, and the parish does not charge a baptismal fee, although families may offer the priest a stipend in thanksgiving.
Reconciliation is described as a healing sacrament involving contrition, confession, the act of penance and absolution. It reconciles a person with the inner self, with other people, with the Church and with all creation. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion also bring the Eucharist to community members who cannot attend Mass because of illness or infirmity.
Communion completes Christian initiation and is the only one of the three initiation sacraments that may be received repeatedly. The parish emphasizes that Communion is the fruit of the Mass and that people are encouraged to receive it while in the state of grace.
Confirmation deepens the spiritual life begun in Baptism and strengthens a person as a witness to Christ in family, neighborhood, society and the world. The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit support that mission. The sacrament is conferred by the bishop or delegate through the laying on of hands and anointing with Sacred Chrism. Youth preparation begins in sixth grade, while baptized Catholics who have already received First Communion may pursue adult Confirmation.
Marriage is both a covenant and a liturgical act. The spouses are the ministers of the sacrament, exchanging their consent before the Church's ministers, witnesses and congregation. The Diocese of Charleston requires preparation to begin at least six months before the wedding date, and the parish uses the Witness to Love mentoring program.
Anointing of the Sick strengthens those who are seriously ill or facing the difficulties of old age. It may be received repeatedly and is celebrated through the priest's laying on of hands, prayer and anointing with blessed oil. Viaticum prepares the dying for the passage from death to life, while visits and Communion accompany the Church's pastoral care of the sick.
The Rite of Christian Funerals proceeds through the Vigil Service, Funeral Liturgy and Rite of Committal, and funerals may also be celebrated with cremated remains. Holy Orders is the sacrament by which bishops, priests and deacons are ordained through the laying on of hands, prayer, investiture and the anointing of their hands.
A New Church Project at the School Campus
Fundraising for a new church began in 2017, and the Time to Build campaign reached its $3 million baseline goal. After diocesan approval, the parish broke ground for a church and hall on the 721 Polo Road school campus, with Bishop Jacques Fabre-Jeune blessing the land. The existing church remains at 100 Polo Road, while the approved design establishes a new worship home connected to the life of St. John Neumann Catholic School.
Distinctive elements of the design include:
- A central tabernacle tower beneath an arch that visually links the public sanctuary with a private chapel for prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. The current tabernacle will be incorporated into the design.
- A large baptismal pool at the church entrance, intended as the place where the parish enters the church and where new Catholics, adults and children are baptized.
- A set of Stations of the Cross carved by Vincent Demetz for Providence Hospital, along with the parish's current Risen Christ, Mary and Joseph figures, which were carved in the same Italian studio.
- An outdoor Way of the Cross using the 16 bronze Stations from the existing church, preserving an important part of the parish's worship in a garden setting.
The Spanish choir has also turned its music into support for the building through the album Cantos para Edificar la Iglesia, with each purchase contributing directly to construction. Support for the project is also accepted through the Time to Build giving program.
Music, Prayer and the Liturgy
Music Ministry Director Linda Mooney directs the Adult Choir and Neumann Kids Choir and plans music for the liturgy. The 10 am Mass Choir sings from mid-August through mid-June and rehearses on Wednesday evenings. The Neumann Kids Choir rehearses Tuesday afternoons and sings for a weekend Mass once a month during the school year. Seasonal Christmas and Holy Week or Easter choirs, cantors and instrumentalists also serve the parish, including a Spanish choir for the 2 pm Sunday Mass.
Music is joined by a full team of liturgical ministers: greeters welcome visitors, readers proclaim Scripture, extraordinary ministers assist with Communion, altar servers assist the celebrant, sacristans prepare the worship space, ushers assist with the flow of the liturgy, and the Altar Guild cares for the vessels and linens. The Art and Environment Committee uses fabric, flowers, design and other arts to create a worship environment that reflects the liturgical season.
Parish devotions include Lectio Divina, the four-stage practice of reading, pondering, praying and resting in God's presence; the Stations of the Cross; the prayer labyrinth; the rosary; and prayer with icons and visual images. The labyrinth is used for prayer on Mondays and Fridays at 12:15 pm. The rosary is also prayed after the Friday noon Mass, while the Spanish ministry leads a walking rosary around the church on Sundays. The parish also gathers in prayer through its Hallow community.
Youth, Families and Community Life
The Youth Ministry exists to gather teenagers into a Catholic community that deepens their relationship with Jesus Christ and prepares them to share the faith. Its goals are to befriend Jesus, be empowered by the Holy Spirit, reveal the beauty of full participation in the liturgy, minister to vulnerable people and study Catholic doctrine, Scripture, moral teaching, prayer and history. The youth group meets most Sunday nights and is supported by adult mentors.
Children and families can enter parish life through several regular programs:
- The annual Vacation Bible School brings together children from kindergarten through fifth grade for Bible stories, prayers, songs, games, crafts, mission projects and Mass.
- SJN Sports Ministry offers basketball for boys and girls in grades 2 through 12 and volleyball for grades 2 through 8.
- Scouting America includes Pack 287 for younger children and Troop 287 for older children and adults, while Girl Scouts sponsors Daisies, Brownies, Juniors and Cadettes.
- The SJN Playgroup gathers Catholic families with young children on Thursday mornings in the Teen Room.
- Young Adults and Jóvenes Adultos welcomes people ages 18 to 35 through a bilingual social gathering in the school cafeteria.
Older adults also have a prominent place in parish life. The Senior Luncheon begins with Mass on the first Thursday of each month and welcomes retired people age 55 and older. The Seniors Activities Group meets twice a month on Monday afternoons for games and fellowship. These opportunities reflect a parish family that draws on people from many places and cultures, with roles for children, teenagers, adults, families and seniors.
Care for Neighbors and Work for Justice
St. John Neumann's outreach combines direct assistance with longer commitments to human dignity, literacy, health and social justice. The Comfort and Caring Ministry reaches parishioners who have suffered the loss of a loved one with sympathy cards, grief support and bereavement programs addressing end-of-life issues.
Crisis Outreach Ministry provides direct assistance, directs resources to charitable organizations and conducts recurring giving-tree and bagging drives. Its work includes:
- Hector's Clothing Closet, located behind the Spring Valley Storage and Business Center at 9005 Two Notch Road, which distributes clean, gently used clothing to women and men in need.
- St. Stephen's Food Pantry, which is part of the ministry's food assistance work.
- Sandwiches for the Homeless, a second-Sunday ministry that prepares sandwiches for residents of Oliver Gospel Mission and other shelters.
- Ready 2 Read, which promotes summer reading for pre-kindergarten through second-grade children and places book bins in Gillin Hall.
The Health Cabinet works with the parish nurse to promote health in the parish and community. The Funeral Luncheon Committee prepares meals and receptions for bereaved families and the community after funeral services.
MORE Justice Ministry places St. John Neumann within the Midlands Organized Response for Equity and Justice, a network of diverse congregations addressing poverty and injustice in the Central Midlands. Its approach combines research, public education, direct action and accountability directed toward institutions and local officials. Respect Life Ministry is dedicated to the sacredness and dignity of human life from conception to natural death. Together, these ministries express the parish motto by bringing the gospel into contact with the needs of neighbors.
Organizations That Weave Neighbors Together
Parish organizations give adults and families many ways to develop friendships, deepen faith and serve the community. They include:
- Knights of Columbus, whose Msgr. Martin C. Murphy Council 6847 welcomes Catholic men and combines business meetings, social meetings, faith, family, charity and patriotism.
- Columbiettes, a Catholic women's organization working alongside the Knights and serving women age 17 and older through charity, fundraising and fellowship.
- Legion of Mary, a lay apostolic organization devoted to prayer, spiritual growth and active outreach, including visits to the homebound and welcome to newcomers.
- Sisterhood of Catholic Spiritual Studies, a monthly gathering for women seeking fellowship, book study and discussion of the saints' lives in families, work and service.
- German Club, which brings German speakers together for conversation and fellowship, and Korean Community, whose active life includes its own Sunday Mass.
- Hospitality and Newcomer Welcoming, including Donut Sunday after the 10 am Mass on the first and third Sundays and monthly receptions designed to welcome newcomers.
- Pastoral Council, Finance Council and Special Events Team, which support the parish's mission, financial stewardship and shared celebrations.
These groups make room for conversation, shared meals, prayer and service while helping parishioners move from participation in parish life into meaningful relationships with one another.
Where Children Experience Success at the Parish School
St. John Neumann Catholic School has been part of the parish since 1986. The school seeks to nurture children academically, spiritually, physically and socially, with the phrase “Where Children Experience Success” expressing its educational aim. Its history as a two-time National Blue Ribbon Award winner is part of the wider story of growth under Fr. Frederick Masad.
The school campus supports worship, formation and community life. Gillin Hall hosts faith formation, adoration, gatherings and receptions; the Teen Room welcomes youth and playgroup activities; the cafeteria hosts the bilingual Young Adults gathering; and the music room supports the Neumann Kids Choir. The gym serves as the parish office location and becomes the setting for Wednesday Mass when school is in session.
School volunteers do not need to have children attending St. John Neumann. Opportunities include facilities, crisis management, finance, community marketing, technology, grants and Catholic identity committees. Parent-school association service includes the auction, uniform exchange, fall festival and Christmas Corner, while general needs include reading with children in the Discovery Center, library assistance, morning carpool service, lunch distribution and Health Room help.
Leadership Rooted in Service
St. John Neumann's clergy and ministry leaders combine pastoral care with responsibility for worship, formation, music and outreach:
- Rev. C. Alexander “Sandy” McDonald, Pastor. A priest of the Diocese of Charleston since 1991, Fr. McDonald has served as pastor of St. John Neumann since 2010. He also speaks Spanish and previously served at St. Joseph in Columbia, Our Lady of Peace in North Augusta and parishes in Clemson, Seneca and Walhalla.
- Rev. Bob Higgins, Parochial Vicar and School Faculty Member. Ordained a transitional deacon in 2004 and a priest in 2005, Fr. Higgins previously served at the parish and returned as parochial vicar in June 2023. He also serves as a school faculty member and speaks Spanish.
- Deacon Enrique Bautista, Pastoral Associate for Hispanic Ministry. Deacon Bautista has worked in the parish office since 2021 and was ordained a deacon in 2023. His ministry centers the parish's Hispanic ministry, and he speaks Spanish.
- Deacon Ron Anderson, Deacon. Ordained in 2002, Deacon Anderson earned a master's degree in theology in 2021. He also serves as a Public Safety Chaplain.
- Deacon Daniel Lowery, Deacon. Ordained in 2013, Deacon Lowery is a retired former college professor and administrator who continues to teach in Saint Meinrad Archabbey's Deacon Formation Program.
- Rhina Medina, Coordinator of Youth Ministry. Medina was born in El Salvador and earned undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of South Carolina. Her background in psychology and social work supports the parish's youth mission and its work with people who are most in need.
- Linda Mooney, Director of Music Ministry. Mooney directs the Adult Choir and Neumann Kids Choir, plans music for the liturgy and serves as a pianist and organist.
- Maria Parre, Coordinator of Adult Faith Formation. Parre joined the parish staff in 2025 after more than a decade of volunteering in adult formation and marriage encounter programs. She oversees a wide network of adult learning and sacramental preparation.
- Verónica Carneiro, Coordinator of Elementary Faith Formation. Carneiro has served at St. John Neumann since 2012 and leads family-centered formation, sacramental preparation and the teams that serve children and families from pre-kindergarten through middle school.
Together, these leaders and the many volunteers who support them embody the parish's founding idea: a Catholic community formed for the people of northeast Columbia and strengthened through worship, education, family life and service. St. John Neumann Catholic Church continues that mission by bringing its people together at the altar, in classrooms and around the needs of the wider community.