About Us 

Our four churches are made up of people from all walks of life and from many different nations. We love diversity and we love to see new people.

We really hope that you will feel right at home at any of the four churches in our Parish, St Bede, St John Boste, Our Blessed Lady Immaculate & Our Lady Queen of Peace.

How We Became the Parish of St John XXIII 

Washington Parish was founded from St Michael's Houghton le Spring in 1864 the Church was built and dedicated to Our Blessed Lady Immaculate in 1878. 

Washington was designated as a New Town in July 1964 and as the population increased new churches were needed, St Bede's, Usworth was built in 1965 and St John Boste, Oxclose in 1980. 

The three Washington churches became a cluster in 2002 and eventually amalgamated with our Lady Queen of Peace which covers the area of Penshaw and Shiney Row. The four churches became a single parish and took the name of St John XXlll at 10 am on 27 April 2014 when Pope Francis canonised Pope John XXIII & Pope John Paul II. 

We share priests and work closely with our partner church St Joseph's, Birtley.

We are also part of the Partnership of Benedict and our member churches are:

Our Blessed Lady Immaculate, Washington

Our Lady Queen of Peace, Penshaw

St Bede, Sacriston

St Bede, Washington

St Cuthbert, Chester-Le-Street

St John Boste, Washington

St Joseph, Birtley