• 14 April 1952 : Cardinal Francis Spellman, Archbishop of New York, dedicates the new church of St. John the Evangelist, which becomes a mission church of St. Mary Mother of God in Wytheville VA. At the time, southwest Virginia including Smyth County is part of the Diocese of Wheeling WV. Rev. John O'Reilly (1), was at the time Pastor of St. Mary.
• 1954: Rev. John Park (2), is appointed Pastor of St. Mary.
• 1961: Rev. Andrew Heaney (3), is appointed Pastor of St. Mary.
• 1967: Rev. John Fahey (4), is appointed Pastor of St. Mary.
• 1974: Rev. Norman Murphy (5), is appointed Pastor of St. Mary.
• 4 June 1974 : Bishop Walter F. Sullian is appointed 11th Bishop of Richmond.
• 28 May 1974 : Southwest Virginia parishes are transferred from the Diocese of Wheeling WV to the Diocese of Richmond VA.
• 10 December 1974: Rev. Daniel Bain, (6) is appointed Pastor of St. John the Evangelist Church in Marion and the mission church in Abingdon.
• April 1975 : The Abingdon church community takes the name Christ the King. 
• 28 February 1983: Rev. Carl DeSouza, is appointed Administrator.
• 7 May 1983 : Dedication of new Christ the King Church in Abingdon.
• 31 May 1983: Rev. Carl DeSouza (7), is appointed Pastor.
• 29 May 1985 : Rev. Leo Cervantes (8), is appointed Pastor.
• 26 August 1988 : Rev. Kenneth Stofft, is appointed Administrator.
• 30 May 1989 : Rev. Robert Krenik (9), is appointed Pastor.
• 1 September 2003 : Rev. Paul Maier (10), is appointed Pastor. During his tenure he moves his residence to Abingdon.
• 1 July 2012: Rev. Francis Xavier Musolooza (11), is appointed Pastor.
• 1 August 2022: Rev. Rolo B. Castillo (12), is appointed Pastor.​

Welcome to St. John the Evangelist Parish in Smyth County VA! We are a Christian community of Roman Catholics in union with Pope Francis and Bishop Barry C. Knestout, Bishop of the Richmond Diocese. We belong to Deanery 14 (Southwest Virginia) under the leadership of Very Rev. Christopher Hess, pastor of St. Anne in Bristol.

I am grateful for your warm welcome and I look forward to serving the people of St. John in Marion and Christ the King in Abingdon as Pastor for many years to come.

I am the 4th of 7 children. I have 5 brothers and 1 sister. My parents, Flor & Roberto, live in Virginia Beach. I completed my seminary studies at the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus OH and was ordained a priest on 31 May 1992. This year I celebrate 30 years of ordained ministry, 25 of which I have spent in the Diocese of Richmond VA. I have served as pastor at St. Francis of Assisi in Rocky Mount, Resurrection in Moneta, Holy Infant in Elkton, Shepherd of the Hills in Quinque, and St. John the Evangelist in Waynesboro.