Saint John the Baptist Catholic Church

208 Matheson Street
Healdsburg

In 1860, Father Luigi Rossi traveled from Tomales Bay to hold Catholic services in Healdsburg.  Father Rossi was an Italian convert from Judaism whose original name was Abram Rossi.  By 1873, Saint John the Baptist had become a mission.  In 1884, the Parish of Saint John the Baptist was established by Archbishop Joseph Sadoc Alemany of San Francisco.

The parish buildings have been located on the same land since the beginning.  Part of that land was a graveyard, which was moved to another location in 1858.  Several church and rectory buildings have occupied the site.  They were remodeled, moved or demolished as the growing parish required more space.

In 1958, Carl Huneke, Century Stained Glass Studio, San Francisco created about 14 leaded stained glass windows for the old wooden church building. Ten of the Huneke windows were salvaged and installed in the chapel and in the sacristy of the new church.

The new church, designed by architect Thomas H. Fruiht of Santa Rosa, was built in 1965.  John Hogan, Hogan Studios, Los Gatos, created the spectacular Saint John the Baptist window for the new church.  That window, and the decorative cross apertures behind the pews are faceted glass set in concrete.