St. John's parish has been blessed to have the witness of women religious from the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (I.H.M.) since 1950, when then-Cardinal O'Boyle invited the sisters to serve the people in this area in the newly-established St. John the Evangelist School.  From that point through the 2014-15 academic year, an I.H.M. sister served as the school principal, most notably Sister Kathleen M. Lannak, who led the school for over 30 years.  Currently, we have an I.H.M. Sister teaching Kindergarten in the parish school, another heading the school alumni communications and endowment fund efforts, and another serving as the parish Director of Religious Education.  Other sisters resident in the I.H.M. convent serve in other capacities throughout the Archdiocese of Washington.  

Saint John the Evangelist, the History of the Parish 1774-1984 tells us:  "The Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary were founded by a young French Redemptorist, the Rev. Louis Florent Gillet in 1845 at Monroe, Michigan. At first they were called Sisters of Providence, but as devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary became widespread in this country, the new Sisters wanted to honor Our Lady under the title of her Immaculate Conception. They changed the name of the congregation to Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

Their philosophy in teaching is three-fold: to teach the message of Jesus; to build community; and to serve. They strive to develop the educational skills and creativity of each child, thus leading each one to realize his or her God-given potential. Through the many opportunities for social interaction within the school and parish community, the Sisters further strive to build a conscious awareness of the dignity and value of each person.

Through the years, the Sisters--both as a community and as individuals--have been admired and appreciated by countless St. John's parishioners for their faithful service and care."