In November 1957, St. Mary Magdalen Parish was established by decree of Most Reverend Thomas Conolly. The new parish, which took in the southern parts of Immaculate Conception Parish (founded in 1904) and Our Lady of Perpetual Help (founded in 1892), was an extensive area south of the then Everett City limits (52nd St.). St. John Mukilteo, designated as a mission in 1921, retained the status, but was now served by St. Mary Magdalen Parish.

With Fr. William Lane appointed our first pastor, the first Mass of the new parish was held in Madison School on the first Sunday of Advent in 1957, with 550 people in attendance. In May 1958, the location of Sunday Masses was changed to Emerson School, directly across 7th Avenue from the present 12-acre parish site. The ground was blessed on the first Sunday of Advent in 1959; the first Mass in the new Church was celebrated August 15, 1960; and the Church and School were dedicated on Sunday, October 23, 1960.

The Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary agreed to staff the school, which opened with six grades on September 7, 1960. Our school now provides a quality Catholic education for students kindergarten through 8th grade. The present convent was built in 1963 and the rectory in 1968. The convent now serves as the parish offices.

In the past 37 years, there have been many changes. Our Parish Community has grown and will continue to grow. We have been very fortunate to have dedicated parishioners, who give their time and talent to help the parish staff facilitate parish programs. The blessings God has bestowed on St. Mary Magdalen and St. John still live today in our parish.

We have been blessed with many dedicated priests in our years (see section below).

From 1908 - 1915, the Catholic Community worshiped in a building on 2nd Street of Mukilteo. The Mission was attended to by the chaplain of Providence Hospital, in Everett. Stations of the Cross were erected in 1911 by Father O’Donnell, chaplain at that time.

In 1916, the Mission became attached to Perpetual Help, in Everett.

In 1919, a new chapel was built. Father Leo Hansen said the first Mass on Christmas Eve. The church was built with the help of a $500 grant from Mary C. Mahoney in addition to the help of the entire congregation. There was no debt at its completion.

From 1923 through 1926, Saint John’s congregation was served by priests from Saint Martin’s Abbey in Olympia.

In 1927, Father Thomas Ford was the celebrant.

From 1928 to 1932, Father Edmund Long was the priest; he walked each Sunday to church from his home – the McNab Hogland house which, at the time, was an Ursuline convent.

The Mission also opened its doors to the greater Mukilteo community in times of need. When the original Rosehill School burned down in 1928, their classes were held at Saint John’s as well as Hawthorn Hall, now the Boys and Girls Club.

In 1936, Saint John’s became attached to Immaculate Conception Parish in Everett. Father William Fitzgerald was pastor until the early 1950’s.

In early 1940’s, Saint John’s children received their catechism instruction in the basement as well as homes of parishioners, attended by the Sisters at Immaculate Conception.

Father Thomas Bennan was chaplain at Saint John’s as well as Paine Field.

In 1952, the house next door to Saint John’s was purchased by the community.

When, in 1957, Saint Mary Magdalen Parish in Everett was founded, its territory encompassed Saint John’s in Mukilteo, thus making it a Mission of the parish, as it remains today.