Father John T. Dewan

(1933 - 1989)

Father Dewan was born August 11, 1933 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He attended Catholic elementary school there for eight years at St. Ludwig’s. In 1948 Father Dewan entered the seminary, The Pontifical College Josephinum, in Columbus, Ohio. He remained at the Josephinum for High School, College and Theology and was ordained a priest on May 21, 1960 by Cardinal Vagnozzi.

Father Dewan's first assignment in the Archdiocese of Washington was at Our Lady of Victory in June 1960. In September 1961, he was assigned to the faculty of Cathedral Latin School with residence at St. Michael's in Silver Spring. He remained at Cathedral Latin School for the total life of the school. From 1960 to 1964 he was a full time graduate student at Catholic University, at the same time he was teaching and doing priestly duties at St. Michael's.

Father Dewan was sent in residence to St. Columba In Oxon Hill In September l968. At the c1osing of Cathedral Latin School, he became an assistant at St. Columba Parish and in 1980 he became Pastor.

In addition, Fr. Dewan spearheaded the renovation of the St. Columba Catholic Church’s parish hall into the parish church, beginning in May 1982.  Pledging began in January 1983, and approval of the plans by the Archbishop in April 1983.

Ground breaking was 5 June 1983, but it was a long time before things took shape.  The first thing built was the added wing to the school building that was the now Dewan Hall, with a computer room (now the 7th grade), library, science room, kitchen, bathrooms, and several small rooms, plus the hall itself.

The parish moved into the hall 16 June 1985 for Masses while the old parish hall was gutted and renovated to become the new parish church.  It was finished on 27 April 1986 and dedicated 25 May 1986.

Father Dewan died on May 4, 1989.