News at St. Catherine's

Rev. Johan Johnson Named School Chaplain

Rev. Dr. Johan Johnson as our next School Chaplain beginning in the 2023-2024 school year.
A Letter from Head of School Cindy Trask:


Dear St. Catherine’s Families,

As you may remember, Rev. Amelia Arthur joined St. Catherine’s to serve as our Interim Chaplain for the 2022-2023 school year. Rev. Arthur, who also serves as the Associate for Formation and Parish Life at St. James’s Episcopal Church, has quickly become a trusted part of our school community. We are tremendously grateful for her service and leadership this school year. 

Beginning last fall, we conducted an extensive search to recruit our next School Chaplain. This is an important role for St. Catherine’s, serving as a member of the JK-12 leadership team, overseeing schoolwide worship services and helping coordinate pastoral care within our community. 

Today, we are thrilled to announce the appointment of Rev. Dr. Johan Johnson as our next School Chaplain beginning in the 2023-2024 school year. Rev. Johnson has more than two decades of experience as an ordained Episcopal priest and has served in various leadership roles at independent schools, including his current role as Dean of Community Life & School Chaplain at Christchurch School in Christchurch, Va. 

Rev. Johnson brings a tremendous amount of independent school leadership experience to his new role at St. Catherine’s. He founded an independent middle school, Trinity Episcopal Day School (Conn.), in 2012, and co-founded an independent K-8 school, Harlem Academy (N.Y.), in 2004. Throughout his career, Rev. Johnson has sought to serve young people in educational settings as both an educator and a pastor. 

“I see myself trying to create a spark that encourages students to wrestle with ‘Big Life Questions’ such as: Who am I? Why am I here? How should I live? These are the inquiries at the center of my school ministerial career,” Rev. Johnson said. “My family and I cannot wait to begin this next chapter of our lives with the St. Catherine’s community. I look forward to upholding the school’s rich Episcopal traditions while also helping equip students with the skills and temperament needed to succeed beyond the confines of St. Catherine’s.”

In his role as School Chaplain, Rev. Johnson will serve as the Spiritual Leader of the School. In addition to overseeing St. Catherine’s liturgical and worship services, he will teach courses as a member of the Religion department and will serve on the School Guidance team. 

Rev. Johnson also has experience teaching at both the secondary and post-secondary levels. His K-12 experience includes Humanities, Bible & Ethics and Psychology courses. He is a published author and has presented at numerous conferences, including last summer’s National Association of Episcopal Schools’ Chaplain Retreat. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Clark University, a Master of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary and a doctorate in educational administration from Fordham University. 

Rev. Johnson and his wife, Gabriela, an academic librarian born in Buenos Aires, have two daughters, Madeline Faith and Elizabeth Grace. Please join me in welcoming Johan and his family to St. Catherine’s! 

Yours,
Cindy Trask
Head of School
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Located in the heart of Richmond, Virginia, St. Catherine’s School is a private, all-girls pre-K, kindergarten, elementary, middle and high school. We provide a well-rounded educational experience for girls from communities across Richmond, Chesterfield, Henrico and all of central Virginia. St.Catherine’s all-girls educational experience is rooted in more than a century of history and tradition. From our revolutionary past to our dynamic present, St. Catherine’s has always focused on preparing students for a boundless future.