About All Saints · Surf City, North Carolina
All Saints Catholic Church in Surf City, North Carolina is a seasonal summer mission campus of All Saints Catholic Parish, whose year-round home is in Hampstead, NC. According to the parish's own history page, the Catholic presence on Topsail Island dates to 1953, when Fr. Roland Gross, OFM Conventual, celebrated the first Mass at what was originally known as St. Mary Gate of Heaven. Today the Surf City site operates as a summer ministry of open-air Masses celebrated under a covered pavilion on Sundays from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend, plus Easter Sunday. The Surf City mission shares its pastor (Msgr. Joseph Kazibwe Ntuwa), deacon (Deacon Rich Mickle), and staff with the Hampstead parish, and has no mail or office of its own.
- Established
- 1953
- Patron
- All Saints
- Rector
- Reverend Monsignor Joseph Kazibwe Ntuwa
- Diocese
- Diocese of Raleigh
Why belong here
All Saints' Surf City mission exists so that Catholics visiting Topsail Island or living there for the summer can keep holy the Lord's Day without leaving the beach. Open-air Masses are celebrated under a covered pavilion on Sundays at 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend, with an additional Mass on Easter Sunday — a setting uniquely suited to the rhythm of coastal life. Because the mission shares its pastor, deacon, and staff with the year-round Hampstead parish, summer visitors are warmly folded into the wider All Saints community for formation, outreach, and fellowship whenever they return.
Mass times at All Saints
Weekly Mass schedule
All Saints — One Parish, Two Locations
All Saints Catholic Parish is a single Catholic community with two campuses: the year-round parish at 18737 U.S. Highway 17 N in Hampstead, and the Surf City summer mission at 420 N. Topsail Dr. The Surf City mission has no mail or office of its own; weekend Masses there run Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend only. Both locations share the same pastor — Msgr. Joseph Kazibwe Ntuwa — and the same parish staff and ministries.
- Hampstead campus (year-round): 18737 US Highway 17 N, Hampstead, NC 28443
- Surf City campus (summer): 420 N. Topsail Drive, Surf City, NC 28445
- Parish phone: 910-270-1477
- Website: allsaintsccnc.org
Surf City / Topsail Island Summer Ministry
The Surf City location is operated as a summer ministry of open-air Masses celebrated under a covered pavilion. Sunday Masses are offered at 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend, with an additional celebration on Easter Sunday. There are no weekday or Saturday Masses at this location. According to the parish, the summer ministry exists so Catholics vacationing or living seasonally on Topsail Island can worship together at the beach.
- Sunday Mass: 9:00 AM (English) — Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend
- Sunday Mass: 11:00 AM (English) — Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend
- Easter Sunday: 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM
- Open-air worship under a covered pavilion
History of All Saints
Catholic life on Topsail Island began on August 25, 1953, when Fr. Roland Gross, OFM Conventual celebrated the first Mass at what became St. Mary Gate of Heaven, a tiny mission church in Surf City. In the 1990s the parish relocated its principal campus to Hampstead, where St. Jude the Apostle Parish was established with a multipurpose worship space and offices; the name was later changed to All Saints. The Surf City site has been preserved as a summer-only mission serving vacationers and Topsail Island residents. The parish maintains a 'Looking Back: History' page that walks through the community's formation as a parish from 1953 to 2023.
- 1953 — first Mass celebrated by Fr. Roland Gross, OFM Conventual at St. Mary Gate of Heaven, Surf City
- 1990s — principal campus relocated to Hampstead; established as St. Jude the Apostle Parish
- Name later changed to All Saints Catholic Parish
- Surf City retained as a summer-only mission
Building for the Future — Hampstead Expansion
All Saints is currently in a major building campaign to construct a permanent church on its Hampstead campus. In May 2022, Bishop Luis Rafael Zarama of the Diocese of Raleigh celebrated with parishioners as the parish announced it had secured $3.1 million in gifts and pledges toward a $7.5 million expansion, which includes a 750-seat church and program support areas. Construction was set to begin in early 2023, fulfilling the long-term vision of the parish's original founders.
- 750-seat new church planned on the Hampstead campus
- $3.1 million raised of a $7.5 million goal
- Bishop Luis Rafael Zarama celebrated the Blessing of the Grounds in May 2022
- Construction scheduled to begin early 2023
Parish Mission, Vision & Values
All Saints describes itself as 'a welcoming Catholic community called by God to live out the message of Christ in love and service to all people.' Its stated mission is 'Together with our Lord Jesus Christ, and in grateful acknowledgement of God's gifts to us, we are committed to love God, to love others, and to make disciples.' The parish's vision, drawn from Ephesians 4:1, is to be a community where parishioners and newcomers feel 'enlivened, engaged, and spiritually nourished as we grow as disciples to live a life worthy of the calling we have received.' The parish organizes its life around three values: Faith, Stewards, Community.
- Mission: Love God, Love Others, Make Disciples
- Vision: a welcoming community of faith rooted in Ephesians 4:1
- Values: Faith. Stewards. Community.
Clergy & Parish Staff
The Surf City mission is shepherded by the same pastor and deacon who serve the Hampstead parish, supported by a close-knit parish staff.
- Pastor: Msgr. Joseph Kazibwe Ntuwa
- Deacon: Deacon Richard (Rich) Mickle
- Director of Evangelization and Christian Formation: Jackie Rourke
- Coordinator of Children and Youth Formation: Alyson Elliott
- Bookkeeper: Karen Boyle
- Director of Business Affairs: Sabino Sellitto
- Director of Worship: Liz Davis
- Office & Communications Coordinator: Dawn Nelson
Faith Formation for All Ages
All Saints offers faith formation for children, youth, families, and adults, with the message 'Come encounter Christ with us as we explore our faith by loving God, loving others, and making disciples.' Formation pathways advertised on the parish site include Children's Faith Formation (ages 4 through grade 9), Youth Ministry/Formation (ages 16+), Adult Bible & faith studies, Small Christian Communities, Young Adult ministry, Becoming Catholic (RCIA), Baptism preparation, Marriage preparation, and Catechist/Teaching opportunities.
- Children's Faith Formation (ages 4 – grade 9)
- Youth Ministry/Formation (ages 16+)
- Adult Bible & Faith Studies
- Small Christian Communities
- Young Adult Ministry
- Becoming Catholic / RCIA
- Baptism Preparation
- Marriage Preparation
- Catechist/Teaching opportunities
Ministries & Outreach
The parish groups its ministries into Administrative, Liturgical & Music, and Outreach & Social Justice teams. Outreach is a particular strength, with a food pantry, emergency assistance, senior outreach, Respect Life, prison ministry, and homebound visits, alongside support groups like GriefShare and Worldwide Marriage Encounter.
- Administrative: Hospitality, Building & Grounds, Welcome, Office, Stewardship, Finance Council, Parish Council
- Liturgical & Music: Music, Choir, Bells, Band, Cantors; Altar Servers, Ushers, Greeters, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, Readers, Sacristans, Altar Linen Care; Arts & Environment
- Outreach & Social Justice: Food Pantry, Emergency Assistance (Wednesdays 1–3 PM in Hampstead), Senior Outreach, Respect Life, Prison Ministry, Homebound visits, GriefShare, Worldwide Marriage Encounter
Contact & Visiting All Saints Surf City
The Surf City mission does not have a mail address or on-site office; visitors are encouraged to contact the Hampstead parish office by phone and to visit allsaintsccnc.org for the most current schedule.
- Address: 420 North Topsail Drive, Surf City, NC 28445
- Phone: 910-270-1477
- Website: allsaintsccnc.org
- Season: Easter Sunday and Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend
- Languages: English
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Roland Gross, OFM Conventual1953
Celebrated the first Mass on Aug. 25, 1953 at St. Mary Gate of Heaven, the original Surf City mission.
- Fr. Malachy White, OFM
Listed among the early Conventual Franciscan priests who served All Saints.
- Fr. (Schoff?), OFM
Listed among the Conventual Franciscan priests who served All Saints in its early decades (partial name from the parish history page).
- Reverend Monsignor Joseph Kazibwe Ntuwa
Current pastor of All Saints; oversees both the Hampstead parish and the Surf City summer mission.