About Camp Lejeune (Saint Francis Xavier) · Marines, North Carolina
Saint Francis Xavier Catholic Chapel is the Roman Catholic chapel serving Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. Located in Building 17 on McHugh Boulevard, it ministers to Marines, sailors, families, and civilian personnel on the installation, offering weekend and daily Mass, the sacraments, Eucharistic Adoration, RCIA, CCD religious education, and Bible study. It is staffed by a Navy chaplain assigned to the MCIEAST-MCB Camp Lejeune Chaplain Corps and is canonically listed as a diocesan parish of the Diocese of Raleigh.
- Patron
- Saint Francis Xavier
- Rector
- Reverend Anthony Nigel D. Bernas (Chaplain)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Raleigh
Why belong here
Saint Francis Xavier Chapel exists to bring the sacraments and the full liturgical life of the Catholic Church to the Marines, sailors, families, and civilians of Camp Lejeune. Whether you are active duty looking for a weekday Mass before work, a family seeking CCD and RCIA for children and adults, or someone wanting a quiet hour of Eucharistic Adoration on the first Friday, the chapel offers a complete schedule — daily Mass Monday through Friday at 11:45 a.m., weekend Masses on Saturday evening and Sunday morning, the Holy Rosary each weekday, a monthly Holy Hour, and Saturday confessions. Worship is open to all those with base access, and the chaplain and staff are available for sacramental needs, baptisms, and pastoral care by appointment.
Mass times at Camp Lejeune (Saint Francis Xavier)
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00–4:45 pm
- By appointment or upon request — call (910) 451-3210
Adoration times
- First Friday of the month — Holy Hour of Eucharistic Adoration at 7:00 pm (no Holy Hour during the summer)
About Saint Francis Xavier Catholic Chapel
Saint Francis Xavier Catholic Chapel is the principal Roman Catholic chapel on Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. It is canonically registered with the Diocese of Raleigh and serves active-duty Marines, sailors, their families, retirees, and civilian personnel with access to the installation. The chapel is named for St. Francis Xavier, the 16th-century Jesuit missionary known as the Apostle of the Indies and patron of all missions.
- Listed as a diocesan parish of the Diocese of Raleigh
- Staffed by a Navy Catholic chaplain assigned to the MCIEAST-MCB Camp Lejeune Chaplain Corps
- Coordinates Catholic worship at Camp Geiger and Courthouse Bay satellite chapels
History and Setting
Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune was established in 1942 during the wartime buildup of World War II, and the Catholic chapel community has ministered to service members on the base continuously since that era. The chapel today operates out of Building 17 on McHugh Boulevard, with chaplain corps offices in the adjacent Building 67 at the corner of McHugh Boulevard and Virginia Dare Drive. Through deployments, family separations, and base-wide challenges — including hurricane Florence in 2018 — the chapel has remained a steady point of sacramental and pastoral life on the installation.
- Base established 1942; Catholic chaplaincy present since the base's founding era
- Chapel is Building 17 on McHugh Boulevard
- Chaplain Corps offices in Building 67
Satellite Mass Locations
In addition to the mainside chapel in Building 17, the chaplaincy schedules additional Catholic Masses at two satellite locations so service members stationed across the base can worship close to their units.
- Camp Geiger Chapel (TC 601) — Sunday at 11:15 am
- Courthouse Bay Chapel — Sunday at 4:00 pm
Devotions and Prayer
In addition to Mass and Adoration, the chapel sustains a daily devotional rhythm consistent with traditional Catholic practice. The Holy Rosary is prayed each weekday morning before the daily Mass, and the Catholic Chapel itself remains open Monday through Friday for personal prayer throughout duty hours.
- Holy Rosary — Monday through Friday at 11:00 am
- Catholic Chapel open for personal prayer, Monday–Friday
- Bible Study — Wednesday at 7:00 pm, 1st and 3rd weeks (CWOC)
Religious Education and Faith Formation
The chapel supports the full sacramental and catechetical life of a Catholic community, including children's religious education and the adult initiation process. Classes meet at the Camp Lejeune Education Center on Sundays, parallel to the Mass schedule so families can attend Mass together.
- CCD (Confraternity of Christian Doctrine) — Sundays at 9:30 am, Camp Lejeune Education Center
- RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) — Sundays at 9:30 am, Camp Lejeune Education Center
- Baptismal preparation class — first Sunday of the month after the 11:00 am Mass (10:00 am in summer) in the Chapel Annex
Catholic Women of the Chapel
The Catholic Women of the Chapel (CWOC) is the military-spouse Catholic fellowship on base. CWOC meets on Wednesday evenings at 7:00 p.m. on the 1st and 3rd weeks of the month for faith, fellowship, and formation, and provides a community of support for the spouses of service members.
- CWOC meetings — Wednesdays 7:00 pm, 1st and 3rd weeks
Sacraments and Pastoral Care
Saint Francis Xavier Chapel is the principal Catholic point of contact on Camp Lejeune for the celebration of the sacraments. Baptisms are prepared through a monthly class held in the Chapel Annex, and the chaplain is available for Reconciliation by appointment outside the regular Saturday window. Pastoral emergencies after duty hours are routed through the MCB CDO.
- Baptism — class first Sunday of the month after 11:00 am Mass
- Reconciliation — Saturday 4:00–4:45 pm and by appointment
- After-hours pastoral emergencies: MCB CDO at (910) 451-2414
Clergy and Staff
The chapel is served by a Navy Catholic chaplain assigned to the MCIEAST-MCB Camp Lejeune Chaplain Corps. The current chaplain listed by the Diocese of Raleigh is Reverend Anthony Nigel D. Bernas. The Chaplain Corps office is located in Building 67 at the corner of McHugh Boulevard and Virginia Dare Drive, open Monday through Friday from 0730 to 1630.
- Chaplain: Reverend Anthony Nigel D. Bernas
- Chaplain Corps office: Building 67, McHugh Blvd & Virginia Dare Dr.
- Office hours: Monday–Friday, 0730–1630
- Office phone: (910) 451-3210
Location, Access, and Contact
Because the chapel sits inside a Marine Corps installation, attendance requires valid base access. Visitors should bring military or DoD identification to the gate. The chapel is on McHugh Boulevard near its intersection with Virginia Dare Drive, with chaplain offices in Building 67 and worship space in Building 17.
- Address: 17 McHugh Blvd (Building 17), Camp Lejeune, NC 28542
- Chaplain offices: Building 67, McHugh Blvd / Virginia Dare Dr.
- Main phone: (910) 451-3210
- After-hours duty chaplain: (910) 451-2414
- Base access required