About Mary Queen of Peace · Bossier City, Louisiana
Mary, Queen of Peace Catholic Church is a Catholic parish in Bossier City, Louisiana, belonging to the Diocese of Shreveport. Established as an independent parish on March 17, 1999, by Bishop William B. Friend, the parish grew out of decades of Caplis-family Catholic faith on Barksdale Boulevard and today worships in a church building dedicated in December 2005. Fr. Karl Jay Daigle currently serves as pastor with Permanent Deacon Michael Straub assisting, and the parish is supported by a robust slate of lay ministries including the Ladies Guild, Catholic Daughters Court Mary, Undoer of Knots #2770, and the Knights of Columbus Roundtable.
- Established
- 1999
- Patron
- Mary, Queen of Peace (Blessed Virgin Mary under the title of Queen of Peace)
- Rector
- Fr. Karl Jay Daigle
- Diocese
- Diocese of Shreveport
Why belong here
Mary, Queen of Peace offers the full rhythm of Catholic parish life in a warm, mid-sized community on Barksdale Boulevard in Bossier City. Parishioners can attend weekday Mass Tuesday through Friday, weekend Mass on Saturday evening and Sunday morning, weekly adoration and confession, and an array of lay-led ministries — from the adult SATB Choir to the OCIA process for adults entering the Church, the Ladies Guild, Catholic Daughters Court Mary, Undoer of Knots #2770, and the Knights of Columbus Roundtable. It is the kind of parish where Father Karl personally visits the sick and homebound and where faith formation for children and adults alike is supported by a dedicated DRE.
Mass times at Mary Queen of Peace
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 2:45 – 3:45 PM
- Sunday 10:00 – 10:35 AM
- By appointment
Our Parish History
The Catholic faith in this part of Bossier Parish traces back to the Caplis family, who settled the surrounding agricultural land long before the modern era. In 1969, Mr. and Mrs. John A. Caplis built a chapel on land donated by Mr. and Mrs. Thomas E. Caplis in memory of family members who served and died in World War II and those who kept the farm running during the war. Bishop Charles P. Greco dedicated the chapel — then a mission of Christ the King Catholic Church in Bossier City — on May 13, 1969, and the first wedding held there was that of Joe and Margie Caplis. On March 17, 1999, Bishop William B. Friend, DD, bishop of Shreveport, formally established Mary, Queen of Peace as an independent parish, with St. George Catholic Church in Coushatta as its mission. Founding pastor Msgr. Earl V. Provenza, V.F., celebrated the first parish Mass on July 4, 1999, and Bishop Friend returned to dedicate the new church building on December 3, 2005. The parish's long partnership with St. George Mission came to a close on June 30, 2025, when that mission celebrated its last Mass and closed permanently.
- 1969: Caplis-family chapel built and dedicated by Bishop Charles P. Greco as a mission of Christ the King
- March 17, 1999: Parish of Mary, Queen of Peace erected by Bishop William B. Friend
- July 4, 1999: First parish Mass celebrated by founding pastor Msgr. Earl V. Provenza, V.F.
- December 3, 2005: New church building dedicated by Bishop Friend
- June 30, 2025: St. George Mission in Coushatta celebrates final Mass and closes
Our Pastor: Fr. Karl Jay Daigle
Fr. Karl Jay Daigle was born January 17, 1971, in the New Orleans area and grew up in a family that nurtured an early interest in faith and the Church. He attended Loyola College Prep, graduating in 1989, and was officially accepted as a seminarian for the Diocese of Shreveport in August 1990. He earned a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology from the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, Ohio, and a Master of Divinity at Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans. He was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Shreveport on May 31, 1997. His pastoral assignments have included Parochial Vicar at St. Joseph Church in Shreveport; Pastor of the Communities of the Holy Spirit cluster (St. Paul in Minden, Sacred Heart in Springhill, Blessed Sacrament in Ringgold, St. Margaret's in Homer, and David Wade Prison in Haynesville); Pastor of St. Joseph Church and School in Shreveport; Pastor of Christ the King Church in Bossier City; and Pastor of St. Jude Catholic Church in Benton. Of his priesthood he has written: 'I love my vocation to the priesthood, and find that my passion for it continues to grow and deepen with the passage of time.' He especially treasures counseling, spiritual direction, celebrating the sacraments, visiting the sick, and socializing with families and the community.
- Ordained May 31, 1997 — Diocese of Shreveport
- B.A. Psychology — Pontifical College Josephinum, Columbus, Ohio
- M.Div. — Notre Dame Seminary, New Orleans
- Pastoral focus: counseling, spiritual direction, sacraments, visits to the sick
Parish Staff & Council
Beyond Fr. Karl Jay Daigle (pastor) and Permanent Deacon Michael Straub, the parish is served by a small but committed staff: Jacquie Bierwirth serves as Director of Religious Education, and Jeannette Petty is Parish Secretary who also produces the weekly parish bulletin. Bulletin submissions and other inquiries are routed through the church office by phone or email.
- Pastor — Fr. Karl Jay Daigle ([email protected])
- Permanent Deacon — Michael Straub ([email protected])
- Director of Religious Education — Jacquie Bierwirth ([email protected])
- Parish Secretary — Jeannette Petty ([email protected])
- Bulletin Editor — [email protected]
Parish Ministries
Mary, Queen of Peace has a wide slate of lay-led ministries, giving parishioners many ways to participate in the liturgical, formational, and social life of the parish. Liturgical roles include Altar Servers, Lectors, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (who also bring Communion to nursing homes and shut-ins), Sacristans, Presentation of the Gifts, and Ushers and Greeters. Children's Liturgy of the Word is offered during Sunday Mass to help young children hear the readings 'in their own language.'
- Altar Servers
- Children's Liturgy
- Choir — adult SATB, practices Sundays at 10:00 AM
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- Lectors
- Media Ministry (social media, website, graphics)
- Presentation of the Gifts
- Sacristan
- Ushers and Greeters
Parish Organizations
Three signature organizations anchor the parish's social, charitable, and fraternal life. The Ladies Guild focuses on decorating and beautifying the church, raising funds for ministries in need, and organizing parish social events; meetings are held the first Tuesday of each month at 6:00 PM. Catholic Daughters of the Americas — Court Mary, Undoer of Knots #2770 — was instituted on March 20, 2021, with 30 charter members drawn from Mary, Queen of Peace and four neighboring parishes. The Knights of Columbus Roundtable links MQOP members to Bossier Council 4873 to support maintenance, fundraising, and the broader Knights mission of being the 'strong right arm of the church.'
- Ladies Guild — first Tuesday of the month at 6:00 PM
- Catholic Daughters Court Mary, Undoer of Knots #2770 — instituted March 20, 2021; Regent Andrea Rowe
- Knights of Columbus Roundtable — affiliated with Bossier Council 4873
Faith Formation & OCIA
The parish welcomes non-Catholics and lapsed Catholics into full communion with the Roman Church through the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (O.C.I.A.). The OCIA team organizes classes, recruits teachers, and pairs sponsors with inquirers — from clearing up misconceptions to walking candidates through the Sacraments of Initiation. Children's faith formation is supported through the parish's Children's Liturgy program during Sunday Mass and through the Director of Religious Education.
- OCIA — Order of Christian Initiation for Adults
- Children's Liturgy during Sunday Mass
- Director of Religious Education: Jacquie Bierwirth
Sacraments
Information on preparing for and receiving the sacraments is published on the parish website. Families expecting a baptism must register with the Church Office in advance and attend baptism classes held on the third Thursday of each month from 6:00 to 7:30 PM. Couples preparing for Holy Matrimony are asked to register at least six months in advance and to meet with the pastor. The Anointing of the Sick and pastoral visits to the sick and homebound can be requested by calling the church office.
- Baptism — third Thursday classes, 6:00–7:30 PM; register in advance
- Reconciliation — Saturday 2:45–3:45 PM, Sunday 10:00–10:35 AM, or by appointment
- Eucharist — weekday, weekend, and First Saturday Masses; home visits by E.M.H.C.s
- Holy Matrimony — Pre-Cana required; register 6 months in advance
- Anointing of the Sick — by request through the church office
Weekly Parish Bulletin
The weekly parish bulletin is the parish's main communication tool and is created and published each week by Parish Secretary Jeannette Petty. It carries Mass schedules, penance and adoration times, council members, serving rotations, donation information, the parish mission statement, contact information, announcements, upcoming events, previous homilies, religious writings, a prayer list, and sponsor advertisements. The bulletin is available in print at Mass, online through the parish website, and by email.
- Published weekly by Parish Secretary Jeannette Petty
- Includes homilies, prayer list, Mass/serving schedules, and announcements
- Available in print, online at mqop.com, and by email
Stay Connected
Beyond the bulletin, the parish maintains a one-way text broadcast messaging system for parish events, deaths, emergencies, and Mass closures. Parishioners can text @parishio to (318) 581-9458 or email [email protected] to sign up for updates.
- Text @parishio to (318) 581-9458
- Email [email protected] to subscribe
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Msgr. Earl V. Provenza, V.F.1999–
Founding pastor; celebrated the first Mass of the newly established parish on July 4, 1999, and guided the community through the construction and dedication of the new church building on December 3, 2005.
- Fr. Karl Jay Daigle
Current pastor; ordained May 31, 1997, for the Diocese of Shreveport; previously Parochial Vicar at St. Joseph Shreveport, pastor of the Communities of the Holy Spirit cluster, pastor of St. Joseph Shreveport, Christ the King Bossier City, and St. Jude Benton.