About Mary Queen of Peace · Louisville, Kentucky
Mary Queen of Peace is a Roman Catholic parish of the Archdiocese of Louisville serving southwest Jefferson County from its campus at 4005 Dixie Highway in the Shively area of Louisville, Kentucky. Formed on January 1, 2009 under Archbishop Joseph Kurtz by merging four predecessor parishes (St. Helen, St. Denis, St. Matthias, and St. Basil), the community now celebrates weekend Mass on Saturday evenings and Sunday mornings, offers Saturday confession, monthly Eucharistic Adoration on First Fridays, and supports the parish school Notre Dame Academy.
- Established
- 2009
- Patron
- Mary Queen of Peace
- Rector
- Rev. Joseph Akkara, C.M.I. (Administrator Pro-tempore; appointed December 16, 2024)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Louisville
Why belong here
Mary Queen of Peace offers the full rhythm of Catholic life on a single accessible campus in Shively — weekend Mass on Saturday evening and Sunday morning, Saturday confession, and First Friday Eucharistic Adoration — alongside a deep well of ministries (OCIA, altar servers, lectors, extraordinary ministers, youth, music, bereavement, prayer chain, Lenten Fish Fry, Craft Club, and more). Parishioners actively serve the wider community through Shively Area Ministries and support Notre Dame Academy, the parish's own elementary/middle school. With roughly 400 registered families and a welcoming small-parish feel, it is a community where new members can quickly find a way to belong and to serve.
Mass times at Mary Queen of Peace
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:30 PM (or by appointment)
Adoration times
- First Friday of each month, following morning Mass
- First weekend of each month, after Masses
Welcome & Parish Identity
Mary Queen of Peace Catholic Church welcomes visitors and parishioners at 4005 Dixie Highway in the Shively area of Louisville, Kentucky. Formed in 2009 by the merger of four predecessor parishes, the community gathers around weekend Mass on Saturday at 4:00 PM and Sunday at 10:00 AM, with confession on Saturday afternoon and Eucharistic Adoration on First Fridays. The parish invites all to register, get involved in ministry, and join in the life of the Church.
- Weekend Mass: Saturday 4:00 PM, Sunday 10:00 AM
- Confession: Saturday 3:30 PM or by appointment
- Eucharistic Adoration: First Friday after morning Mass and first weekend after Masses
- Parish office: 4005 Dixie Highway, Louisville, KY 40216
Our History
The parish was established on January 1, 2009 by Archbishop Joseph Kurtz through the merger of St. Helen (1897), St. Denis (1916), St. Matthias (1950), and St. Basil (1960), under the patronage of Mary Queen of Peace. The founding pastors were Fr. Thomas Gentile, Fr. Don Ryan, and Fr. Eugene Scheich. A special prayer was composed for the merger, asking God to bless the new faith community.
- St. Helen established 1897 by Bishop William George McCloskey; first pastor Fr. John Baptist Peifer
- St. Denis established 1916 under Fr. Andrew Zoeller on Cane Run Road
- St. Matthias established 1950 under Fr. William Greisbaum on Dixie Highway
- St. Basil established 1960 under Fr. Julian Pank on Wayside Drive
- Louisville elevated to an Archdiocese in 1937; Bishop John Alexander Floersh became first archbishop
- Ursuline Sisters of Louisville began teaching at St. Helen in 1902
Predecessor Parishes
Mary Queen of Peace carries on the spiritual legacy of four parishes that served southwest Jefferson County for more than a century. The present church sits on the original St. Helen campus; its current church building was constructed in 1962 by Fr. Bernard Spoelker and updated in 1986 by Fr. Gerald Timmel.
- St. Helen – 1897, Dixie Highway
- St. Denis – 1916, Cane Run Road
- St. Matthias – 1950, Dixie Highway
- St. Basil – 1960, Wayside Drive
Our Pastor
Fr. Joseph (Ousephachan A.) Akkara, C.M.I., is the current Administrator Pro-tempore of Mary Queen of Peace. A Carmelite of Mary Immaculate born in Trichur, Kerala, India, he was ordained on January 2, 1994, after studies at Dharmaram College in Bangalore. He has served as a parish priest, school headmaster, and orphanage director in the Kalyan Diocese of Mumbai, spent 11 years as a parish priest in New Zealand (where he established eight Syro-Malabar parish communities), and again served as parish priest and orphanage director in the Jalgaon District of India. Fr. Joseph arrived in the United States in November 2024 and became Administrator of Mary Queen of Peace on December 16, 2024.
- Ordained: January 2, 1994 (Carmelite of Mary Immaculate)
- Seminary: Dharmaram College, Bangalore, India
- Appointed Administrator of Mary Queen of Peace: December 16, 2024
Parish Staff
The parish is served by a small, dedicated staff alongside Fr. Joseph and Deacon Donnie Robbins.
- Rev. Joseph Akkara, C.M.I. — Administrator (502-448-4008)
- Deacon Donnie Robbins
- Nancy Reynolds — Business Manager (502-448-4008)
- Patti Dobbins — Director of Music (502-448-4008)
- Lamont Gary — Groundskeeper
- Sr. Joan Riedley, OSU — Parish Minister (per November 2024 bulletin)
Parish Council
Parish council members listed in recent parish bulletins help guide the life and mission of Mary Queen of Peace.
- Mark Thomson — Chairperson
- Steve Dobbins
- Beth Emmons
- Rob Harris
- Dottie Ledington
- Sabrina Nalley
- Kathy Neuner
- John O'Neil
- Herb Phillips
- Bob Reilly
- Donnie Robbins
Devotions & Prayer Life
Alongside Mass and Adoration, the parish nurtures a robust devotional life including a weekly Rosary prayer group and an outdoor rosary walk in the Peace Garden.
- Wednesday evening Rosary at 7:00 PM via WhatsApp conference call
- Outdoor Rosary in the Peace Garden (rosary walk for meditation)
- Prayer Chain for parishioners, family, and friends
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Mary Queen of Peace supports faith formation for children and adults. The parish welcomes volunteers to serve as Religious Education Teachers or Aides, OCIA team members, Confirmation retreat small group leaders, and on the Faith Builders Committee — which coordinates adult speakers and videos on relevant Catholic topics and meets monthly.
- Religious Education Teachers and Aides
- OCIA Team and Sponsors
- Confirmation Small Group Leaders (10th grade and up)
- Faith Builders Committee (monthly meetings; contact parish office)
Parish Ministries & Groups
The parish offers a wide range of ministries where parishioners can serve the liturgy, the community, and one another.
- Liturgical: Altar Servers, Altar Aides / Marian Altar Society, Communion Ministers, Gift Bearers, Lectors, Ushers, Music Ministers
- Formation: Religious Education, OCIA, Youth Disciples, Faith Builders, Confirmation Leaders
- Pastoral: Bereavement Letters, Prayer Chain, OCIA Sponsors
- Service: Lenten Fish Fry, Respect Life Committee, Shively Area Ministries support
- Community life: Craft Club (Wednesdays 10:00 AM), Sports / Games & Concessions, Office Volunteers
- Parish operations: Collection Counters, Decorating Committee, Maintenance Volunteers, Stewardship Committee
Notre Dame Academy (Parish School)
Notre Dame Academy is the parish's elementary and middle school, formed in 2004 from the merger of St. Helen School, St. Lawrence School, and St. Denis School. The school sits on the St. Lawrence campus and continues to be supported by Mary Queen of Peace parishioners. Principal Ashley Titus (phone 502-447-3155) leads the school, with Marcia Dunlap serving as Assistant Principal.
- Website: www.ndasaints.org
- Principal: Ashley Titus
- Assistant Principal: Marcia Dunlap
- Formed 2004 from St. Helen, St. Lawrence, and St. Denis schools
- Volunteer opportunities: cafeteria, PTO, health screeners
Parish Bulletin & Communications
The parish publishes a weekly bulletin with announcements, schedules, and ministry news. Bulletin submissions are due by Monday at 12:00 PM and may be emailed to [email protected]. In August 2024 the parish also unveiled a new logo featuring the letters MQP with Mary in the center of the Q and a dove rising from her praying hands.
- Bulletin deadline: Monday 12:00 PM
- Email submissions: [email protected]
- New parish logo unveiled August 3–4, 2024
Sacraments & Sacramental Preparation
Information about Reconciliation is published on the parish website, and the OCIA process welcomes both unbaptized catechumens and already-baptized candidates seeking full communion with the Catholic Church. Bereavement support is provided through the Bereavement Letters Ministry.
- Reconciliation: Saturday 3:30 PM
- OCIA (formerly RCIA) for adults
- Bereavement Letters Ministry for grieving families
Outreach & Stewardship
Mary Queen of Peace parishioners are active in service beyond the parish, notably through Shively Area Ministries and in support of Notre Dame Academy. The parish has reached the Catholic Services Appeal goal for twelve consecutive years.
- Shively Area Ministries
- Notre Dame Academy support
- Catholic Services Appeal goal reached 12 years running
- Respect Life Committee (Mother's Day roses, Baby Bottle Boomerang, newspaper ad)
Peace Garden & Facilities
The parish grounds include a Peace Garden with a rosary walk that invites parishioners and visitors to pray and meditate outdoors. The former St. Helen school building, located on the Mary Queen of Peace campus, was razed in 2014 and the property converted to additional parking and green space.
- Peace Garden with outdoor rosary walk
- On-site parking
- Former St. Helen school site returned to parking/green space in 2014
Contact & Office Hours
Parish office hours (per November 2024 bulletin) are Monday through Thursday 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM, and Friday 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM.
- Mon–Thu: 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM
- Fri: 8:30 AM – 12:30 PM
- Phone: (502) 448-4008
- Fax: (502) 631-9119
- Email: [email protected]
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Thomas Gentile
Pastor at the time of the 2009 merger; led the consolidation of St. Helen, St. Denis, St. Matthias, and St. Basil into Mary Queen of Peace.
- Rev. Benni Pengiparambil, C.M.I.
Listed as Pastor of Mary Queen of Peace in parish bulletins (e.g., November 3, 2024).
- Rev. Joseph Akkara, C.M.I.2024–present
Administrator Pro-tempore since December 16, 2024; a Carmelite of Mary Immaculate from Kerala, India, ordained January 2, 1994.