About Mother of Mercy · Washington, North Carolina
Mother of Mercy is a Roman Catholic parish in Washington, North Carolina, part of the Diocese of Raleigh. It serves a bilingual community in Beaufort County, offering Mass in both English and Spanish every weekend, and is the spiritual home of a long-standing African-American Catholic heritage dating back to 1927. Today the parish, led by Fr. Erik R. Reyes and Deacon Tomasz Cechulski, ministers through the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, the Knights of Columbus, Cursillos de Christianidad, a Faith Formation program for children, and an active Our Lady of Guadalupe devotion. The church, school building, and rectory were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2011.
- Established
- 1927 (school) / 1948 (church dedicated)
- Patron
- Mother of Mercy (Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Mercy)
- Rector
- Rev. Erik R. Reyes
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Raleigh
Why belong here
Mother of Mercy is a warm, bilingual parish that combines a deep historic African-American Catholic heritage with active present-day outreach. The parish celebrates Mass in both English and Spanish, runs a parish-wide Faith Formation program for children Pre-K through 10th grade, and maintains a robust food pantry through its Society of St. Vincent de Paul conference (founded 1989) that serves all of Beaufort County. Add in the Knights of Columbus, Cursillos de Christianidad, Our Lady of Guadalupe devotion, daily and Eucharistic Adoration, and a building that has been part of the Washington community for nearly a century — and you have a parish where newcomers are quickly enfolded into the family of faith.
Mass times at Mother of Mercy
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM
- Wednesday 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Adoration times
- Wednesday 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM
- Friday 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM
- Sunday 11:00 AM – 12:15 PM
History of Mother of Mercy Catholic Church
The Catholic community in Washington, N.C. traces its roots to 1821, when Bishop John England, first Bishop of Charleston, made his first pastoral visit. St. John the Evangelist Church — the first completed Catholic church in North Carolina — was built in 1824–1829, but was destroyed by fire during the Civil War in 1864. For 63 years the local faithful had no church building, gathering in homes, storefronts, and even railroad chapel cars.
- 1821: Catholic Church organized in Washington by Bishop John England
- 1824: Construction of St. John the Evangelist begins (Feb 11)
- 1829: St. John the Evangelist consecrated (Mar 25) — first completed Catholic church in North Carolina
- 1864: Church burned by retreating Federal troops (Apr 30)
- 1927: Mother of Mercy School built in three months; staffed by Sister Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary of Scranton, PA
- 1932: Second story added to the school
- 1929: St. Agnes Church consecrated by Bishop William J. Hafey (Oct 13)
- 1948: Mother of Mercy Church dedicated by Bishop Vincent C. Waters (Sep 24)
- 1950s: Bishop Waters merges the parishes, keeping Mother of Mercy as the unified parish (before the 1953 federal mandate)
- 2011 (Oct 25): Church, school, and rectory added to the National Register of Historic Places
- 2020–2021: Parish celebrated the bicentennial of Catholic life in Washington
The Mother of Mercy School and High School
Mother of Mercy School opened in 1927 as a one-story building constructed in just three months, with the mission of educating the children of freed slaves. It was staffed by the Sister Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary of Scranton, Pennsylvania, who also served as teachers. The school grew rapidly — a second story was added in 1932 — and the adjacent Mother of Mercy High School became the first fully accredited Catholic high school in the state of North Carolina. Its graduates went on to Shaw University and North Carolina College for Negroes and entered the professions of law, teaching, and nursing. The high school closed in 1973, but the 1927 school building still stands and is used today as the parish's Great Hall and offices.
- School staffed by Sister Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (Scranton, PA)
- First fully accredited Catholic high school in North Carolina
- By the late 1950s, 184 students in the elementary grades
- School building now used for parish offices and parish-hall functions
Architecture and Historic Designation
The Mother of Mercy complex at 112 West Ninth Street is anchored by two architecturally significant buildings: a ca. 1955 brick Colonial Revival-style church and the older 1927 two-story stuccoed Neo-Classical Revival school building. Together with the rectory, they form part of the North Market Street Historic District. On October 25, 2011, the church, school, and rectory were added to the National Register of Historic Places, an effort led by parishioner and Mother of Mercy High School alumnus William Holliday, Jr.
- Church: ca. 1955 brick Colonial Revival
- School (1927): two-story stuccoed Neo-Classical Revival
- Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, October 25, 2011
- Part of the North Market Street Historic District
Clergy and Staff
Mother of Mercy is currently served by its pastor and one deacon. The parish also employs an Administrative Assistant / Faith Formation Coordinator. The pastor can be reached directly for sacramental emergencies via the parish office number.
- Pastor: Rev. Erik R. Reyes — [email protected] — 252-495-8255
- Deacon: Deacon Tomasz Cechulski
- Office hours: Mon 9:00 AM–2:00 PM / Wed 12:00–5:00 PM / Fri 8:00 AM–1:00 PM
- Parish email: [email protected]
Faith Formation (Religious Education)
Mother of Mercy's Faith Formation program teaches Catholic doctrine to children from Pre-K through 10th grade and includes the formal sacramental preparation years for First Reconciliation, First Eucharist, and Confirmation. Classes meet on Sundays from 11:15 AM to 12:15 PM, beginning in September. Classroom sizes are intentionally kept small (7–15 students) with a catechist and an assistant, and the parish is currently recruiting volunteer catechist assistants.
- Pre-K & Kindergarten
- First and Second Year Communion classes
- 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades
- 6th, 7th, and 8th grades
- First and Second Year Confirmation
- Classes meet Sundays 11:15 AM – 12:15 PM, September–May
- Faith Formation Director contact: [email protected] / 252-495-8255
Parish Ministries and Outreach
Mother of Mercy has a strong tradition of lay-led ministry and service. The parish's ministries span charity, fraternity, Hispanic devotion, small-group faith formation, and pastoral care of parishioners in need.
- Society of St. Vincent de Paul — Mother of Mercy Conference (founded April 10, 1989)
- St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry — every Wednesday 9:00 AM–12:00 PM, Mother of Mercy Parish Hall
- Knights of Columbus — business meeting 1st Thursday, social meeting 3rd Friday at 7:00 PM, Mother of Mercy Parish Hall
- Our Lady of Guadalupe — promotes devotion and formally celebrates the Feast Day on December 12; quarterly planning meetings
- Cursillos de Christianidad — monthly, 3rd Tuesday, 7:00–8:00 PM, Great Hall in the School Building
- Support Team — practical, social, and spiritual support to parishioners and their families; quarterly luncheons
Society of St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry
The Mother of Mercy Conference of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul was founded on April 10, 1989. The conference partners with the Food Bank of the Albemarle and picks up food twice a week from Food Lion stores in Washington and Chocowinity to feed the less fortunate of Beaufort County. The food pantry is open every Wednesday from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM (and on other days when the need arises), and the conference also runs a Prison Release Program — one of the seven Corporal Works of Mercy — providing food, clothing, and sometimes temporary shelter in partnership with the NC Division of Social Services (Probation and Parole). The conference is funded entirely by parishioner contributions.
- Founded April 10, 1989
- Serves all of Beaufort County
- Partners with Food Bank of the Albemarle and Food Lion (Washington & Chocowinity)
- Pantry open Wednesdays 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
- Prison Release Program in partnership with DSS Probation and Parole
- Contact: Mary Castleberry, 252-495-8256
Knights of Columbus
The local council of the Knights of Columbus — a worldwide fraternal order of Catholic men founded in the 1880s by Fr. Michael McGivney — supports both the parish and the wider Washington community. Activities include the popular pancake breakfast and other parish events, built around the principles of charity, unity, fraternity, and patriotism. The council meets at the Mother of Mercy Parish Hall; business meetings are the first Thursday of each month, social meetings the third Friday, both at 7:00 PM.
- Council contact: Grand Knight Ron Burt — 919-244-8023 / [email protected]
- Meets in Mother of Mercy Parish Hall
Cursillos de Christianidad and Hispanic Ministry
Cursillos de Christianidad is a worldwide Catholic lay movement that offers a short course in the Christian life. The Mother of Mercy group meets monthly on the third Tuesday from 7:00 to 8:00 PM in the Great Hall of the School Building. The parish's broader Hispanic ministry is supported by weekly Spanish Masses (Tuesday, Wednesday, and Sunday), the Our Lady of Guadalupe devotion, and the Cursillo movement.
- Cursillos meet 3rd Tuesday, 7:00–8:00 PM
- Contact: Elena Perez
- Spanish Mass schedule: Tuesday 6:30 PM, Wednesday 6:30 PM, Sunday 12:30 PM
Contact, Location, and Social Media
Mother of Mercy Catholic Church is located at 112 West 9th Street in Washington, North Carolina. The parish office is open part-time Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and can be reached by phone, email, Facebook, or Instagram.
- Address: 112 W. 9th Street, Washington, NC 27889
- Phone: 252-495-8255
- Parish email: [email protected]
- Pastor's email: [email protected]
- Facebook: MotherOfMercyLW
- Instagram: @momlwash
- Office hours: Mon 9:00 AM–2:00 PM, Wed 12:00–5:00 PM, Fri 8:00 AM–1:00 PM
Jubilee Year 2025
According to GCatholic, Mother of Mercy was designated a Jubilee Church during the Holy Year 2025 — a recognition of its significance as a pilgrimage site for the faithful seeking to obtain a Jubilee indulgence. The parish was also a designated Jubilee Church during the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy in 2016.
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Mark Moeslein, CP (Passionist)1929–
First pastor of both Mother of Mercy and St. Agnes parishes in Washington, NC.