About Our Lady Queen of Peace · Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Our Lady Queen of Peace is a vibrant, diverse urban Catholic parish on the south side of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. Founded in 1947 as the city's first post-World War II parish, it has grown into a bilingual community that celebrates Mass in both English and Spanish and is home to an attached K4–8 elementary school that is part of the Seton Catholic Schools system. Under its sixth pastor, Very Rev. Javier I. Bustos, the parish has expanded its Hispanic ministry and welcomes people of every culture, age, nationality, and background — the parish itself describes itself as a place its members call home in Polish, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Tagalog.
- Established
- 1947
- Patron
- Our Lady Queen of Peace
- Rector
- Very Rev. Javier I. Bustos
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Milwaukee
Why belong here
Our Lady Queen of Peace is a true bilingual parish on Milwaukee's south side, with Masses in both English and Spanish every weekend and a K4–8 parish school that is part of Seton Catholic Schools. Its Hispanic Ministry Committee brings together more than a dozen vibrant Spanish-language groups — Cursillo, Neo-Catechumenal Way, Emmaus retreats, St. Rita Women's Group, Adoradores del Santísimo, and others — while the Religious Education Committee runs sacramental prep, youth formation, and RCIA for adults. With active Festival, Building & Grounds, and Catholic School committees, plus a long-standing tradition of service rooted in its post-WWII founding, OLQP is the kind of parish where a family can find worship, formation, school, community, and outreach all in one place.
Mass times at Our Lady Queen of Peace
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Listed on the Archdiocese of Milwaukee parish page (specific weekly times posted on the parish's own schedule page)
Adoration times
- Listed on the Archdiocese of Milwaukee parish page (Adoration is offered; full weekly schedule posted on the parish's own site)
Our Story — A Postwar Parish on Milwaukee's South Side
Our Lady Queen of Peace was born in November 1947 when Archbishop Moses Kiley appointed Fr. Joseph Swierczynski to organize Milwaukee's first post-World War II Catholic parish. Most of the founding parishioners were Catholics who had moved out from the center city to the new south-side neighborhood, many of them of Polish heritage. The original 1947 church was built in the form of a Quonset hut, with a curved roof on four walls, and the very first Mass was actually said outdoors because the windows, doors and finishes had not yet been completed. The parish added a school in 1955 and continued to grow through the 1960s and 70s. A new church replaced the Quonset hut in 1988, and the old structure was repurposed as a gym and extended-care facility for the school.
- Parish created: November 13, 1947 (formal decree dated May 25, 1948)
- First Pastor: Rev. Joseph Swierczynski, appointed by Archbishop Moses Kiley
- School opened: September 1955 with 280 students, taught by the School Sisters of St. Francis
- New church dedicated: November 17, 1988
- Silver Jubilee celebrated in 1973
- Original 1947 church demolished in 2018
A Bilingual, Multicultural Community
In August 2017, OLQP opened its doors to new neighbors by beginning to celebrate Mass in Spanish. The arrival of Latino parishioners brought new members, new students for the school, and a flourishing of Spanish-language parish groups. Today the parish is intentionally bilingual and multicultural: weekend Masses are offered in both English and Spanish, Religious Education and Confirmation prep are available in both languages, and the parish describes itself as a place its members call home in Polish, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Tagalog. The parish's mission statement commits it to 'building a community of faith through worship, education and service,' and to being channels of 'peace, compassion and stewardship.'
- Weekend Masses in English and Spanish
- Hispanic Ministry Committee oversees all evangelization and formation among the Spanish-speaking community
- Religious Education and Confirmation available in English or Spanish
- Parish community includes Polish, Latino, Vietnamese, and Filipino members
Parish Leadership & Staff
The current pastor, Very Rev. Javier I. Bustos, is OLQP's sixth pastor and was appointed in June 2017 specifically to develop the parish's Hispanic Ministry. The parish staff includes a Director of Administration and Services, an Administration Assistant, a Director of Religious Education, and a Voluntary Advisor, with Rafael Medina serving as the primary contact for Religious Education. The parish's lay leadership is organized into seven standing committees that shape every aspect of parish life.
- Pastor: Very Rev. Javier I. Bustos (since June 2017)
- Director of Administration and Services: Fred Kleczka — (414) 672-0313 ext. 111
- Administration Assistant: Laura Perez — (414) 672-0313 ext. 113
- Religious Education contact: Rafael Medina — (414) 807-6830
- Voluntary Advisor: Rosario I. Bustos — (414) 759-7024
Parish Committees
Lay leadership at OLQP is organized into committees that oversee worship, formation, outreach, school life, facilities, and parish-wide events.
- Hispanic Ministry Committee
- Prayer & Worship Committee
- Human Concerns Committee
- Religious Education Committee
- Catholic School Committee
- Festival Committee (Summer Parish Festival and 'Viva México' Fall Festival)
- Building & Grounds Committee
Human Concerns & Social Outreach
The Human Concerns Committee discerns the needs of the parish and wider community — especially the poor — and identifies resources to meet them. It organizes the parish's outreach around the fourfold task of Catholic social ministry: Direct Service, Empowerment, Justice Education, and Advocacy, forming partnerships with organizations that serve the poor, the vulnerable, and the unborn.
- Direct Service — assist the parish in works of charity and partnerships with service organizations
- Empowerment — support organizations that help people in need take action themselves
- Justice Education — raise awareness of social-justice issues and Catholic Social Teaching
- Advocacy — partner with organizations advocating for the poor, vulnerable, and unborn
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The Religious Education Committee plans and executes all faith and sacramental formation at OLQP, coordinating programs for children, youth, and adults. A Parish Youth Ministry Plan involves teenagers in the life of the parish, and the parish runs a systematic training program for liturgical ministers — Lectors, Communion Ministers, Hospitality Ministers, and Altar Servers — in both English and Spanish. Religious Education classes are held in the Pastoral Center and the school building.
- Youth Religious Formation for ages 12–13
- Confirmation Preparation — 2-year program for ages 14+, in English or Spanish ($100 fee includes texts)
- RCIA for adults 17 and older (Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation)
- Pre-baptismal preparation for parents and godparents
- Baptism for children ages 7–12 and youth ages 13–16
- Classes meet Sundays, 10:00 AM–12:00 PM, beginning the second Sunday of September
Hispanic Ministry Groups
Since the parish began celebrating Mass in Spanish in August 2017, more than a dozen Spanish-language groups have taken root at OLQP. A representative of each Hispanic parish group sits on the Hispanic Ministry Committee, which oversees evangelization and formation for the Spanish-speaking portion of the parish.
- Camino Neo-Catecumenal (Neo-Catechumenal Way)
- Koinonía San Juan Bautista
- Grupo de Apoyo de Mujeres 'Santa Rita'
- Grupo de Apoyo de Hombres 'San José'
- Emaus de Hombres (Emmaus Men)
- Emaus de Mujeres (Emmaus Women)
- Movimiento de Cursillo de Cristiandad
- Prayer Group 'Adoradores del Santísimo Sacramento'
- Cenáculo de Oración
- Peregrinos de María
- ANSPAC
Our Lady Queen of Peace School (K4–8)
Our Lady Queen of Peace School is a parish Catholic school serving students in K4 through 8th grade. It is a member of Seton Catholic Schools, a network of Catholic elementary schools serving Milwaukee. The school describes its mission as fostering a love for Christ and a Catholic community of lifelong learners, empowering students to develop confidence as they pursue their God-given potential through spiritual formation, academic rigor, leadership, and service. Students regularly participate in parish Masses, giving them a rich faith foundation.
- Parish school founded with the school opening in September 1955
- Originally staffed by the School Sisters of St. Francis
- Grades K4–8
- Member of Seton Catholic Schools
- Regular participation in parish Masses as part of spiritual formation
Music & Liturgical Life
OLQP's Prayer & Worship Committee coordinates the spiritual and liturgical life of the parish, providing direction for liturgical ministers and the celebration of the liturgical calendar. The parish trains Lectors, Communion Ministers, Hospitality Ministers, and Altar Servers in both English and Spanish. Music ministry — including choirs serving both English and Spanish Masses — is central to parish life, with choir members reflecting on the day's readings as part of their rehearsals.
- Choir / Music Ministry (English and Spanish)
- Bilingual Adoration
- Liturgical minister training (Lectors, Communion Ministers, Hospitality, Altar Servers)
- Hispanic Prayer Group 'Adoradores del Santísimo Sacramento'
Parish Life & Festivals
The Festival Committee oversees two annual parish festivals that bring the community together: the Summer Parish Festival and the 'Viva México' Fall Festival. The parish also runs a small Church Store that sells religious gifts, books, and items, opening between Masses during the week and on Sundays.
- Summer Parish Festival (annual)
- 'Viva México' Fall Festival (annual)
- Parish Church Store — Wednesday 5:00–8:00 PM and Sunday 8:30 AM–2:00 PM
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Joseph SwierczynskiNovember 1948 – September 1965
1st Pastor; appointed by Archbishop Moses Kiley to organize Milwaukee's first post-WWII parish, transferred from St. Vincent de Paul.
- Rev. Thaddeus DolataSeptember 1965 – October 1966
2nd Pastor; served about a year prior to his death.
- Msgr. Alphonsus (Alphonse S.) PopekNovember 1966 – December 1986
3rd Pastor; previously taught at St. Francis Seminary (1947–1963) and served at Blessed Sacrament, St. Alexander, and Ss. Cyril and Methodius.
- Rev. Gilbert ArciszewskiMarch 1987 – June 2000
4th Pastor; oversaw planning and construction of the new church dedicated in 1988.
- Rev. Gregory M. SpitzJune 2000 – June 2002
5th Pastor.
- Rev. Leonard Van VlaenderenJune 2002 – June 2016
Temporary Administrator.
- Very Rev. Mark PayneJune 2016 – June 2017
Administrator in the year before the current pastor's appointment.
- Very Rev. Javier I. BustosJune 2017 – Present
6th Pastor; came to OLQP specifically to help develop Hispanic Ministry, which has flourished under his leadership.