About Our Mother of Sorrows · Centreville, Maryland
Our Mother of Sorrows / St. Peter the Apostle is a Roman Catholic parish of the Diocese of Wilmington serving northern Queen Anne's County on Maryland's Eastern Shore, with its main church in Centreville and its historic mission church, St. Peter the Apostle, in Queenstown, less than 10 miles away. The parish comprises about 620 families and is known for its robust hospitality, outreach, and faith formation programs, including a food pantry that served over 1,700 people in 2022. Pastors since Father Mark Kelleher have emphasized that the parish is one Catholic community worshiping in two churches, and the parish recently celebrated 250 years of continuous Catholic presence in the area.
- Established
- 1893
- Patron
- Our Mother of Sorrows (Blessed Virgin Mary under the title of Our Lady of Sorrows); St. Peter the Apostle (companion church)
- Rector
- Rev. Clemens (Clem) Manista
- Diocese
- Diocese of Wilmington
Why belong here
Our Mother of Sorrows / St. Peter's welcomes new parishioners with a strong tradition of hospitality and a wide range of ministries for every age and stage of life. The parish feeds the wider community through its Outreach Ministry — a food pantry, the Backpacks for Kids program, Feed a Family at Thanksgiving, and Christmas and Easter food baskets — and wraps around its own members with bereavement meals, Mother's Helping Hands for new parents, and Mary's Table for families in crisis. Children and teens grow in faith through K–8 religious education (about 160 students) and a 9th-grade confirmation program, while adults are served by Adult Faith Formation, Family Catechesis, RCIA, and Family Activity Nights. Worshiping in two historic churches gives parishioners a unique sense of rootedness on Maryland's Eastern Shore.
Mass times at Our Mother of Sorrows
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:30–5:15 PM in the Memorial Room at St. Peter's, Queenstown
- Sunday 12:30 PM (after the 11:30 AM Mass) in the Reconciliation Room at Our Mother of Sorrows, Centreville
- By appointment — call the Parish Office at 410-758-0143
About Our Parish
Our Mother of Sorrows / St. Peter the Apostle is a single Catholic parish of the Diocese of Wilmington serving northern Queen Anne's County, Maryland. It worships in two churches: Our Mother of Sorrows in Centreville (the parish's main church, currently closed for restoration) and St. Peter the Apostle in Queenstown, its historic mission. The parish numbers about 620 families and is led by pastor Father Clemens Manista, with parish ministries headed by staff and lay volunteers including Deacon Bob Wilson, Director of Music Ministry Cathy Emory, and Religious Education coordinator Yvette Baggs.
- One parish, two worship sites — Centreville (OMOS) and Queenstown (St. Peter the Apostle)
- About 620 registered families
- Approximately 160 children in K–8 religious education and ~18 teens in confirmation prep
History of Our Mother of Sorrows (Centreville)
The original Our Mother of Sorrows church was built in 1889 on what is now Tilghman Avenue in Centreville and dedicated on January 25, 1893, establishing the parish. In 1925, financier John J. Raskob — a General Motors executive best known as the visionary behind the Empire State Building — purchased the Pioneer Point Estate, joined the parish, and in 1931 bought land on Chesterfield Avenue where he built the present Our Mother of Sorrows church and rectory as a gift to the Diocese. Bishop Edmund J. Fitzmaurice of Wilmington dedicated it on March 19, 1932. The current church seats about 250 people and is presently closed for restoration.
- Parish founded 1893; original church built 1889, dedicated Jan 25, 1893
- Present church built 1931 by John J. Raskob; dedicated March 19, 1932 by Bishop Edmund J. Fitzmaurice
- Capacity approximately 250
History of St. Peter the Apostle (Queenstown)
St. Peter the Apostle is actually the older of the two parish churches. The parish was organized in 1765 by Father Joseph Mosley, making it the third permanent Catholic mission on Maryland's Eastern Shore; a brick chapel was built before 1784. The present church was constructed in 1823–1827 and expanded in 1877. It is listed on the National Historic Register and remains virtually intact from the Victorian era, retaining all of its 1877 stained glass windows and altar furniture. The parish celebrated 250 years of continuous Catholic presence in northern Queen Anne's County in 2015.
- Parish organized 1765 by Father Joseph Mosley (SJ)
- Brick chapel built before 1784
- Present church built 1823–1827, expanded 1877
- Listed on the National Historic Register; retains all 1877 stained glass and altar furniture
Parish Staff
The parish is served by a small staff working with the pastor and deacon.
- Rev. Clemens Manista — Pastor ([email protected])
- Deacon Bob Wilson — ([email protected])
- Yvette Baggs — Religious Education ([email protected])
- Mary Wood, MRE — Adult Faith Formation ([email protected])
- Cathy Emory — Director of Music Ministry ([email protected])
- Kathy Hill — Parish Secretary ([email protected])
- Kim Tribbitt — Parish Custodian
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Mary Wood, MRE, has directed religious education since 2007, building a stable K–8 program of about 160 students and a 9th-grade confirmation preparation class of about 18 students. The parish has expanded offerings in recent years to include Adult Faith Formation, Family Catechesis, Family Activity Nights, and the RCIA program for adults exploring the Catholic faith.
- K–8 Religious Education (~160 students)
- Confirmation preparation for 9th graders (~18 students)
- Adult Faith Formation (Mary Wood)
- RCIA — classes typically begin in September
- Family Catechesis and Family Activity Nights
Music Ministry
Music at the parish is directed by Cathy Emory, supporting liturgy at both Our Mother of Sorrows and St. Peter the Apostle across the weekly and Holy Day schedule.
- Director of Music Ministry: Cathy Emory ([email protected])
Outreach & Charity
The Outreach Ministry, chaired by Ross Camardella with about 40 active volunteers, is the parish's signature work of mercy in northern Queen Anne's County. The food pantry at Corbaley Hall behind the church is open the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of each month from 4 to 6 PM; in 2022 it served more than 1,700 adults and children. Additional programs include emergency assistance, Thanksgiving (Feed a Family), Christmas and Easter food baskets, the Giving Tree for children and seniors, and Backpacks for Kids (weekly weekend-meal bags for Centreville Elementary students). The pantry also distributes Maryland Food Bank chicken and Knights of Columbus grocery gift cards for milk and eggs.
- Food Pantry — 2nd & 4th Thursdays, 4–6 PM, at Corbaley Hall
- Backpacks for Kids program for Centreville Elementary
- Emergency Assistance
- Thanksgiving (Feed a Family), Christmas & Easter food baskets
- Giving Tree program
- Chair: Ross Camardella; ~40 active volunteers
Hospitality Ministries
Parishioner Carolyn Caldwell leads several hospitality ministries that wrap around members during life's key moments, drawing on a strong core of volunteers — about 30 women serve the bereavement ministry alone.
- Bereavement group — provides meals and support after a death
- Mother's Helping Hands — six meals for a family after the birth of a child
- Mary's Table — meals for families in crisis
Knights of Columbus
The parish council of the Knights of Columbus supports the Outreach Ministry by providing grocery gift cards for milk and eggs distributed through the food pantry.
- Provides grocery gift cards for milk and eggs to food-pantry clients
Sacraments
The parish celebrates all the usual initiation and healing sacraments. Couples should contact the office at least a year before a planned wedding; first-time parents are asked to take a Baptism class; no Baptisms are performed during Lent. The office also arranges Anointing of the Sick and Holy Communion visits for the hospitalized or homebound.
- Baptism — call Parish Office (410-758-0143 ext. 4); class for first child; no Baptisms during Lent
- Reconciliation — see Confession section
- Marriage — one year preparation required; parishioners and non-parishioners welcomed
- Anointing of the Sick / Communion to the sick — notify the Parish Office
Cemeteries
The parish oversees two cemeteries serving its families.
- St. Peter's Cemetery, Queenstown, MD — contact Chad Helfenbein, 410-758-1151
- Holy Family Cemetery, Church Hill, MD — contact the Church Office, 410-758-0143
Parish Life & Events
The parish maintains an active community calendar of seasonal events. A pit-bull roast at St. Peter the Apostle and the Christmas bazaar in the church hall are longtime traditions; the 250th anniversary Mass and dinner (2015) marked the deeper history of Catholic life in northern Queen Anne's County. Because Christmas crowds exceed the capacity of either church, the parish rents the Todd Performing Arts Center at Chesapeake College for its 4:30 PM Christmas Eve Mass.
- Pit-bull roast at St. Peter's
- Christmas bazaar in the church hall
- 250th anniversary celebration (2015)
- Christmas Mass at Chesapeake College's Todd Performing Arts Center
Visit, Register & Contact
The parish welcomes new members through its online Parish Registration form and is happy to schedule the sacraments for newcomers. The Parish Office is open Monday–Friday 9:00 AM–3:00 PM (with a lunch closure from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM per the latest bulletin).
- Parish Office: 301 Homewood Avenue, Centreville, MD 21617
- Phone: 410-758-0143
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Mon–Fri 9:00 AM–3:00 PM
- New parishioners welcome — use the online Parish Registration form
Getting Involved
With more than a dozen active ministries, the parish has room for new volunteers in both outreach and member-care roles. Outreach alone has roughly 40 active members, and the bereavement ministry alone draws about 30 women volunteers.
- Outreach Ministry (food pantry, Backpacks for Kids, holiday baskets)
- Bereavement, Mother's Helping Hands, Mary's Table
- Religious Education / Confirmation prep
- Music Ministry
- Knights of Columbus
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Mark Kelleherthrough 2014
Ordained 1996; served as pastor of Our Mother of Sorrows and its mission St. Peter the Apostle for 10 years on the Eastern Shore; transferred to Holy Family parish in 2014. Credited with forging the two worship sites into a single parish community.
- Rev. Clemens (Clem) Manista2014–present (as of latest bulletin)
Current pastor; has continued Father Kelleher's unity-building work and highlighted the parish's hospitality ministries; led the parish to surpass its Sustaining Hope for the Future campaign goal.