About Prince of Peace · Chesapeake, Virginia
Prince of Peace Catholic Church is a parish of the Catholic Diocese of Richmond, located at 621 Cedar Road in the Great Bridge area of Chesapeake, Virginia. Founded in 1975, it grew out of a small mission that first celebrated Mass in 1970 in a Great Bridge elementary school auditorium with 205 people in attendance. Today the parish serves the Catholic community of southern Chesapeake with daily and weekend Masses, livestreamed liturgies, a food pantry, an ecumenical homeless outreach, and an active Christian formation program for children, teens, and adults. It is led by Pastor Rev. John Bosco Walugembe, Parochial Vicar Rev. John Kwasi Asare, and Deacon/Pastoral Associate Rev. Mr. Keith Fournier.
- Established
- 1975
- Patron
- Prince of Peace (Our Lord Jesus Christ)
- Rector
- Rev. John Bosco Walugembe
- Diocese
- Catholic Diocese of Richmond
Why belong here
Prince of Peace is a growing, multi-generational parish in the Great Bridge area of Chesapeake that combines traditional Catholic worship with active outreach and formation. Weekday and Sunday Masses are celebrated in person and livestreamed, with Tuesday and Friday daily Masses and the Sunday 11:00 a.m. Mass broadcast on Facebook and YouTube. The parish feeds the wider community through its Food Pantry, the Agape Feast homeless outreach, the NEST shelter program, the Haiti Project, and Knights of Columbus Council 8240 partnerships, and it forms every age group — from elementary Sonlight classes and Sunday Family Faith, to Middle/High School youth ministry and Peer Ministry, to OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) and Adult Confirmation for adults.
Mass times at Prince of Peace
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:30 PM – 4:45 PM
Adoration times
- First Friday of the Month – Exposition and Adoration following Friday Mass
History of Prince of Peace
The roots of Prince of Peace go back to 1967, when Catholic women from Holy Angels (Portsmouth) and Saint Matthew's (Virginia Beach) began gathering in homes in the Great Bridge area of Chesapeake. Their request for a parish led Bishop John J. Russell to create the Prince of Peace Mission on June 3, 1970. Father Donfred Stockert celebrated the first Mission Mass on September 6, 1970, at the Great Bridge Elementary School auditorium with 205 people. After worshipping in several borrowed spaces — including Saint Thomas Episcopal, Apostles Lutheran, Twiford's Funeral Home, the Village Flick Theater, and the Great Bridge Congregational Christian Church — the community faced a devastating fire on Easter night, March 30, 1975, that destroyed its temporary home. In April 1975, the building committee asked Bishop Walter Sullivan for permission to build; he granted it in May and formally established the parish, with Father Timothy Drake becoming the first pastor. Bishop Sullivan dedicated the new church on December 18, 1977. Major expansion followed in 1993 (a new worship space) and 2001 (an enlarged worship area, chapel, parish offices, and catechetical wing).
- Mission established: June 3, 1970
- First Mass: September 6, 1970 — Great Bridge Elementary School auditorium, 205 attendees
- Parish formally established: May 1975
- First pastor: Father Timothy Drake (May 1975)
- Liturgy of Dedication: December 18, 1977 (Bishop Walter Sullivan)
- New worship space dedicated: December 5, 1993 (Bishop Sullivan)
- Second expansion groundbreaking: July 2001
Pastoral Succession
Prince of Peace has been served by a succession of pastors since 1975. Father Timothy Drake guided the young parish through construction and dedication; a second unnamed pastor shepherded the community through its rapid 1980s growth. Father Christian J. Haydinger, arriving in June 1993, oversaw the dedication of the new worship space. Msgr. R. Francis Muench succeeded him in 2005 before being named Judicial Vicar of the Diocese of Richmond, and Father Romeo D. Jazmin became pastor on June 25, 2007, leading the parish for fifteen years. The current pastor, Father John Bosco Walugembe, was installed on July 1, 2022.
- Father Timothy Drake (1975 – June 1981) — first pastor
- Second pastor (June 1981 – June 1993)
- Father Christian J. Haydinger (June 1993 – June 13, 2005)
- Msgr. R. Francis Muench (June 13, 2005 – 2007)
- Father Romeo D. Jazmin (June 25, 2007 – 2022) — Food Pantry namesake
- Father John Bosco Walugembe (July 1, 2022 – present)
Clergy, Staff, and Council Leadership
Prince of Peace is led by Pastor Rev. John Bosco Walugembe, Parochial Vicar Rev. John Kwasi Asare, and Deacon/Pastoral Associate Rev. Mr. Keith Fournier. The parish staff includes Business Manager Joseph Ganley, Parish Secretary Shannon Schmidt, Director of Religious Education Melody Smith, Youth and Young Adult Coordinator Kelly Bruno, Director of Music Joseph Guardino, Bookkeeper Pam Lerach, and Facilities Maintenance Coordinator John Leonard. The Parish Pastoral Council is chaired by Teresa Habib and the Finance Council by Barb Blumfelder, with ministry chairpersons overseeing Christian Formation, Community Life, Evangelization/Peace & Justice, Liturgy, and Stewardship.
- Pastor: Rev. John Bosco Walugembe ([email protected])
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. John Kwasi Asare
- Deacon & Pastoral Associate: Rev. Mr. Keith Fournier
- Business Manager: Joseph Ganley
- Parish Secretary: Shannon Schmidt
- Director of Religious Education: Melody Smith
- Youth and Young Adult Coordinator: Kelly Bruno
- Director of Music: Joseph Guardino
- Bookkeeper: Pam Lerach
- Facilities Maintenance Coordinator: John Leonard
- Parish Pastoral Council Chair: Teresa Habib
- Finance Council Chair: Barb Blumfelder
Livestream and Online Worship
Prince of Peace livestreams Mass on Facebook (facebook.com/popchurchchesapeake) and YouTube. The Tuesday and Friday 9:00 AM daily Masses and the Sunday 11:00 AM Mass are broadcast live. The Sunday 11:00 a.m. Mass is also captured by the Catholic Diocese of Richmond for use on diocesan digital media and in The Catholic Virginian; parishioners who do not wish to appear on camera are asked to sit in designated areas. A Sunday Worship Aid is available online to help the faithful follow along at home.
- Livestream platforms: Facebook and YouTube
- Livestreamed Masses: Tuesday 9 AM, Friday 9 AM, Sunday 11 AM
- Sunday Worship Aid available online
Christian Formation — Children and Teens
The parish runs a full Christian Formation program for children and teens. Elementary students meet on Wednesday evenings through the Sonlight program (5:00–6:30 PM). Sunday Morning Christian Formation runs 10:05–10:55 AM between the Sunday Masses, and Family Faith gathers on Sunday evenings from 6:30–8:30 PM. Middle and High School youth ministry meets Sunday evenings from 6:00–8:00 PM during the school year, with Peer Ministry for Confirmed teens 15+ who mentor younger teens and serve as lectors, Eucharistic ministers, and cross bearers. A Youth Council advises the pastor and serves on Parish Council. Director of Religious Education Melody Smith oversees elementary formation; Kelly Bruno coordinates middle/high school and Peer Ministry.
- Sonlight (Elementary): Wednesdays 5:00–6:30 PM
- Sunday Morning Christian Formation: 10:05–10:55 AM
- Family Faith: Sunday evenings 6:30–8:30 PM
- Middle & High School Youth Ministry: Sundays 6:00–8:00 PM
- Peer Ministry for Confirmed teens 15+
- Youth Council — meets every two months; president and VP sit on Parish Council
- Registration fee: $45 ($100 per family)
Adult Faith Formation — OCIA and Confirmation
Prince of Peace welcomes adults seeking to join or deepen their Catholic faith through the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) process. OCIA serves both the unbaptized and Christians from other denominations seeking full Communion with the Catholic Church, and there is also an OCIA Teens track. Adult Confirmation sessions are held throughout the year for any adult Catholic who has never been confirmed. Inquiries are directed to the Parish Office or to Sister Dolores (via the parish office line or email).
- OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) — for unbaptized adults and Christians seeking full Communion
- OCIA Teens — sacramental preparation for teens
- Adult Confirmation — year-round sessions for unconfirmed Catholic adults
- Contact: Parish Office, 757-547-0356
Sacraments at Prince of Peace
The parish prepares members for and celebrates all seven sacraments. Baptism begins with a Pre-Baptism Class — typically held the third Sunday of the month at 12:30 PM in Rooms 9 and 10 of the Education Wing — and is arranged through the Parish Office or with Deacon Keith Fournier. First Reconciliation and First Eucharist are received through the elementary formation program, and Confirmation through teen or adult preparation. Reconciliation is regularly available Saturday 3:30–4:45 PM. Couples preparing for marriage, families seeking Anointing of the Sick, and those discerning a vocation to Holy Orders are encouraged to contact the Parish Office at 757-547-0356.
- Baptism — Pre-Baptism Class, third Sunday at 12:30 PM
- First Reconciliation / First Eucharist
- Confirmation (teen and adult)
- Eucharist — daily and Sunday Masses
- Reconciliation — Saturdays 3:30–4:45 PM
- Anointing of the Sick
- Matrimony — contact Parish Office
- Holy Orders discernment
Outreach and Charity — Food Pantry, Agape Feast, and Beyond
Outreach is central to the parish's identity. The Father Romeo D. Jazmin Food Pantry operates out of the back of the church, with volunteers available Mondays 9:00–10:00 AM and food distributed Wednesdays 10:00–11:30 AM; the pantry has served tens of thousands of clients since 2010. Agape Feast is a year-round ecumenical homeless outreach that runs a parking-lot food distribution program serving about 30 people living in their vehicles, 40 people at a local resource center, and supporting five local food pantries — each distribution takes about 30 minutes every 2½ months. The Mustard Seed Garden Team grows vegetables on the parish grounds to supply the Food Pantry and Agape Feast. The parish also partners with the Knights of Columbus Council 8240 to support Hope 4 Life (a Tidewater mobile pregnancy resource center), runs a Prison Ministry at the Chesapeake City Jail, sends teams to help with Habitat for Humanity and Meals-on-Wheels, hosts the NEST homeless shelter program, and supports the Maison Fortune Orphanage in Haiti through its Haiti Project. Parishioners visit the sick at Chesapeake General Hospital, Sentara Village, Sentara Nursing Home, Georgian Manor, Whitehurst Manor, Chesapeake Health Care Center, Cedar Manor, and Lighthouse Point, and serve military families in the area.
- Father Romeo D. Jazmin Food Pantry — Mondays 9–10 AM (volunteers); Wednesdays 10–11:30 AM (distribution); phone 757-410-7957
- Agape Feast — ecumenical homeless outreach, parking-lot food distribution
- Mustard Seed Garden Team — vegetable garden supporting Food Pantry and Agape Feast
- Knights of Columbus Council 8240
- Hope 4 Life — mobile pregnancy resource center (Tidewater)
- Prison Ministry — Chesapeake City Jail
- Hospital / Nursing Home Ministry — multiple Chesapeake facilities
- Ministry to Military
- Haiti Project — Maison Fortune Orphanage
- NEST — two-week homeless shelter
- Chesapeake Habitat Interfaith Partners
- Meals-on-Wheels
Music and Liturgy
Music at Prince of Peace is directed by Joseph Guardino, Director of Music. The parish has a dedicated Liturgy Committee chaired by Mary Riley (formerly Debbie Tucker), which coordinates liturgical ministers, music, and the worship environment for daily Masses, the Vigil Mass, and Sunday liturgies. Parishioners serve as lectors, Eucharistic ministers, cross bearers, and choir members across the Mass schedule, with Peer Ministers from the youth ministry program assisting at teen and prayer-service liturgies.
- Director of Music: Joseph Guardino
- Liturgy Committee chair: Mary Riley
- Roles filled by parishioners: lectors, Eucharistic ministers, cross bearers, choir
- Teen liturgy roles via Peer Ministry
Parish Councils, Ministries, and Getting Involved
Parishioners are organized around five ministry areas — Christian Formation, Community Life, Evangelization/Peace & Justice, Liturgy, and Stewardship — each chaired by a volunteer parishioner. The Parish Pastoral Council, chaired by Teresa Habib, discerns long-term strategies for the parish's spiritual, emotional, physical, and material needs; members serve three-year terms and nominations are open each year. The Finance Council is chaired by Barb Blumfelder. Ministry chairpersons include Heather Thomas (Christian Formation), Stephen Clock and Sheila Gargiulo (Community Life), Katerina Blackstone (Evangelization/Peace & Justice), Mary Riley (Liturgy), and Alan Cole (Stewardship). Flocknote (text POP to 84576) is the parish's communication tool for announcements and formation updates.
- Parish Pastoral Council — Chair Teresa Habib, three-year terms
- Finance Council — Chair Barb Blumfelder
- Christian Formation — Heather Thomas
- Community Life — Stephen Clock & Sheila Gargiulo
- Evangelization / Peace & Justice — Katerina Blackstone
- Liturgy — Mary Riley
- Stewardship — Alan Cole
- Flocknote: text POP to 84576
Visiting, Contact, and Office Information
Prince of Peace is located at 621 Cedar Road, Chesapeake, VA 23322, in the Great Bridge area. The parish office is open Monday–Thursday 9:00 AM–4:00 PM (closed for lunch 12:00–12:30 PM) and Friday 9:00 AM–12:00 PM. The main line is 757-547-0356, the fax is 757-436-6477, and an after-hours answering service can be reached at 757-214-9528. The general parish email is [email protected], and the pastor can be reached at [email protected]. The parish is Parish #531 in the Catholic Diocese of Richmond (Deanery 3), and the diocesan website is richmonddiocese.org.
- Address: 621 Cedar Road, Chesapeake, VA 23322
- Phone: 757-547-0356 | Fax: 757-436-6477
- After-hours answering service: 757-214-9528
- Email: [email protected]
- Pastor email: [email protected]
- Office Hours: Mon–Thu 9 AM–4 PM (closed 12–12:30 PM), Fri 9 AM–12 PM
- Parish #531 in the Catholic Diocese of Richmond, Deanery 3
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Timothy Drake1975 – June 1981
First pastor of Prince of Peace Parish; oversaw construction and dedication of the church in December 1977.
- Second Pastor (unnamed in parish history)June 1981 – June 1993
Served during the period of rapid parish growth that led to the 1992 groundbreaking for a new worship center.
- Father Christian J. HaydingerJune 1993 – June 2005
Oversaw the dedication of the new worship space by Bishop Sullivan on December 5, 1993.
- Msgr. R. Francis MuenchJune 13, 2005 – June 2007
Served two years until Bishop Francis X. DiLorenzo named him Judicial Vicar of the Diocese of Richmond.
- Father Romeo D. JazminJune 25, 2007 – June 2022
Long-tenured pastor; the parish Food Pantry bears his name (Father Romeo D. Jazmin Food Pantry).
- Father John Bosco WalugembeJuly 1, 2022 – present
Current pastor.