About Prince of Peace · West Liberty, Kentucky
Prince of Peace Catholic Church is a small Roman Catholic parish located in the Appalachian foothills of West Liberty, Kentucky, serving the faithful of Morgan and Menifee Counties. Part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lexington, it is a faith community committed to proclaiming the Gospel through worship, service, and fellowship. Originally founded as a Glenmary Home Missioners chapel, the parish grew from humble beginnings as a converted double-wide trailer into the church building constructed in 1990. Today it continues as a mission-minded parish marked by its Appalachian setting, devotion to creation care under the Diocese of Lexington's Laudato Si' Action Plan, and weekly celebration of the Eucharist.
- Patron
- Christ the Prince of Peace (parish title)
- Rector
- Rev. Danny Taylor
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Lexington
Why belong here
Prince of Peace offers a warm, small-scale Catholic community where parishioners are known by name, set in the scenic Appalachian foothills of Morgan and Menifee Counties. The parish lives out its name through weekly Sunday Eucharist (with daily Mass on Mondays and Tuesdays), a robust OCIA/faith-formation program open to all seekers, a strong tradition of lay-led hospitality (such as coffee after Mass), and a forward-looking commitment to creation care as part of the Diocese of Lexington's Laudato Si' Action Plan. Its mission heritage — begun by the Glenmary Home Missioners — gives the parish a particular spirit of outreach to those in need across rural eastern Kentucky.
Mass times at Prince of Peace
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday 4:30–5:15 PM
- Sunday 8:10–8:35 AM
Parish Identity & Mission
Prince of Peace Catholic Church is a small, vibrant Catholic community nestled in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, serving the people of Morgan and Menifee Counties in eastern Kentucky. The parish is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lexington and is committed to proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ through worship, service, and fellowship. Its mission heritage — rooted in the Glenmary Home Missioners — gives it a particular outreach identity, and its members intentionally live out the parish's name by being a place where all are welcomed, known, and loved.
- Slogan/mission: a place where all are welcomed, known, and loved
- Geographic focus: Morgan and Menifee Counties, Kentucky
- Member of the Diocese of Lexington's Big Sandy/Licking Deanery
History
The parish began as a Glenmary Home Missioners' chapel serving the West Liberty area from a converted double-wide trailer on a hilltop; the present church building was constructed in 1990 by the Glenmary Brothers' Building crew, including Br. Larry Jochim. After the Diocese of Lexington was erected in 1988, the parish became part of that new diocese, where it has continued its mission to serve rural Appalachia. In recent years, the parish has gained regional recognition for its creation-care ministry under Fr. Marc Bentley's leadership.
- Glenmary origins as a converted double-wide mobile-home chapel
- Present church built in 1990 (Br. Larry Jochim, Glenmary Brothers' Building crew)
- Joined the newly created Diocese of Lexington in 1988
- Recognized in National Catholic Reporter for Laudato Si' initiatives
Faith Formation & OCIA
The parish welcomes anyone interested in learning more about the Catholic faith to its OCIA (formerly RCIA) sessions held Mondays from 6:00 to 7:00 PM in the church. These gatherings are open to inquirers, catechumens, candidates, and any adult seeking to grow in understanding of the Catholic tradition. Contact Fr. Danny Taylor ([email protected]) for more information.
- OCIA/Formation: Mondays 6:00–7:00 PM in the church
- Open to those exploring, preparing to enter, or deepening in the faith
- Contact: Fr. Danny Taylor — [email protected]
Ministries & Parish Life
Though the parish is small in size, its heart for service is large. Lay-led ministries include music ministry (with a tradition of long-serving pianists), a Laudato Si' creation-care team, hospitality such as coffee after Mass, pastoral and finance councils, and outreach to those in need in the wider community. Funerals, bereavement support, and occasional fundraising for local charities (e.g., Christ's Pantry in West Liberty) are part of parish life.
- Music ministry (lay-led, decades-long tradition)
- Laudato Si' / Creation Care team
- Pastoral Council and Finance Council
- Hospitality (coffee after Mass)
- Outreach to those in need (e.g., partnerships with Christ's Pantry)
Clergy & Staff
The parish is currently served by Rev. Danny Taylor as pastor, who also serves as Coordinator of Spiritual Programs at the Father Beiting Appalachian Mission Center in Louisa, KY. He is assisted by Rev. Patrick Stewart, Pastoral Associate. Fr. Danny can be reached at [email protected] for parish matters and OCIA inquiries.
- Pastor: Rev. Danny Taylor — [email protected]
- Pastoral Associate: Rev. Patrick Stewart
- Parish email: [email protected]
- Phone: (606) 727-2202
Pastoral Succession
Prince of Peace has been shepherded by Glenmary Home Missioners from its founding (when Fr. Tom McElhinney and his confreres served a six-county mission) through the construction of the present church in 1990. More recently, Rev. G. Marc Bentley led the parish into the 2020s while also serving Sts. John and Elizabeth in Grayson, and the current pastor Rev. Danny Taylor now carries the parish forward while connecting it to the Father Beiting Appalachian Mission Center.
- Fr. Tom McElhinney (Glenmary, 1980s)
- Successive Glenmary priests and Brothers (incl. Br. Larry Jochim, 1990 building)
- Rev. G. Marc Bentley (2010s–early/mid-2020s; also pastor of Sts. John and Elizabeth, Grayson)
- Rev. Danny Taylor (2026–present; also Coordinator of Spiritual Programs, Father Beiting Appalachian Mission Center, Louisa)
Laudato Si' & Creation Care
Prince of Peace is an active participant in the Diocese of Lexington's Laudato Si' Action Plan, having assembled a parish Laudato Si' team, completed the diocesan parish assessment, and hosted parish-wide listening sessions. Initiatives have included incorporating intentions for creation in the Prayer of the Faithful at Mass, reducing disposable and nonbiodegradable items at parish events, and pursuing energy-efficiency upgrades with Catholic Extension support.
- Member of the Diocese of Lexington's Laudato Si' Action Plan
- Parish Laudato Si' Action Team in place
- Creation-care intentions in the Prayer of the Faithful
- Reduction of disposables at parish events
- Lighting and energy-efficiency upgrades (Catholic Extension funding)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Tom McElhinneyPre-1980s–1980s
Glenmary Home Missioner pastor of the six-county eastern Kentucky mission territory that included the Prince of Peace mission chapel in West Liberty, with the main church in Morehead and a chapel in Owingsville.
- Various Glenmary Home Missioners1980s–1990s
Pastoral care provided by successive Glenmary priests and brothers while the mission chapel served Morgan County; Br. Larry Jochim of the Glenmary Brothers' Building crew helped construct the present church in 1990.
- Rev. G. Marc Bentley (Fr. Marc Bentley)2010s–early/mid-2020s
Pastor of Prince of Peace and Sts. John and Elizabeth in Grayson; a scholar of Appalachian culture and leader in the parish's Laudato Si' environmental initiatives, featured in National Catholic Reporter in 2019.
- Rev. Danny Taylor2026–present
Current pastor as of 2026, also serving as Coordinator of Spiritual Programs at the Father Beiting Appalachian Mission Center in Louisa, KY.
- Rev. Patrick StewartCurrent (per cdlex.org Parish Finder)
Pastoral Associate assisting at the parish.