About Queen of Peace · Hamilton, Ohio
Queen of Peace is a Roman Catholic parish in the Millville hamlet of Hamilton, Ohio, founded in 1941 by Father Joseph Urbain under the patronage of the Blessed Mother, with the original church and rectory dedicated on October 5, 1941. Today the parish serves roughly 780 families and operates a parish school (Pre-K through 8th grade) with more than 200 students on the same Millville Avenue campus. Under the Archdiocese of Cincinnati's Beacons of Light initiative, Queen of Peace became part of the St. Stephen Family of Parishes in the summer of 2022, sharing pastoral ministry with St. Joseph, St. Peter in Chains, St. Julie Billiart, and St. Aloysius churches, currently under the leadership of Father Richard Walling.
- Established
- 1941
- Patron
- Blessed Mother Mary, under the title Queen of Peace
- Rector
- Rev. Richard Walling (Pastor of the St. Stephen Family of Parishes, installed July 2022, which includes Queen of Peace)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Cincinnati (Metropolitan Archdiocese of Cincinnati)
Why belong here
Queen of Peace offers the warmth of a small country parish with the substance of a larger Catholic community: well-attended daily and Sunday Masses, a strong devotion to the Holy Eucharist, an on-site parish school (Pre-K through 8th grade) of more than 200 students, and a full PREP religious education program. Active lay ministries include a Divine Mercy ministry (with an annual Divine Mercy Sunday celebration), a Men's Prayer Group and Women's Bible Study, a Worship Commission, an Education Commission, and a Parish Council, alongside annual parish events like the QP Festival.
Mass times at Queen of Peace
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesdays 7:30 pm – 8:45 pm
- By appointment
Adoration times
- Wednesdays 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm (Eucharistic Exposition following 7:00 pm Mass, with Benediction at 9:00 pm)
- First Fridays: Eucharistic Exposition following 8:00 am Mass, with Benediction at 3:00 pm
History of Queen of Peace Parish
Queen of Peace was founded in 1941 by Father Joseph Urbain when roughly thirty to forty Catholic families in the rural hamlet of Millville petitioned Archbishop John T. McNicholas for a closer mission church. The Kindred Farm site on the Hamilton-Scipio Pike was purchased on June 16, 1941, and the original church and rectory were dedicated on October 5, 1941. A convent and an eight-grade school arrived in 1943 under the Dayton-based Sisters of the Precious Blood; the present larger church replaced the original in 1966. The parish marked its 75th anniversary in October 2016 with a Mass celebrated by Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr, and in the summer of 2022 it was grouped into the St. Stephen Family of Parishes under the Beacons of Light initiative.
- Founded 1941 by Fr. Joseph Urbain
- Original church & rectory dedicated October 5, 1941
- Sisters of the Precious Blood arrived 1943; school opened same year
- Present church built 1966
- 75th anniversary Mass offered by Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr, October 2, 2016
- Joined St. Stephen Family of Parishes, summer 2022
St. Stephen Family of Parishes (Beacons of Light)
Under the Archdiocese of Cincinnati's Beacons of Light pastoral initiative, Queen of Peace became part of the St. Stephen Family of Parishes effective in the summer of 2022. Father Richard Walling was installed in July 2022 as the Pastor of St. Stephen Parish, which unites Queen of Peace with St. Joseph, St. Peter in Chains, St. Julie Billiart, and St. Aloysius churches across the greater Hamilton area.
- Father Richard Walling — installed Pastor, July 2022
- St. Joseph, Hamilton
- St. Peter in Chains, Hamilton
- St. Julie Billiart
- St. Aloysius, Shandon
- Queen of Peace, Millville/Hamilton
Queen of Peace School
Queen of Peace School has been part of the parish since 1943, when it opened with eight grades in two classrooms under the Sisters of the Precious Blood. Today the on-site school serves more than 200 students from Pre-K through 8th grade, with a faith-based curriculum that integrates Catholic teaching across subjects and includes weekly Mass, religion, art, music, gym, technology, and a Makerspace/STEM program. The middle school emphasizes personal responsibility, organization, and team work; 7th graders attend Camp Campbell Gard and 8th graders travel to Washington, D.C. The school office can be reached at (513) 863-8705.
- Pre-3 program and Pre-K through 8th grade
- Principal: Mr. Josh Mears
- Pastor: Rev. Richard Walling
- Business Manager: Mr. Chad Riegert
- Director of Missionary Discipleship: Mrs. Carrie Roell
- Middle school subjects include Religion, STEM, Makerspace, Art, Music, Gym
- Faith Life integrated across all subjects with weekly Mass
Religious Education (PREP)
Queen of Peace runs a Parish Religious Education Program (PREP) for students whose primary education happens outside the parish school, supporting the parish's mission to form young people in the Catholic faith. Catechetical Leader Cheryl Hunt coordinates the program, which works in conjunction with the Education Commission.
- PREP (Parish Religious Education Program)
- Catechetical Leader: Cheryl Hunt — (513) 869-9990
- Education Commission (meets first Thursday of each month)
Parish Ministries and Groups
The parish supports a wide range of lay-led ministries and commissions that reflect its mission statement — 'a people of faith who recognize the need to gather for prayer and the celebration of the sacraments; to support a strong religious education program and our parish school; to evangelize the weak in faith; to embrace the poor and needy; and to be patient and accept the differences which exist among us.'
- Divine Mercy Ministry (with annual Divine Mercy Sunday celebration; uses the Hearts Afire program by Fr. Michael Gaitley, MIC)
- Men's Prayer Group — 2nd & 4th Saturdays, 7:30–9:00 am, St. Isidore's Hall
- Women's Bible Study — 1st & 3rd Mondays, 3:00 pm
- Worship Commission — meets 1st Monday of even-numbered months in Urbain Hall
- Education Commission — meets 1st Thursday of each month
- Parish Council (QPAC)
- Parish Choir (Director: Becky Sunderhaus)
Sacraments
Queen of Peace celebrates the Eucharist at scheduled Sunday and weekday Masses and offers the Sacrament of Reconciliation on Wednesdays from 7:30 to 8:45 pm and by appointment. Eucharistic Adoration and Benediction are offered weekly on Wednesdays and on First Fridays. Families seeking Baptism, Marriage, First Communion, Confirmation, or other sacraments are invited to contact the Parish Office at (513) 863-4344.
- Sunday and weekday Masses
- Reconciliation: Wednesdays 7:30–8:45 pm and by appointment
- Eucharistic Adoration and Benediction
- Baptism, Marriage, First Communion, Confirmation — contact Parish Office
Parish Events and Community Life
The parish gathers for regular events including the annual Divine Mercy Sunday celebration each spring and the parish QP Festival in early June. The parish also publishes a weekly bulletin (with a current 'Queen's Messenger') and a parish calendar, and parishioners support the parish financially through WeShare online giving and through parish fundraisers.
- Divine Mercy Sunday celebration (Sunday after Easter)
- Annual QP Festival (June)
- Weekly parish bulletin and Queen's Messenger
- Online giving via WeShare
- Parish calendar and news & events page
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Joseph (Fr. Joseph) Urbain1941 – (founding pastor; served many years)
Founded the parish in 1941 at the request of about 30–40 Millville families; commissioned by Archbishop John T. McNicholas; acquired land including what became the Queen Acres subdivision; the parish's Urbain Hall is named in his honor.
- Rev. James M. (Fr. Jim) Wedigpre-2022
Welcomed parishioners on the parish website as pastor and shared a priest with St. Aloysius in Shandon at the time of the 75th anniversary article (2016) and in a later welcome message.
- Rev. Richard WallingJuly 2022 – present
Installed in July 2022 as the first Pastor of the newly formed St. Stephen Family of Parishes (Queen of Peace, St. Joseph, St. Peter in Chains, St. Julie Billiart, St. Aloysius) under the Beacons of Light initiative.