About Queen of Peace · Mishawaka, Indiana
Queen of Peace is a Catholic parish in Mishawaka, Indiana, serving approximately 900 families in eastern St. Joseph County as part of the Diocese of Fort Wayne–South Bend. Founded in 1957 under the patronage of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of Peace, the parish community is united around the Sacraments, lifelong formation, and service to neighbors, and shares its campus with Queen of Peace Catholic School (Pre-K through Grade 8). The current pastor is Father John Eze, installed in 2013, who has made Eucharistic Adoration the heartbeat of the parish's life and is widely known for his warm, approachable pastoral style.
- Established
- 1957
- Patron
- Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of Peace
- Rector
- Rev. John Eze
- Diocese
- Diocese of Fort Wayne–South Bend
Why belong here
Queen of Peace offers the fullness of Catholic sacramental life on a single family-oriented campus: daily and Sunday Mass, weekday and Saturday confession, Eucharistic Adoration every Tuesday–Friday morning (ending with Benediction and Lauds, plus a Holy Hour on First Thursdays), and an active Pre-K through Grade 8 Catholic school. The parish is known for its warm, multi-generational welcome — rooted in being small enough to know each other by name — and offers ministries for nearly every age and interest, from youth groups and Vacation Bible School to choir and garden club, all under the personal, approachable leadership of Father John Eze.
Mass times at Queen of Peace
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday–Friday | 7:15 AM – 7:45 AM
- Saturday | 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM
Adoration times
- Tuesday–Friday | 7:00 AM – 8:00 AM (ending with Benediction and Lauds)
- First Thursdays | 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
About Queen of Peace Parish
Queen of Peace Catholic Church is a parish of the Diocese of Fort Wayne–South Bend located on Vistula Road in Mishawaka, Indiana, under the patronage of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of Peace. Its mission statement calls parishioners to know, love, and serve Christ at every moment, to grow in holiness, and to share His peace — rooted in the Sacraments, especially the Blessed Eucharist, and expressed through lifelong formation and heart-filled service to neighbors both near and far.
- Approximately 900 registered families
- Approximately 250 students enrolled in the parish school (Pre-K–Grade 8)
- Parish office: 4508 Vistula Road, Mishawaka, IN 46544 — (574) 255-9674
Parish History
Established in 1957 by Bishop Leo A. Pursley to serve Catholics in eastern St. Joseph County, Queen of Peace began with a first Mass celebrated by Father Milford Bell at Twin Branch School for 40 families. The community grew quickly: the school opened under the Franciscan Sisters of Mishawaka in 1958, a new church and gymnasium were dedicated in 1970, and the parish has continuously expanded its campus and ministries for nearly seven decades. The school closed in 1970 when the Franciscan Sisters could no longer staff it, but Father Elden J. Miller reopened it in 1998 with a preschool, adding grades one per year. The parish marked its 50th anniversary in 2007 with Bishop John M. D'Arcy and, since 2013, has been led by Father John Eze.
- 1957: Parish founded by Bishop Pursley; first Mass by Father Milford Bell for 40 families
- 1958: Parish school opens under the Franciscan Sisters of Mishawaka
- 1970: New church building dedicated and gymnasium opens; school closes that same year
- 1988: Father Elden J. Miller becomes fourth pastor
- 1998: School reopens with a preschool; grades K–2 added in 1999
- 2007: 50th anniversary Mass celebrated by Bishop John M. D'Arcy
- 2008: Father Miller dies and bequeaths half his estate for student scholarships
- 2013: Father John Eze installed as pastor on June 26
Queen of Peace Catholic School
Queen of Peace Catholic School (Pre-K through Grade 8) is the parish's Christ-centered school community, sharing the Mishawaka campus with the church. Its mission is to help every student do their best in school, grow in their faith, and make a difference in the community — rooted in Catholic teaching and Sacramental life. In 2015 the Indiana Department of Education named it a Four Star school, and it currently operates as a Google school working toward a 1:1 Chromebook environment for grades 3–8.
- Pre-K through Grade 8 enrollment (approximately 250 students)
- Christ-centered mission to grow spiritually, excel academically, and serve the community
- Recognized as a Four Star school by the Indiana Department of Education in 2015
- Google school preparing for 1:1 Chromebooks in grades 3–8
- Curriculum includes Religion (Word of Life), English/Literature, Math, Science, Social Studies, Technology, Music, and Physical Education
Pastoral Team & Clergy
Queen of Peace is currently served by Father John Eze as pastor. A Nigerian-born priest ordained in 1997, Father Eze first visited Queen of Peace in 2013 while on vacation in the U.S., was asked to assist during Father Daniel Scheidt's recovery from surgery, and was installed as pastor in July 2013. He is widely recognized for his warm, approachable style, his encouragement of daily Mass attendees to bring friends (often joking about shorter homilies), and his commitment to offering open 'office hours' conversations with parishioners. He is also pursuing a master's degree in mental health counseling at Indiana University South Bend and chairs his commitment to Eucharistic Adoration as the parish's spiritual center.
- Current pastor: Rev. John John Eze (installed July 2013)
- Parish administrator: Laurie Haverty (longtime parishioner)
- School principal (recent): Jill Patrick
Parish Life & Ministries
The parish community is described as a family of faith where 'people are consistent in their support of the parish because they feel like a part of the family. We are all family.' Programming reaches across age groups and interests, with Father Eze and parishioners encouraging involvement at every level. Youth ministry, Vacation Bible School, the parish choir, a garden club, and an active faith-formation program sit alongside the parish school on the Mishawaka campus.
- Youth group
- Vacation Bible School
- Parish choir
- Garden club
- Faith formation / religious education
- Eucharistic Adoration
Parish Campus & Notable Features
The Queen of Peace campus blends worship, school, recreation, and outdoor spaces on Vistula Road in Mishawaka. Beyond the church and school, recent additions and improvements — most accomplished with little to no debt thanks to generous parishioner support — have created spaces for prayer, learning, and play. Father's Fields, a recreational area with a basketball court, baseball diamond, and playground, is named in honor of all the pastors who have served the parish.
- Church building dedicated in 1970
- Gymnasium (opened 1970)
- School additions in the 2000s
- Our Lady's Garden and grotto
- Outdoor education area
- Aquaponics building
- Father's Fields recreation area (basketball court, baseball diamond, playground)
Bulletin & Communications
Parish announcements, schedules, and ministry news are shared through the weekly parish bulletin, available both online at queenofpeace.cc and via the DiscoverMass bulletin mailing service, which delivers the bulletin by email each week at no charge. Bulletin submissions (PNG, JPEG, or PDF, with landscape/portrait/square designs) are due to [email protected] by 5:00 PM the Monday prior to publication.
- Online bulletin at queenofpeace.cc/bulletins-1
- Free weekly email bulletin via DiscoverMass
- Submission deadline: 5:00 PM the Monday prior to publication
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Milford Bell1957–
First pastor of Queen of Peace; celebrated the first parish Mass at Twin Branch School for 40 families.
- Father Elden J. Miller1988–
Fourth pastor; passionate about Catholic education; reopened the parish school in 1998; left half his estate to the parish for student scholarships upon his death in 2008.
- Father Richard Hire
Pastored the parish at its 50th anniversary in 2007; oversaw continued growth and school expansion.
- Rev. Daniel Scheidtuntil June 26, 2013
Pastor prior to Father Eze; reassigned to Saint Vincent de Paul Parish, Fort Wayne, effective June 26, 2013.
- Rev. John Ezesince June 26, 2013
Installed as pastor in July 2013; ordained a priest in 1997; currently pursuing a master's in mental health counseling at Indiana University South Bend.