About St. Katharine Drexel · Maple, North Carolina
St. Katharine Drexel is a Roman Catholic mission church located at 154 Maple Road in the small community of Maple, North Carolina, near Whalebone Junction at the junction of Highways 12 and 158 on the Outer Banks. It serves as a mission of Holy Family Catholic Church in Elizabeth City, under the Diocese of Raleigh. The mission provides Sunday and weekday Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, and the Sacrament of Reconciliation, offering Catholic worship and fellowship to residents and visitors in Currituck County and the northern Outer Banks region. It is named for Saint Katharine Drexel, the Philadelphia heiress who founded the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament and was canonized in 2000.
- Patron
- Saint Katharine Drexel (1858–1955), American Catholic religious sister, foundress of the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, canonized October 1, 2000 by Pope John Paul II; patron saint of racial justice and philanthropists.
- Rector
- Reverend John Alex Gonzalez
- Diocese
- Diocese of Raleigh
Why belong here
St. Katharine Drexel is a small but faithful Catholic mission in the Outer Banks area, offering Sunday and Wednesday Mass in English, monthly Eucharistic Adoration on the second Wednesday, and confession by request or before Wednesday Mass. As a mission of Holy Family Catholic Church in Elizabeth City, it connects local Catholics and visitors to the wider parish family, sacramental life, and diocesan resources of the Diocese of Raleigh. Newcomers, returning Catholics, and those interested in the faith are warmly welcomed to register, attend Mass, or speak with the priest after liturgy.
Mass times at St. Katharine Drexel
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- By request
- Wednesday 5:30 PM–6:00 PM (before 6:30 PM Mass)
Adoration times
- Wednesday 5:00 PM–7:00 PM (Second Wednesdays only)
About St. Katharine Drexel Mission
St. Katharine Drexel is a Roman Catholic mission church in Maple, North Carolina, situated at the Whalebone Junction of Highways 12 and 158 at 154 Maple Road (ZIP 27956). It is administered as a mission of Holy Family Catholic Church, 1453 N. Road Street, Elizabeth City, NC, and falls within the Diocese of Raleigh. The mission serves Catholics living in or visiting the northern Outer Banks region, including Currituck County and the surrounding coastal communities.
Parish Life and Becoming Catholic
The mission welcomes newcomers, returning Catholics, seasonal visitors, and those curious about the Catholic faith. Parishioners can register by filling out a registration form after Mass. Anyone interested in becoming Catholic is invited to speak with the priest after liturgy to begin inquiry into the faith and the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) process coordinated through Holy Family parish in Elizabeth City.
Clergy and Staff
St. Katharine Drexel is served by the pastor of Holy Family Catholic Church in Elizabeth City. The Diocese of Raleigh currently lists Reverend John Alex Gonzalez as pastor and Deacon Ronald Soriano as deacon assisting the mission. Earlier parish listings named Reverend J. Victor Gournas as pastor, reflecting a recent pastoral change in the parish family.
- Pastor: Rev. John Alex Gonzalez
- Deacon: Deacon Ronald Soriano
- Parish office: (252) 453-6035
Parent Parish: Holy Family, Elizabeth City
Because St. Katharine Drexel is a mission, its sacramental, administrative, and pastoral life is connected to Holy Family Catholic Church, the parish church located at 1453 N. Road Street, Elizabeth City, NC 27909. The mission statement of Holy Family — to proclaim the Gospel by embracing Christ and bearing witness within families and the wider community through the joyful celebration of the Sacraments and spiritual, educational, and social programs — likewise shapes the life of St. Katharine Drexel.
- Holy Family Catholic Church: 1453 N. Road Street, Elizabeth City, NC 27909
- Holy Family phone: (252) 338-2521
- Website shared: holyfamilyec.org
Location and Visiting
The mission sits at one of the most recognizable landmarks on the northern Outer Banks — Whalebone Junction, where NC Highway 12 (south toward the beach communities) meets US 158. Visitors traveling to the Outer Banks can easily find the church by following signs to Whalebone Junction. The parish's mailing address is P.O. Box 64, Maple, NC 27956.
- Physical address: 154 Maple Road, Maple, NC 27956
- Landmark: Highways 12 & 158, Whalebone Junction
- Mailing: P.O. Box 64, Maple, NC 27956
- Phone: (252) 453-6035
The Patron: Saint Katharine Drexel
Katharine Drexel (November 26, 1858 – March 3, 1955) was an American Catholic religious sister and educator who, after an audience with Pope Leo XIII in 1886, devoted her life and inheritance to serving Native American and African American communities. In 1891 she founded the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament and went on to finance more than 60 missions and schools, including Xavier University of Louisiana — the only historically Black and Catholic university in the United States. She was beatified in 1988 and canonized by Pope John Paul II on October 1, 2000, becoming the second American-born saint and the first American-born citizen to be canonized. She is honored as patron of racial justice and of philanthropists, and her liturgical feast is celebrated on March 3.
- Founder of the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament (1891)
- Canonized October 1, 2000 by Pope John Paul II
- Feast day: March 3
- Patron of racial justice and philanthropists
Diocese of Raleigh
St. Katharine Drexel Mission is part of the Diocese of Raleigh, the Roman Catholic diocese covering the eastern portion of North Carolina. The diocese's official parish page for St. Katharine Drexel in Maple lists current clergy, sacramental schedules, and contact information, and is the authoritative reference for the mission's status within the wider diocesan structure.
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Reverend J. Victor Gournas
Listed as pastor on older parish and third-party listings.
- Reverend John Alex Gonzalez
Current pastor per the Diocese of Raleigh parish page.