About St. Peter at the Lake Center · McHenry, Maryland
St. Peter at the Lake Center is a seasonal Roman Catholic worship site located on Mosser Road in McHenry, Maryland, near Deep Creek Lake in Garrett County. Operated as a second worship location of St. Peter the Apostle Parish in Oakland, the Center was built in 2009 to minister to the many vacationers and weekend-homeowners who flock to Maryland's largest lake and the surrounding Wisp Resort ski area. The parish describes itself as 'one parish, two locations,' and the Lake Center hosts Mass year-round on Saturdays plus a Sunday morning Mass during the summer season between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
- Established
- 2009
- Patron
- Saint Peter (the Apostle)
- Rector
- Rev. William Keown
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Baltimore
Why belong here
St. Peter at the Lake Center offers a relaxed, welcoming 'summer resort' Catholic community in the heart of Maryland's Deep Creek Lake vacation country, with Mass celebrated in a bright, modern building whose sliding doors open onto mountain views. Weekend Masses (Saturday 4:00 pm year-round and Sunday 11:00 am from Memorial Day to Labor Day) are supported by a dedicated 'instant choir' of volunteers and a retiree-heavy hospitality corps, many of whom started as vacationers themselves. It is a true 'parish away from home' for seasonal residents and visitors, while remaining part of the broader St. Peter the Apostle family that serves all of Garrett County.
Mass times at St. Peter at the Lake Center
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday 4:30 pm, first Wednesday of each month, at the chapel in Oakland (St. Peter the Apostle)
- Also available before Masses or upon request through the parish office
Adoration times
- Simple Adoration follows the noon Mass / Communion Service at St. Peter the Apostle in Oakland on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays
About St. Peter at the Lake Center
St. Peter at the Lake Center is the lakeside worship site of St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Parish, located at 1140 Mosser Road in McHenry, Maryland, just minutes from Deep Creek Lake — the largest freshwater lake in Maryland — in the heart of Garrett County's four-season resort region. The parish's motto is 'one parish, two locations': the mother church of St. Peter the Apostle in Oakland (208 South Fourth Street) is the canonical parish, while the Lake Center functions as a year-round worship and outreach center tailored to vacationers, weekenders, and seasonal residents.
- Address: 1140 Mosser Road, McHenry, MD 21541
- Phone: (301) 334-2202
- Website: https://www.garrettstpeter.com/
- Email: [email protected]
History of the Parish
Catholic ministry in Garrett County dates to 1852, when St. Peter the Apostle Parish was established in Oakland — making it the westernmost parish in the Archdiocese of Baltimore. For most of its history the parish served a small mountain community, but the post-1970s boom of Deep Creek Lake as a Mid-Atlantic vacation destination brought an ever-growing seasonal Catholic population. Parishioner Gloeckl, vacationing at the lake in 1979, began organizing weekly outdoor summer Masses on the lawn outside the Honi-Honi tiki bar, keeping the altar (a folding table) in her car trunk along with collection baskets and a crucifix.
- 1852 — St. Peter the Apostle Parish established in Oakland
- 1979 — Outdoor summer Mass tradition begins at Deep Creek Lake
- Monsignor Martin E. Feild nurtures the 'Mass on the Grass' tradition at Wisp Resort
- 2009 (June 28) — Auxiliary Bishop Mitchell T. Rozanski blesses the new $1.2 million Lake Center
- 2014 — Father Donald J. Parson dies unexpectedly; Archbishop William E. Lori celebrates his Funeral Mass at the Lake Center
The Lake Center Building
The 2009 building was designed by Eades Architects of Cumberland and constructed by Harbel Construction Company of Cumberland at a cost of approximately $1.2 million. It seats about 300 inside, with sliding doors that open onto outdoor patios capable of accommodating another 600 people — making it ideal for the resort's summer crowds. The Center sits on 14.5 acres of a former pasture about a mile off U.S. Route 219, with sweeping views of the Western Maryland mountains.
- Stained-glass window of St. Peter casting his fishing net
- Crucifix, pulpit and furnishings from closed parishes in the Diocese of Allentown
- Woodwork from a closed Holy Cross Fathers chapel
- Ample parking and a handicap-accessible main entrance
Parish Life & Ministries
St. Peter describes itself as a casual, welcoming 'summer resort'-style community. A committed group of mostly-retired volunteers (many former vacationers who became residents) cares for the building, prepares for Mass, and welcomes guests at both weekend summer Masses. An 'instant choir' directed by parish office manager Donna Cook is open to anyone in attendance who wants to sing, and vacationing youths regularly serve as altar servers. Families — seasonal and full-time — support the parish's community-services outreach.
- Volunteer 'instant choir' — open to all attendees
- Youth altar servers (frequently vacationers)
- Retiree-led hospitality and building-care corps
- Parish community-services outreach supported by seasonal families
Clergy & Staff
The Archdiocese of Baltimore's parish page lists Rev. William Keown as the current pastor of the St. Peter the Apostle pastorate, which includes the Lake Center. Earlier pastors closely associated with the Lake Center include Rev. C. Douglas Kenney (parish administrator following the 2014 death of Father Parson) and Rev. Donald J. Parson (pastor from 1999, the driving force behind the Center's construction).
- Rev. William Keown — current pastor (Archdiocese of Baltimore listing)
- Rev. C. Douglas Kenney — former parish administrator
- Rev. Donald J. Parson — pastor 1999–2014
- Monsignor Martin E. Feild — longtime pastor who nurtured the lakeside Mass tradition
- Donna Cook — parish office manager and 'instant choir' director
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Monsignor Martin E. Feild
Longtime pastor of St. Peter the Apostle who nurtured the lakeside 'Mass on the Grass' tradition at Wisp Resort.
- Rev. Donald J. Parson1999–2014
Pastored St. Peter the Apostle from 1999; played the key role in building and dedicating St. Peter at the Lake Center in 2009. Died unexpectedly at the rectory on April 25, 2014; his Funeral Mass was celebrated at the Lake Center by Archbishop William E. Lori.
- Rev. C. Douglas Kenney
Appointed parish administrator following Father Parson's death; previously served at St. Margaret, Bel Air. Native of Frostburg. Continued the 'one parish, two locations' mission.
- Rev. William Keown
Listed as current pastor on the Archdiocese of Baltimore parish page.