About St. Peter · Queenstown, Maryland
St. Peter the Apostle (also known as St. Peter's Church) is a historic Catholic mission church located at 5319 Ocean Gateway in Queenstown, on Maryland's Eastern Shore. It is a mission of the parish of Our Mother of Sorrows in nearby Centreville, and the two churches share a pastor, staff, and ministry program within the Diocese of Wilmington. The parish traces its origins to 1765, when the small congregation became the third permanent Catholic mission on the Eastern Shore; the present Victorian-Gothic brick church was built in 1823–1827 and enlarged to its current form in 1877. Today the parish serves about 620 families and the Queenstown church remains a familiar landmark along U.S. Route 50, currently closed for an exterior restoration campaign.
- Established
- 1765
- Patron
- St. Peter the Apostle
- Rector
- Rev. Clemens D. Manista, Jr.
- Diocese
- Catholic Diocese of Wilmington
Why belong here
St. Peter the Apostle offers Eastern Shore Catholics a place to worship in a building that is itself part of the story — a National Register-listed, Victorian-Gothic church that has served the same community since 1765. As a mission of Our Mother of Sorrows in Centreville, it shares a single pastor and staff but keeps a distinct Queenstown identity, supported by religious education for children and Confirmation preparation, a music ministry, and a broader outreach that includes a food pantry and Backpacks for Kids program for Centreville Elementary. Visitors and parishioners encounter a small, rooted faith community where two centuries of stewardship, ongoing restoration, and a genuine concern for the wider Queen Anne's County community all meet at the altar.
Mass times at St. Peter
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:30–4:45 PM
- By appointment
About the Parish
Our Mother of Sorrows / St. Peter the Apostle is a single Catholic parish that worships in two historic churches in Queen Anne's County, Maryland. Our Mother of Sorrows is in Centreville; St. Peter the Apostle is in Queenstown, less than ten miles away, along U.S. Route 50. The parish is led by one pastor and a small shared staff and currently includes about 620 families.
St. Peter the Apostle, Queenstown (founded 1765)
St. Peter's is the older of the parish's two churches. The mission was formally established in 1765 and the original chapel (built before 1784) was the third permanent Catholic mission on Maryland's Eastern Shore. The present brick church was constructed in 1823–1827 and enlarged in 1877 to the Victorian-Gothic form — with its steep roof, rose windows, and 1877 stained glass — that still stands today. A brick sacristy and meeting room were added to the northeast side in the 1960s. The church was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 10, 1980.
- Founded 1765
- Current brick church built 1823–1827
- Expanded 1877 under contractor John Stack of Baltimore
- Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, March 10, 1980
- Currently closed for restoration
Our Mother of Sorrows, Centreville (founded 1937 parish)
Our Mother of Sorrows was established on January 4, 1937, by Archbishop John A. Floersh. The original Our Mother of Sorrows church was built in 1889 and dedicated on January 25, 1893, on what is now Tilghman Avenue in Centreville. In 1925 John J. Raskob — a General Motors executive and visionary behind the Empire State Building — purchased the Pioneer Point Estate and moved to Centreville. In 1931 he purchased the land and built the present Our Mother of Sorrows Church and Rectory as a gift to the Diocese; it was dedicated on March 19, 1932, by the Most Rev. Edmund J. Fitzmaurice, Bishop of the Diocese of Wilmington.
Parish Staff
The two-church parish of Our Mother of Sorrows / St. Peter the Apostle is staffed by a single pastor and a small lay team.
- Pastor: Rev. Clemens D. Manista, Jr.
- Deacon: Robert A. Wilson
- Religious Education: Yvette Baggs ([email protected])
- Director of Music Ministry: Cathy Emory ([email protected])
- Administrative Assistant: Susan Hopkins ([email protected])
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Religious Education for parish children is held on Sunday mornings from 10:15 to 11:25 AM at Our Mother of Sorrows in Centreville, under the direction of Yvette Baggs. The parish also runs an annual Confirmation preparation program (2025–26 class currently in session).
- Religious Education Sundays 10:15–11:25 AM at Our Mother of Sorrows
- Director: Yvette Baggs
- 2025–26 Confirmation Class in formation
Music Ministry
Liturgical music across both churches is coordinated by Director of Music Ministry Cathy Emory ([email protected]).
- Director of Music Ministry: Cathy Emory
Outreach Ministry
Our Mother of Sorrows Outreach Ministry operates a Food Pantry serving residents of Queen Anne's County, distributing perishable and non-perishable food items on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of each month from 4:00 to 6:00 PM at Corbaley Hall behind the church. The ministry also runs the 'Backpacks for Kids' program, which sends weekly bags of breakfast, lunch, snack, fruit, and juice home with Centreville Elementary children in need. Clients must first obtain a referral from the Department of Social Services (DSS) or the Department of Housing & Community Services.
- Food Pantry: 2nd & 4th Thursday, 4:00–6:00 PM (Corbaley Hall)
- Backpacks for Kids weekend food program for Centreville Elementary students
- Donations accepted Mon–Fri 9:30 AM–3:00 PM
- Service area: Queen Anne's County, MD
St. Peter's Cemetery
St. Peter's grounds include a historic parish cemetery of more than 300 burials. Not all sites are marked by tombstones, but the parish maintains records. The oldest marked grave is that of Joseph King (d. 1820), located near a tall boxwood shrub. Reverend Edward Henchy, who served the parish for 20 years, is also buried here; his gravestone reads 'Pastor of the church for 20 years.'
- Over 300 burials
- Oldest marked grave: Joseph King, d. 1820
- Burial site of Rev. Edward Henchy, d. 1895
Visiting & Contact
St. Peter the Apostle sits right along U.S. Route 50 (5319 Ocean Gateway, Queenstown, MD 21658) and is a familiar Eastern Shore landmark. The mailing address and main office of the parish is at 301 Homewood Avenue, Centreville, MD 21617, open Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Phone: (410) 827-8404 (church) / (410) 758-0143 (office). Email: [email protected]. The Queenstown church is currently closed for restoration; donations toward the campaign can be made through the parish website.
- St. Peter the Apostle: 5319 Ocean Gateway, Queenstown, MD 21658
- Parish Office: 301 Homewood Avenue, Centreville, MD 21617
- Office hours: Mon–Fri 9:00 AM–3:00 PM
- Phone: 410-827-8404 / 410-758-0143
- Email: [email protected]
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Joseph Mosley, SJ1765 – c. 1787
Pastored nearby St. Joseph's in Talbot County; ministered to five Eastern Shore mission stations with Queenstown as his 'chief congregation.'
- Father John Boltonfrom 1787
Succeeded Mosley; served the Queenstown mission.
- Rev. James Moynihanearly 1820s
Began planning the 1823–27 brick church; forced to retire by ill health.
- Rev. Peter Veulemansafter 1823
First resident priest of St. Peter's; oversaw completion of the 1827 brick church.
- Rev. Edward Henchy1869 – 1895 (d.)
Led the 1877 expansion campaign; his gravestone in the parish cemetery reads 'Pastor of the church for 20 years.'