About St. Peter the Apostle · Pascagoula, Mississippi
St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church is a historic African-American parish at 1715 Telephone Road in Pascagoula, Mississippi. Founded in 1907 and staffed for generations by the Josephite Fathers (Society of St. Joseph / SSJ) along with the Sisters of the Holy Spirit, it is the oldest continuously serving Black Catholic community on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and one of six historic Black parishes in the Diocese of Biloxi. The parish survived the destruction of its sanctuary by Hurricane Katrina (2005), and the current church — modeled after the original design — was rebuilt and dedicated with the support of Catholic Extension Society. Today it offers weekend and weekday Mass, daily Holy Hour adoration, a K–12 religious-education program, and the RCIA process for adults entering the Church.
- Established
- 1907
- Patron
- St. Peter the Apostle (Simon Peter, traditionally recognized as the first Pope and patron saint of popes, fishermen, and netmakers)
- Rector
- Reverend Emmanuel Awe, SSJ (Society of St. Joseph / Josephite)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Biloxi (Catholic Diocese of Biloxi, Mississippi)
Why belong here
St. Peter the Apostle offers a small, multigenerational African-American Catholic community with daily liturgical life: a Saturday Vigil Mass at 4:00 PM, a Sunday Mass at 9:00 AM preceded by the Rosary, weekday Mass Tuesday–Friday at 8:00 AM, and a daily Holy Hour of Eucharistic Adoration from 7:00 AM on weekday mornings, plus a monthly all-day adoration on the last Thursday. Families can enroll children in the parish's K–12 Religious Education program on Sundays at 10:30 AM, and adults who wish to become Catholic enter through RCIA classes on Sundays at 3:00 PM. For more than 125 years the parish has combined the spiritual, educational, and social mission entrusted to it by the Josephite Fathers and the Sisters of the Holy Spirit.
Mass times at St. Peter the Apostle
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM (and by appointment)
Adoration times
- Tuesday 7:00 AM – 8:00 AM (Holy Hour prior to Mass)
- Wednesday 7:00 AM – 8:00 AM (Holy Hour prior to Mass)
- Thursday 7:00 AM – 8:00 AM (Holy Hour prior to Mass)
- Friday 7:00 AM – 8:00 AM (Holy Hour prior to Mass)
- Monthly All-Day Adoration — Last Thursday of the month, 8:30 AM – 6:00 PM
About St. Peter the Apostle Parish
St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church is a historic African-American parish in Pascagoula, Mississippi, founded in 1907 and served for more than 125 years by the Josephite Fathers and the Sisters of the Holy Spirit. The parish describes its mission as serving the spiritual, educational, and social needs of the African-American Catholic family of the Mississippi Gulf Coast, and it identifies itself as 'A Josephite Parish in the Biloxi Diocese.' Sunday Mass is livestreamed at 9:00 AM from the parish website, and the church building seen today was reconstructed after the original was destroyed in Hurricane Katrina.
- Founded 1907 by the Josephite Fathers and Sisters of the Holy Spirit
- 1715 Telephone Road, Pascagoula, MS 39567
- Part of the Catholic Diocese of Biloxi
- Phone: (228) 762-1759
- Office hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM–4:00 PM
Mission Statement
The parish's published mission statement reads in part: 'St. Peter the Apostle Parish established in 1907 has evolved from a background enriched in African American Heritage. The Josephite Fathers, The Sisters of the Holy Spirit, and our Founding Parishioners have always had one objective in mind, and that is to, serve the people of God. This service provides for spiritual, educational, and social needs of the African American Catholic Family.' The parish website pairs this mission with the Nicene Creed as its statement of 'What We Believe.'
History & Church Dedication
Founded in 1907 as one of the earliest Josephite foundations on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, St. Peter the Apostle has remained a Josephite-staffed parish for more than a century. Hurricane Katrina destroyed the sanctuary in 2005, and parishioners worshiped under a tent while a new, larger church — modeled on the original design — was rebuilt with assistance from Catholic Extension Society and dedicated in a ceremony described in a booklet the parish now makes available. Eddie S. Glaude Jr., the Princeton scholar, has identified himself as a parishioner's son and has written about growing up Catholic in this Josephite community.
- 1907 — Parish founded by the Josephite Fathers
- 2005 — Original church destroyed by Hurricane Katrina; Mass resumed in a salvaged tent
- 2018-era reconstruction supported by Catholic Extension Society, with new sanctuary modeled on the original
- Published booklet of parish history and dedication ceremony available through the parish
Sacraments
Information about each sacrament, including required preparation, is published on the parish's 'Sacraments' webpage. Baptism requires advance registration at the parish office; older children and adults prepare for full initiation through the Religious Education and RCIA programs; and Confession is available weekly with extended opportunities by appointment.
- Baptism — registration at the parish office, parent and godparent preparation by appointment
- Reconciliation — Saturday 3:00–3:45 PM or by appointment
- First Communion and Confirmation — prepared through Religious Education (K–12)
- Marriage and Anointing of the Sick — contact the parish office
Religious Education (K–12)
The parish's Religious Education program serves children in Kindergarten through 12th grade and meets on Sundays at 10:30 AM, immediately after the 9:00 AM Sunday Mass. Through it, students prepare to receive the sacraments of First Reconciliation, First Eucharist, and Confirmation as they grow in the Catholic faith in this historic Black Catholic community.
- Grades K–12 welcome
- Sessions on Sundays, 10:30 AM
RCIA / OCIA (Becoming Catholic)
Adults who wish to become Catholic, or baptized Catholics seeking full Communion with the Church, are formed through the parish's RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, also called OCIA — Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) process. Classes meet weekly, and the parish welcomes inquirers throughout the year.
- Sundays at 3:00 PM
- Catechumenate, election, and sacramental initiation at the Easter Vigil
- Catechumens and candidates welcome
Clergy & Staff
The parish is staffed by a pastor who is a member of the Josephite Fathers (SSJ — Society of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart), an American religious congregation founded in 1871 to serve newly emancipated Black Catholics. The Diocese of Biloxi's priest directory currently lists Rev. Emmanuel Awe, SSJ, as Pastor.
- Pastor — Rev. Emmanuel Awe, SSJ (Josephite)
- Diocese of Biloxi — Bishop Louis Kihneman (shepherding the diocese that includes six historic Black parishes)
Diocese & Josephite Heritage
St. Peter the Apostle is a parish in the Catholic Diocese of Biloxi and one of six historic Black parishes in that diocese, four of which were founded directly by the Josephites. The Josephite Fathers — formally the Society of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart — were founded in 1871 and have staffed St. Peter the Apostle in Pascagoula since 1907. Their mission, 'through the proclamation of the Gospel and personal witness,' has long shaped the parish's Catholic identity and service.
- Diocese of Biloxi, Mississippi
- Josephite Fathers (SSJ) staff the parish
- Sisters of the Holy Spirit helped found and staff its early ministries
- Knights and Ladies of Peter Claver — historic Black Catholic fraternal organization with roots in Josephite ministry
Visit, Connect & Giving
The parish invites visitors and returning Catholics to join Sunday Mass in person or via livestream at 9:00 AM each Sunday, and to contact the parish office during weekday hours (Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM–4:00 PM) for sacramental preparation, hospital visits, or to obtain a copy of the published parish history and church dedication booklet.
- Livestream Sunday Mass — 9:00 AM, stpeterparishpascagoula.org
- Office: 1715 Telephone Road, Pascagoula, MS 39567 — phone (228) 762-1759
- Email: [email protected]
- Parish history and dedication booklet available through the parish office
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Charles McMahon, SSJ
Listed as pastor on third-party parish directories; now succeeded by Fr. Emmanuel Awe, SSJ, according to the Diocese of Biloxi priest directory.