About St. Stephen Martyr · Chesapeake, Virginia
St. Stephen, Martyr Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in southern Chesapeake, Virginia, belonging to the Diocese of Richmond. Founded in 1997 from a split of roughly 200 families from Prince of Peace Parish, it has grown to serve more than 1,500 households across the Great Bridge, Hickory, and Currituck areas. The parish is located on Battlefield Boulevard South near the North Carolina border and identifies the Holy Eucharist as the center of its community life.
- Established
- 1997
- Patron
- St. Stephen (Martyr)
- Rector
- Very Rev. Charles Ssebalamu, V.F.
- Diocese
- Diocese of Richmond
Why belong here
St. Stephen, Martyr is a growing, Eucharist-centered Catholic community in southern Chesapeake with daily and Sunday Masses, weekly Eucharistic Adoration on Fridays, and a full schedule of Reconciliation. It serves families in Great Bridge, Hickory, and Currituck through Christian Formation for youth and adults, a music ministry led by a full-time director, prison outreach at two local correctional centers, Habitat for Humanity, Meals on Wheels, and parish partnerships with Catholic Charities of Eastern Virginia.
Mass times at St. Stephen Martyr
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Thursday: 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
- Friday: 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM
- Saturday: 2:30 PM – 4:30 PM
- Friday (during Adoration): 5:00 – 6:30 PM
- By appointment (call 757-421-7416)
Adoration times
- Friday: 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM (with Confession 5:00–6:30 PM and First Friday Mass at 7:00 PM)
- Men's Overnight Adoration (occasionally; see parish calendar)
St. Stephen, Martyr Catholic Church — Chesapeake, VA
A Eucharistic-centered Roman Catholic parish in southern Chesapeake, Virginia, founded in 1997 and part of the Diocese of Richmond. The community serves more than 1,500 families across Great Bridge, Hickory, and Currituck, with daily and Sunday Masses, weekly Adoration, and an active outreach program. The parish mission statement is 'Love God. Love others. Be disciples. Make disciples.'
Parish History
St. Stephen, Martyr was established in the spring of 1997 by Bishop Walter Francis Sullivan of the Diocese of Richmond, with founding pastor Fr. James Gordon celebrating the first liturgy on June 29, 1997 in the gymnasium of Southeastern Elementary School. For its first five years the parish worshipped in borrowed spaces — the school gym and Twiford Funeral Home — before Gordon Hall was built and dedicated on June 18, 2002. Under Monsignor Michael McCarron, the staff tripled and the ministry slate grew into its current form.
- 1997: Parish founded; ~150 founding families
- 1997–2002: Masses held at Southeastern Elementary School and Twiford Funeral Home
- February 2002: Construction of Gordon Hall begins
- June 18, 2002: Gordon Hall dedicated by Bishop Sullivan
- Successor pastor Monsignor Michael McCarron grows staff from 3 to 10
- Today: 1,500+ families across Great Bridge, Hickory, and Currituck
Our Lady Queen of Heaven Mausoleum Garden (Parish Cemetery)
The parish operates Our Lady Queen of Heaven Mausoleum Garden on the parish campus at 1544 Battlefield Boulevard South. Inquiries can be made through the parish office at (757) 421-7416. The Mausoleum Chair sits on the Parish Council.
Clergy and Staff
St. Stephen, Martyr is led by Very Rev. Charles Ssebalamu, V.F., Pastor, with Rev. Daniel Appiah serving as Parochial Vicar and Rev. Mr. Kevin Trail as Permanent Deacon. The parish also benefits from full-time lay liturgical and music leadership.
- Pastor: Very Rev. Charles Ssebalamu, V.F. — [email protected]
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Daniel Appiah
- Permanent Deacon: Rev. Mr. Kevin Trail
- Liturgy Director: Barbara Harrington, PhD
- Music Director: James Gardner
- Pastoral Care: Mark Kohan
- Pastoral Care: Barb Pecsok
Christian Formation & Faith Education
St. Stephen, Martyr's Christian Formation program teaches young people about the Bible and Catholicism, serving children in elementary through high school age groups. It was among the first ministries established by founding pastor Fr. James Gordon and continues today under the current pastoral team.
- Elementary school age groups
- Middle and high school age groups
- Adult faith formation through RCIA-style programming
Music and Liturgy
Liturgical Worship is described by the parish as 'the foundation of our Catholic identity; expressing our highest purpose.' The parish is served by full-time Music Director James Gardner and Liturgy Director Barbara Harrington, PhD. The 8:30 AM and 11:30 AM Sunday Masses offer Children's Liturgy of the Word (CLOW) and childcare.
- Music Director: James Gardner
- Liturgy Director: Barbara Harrington, PhD
- Children's Liturgy of the Word at 8:30 AM and 11:30 AM Sunday Masses
Pastoral Care
Pastoral Care ministers visit homebound parishioners, nursing home residents, and Catholic patients at Chesapeake Regional Medical Center, offering prayer and Holy Communion. Training includes Virtus, Eucharistic Ministry Training, and shadowing current volunteers.
- Homebound Pastoral Care
- Nursing Home Pastoral Care
- Hospital Pastoral Care at Chesapeake Regional Medical Center (Saturdays and Sundays)
- Contact: Mark Kohan and Barb Pecsok
Outreach & Social Justice
The parish has a strong outreach identity, with the Social Justice Chair on the Parish Council. St. Stephen, Martyr has partnered with Catholic Charities of Eastern Virginia for more than 25 years and runs a range of local service programs.
- Prison Ministry at St. Bride's Correctional Center
- Prison Ministry at Indian Creek Correctional Center
- Habitat for Humanity (local chapter)
- Meals on Wheels
- Monthly Samaritan Collection
- Thanksgiving and Christmas family assistance
- Annual Giving Tree and Adopt-A-Senior
- Knights of Columbus Council
Parish Council & Leadership
The Parish Council typically meets on the 4th Tuesday at 7:00 PM in Room 3, with ministry chairs covering Evangelization, Parish Life, Liturgy, Social Justice, Stewardship, and Finance. The Legacy Committee oversees long-range planning alongside the Finance Council.
- Pastor and Parish Council Chairperson
- Parish Council Vice Chairperson: Tom Manos
- Secretary: Jim Neary
- Evangelization Chair, Parish Life Chair, Liturgy Chair, Social Justice Chair, Stewardship Chair, Finance Chair
- Grand Knight (Knights of Columbus): John Hamann
Visit & Contact
The parish office is open Monday–Thursday 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM and Friday 9:00 AM – 12:30 PM. Visitors are welcomed by Pastor Fr. Charles and the parish team, and the parish mission is to welcome everyone — even the unchurched — into the life of Christ.
- Address: 1544 Battlefield Blvd S, Chesapeake, VA 23322
- Phone: (757) 421-7416
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://ssmcatholic.org
- Office Hours: Mon–Thu 9 AM–4 PM; Fri 9 AM–12:30 PM
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. James Gordon1997–~2002
Founding pastor; celebrated the parish's first liturgy on June 29, 1997, at Southeastern Elementary School gymnasium; the worship space (Gordon Hall) is named for him.
- Monsignor Michael McCarronAfter Fr. Gordon
Grew parish staff from three to ten full-time employees and expanded ministries including prison outreach, Habitat for Humanity, and Meals on Wheels.
- Very Rev. Charles Ssebalamu, V.F.Current
Current pastor; also Pastor of Our Lady Queen of Heaven Mausoleum Chair and serves on the Legacy Committee.