Tucked into The Corners Parkway in Peachtree Corners, just outside the city of Norcross in Gwinnett County, Mary Our Queen Catholic Church serves as a parish home for families across northeast metro Atlanta, with a particular focus on the rapidly growing communities of Peachtree Corners, Norcross, Johns Creek, and Duluth. The parish grounds sit along a busy commercial corridor near the Shoppes at The Corners, and the church building itself has become a familiar landmark for Catholics who drive in from throughout the suburbs north of Atlanta to attend Mass, bring their children to faith formation classes, or stop in for one of the longest weekly adoration windows in the archdiocese.
Mary Our Queen, often called simply MOQ by its parishioners, is a Catholic parish of the Archdiocese of Atlanta, pastored by Father Charles Byrd. The parish describes its mission in three phrases that hang over everything else it does: living the Sacraments, teaching the Faith, and serving others. Those three commitments shape a wide range of offerings, from weekday noon Mass and Wednesday adoration that stretches into the evening, to a multi-stage catechetical program for children and teens, a deeply organized homeschool fellowship, two of the country's best-known Catholic men's and women's programs, and a food pantry and social outreach arm that extends well beyond the parking lot.
Mass Times, Adoration, and Reconciliation
The Sunday schedule at Mary Our Queen opens with the Saturday Vigil at 5:00 pm, celebrated without incense. Three additional Sunday Masses follow the next morning: 8:30 am, 11:00 am, and 5:00 pm. The 11:00 am Sunday Mass is livestreamed on YouTube, and a recorded version is posted afterward for those who cannot attend in person. Throughout the week, Mass is offered Monday morning at 8:30 am and Tuesday through Friday at 12 noon.
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is a particular point of pride. On Wednesdays, adoration begins right after the noon Mass and continues without interruption until 8:00 pm, giving working parishioners a chance to stop in during the evening commute. On Sundays, a Holy Hour runs from 3:30 to 4:30 pm, immediately before the 5:00 pm Mass. The reconciliation schedule is generous by parish standards: Wednesday after the noon Mass (for as long as penitents are present), Saturday 3:30 to 4:25 pm, Sunday 3:30 to 4:25 pm, and on First Fridays, after the noon Mass. A dedicated emergency line, (770) 526-2090, covers sacramental emergencies outside regular office hours.
The Seven Sacraments as the Heart of Parish Life
Mary Our Queen teaches that the seven sacraments are the channels of grace that mark Catholic life, and each is celebrated with its own formation track.
Baptism for infants and children under seven is offered once a month during one of the weekend Masses, with private baptisms by a deacon scheduled as availability allows. Parents must be registered parishioners for at least six months, attend Mass regularly, and complete the parish's Belonging: Baptism in the Family of God preparation class. Godparents must be practicing members of the Church, at least sixteen years old, and have received baptism, confirmation, and First Communion themselves. Baptisms are ordinarily celebrated by Father Byrd.
First Eucharist and Confirmation are prepared through the parish's Vita Christi Catechesis Program, with separate formation paths for elementary and middle/high school students.
Reconciliation follows the regular confession schedule noted above and is also made available to school-aged children during their sacramental year.
Anointing of the Sick is offered to those facing serious illness or surgery, and priests or deacons will visit the homebound and hospitalized at the request of the family.
Marriage preparation is coordinated with the parish office, and a Wedding Coordinator Ministry guides couples through the liturgy and the rehearsal.
Holy Orders: young men discerning a vocation are encouraged to speak with Father Byrd, who serves as the parish's primary contact for priestly discernment.
Becoming Catholic (OCIA): the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults meets throughout the year, with the goal of initiation at the Easter Vigil. The parish invites anyone unbaptized, baptized in another tradition, or a baptized Catholic who has not yet received First Communion and Confirmation to begin the process through Deacon Tom Gotschall.
Vita Christi Catechesis: Formation from Pre-K through Twelfth Grade
The parish's faith formation program is called Vita Christi, Latin for "Christ and Life," and it is structured as a journey through three places in salvation history.
Bethlehem is the elementary track for children from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. The name echoes the City of David where Christ was born: a place of joy and peace where the Light of the World entered into the world of his ancestors. Children move from Bethlehem, the place of encounter with the newborn Lord, into the fundamentals of Christian life in the next stage. Rachel Henke, the Elementary Faith Formation Coordinator, oversees the program, and the parish publishes a yearly Faith Formation calendar. Each summer the parish also runs a Vacation Bible School open to children from the wider community.
Antioch is the middle school program for grades six through eight. The parish describes this stage as the place where young disciples "discover and learn more about the fundamentals of Christian life," and where youth are guided to a deeper understanding of their identity as Catholic Christians and their missionary call to discipleship.
Zion is the high school program for grades nine through twelve, carried out under the patronage of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, the young Italian layman known for his motto verso l'alto ("to the heights"). The high school program gathers on Sundays and is supplemented by retreats, camps, and the annual Lion of Judah fall retreat at Camp Hidden Lake, as well as a pilgrimage built around the Jubilee Year celebrated by the universal Church.
Lindsey Martin, the parish's Youth Minister, coordinates the middle and high school programs and the wider youth calendar, including weekly youth group meetings, retreats, and service projects. Catechists and volunteers of every age are recruited each year, with all adult volunteers required to complete the Archdiocese of Atlanta's VIRTUS Safe Environment training and background screening.
Fraternus and American Heritage Girls
Mary Our Queen is the home of the first Fraternus chapter in the Archdiocese of Atlanta. Fraternus is a Catholic brotherhood for boys and men from fifth grade through adulthood, built around the recovery of mentorship and the practice of the virtues. Frat Night meets on Wednesday evenings at 6:30 pm in St. Joseph's Hall, beginning with dinner, moving through games, teaching, and discussion, and concluding with Compline at 8:30 pm. Each evening centers on a different virtue, rooted in Scripture and applied to ordinary decisions. The parish emphasizes that the chapter needs men of every age to serve as mentors, not only those with sons in the program.
For girls, the parish charters Troop GA1412 of American Heritage Girls, the national character and faith-development organization. AHG at Mary Our Queen welcomes girls from five to eighteen, including those who do not attend the parish school, and the troop meets regularly on the campus.
Loretto and Annunciation: A Homeschool Ministry at the Parish's Center
One of the most distinctive features of Mary Our Queen is its Loretto Homeschool Ministry, which serves as both a fellowship for Catholic homeschool families and a launching pad for shared educational enrichment. Named for the Loretto Sisters whose educational tradition has shaped Catholic schooling in the United States, the ministry organizes family-friendly events built around the liturgical calendar, field trips, teen activities, and resource sharing. Most of its families belong to Holy Family TORCH, a regional Catholic homeschool support group that hosts many of its events on the parish campus.
Through Loretto, the parish also runs Annunciation, an enrichment co-op that meets on Mondays and Fridays in the Trinity Building. Annunciation offers weekly classes for ages ranging from infants through high schoolers, including Mommy and Me music and movement, Catechesis of the Good Shepherd atriums for the youngest children, Little Saints Garden, Story of the World history, science exploration, geography, art, theater, and a session called Beauty, Wonder and the Pondering of Parables for elementary students. Families pay a modest registration fee and modest per-class fees; older students who are not enrolled in a class have access to a quiet study room, and a nursery is provided for the youngest siblings.
Adult Faith Formation: Bible Studies and Catholic Teaching at Home
Adult formation at Mary Our Queen is built around small group Bible studies that meet on different days of the week, opening the parish's teaching to anyone who wants to dig deeper.
The Men's Monday Morning Bible Study gathers at 7:00 am in St. Joseph's Hall for one hour of discussion. No prior Bible study experience is needed, and the men are currently working their way through the Book of Psalms.
That Man Is You! is the parish's Friday morning men's program, meeting from 7:00 to 8:00 am with coffee and fellowship at 6:30 am. TMIY is an interactive men's program pairing contemporary social science with Catholic teaching and the wisdom of the saints.
Women in the Word is the Wednesday morning women's Bible study, meeting from 10:00 am to noon in the Trinity Building and currently walking through The Bible Timeline: The Story of Salvation by Jeff Cavins.
Walking with Purpose meets Wednesday evenings at 7:00 pm, also in the Trinity Building. The current study, Spiritual Motherhood, is a twenty-five-lesson journey into the call to mother the world back to Christ.
The parish also subscribes to FORMED, the Catholic streaming platform, making thousands of hours of teaching, films, and audio content available to parishioners free of charge through a parish-funded account.
Outreach: Food, Hospitality, and a Footprint Beyond the Parish
Mary Our Queen's social outreach reaches well beyond its own members. The MOQ SVdP Food Pantry, an outreach of the parish's St. Vincent de Paul conference, distributes food to neighbors in need; those seeking help reach the pantry through the SVdP helpline. The Angel Giving Tree and St. Nicholas Adopt-a-Family programs mobilize the parish to provide Christmas gifts to children and families in the wider community each Advent.
The parish also supports Good Shepherd Services, a non-profit founded by Sr. Christine to serve Asian refugees and immigrants in the Atlanta area, and each summer hosts a special camp for the children of Good Shepherd Services. Peachtree Elementary Outreach partners the parish with the nearby public elementary school, and the Knights of Columbus council at the parish sponsors a range of parish-wide service events, including the popular Lenten Fish Fry.
When the parish gathers for funerals, the Funeral Coordinator Ministry walks families through the Funeral Mass, coordinates with the clergy, and helps set up receptions in St. Joseph's Hall. The parish keeps a 7-week grief support group led by trained volunteers, and the All Souls Requiem Mass in November remembers parishioners' loved ones enrolled in the parish's Book of Remembrance.
Parish Life for Every Season of Life
Mary Our Queen organizes several smaller communities that meet outside the regular Mass schedule. Prime Diners is a fellowship for parishioners aged fifty-five and older, gathering for lunch on the third Monday of each month in St. Joseph's Hall. Mary's Moms: Raising Future Saints hosts twice-monthly playdates for mothers with young children and runs occasional adult-only evenings such as Momosas, Rosary and Rosé, and Family Adoration. Village Gatherings is the young adults' community for single and married adults in their twenties and thirties, while Come to the Table organizes small group dinners and fellowship. Come to the Table small groups meet in homes across the parish.
The Welcome Committee greets newcomers at the doors of the church and helps them register as parishioners, and the Women's Guild brings women of the parish together for service and fellowship.
Liturgical Ministries and the Choir Loft
The parish depends on a deep bench of liturgical volunteers. Altar Servers, both boys and girls who have received their First Eucharist, assist the priest at regular Masses and other liturgies. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion distribute Communion during Mass and bring the Eucharist to the homebound, with training required before serving. Lectors proclaim the Scripture readings, and Ushers greet, welcome, assist with seating, and direct the Communion procession. The Altar Guild and Care ministry launders and irons the sacred linens, and the Liturgical Art Guild decorates the sanctuary through the seasons of the Church year.
The parish's music ministry is led by Anne Boshinski, Director of Music. Adult Choir rehearsals are held on Thursday evenings at 7:00 pm, and the choir sings at the 11:00 am Sunday Mass and other liturgies on the schedule. The Youth Choir welcomes children in grades two through eight. Cantors and instrumentalists are auditioned, and the auditioned St. Hildegaard Schola Choir sings at the 5:00 pm Sunday Mass. The parish's music ministry describes itself as ego-free and inviting, drawing on the great musical traditions of the Church.
Funerals, Grief Support, and the Book of Remembrance
Funerals at Mary Our Queen are normally scheduled at 10:00 am on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, at 2:00 pm on Thursdays and Fridays, and at 10:00 am on Saturdays, depending on the clergy's availability. Volunteer funeral coordinators assist families with the Funeral Mass, and parishioner families may reserve the parish hall for a reception, arranging their own catering. Each October, the names of deceased parishioners are added to the parish Book of Remembrance and remembered at the All Souls Requiem Mass. Trained volunteers lead a seven-week grief care support group open to anyone grieving the death of a loved one.
Pastoral and Parish Staff
Father Charles Byrd serves as pastor and is the parish's primary sacramental minister. He is assisted by two permanent deacons: Deacon Tom Gotschall, who also oversees the OCIA process, and Deacon William Boyd. The faith formation team includes Lindsey Martin, Youth Minister, and Rachel Henke, Elementary Faith Formation Coordinator. Anne Boshinski directs the music ministry. Carol Ranft serves as Business Manager and Christina Anderson as Bookkeeper, with Jetta Hanover as Administrative Coordinator, Angela Erlich overseeing facilities, and Laurie Galucki leading communications and mission advancement. Leigh Anne Butrum serves as the parish's Safe Environment Coordinator.
The parish is governed by a Pastoral Council chaired by James Flanagan and a Finance Council chaired by Bob Chapin, with standing representation from the parish's principal organizations: the Knights of Columbus, the Women's Guild, St. Vincent de Paul, the Loretto Homeschool Ministry, and Religious Education.
Living the Sacraments, Teaching the Faith, Serving Others
Father Byrd and the parish staff describe Mary Our Queen's mission in three phrases, and those phrases are visible across the calendar. The seven sacraments are celebrated with care and a strong formation process around each one. The Catholic faith is taught from pre-kindergarten through adulthood, with Bible studies, men's and women's fellowships, OCIA, and a parish-funded subscription to FORMED. Service to others is the work of the food pantry, the St. Vincent de Paul conference, the Good Shepherd Services partnership, the Knights of Columbus, the parish's grief support group, and the Angel Tree at Christmas.
Campus Plans: A Growing Parish Looks Ahead
Mary Our Queen is preparing for a season of physical growth on its campus. Parish leaders have announced plans to install a tile floor in the church, to make room for the growing number of parishioners by expanding gathering and classroom spaces, and to build a columbarium on the parish grounds for the inurnment of cremated remains. The columbarium project in particular reflects the parish's deep involvement in walking with families through the end of life, from funeral coordination to grief care to the Book of Remembrance.
Parish office hours are Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. The office phone line is (770) 416-0002, and the parish email is office@maryourqueen.com. Mass intentions, registration as a parishioner, baptism registration, OCIA inquiries, and sacramental emergencies all reach the parish through the same front door. The parish is active on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, where the Sunday 11:00 am Mass is broadcast live and archived for later viewing.