Pilgrimage to Turkey with Canon Christopher Smith

Pilgrimage to Turkey with Canon Christopher Smith

by | Feb 4, 2026 | Parish Life

Walk Where the Early Church Walked: A Parish Pilgrimage to Turkey with Our Pastor

Have you ever read the Acts of the Apostles or prayed the Nicene Creed and wondered what it would be like to stand in the very places where the early Church took root?

In June 2027, our pastor, Canon Christopher Smith, will lead a pilgrimage to Turkey, inviting us to step into the landscape of Scripture, councils, martyrs, and saints. This is more than a tour—it’s a prayerful journey designed to deepen faith, friendship, and understanding of who we are as Catholics.

Why Turkey?

Turkey is home to some of the most important sites in Christian history. On this pilgrimage, parishioners will visit:

  • Ephesus, where St. Paul preached and where tradition holds the Blessed Virgin Mary spent her final years

  • The House of the Virgin Mary, a place of quiet prayer and profound devotion

  • Nicaea, where the Nicene Creed—professed at Mass every Sunday—was first proclaimed

  • Istanbul (ancient Constantinople), a crossroads of Christianity, culture, and history

These are not just names on a page. They are places where the faith was lived, defended, and handed on—often at great cost.

A Pilgrimage, Not a Vacation

What sets this journey apart is its spiritual focus. Daily Mass, prayer, Scripture reflection, and thoughtful teaching will be woven throughout the trip. Canon Smith’s pastoral leadership and love for Church history will help bring each site to life, connecting what we see to what we believe.

You’ll travel alongside fellow parishioners, sharing meals, prayer, conversation, and unforgettable moments—forming bonds that often last long after the pilgrimage ends.

Who Is This For?

This pilgrimage is ideal for:

  • Parishioners longing to go deeper in their faith

  • Those curious about early Christianity and Church history

  • Anyone seeking a meaningful, guided spiritual journey rather than a rushed sightseeing trip

No advanced knowledge is required—just an open heart and a willingness to walk where generations of Christians have gone before us.

Learn More & Take the Next Step

Details about the itinerary, dates, pricing, and registration are available through St. Charles Pilgrimages. If you’ve ever felt the nudge to make a pilgrimage, this may be that invitation—shared with your pastor and your parish family.

👉 Learn more and read the full pilgrimage details here:
St. Charles Pilgrimages – Canon Christopher Smith Pilgrimage to Turkey

Weather-related Schedule Changes

Weather-related Schedule Changes

by | Jan 22, 2026 | Parish Life

Please check this post before traveling to ensure you have the latest information.

As of 2 February at 2p (final update of Winter Storm Gianna)

Prince of Peace Catholic Church and School will be on regular schedule for Masses and Confessions, School, Office and Parish Activities beginning Tuesday, 3 February with 7a.
Both the 7a and 12p Mass will include the Blessing of Throats for the Feast of St Blaise (after Mass).
The Adoration Chapel will open after the 7a Mass on Wednesday, 4 February.

As of 1 February at 4.30p

On Monday, 2 February, there will be the blessing of candles and the low mass of the purification of the blessed Virgin Mary in Latin at 12 noon. Parishioners are encouraged to bring candles and to put them on the table in the sanctuary within the rail before Mass.

As of 1 February at 12p

POPCS will be e-learning on Monday as we await improvements to both road and campus conditions.


As of 31 January at 2.45p

Saturday, January 31
The parish is closed. There will be no Masses and no Confessions.

Sunday, February 1
We are planning the following liturgies:

  • 3p – English Low Mass in the church (Fr. Tomlinson)
  • 3p – Latin Low Mass in the chapel (Fr. Smith)

If the priests are unable to travel safely, the following will be offered instead:

  • 3p – Liturgy of the Word with Communion (English, Dcn Cavin)
  • 3.30p – Distribution of Holy Communion (Latin, Dcn Cavin)

If Fr. Davison is available, Confessions may be heard from 3-4p in the confessional.

Please note:

  • The Sunday obligation is lifted.
  • Parking lots, sidewalks, and entrances may not be free of ice or snow.
  • Power outages are possible.
  • Those who are sick, elderly, infirm, or caring for young children should not come if conditions are unsafe. No one is obliged to attend Mass when it would be imprudent to do so.

Outside of the 3p liturgies, the parish will remain closed on Sunday. There will be no other parish activities or liturgies.

Monday, February 2
There will be no Masses, no parish activities, and the parish office will be closed.

The Adoration Chapel remains closed until further notice.

We are grateful for your continued generosity and faithfulness to Prince of Peace. If you are able, please consider making your weekly offertory gift—either recurring or one-time. Your support helps sustain the mission of our parish and school, even during unexpected closures.

If you have not yet done so, we also invite you to make your one-time sacrificial gift or pledge to the Peace in Progress Capital Campaign.

 

As of 29 January at 6p

Saturday, 31 January: No 8a or 5p Masses; No Confessions; No parish activities
Monday, 2 February: No 7a or 7p Masses for Candlemas; 12p Mass was already cancelled.  Office closed; No parish activities
* The school will communicate on Sunday what the plan is for Monday.
Adoration Chapel continues to remain closed until further notice.
Sunday plan will be announced Saturday afternoon after 2p.  Watch this post for updates.
Please remember to go now to www.princeofpeacetaylors.org and click on the Donate button in the upper right hand corner today to make your recurring or one-time gift to the weekly operating offertory, and, if you have not already done so, make your one time sacrificial gift and pledge to the Peace in Progress Capital Campaign.  Just like you, we will have bills needing to be paid and we also have employees that need their salaries, so don’t forget 🙂

 

Regarding Winter Storm Fern

As of 28 January at 3.30p

We look forward to welcoming parish school students back on campus tomorrow, 29 January. As temperatures remain low, there are still icy patches on campus. We ask all families to use extra caution when driving through morning and afternoon carlines to help keep everyone safe.

As of 28 January at 10a

Thursday and Friday 7a and 12N Mass will go on as normal.
Parish Office is open Thursday and Friday as normal, but we ask that people stay home unless absolutely necessary.
No evening activities Thursday and Friday in the parish.
The Adoration Chapel will open upon further notice, most likely next week.
Please watch for email, text and social media updates for this weekend’s scheduling.
The parish school will communicate their schedule to school families.

 

As of 27 January at 6p

Thank you for your continued patience and flexibility during this extended period of severe winter weather. After further assessment of campus conditions and local road reports, Prince of Peace Catholic School’s campus will continue with e-learning tomorrow.

As of 27 January at 11a

Introduction to Catholicism is canceled on Wednesday, 28 January.

As of 26 January at 9.30a

POPCS will remain on E-Learning on Tuesday, 27 January.

As of 25 January at 12p

  • No public Masses in the church until Wednesday noon.
  • Office closed until Wednesday noon.
  • No confessions on Wednesday.
  • There are no parish activities on the grounds until the parish re-opens.

As of 23 January at 5.45p

For the safety of our students, families, and faculty, Prince of Peace Catholic School will be closed on Monday, 26 January due to predicted ice and snow. We will move to an E-Learning Day so that learning can continue while keeping everyone safe.Teachers will share assignments and expectations through email and the information sent home today.

As of 22 January at 5.20p.

Weekend of 24-25 January at Prince of Peace

Here are the changes for this weekend at Prince of Peace:

  • There is no Catechist In-Service this Saturday.
  • The obligation for Mass is lifted this weekend, and no one should travel to attend Mass if doing so would endanger life and limb.  But if you can safely join us for one of two Masses on Saturday afternoon, please do!

Low Masses will be celebrated at the following times on Saturday, 24 January:

  • 3p English with Fr Davison
  • 4p Latin with Fr Tomlinson

Confessions will be heard from 3-4p.

The Adoration Chapel will close on Saturday at 3p, and will reopen upon further notice.

There will be no public Masses in the church on Sunday, 25 January or 7a Mass on Monday, 26 January.

There are no parish activities on the grounds on Sunday or Monday until 12p.

The Parish Office will be closed on Monday.  We ask that employees work remotely as best they can.

Please remember that, even when we are forced to close because of inclement weather, we still depend on your offertory.  This is a great opportunity to set up online giving for the Weekly Offertory or the Peace in Progress Capital Campaign.

  • School-related closures will be communicated by the school to those families.