St. Peter Chanel Church will hold its Advent parish mission Dec. 3-7. The mission will be led by Father Jack Durkin, chaplain at St. Pius X High School in Atlanta.

Father Durkin, a cradle Catholic, was born in Darby, Penn., and grew up in Asheville and Charlotte, N.C. He attended Wake Forest University on a cross-country/track scholarship, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in English and politics.

After receiving a master’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, he taught for six years at Stratford Academy in Macon and for six years at Athens Academy.

Feeling called to the priesthood at the age of 35, he attended Mount Saint Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, Md., and was ordained a priest in 1999. Since his ordination, Father Durkin has served as a parochial vicar at St. John Neumann Church in Lilburn and as pastor of Christ Our Hope Church in Lithonia. He presently serves as chaplain at St. Pius X High School.

Father Durkin will preach at all Masses on Dec. 3 and 4, and the mission will continue at 7 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings.

Monday’s topic is “Mary’s Joy,” Tuesday’s topic is “Joyful Preparation for the Coming of Christ,” and Wednesday’s topic is “Rejoicing Insofar as We Share Christ’s Sufferings.” Additionally, Tuesday evening will be the parish’s Advent Penance Service, with many priests available to hear confessions.

St. Peter Chanel is located at 11330 Woodstock Road in Roswell.