About Our Lady Star of the Sea · Solomons, Maryland
Our Lady Star of the Sea is a Roman Catholic parish in the small harbor community of Solomons, on the Patuxent River in Calvert County, Maryland. Canonically established in 1888 by Cardinal James Gibbons of Baltimore, it is the oldest Catholic parish in Calvert County. The parish is part of the Archdiocese of Washington and today worships in both a Historic 1927 Chapel (a mixed Art Deco and late Gothic Revival building) and a larger Parish Church completed in 2010 to accommodate its growing congregation. It also operates Our Lady Star of the Sea School, a PreK–8 Catholic school that has run continuously since 1933.
- Established
- 1888
- Patron
- Our Lady, Star of the Sea (Mary, Star of the Sea)
- Rector
- Rev. Robert (Bob) F. Kilner
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Washington
Why belong here
Our Lady Star of the Sea is a welcoming, family-oriented waterfront parish that combines a daily-Mass, devotion-centered spirituality — weekday Mass in the beloved 1927 Historic Chapel, weekly Eucharistic Adoration, a First Saturday Rosary Walk, and a Corpus Christi Eucharistic Procession — with a robust school (PreK–8) and a complete faith-formation program from kindergarten through Confirmation. Mass-goers describe it as a multigenerational community on the Chesapeake where parish life extends naturally into school events, faith formation, and ministry to one another under the watchful patronage of Mary, Star of the Sea.
Mass times at Our Lady Star of the Sea
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday 7:45 AM until Holy Communion (8:00 AM Mass)
- Sunday 10:45 AM until Holy Communion (11:00 AM Mass)
- Sunday 3:45 PM until Holy Communion (4:00 PM Mass)
- Saturday 2:00–3:30 PM (Parish Church)
- Saturday 3:45 PM until Holy Communion (4:00 Vigil)
- Wednesday 6:30–7:30 PM (Historic Chapel)
- First Friday 9:30–10:30 AM
Adoration times
- Wednesday 1:00–4:00 PM (Historic Chapel, during Fr. Bob's open office hours)
- Wednesday 6:00–7:30 PM (Historic Chapel)
- First Friday 9:30–10:30 AM
History of Our Lady Star of the Sea
Catholic life along the Patuxent River goes back to 1634 and the Jesuit mission of Father Andrew White; the modern parish itself was established in 1888 in an overwhelmingly Protestant Southern Maryland. The community moved from private homes to a small frame church on Sedwick Avenue in 1895 (originally called St. Mary's, renamed Our Lady Star of the Sea in 1904), then to the 1927 Historic Chapel under Father Maurice Alexander — the parish's first resident pastor — and finally to the new Parish Church in 2010. The full parish history, from the Ark and the Dove to today's school and ministries, is told on the parish's own history page.
- Catholicism in Maryland traces to the 1634 landing of the Ark and the Dove
- 1888 — parish established by Cardinal Gibbons of Baltimore
- 1895 — first church built on Sedwick Avenue (St. Mary's); renamed Our Lady Star of the Sea in 1904
- 1920 — Father Maurice Alexander named first resident pastor
- 1927 — cornerstone laid for current Historic Chapel; dedicated 1928
- 1933 — parish school opens under the Sisters of Divine Providence of Kentucky
- 1992 — school extension added
- 2010 — new Parish Church completed on Solomons Island Road South
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The parish's PYC|SP (Parish Youth Catechesis / Sacramental Preparation) program serves children from Kindergarten through 8th grade. Weekly classes meet Sunday mornings from 9:15 AM to 10:45 AM, beginning with morning prayer in the Historic Chapel before dispersing to classrooms in the OLSS School. The program covers general catechesis plus two sacramental tracks — Reconciliation and First Eucharist, and Confirmation preparation.
- Catechesis (Religious Education) for K–8
- Sacramental Preparation for Reconciliation and Eucharist
- Sacramental Preparation for Confirmation
- Classes meet Sundays 9:15–10:45 AM, beginning in the Historic Chapel
- Register via the parish Religious Education site (olssyouth.org)
Our Lady Star of the Sea School
Founded in 1933 and run for decades by the Sisters of Divine Providence, Our Lady Star of the Sea School is a fully accredited, co-educational Catholic PreK–8 school and a member of the Archdiocese of Washington Catholic Schools system. Located on Alexander Lane along the Chesapeake Bay, the school integrates faith with a 'STREAM' curriculum (Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Arts, Math) and offers Bay Studies taught by an environmental scientist. Principal Jennifer Thompson leads a staff with an 11:1 student-to-teacher ratio.
- Founded 1933; Sisters of Divine Providence staffed the school for decades
- PreK through Grade 8, co-educational
- STREAM curriculum on iPads
- Bay Studies / environmental science program
- Foreign Language, Gym, Music, Aftercare and Beforecare
- Bus service available
- School address: 90 Alexander Lane, Solomons, MD 20688; (410) 326-3171
Clergy, Staff & Pastoral Succession
The parish is currently led by Father Robert (Bob) F. Kilner — appointed Administrator by Cardinal Wilton Gregory and the youngest priest ever to pastor the parish — assisted by Parochial Vicar Father Joseph Thong V. Nguyen, Deacons Andy Geisz and Chad Martin, and a lay staff led by Faith Formation Director Joanne Pensenstadler. The historic line of pastors stretches back to Father Maurice Alexander in 1920 and most recently includes Msgr. Michael Wilson and Father Kenneth J. Gill.
- Parish Staff (per Archdiocese of Washington & parish profile):
- Pastor: Rev. Robert Kilner
- Parochial Vicar: Father Joseph Thong V. Nguyen
- Deacons: Andy J. Geisz; Chad Martin
- Secretary: Kasey Smith
- Coordinator of Religious Education / Faith Formation Director: Joanne Pensenstadler
- Bookkeeper: Chrissy Lash
- Ministry and Liturgy Coordinator: Deacon Andy Geisz
- Facilities Manager: Ron Yates
- Recent Pastors: Fr. Maurice Alexander (1920); Rev. Richard Gardiner (to 2011); Msgr. Michael Wilson (2011–2019); Rev. Kenneth J. Gill (2019–2022); Rev. Robert (Bob) F. Kilner (2022–present)
Ministries, Outreach & Community Life
Beyond the school and faith-formation programs, parish life at Our Lady Star of the Sea runs through ministry to the liturgy (lectors, altar servers, deacon preaching), youth ministry (summer camps, Vacation Bible School), and family fellowship built around recurring traditions like the First Saturday Rosary Walk and the after-Mass Coffee and Donuts. The Flocknote network and weekly bulletin keep parishioners informed; the parish describes itself on its youth ministry site as 'a very family-oriented parish.'
- Liturgy ministries — Lectors, Altar Servers, Deacon preaching
- Faith Formation Director: Joanne Pensenstadler
- Youth Ministry summer camps and Vacation Bible School
- First Saturday Rosary Walk
- Coffee & Donuts fellowship (resumes weekly after holiday weekends)
- Parish communication via Flocknote (text OLSSPARISH to 84576)
Sacraments & Sacramental Preparation
Our Lady Star of the Sea prepares parishioners for the seven Catholic sacraments through both parish-level programming (Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, Marriage) and ongoing availability of Reconciliation and Anointing of the Sick. Weddings and other liturgies should be arranged by contacting the parish office during weekday business hours.
- Baptism — contact the Parish Office
- Reconciliation — weekly schedule plus Father Bob's Wednesday office hours
- First Eucharist & First Reconciliation — Sacramental Preparation program
- Confirmation — two-year Sacramental Preparation program
- Matrimony — begin by contacting the parish office
- Anointing of the Sick — on request; current info in the weekly bulletin
Visit, Connect & Stay Involved
New parishioners are warmly welcomed — the parish office is open Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–4:00 PM, and online registration is available. The parish reaches parishioners through its website, weekly bulletin, Flocknote emails and texts, Facebook page, Instagram, and a YouTube channel that streams the Sunday 8:00 AM Mass.
- Parish Office: 50 Alexander Lane, Solomons, MD 20688; (410) 326-3535; [email protected]
- Office hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–4:00 PM
- Online new-parishioner registration via olss.org
- Flocknote: text OLSSPARISH to 84576
- Sunday 8:00 AM Mass livestreamed on YouTube and Facebook
- Religious Education site: olssyouth.org
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Maurice Alexander1920–
First resident pastor of the parish; built the 1927 church at Clara's Point.
- Rev. Richard Gardinerserved until 2011
Long-serving pastor; oversaw transition to the new Parish Church project.
- Msgr. Michael Wilson2011–2019
Succeeded Fr. Gardiner in 2011; concurrently pastor at Immaculate Heart of Mary in St. Mary's County; retired in 2019.
- Rev. Kenneth J. Gill2019–2022
Appointed by Washington Archbishop Wilton Gregory effective 10 July 2019.
- Rev. Robert (Bob) F. Kilner2022–present
Appointed Administrator by Cardinal Wilton Gregory, first day 6 July 2022; the youngest priest to serve as pastor in the parish's history.