About St. Jerome · Ocean Shores, Washington
St. Jerome Parish is a small Roman Catholic parish serving the coastal community of Ocean Shores, Washington, located in Grays Harbor County within the Archdiocese of Seattle. The parish was canonically established in 1969 by Archbishop Thomas A. Connolly, after Sunday Masses had been offered in the Ocean Shores Community Hall since June 1967 by Father Joseph Dominic. Today St. Jerome is one of seven parishes in the Catholic Parishes and Missions of Grays Harbor County (Parish Family 48 under Partners in the Gospel), served by Pastor Rev. Michael Barbarossa with Parochial Vicar Rev. Maximiliano A. Muñoz, and shares regional staff and ministries with its sister parishes in Aberdeen, Hoquiam, Montesano, Elma, Westport, and Amanda Park.
- Established
- 1969
- Patron
- Saint Jerome
- Rector
- Rev. Michael Barbarossa
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Seattle
Why belong here
St. Jerome is a welcoming coastal parish where Sunday Mass at 11:00 AM and Friday noon Mass anchor a simple, prayerful rhythm, with weekly Eucharistic Adoration on Wednesdays from 2:00–3:00 PM and First Fridays from 11:00 AM–12:00 PM, and Friday confession at 11:30 AM before Mass. Even as a smaller parish, it offers the full liturgical ministries — ushers, readers, Eucharistic ministers, sacristans, music (especially piano and organ), and event photographers — so newcomers can easily find a place to serve. As one of seven Grays Harbor parishes now sharing leadership through Partners in the Gospel, parishioners belong to a wider regional Catholic family while keeping the intimacy of a single Ocean Shores church.
Mass times at St. Jerome
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Friday 11:30 AM (before the 12:00 PM Mass)
Adoration times
- Wednesday 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
- First Fridays 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
About St. Jerome Parish
St. Jerome Parish is a small Roman Catholic parish in the coastal city of Ocean Shores, Washington, belonging to the Archdiocese of Seattle. It was established in 1969 by Archbishop Thomas A. Connolly after Sunday Masses had been celebrated in the Ocean Shores Community Hall since June 1967. The parish shares regional staff and ministries with six other Grays Harbor Catholic parishes through the Catholic Parishes and Missions of Grays Harbor County.
- Established: 1969 by Archbishop Thomas A. Connolly
- Address: 15 Patrick Way, Hogan's Corner, Ocean Shores, WA 98569
- Mailing: 306 E 3rd St., Aberdeen, WA 98520-4007
- Phone: 360-289-2838 (parish) / 360-532-8300 (regional office)
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: ghcatholic.org
- Deanery: South Sound Deanery, Archdiocese of Seattle
- County: Grays Harbor
History of the Parish
Catholic worship on the Ocean Shores peninsula predates the parish by two years. Father Joseph Dominic, who was chaplain of Saint Joseph Hospital in Aberdeen and priest administrator of Saints Peter and Paul Parish, began offering a Sunday Mass for local Catholics and visitors in the Ocean Shores Community Hall in June 1967. In 1968, prominent landowner Giles Hogan donated land for a church at what is now known as Hogan's Corner, and on that site Archbishop Connolly formally established Saint Jerome Parish in 1969. Father Dominic was named the first pastor and served until his retirement in 1989. In February 2024, under the Archdiocese's Partners in the Gospel planning initiative, the parish was grouped into Parish Family 48 with six other Grays Harbor parishes.
- 1967 — Father Joseph Dominic begins Sunday Masses at the Ocean Shores Community Hall
- 1968 — Giles Hogan donates land at Hogan's Corner
- 1969 — Saint Jerome Parish canonically established by Archbishop Thomas A. Connolly
- 1969–1989 — Father Joseph Dominic serves as founding pastor
- 2024 — Placed into Parish Family 48 under Partners in the Gospel
Founding Pastor: Father Joseph Dominic
Father Joseph Dominic was the founding pastor of St. Jerome Parish, having nurtured the Ocean Shores Catholic community from its earliest days as a mission Mass at the Community Hall in June 1967, through the gift of land in 1968 and the formal erection of the parish in 1969. He continued as pastor for twenty years until his retirement in 1989.
Clergy & Staff
St. Jerome is currently served by Pastor Rev. Michael Barbarossa, who also leads the broader Parish Family 48, with Parochial Vicar Rev. Maximiliano A. Muñoz. Theresa Wright serves as Pastoral Assistant for Administration for the Grays Harbor Catholic cluster, reachable at [email protected] or 360-532-8300 x101.
- Rev. Michael Barbarossa — Pastor
- Rev. Maximiliano A. Muñoz — Parochial Vicar
- Theresa Wright — Pastoral Assistant for Administration (360-532-8300 x101, [email protected])
Parish Ministries & Getting Involved
Ministers must be registered in their parishes and have received all the sacraments necessary to be in good standing with the Church. The Grays Harbor Catholic parishes welcome new volunteers across the full range of liturgical roles — from the welcoming faces at the door to those who play the organ, read the Word, or assist with the camera at sacramental celebrations. Anyone unsure where their gifts fit is encouraged to call the regional office at 360-532-8300.
- Eucharistic Minister — arrive 15 minutes before Mass
- Reader — arrive 20 minutes before Mass, prepared with the Sunday readings
- Usher — arrive 30 minutes before Mass, greet and seat attendees, take up the collection
- Sacristan — arrive 1 hour before Mass; ~15 minutes after to secure the church
- Music ministry — piano and organ players especially in demand
- Parish photographer — events and reception of sacraments
- Other parish-wide ministries — coordinated through the Grays Harbor regional office
Parish Family 48 & Partners in the Gospel
In February 2024, Archbishop Paul D. Etienne promulgated the final parish families for the Archdiocese of Seattle as part of Partners in the Gospel, a strategic pastoral planning initiative meant to reinvigorate and renew the local Church. St. Jerome was placed into Parish Family 48, a cluster of seven Grays Harbor Catholic parishes now sharing leadership under Pastor Rev. Michael Barbarossa. Over about three years, each parish family is meant to grow into one canonical parish, sharing staff, ministries, and outreach along the way.
- St. Mary, Aberdeen (98520)
- Our Lady of Good Help, Hoquiam (98550)
- St. Jerome, Ocean Shores (98569)
- St. Paul, Westport (98595)
- Our Lady of the Olympics, Amanda Park (98526)
- St. Joseph, Elma (98541)
- St. John, Montesano (98563)
Deanery & Archdiocese
St. Jerome belongs to the South Sound Deanery of the Archdiocese of Seattle and lies within Grays Harbor County on Washington's Pacific coast.
- Archdiocese of Seattle
- South Sound Deanery
- Grays Harbor County
Contact & Location
The parish church sits at 15 Patrick Way in Hogan's Corner, the commercial gateway into Ocean Shores off State Route 109. Day-to-day administration is handled through the regional Grays Harbor Catholic office in Aberdeen.
- Church address: 15 Patrick Way, Hogan's Corner, Ocean Shores, WA 98569
- Mailing address: 306 E 3rd St., Aberdeen, WA 98520-4007
- Parish phone: 360-289-2838
- Regional office: 360-532-8300
- Email: [email protected]
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Joseph Dominic1969–1989
Founding pastor. Had been offering Sunday Mass at Ocean Shores Community Hall since June 1967 as chaplain of St. Joseph Hospital, Aberdeen and priest administrator of Ss. Peter and Paul. Served until his retirement in 1989.