About St. Luke · Ocean City, Maryland
St. Luke Catholic Church is a parish of the Diocese of Wilmington located in Ocean City, Maryland, serving as the second Catholic parish established in the resort city. The parish worships at two locations: the year-round St. Luke's Church (100th Street & Coastal Highway) and the seasonal St. Andrew's Parish Center (14401 Sinepuxent Ave.), which is only open for Masses during July and August. Home to approximately 1,200 families, the parish is a beachside Catholic community offering daily Mass, a robust Religious Education program, sacramental ministries, and a variety of volunteer opportunities for parishioners and the many visitors to Ocean City.
- Established
- 1985
- Patron
- St. Luke
- Rector
- Rev. Paul F. Jennings, Jr.
- Diocese
- Diocese of Wilmington
Why belong here
St. Luke's offers the rare combination of a year-round parish community at the Ocean City coast and a vibrant seasonal mission at St. Andrew's, with eight weekend Masses between the two locations in summer to serve both residents and the resort's many visitors. Its family-centered 'Cross Training' faith formation program, daily Mass Monday through Saturday with an active Rosary devotion, Bible study and Catholic Discussion groups, and broad liturgical ministries (Eucharistic Ministers, Lectors, Music Ministry, Altar Servers, Ushers, and an Altar Guild) make it easy to plug in. Add in the parish's 1,200-family size — large enough for energy, small enough to be known — and its beachside location within the Diocese of Wilmington, and St. Luke's is an inviting place for both seasonal attendees and year-round worshipers.
Mass times at St. Luke
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday following the 9:00am Mass
- Wednesday 6:00pm–7:00pm
Parish History
St. Luke's was established on June 26, 1985 by Bishop Robert E. Mulvee as the second Catholic parish in Ocean City, Maryland, with Fr. Richard Gardiner as founding pastor. Since then it has grown from 558 registered families to approximately 1,200 families and has spun off mission churches including St. Andrew's Parish Center (1993) and (initially) St. John Neumann Parish in Ocean Pines (1995). Eight pastors have led the parish across four decades; the current pastor, Fr. Paul F. Jennings, Jr., has served since 2015.
- Founded June 26, 1985
- First pastor: Fr. Richard Gardiner (1985–1989)
- St. Andrew's Parish Center blessed October 17, 1993
- St. John Neumann Church dedicated January 5, 1995
- Currently home to about 1,200 families
- Part of the Diocese of Wilmington
Devotions & Small Groups
Alongside the Mass schedule, the parish offers traditional devotions and ongoing faith formation for adults, including a Rosary devotion, Bible Study led by Fr. Ravi, and a Catholic Discussion Group that examines teachings of the Church.
- Rosary: Tuesday following 9:00am Mass
- Bible Study: Wednesday mornings after 9:00am Mass, led by Fr. Ravi
- Catholic Discussion Group: ongoing study of Catholic faith and Church teachings
- Parish Golf Outing: annual social / fundraiser
Parish Staff
The parish is led by Pastor Rev. Paul F. Jennings, Jr. and Associate Pastor Rev. Ravi Kumar Voliganti, supported by two deacons and a team of administrative, music, faith-formation, finance, and maintenance staff.
- Rev. Paul F. Jennings, Jr. — Pastor
- Rev. Ravi Kumar Voliganti — Associate Pastor
- Deacon Robert McNulty
- Deacon Joseph Carraro
- Kaya Manizade — Seminarian (St. Mary's Seminary)
- Rosemary Murray — Coordinator of Religious Education ([email protected])
- Director of Music & Liturgical Environment
- Liturgical Environment staff
- John Worthington — Director of Finance (Kim Zarif listed among finance staff)
- Michelee Kemp / Aimee Rupple — Administrative roles
- Liz Heflin — Administrative Assistant
- Robert McNulty — Weddings & Funerals coordinator
Religious Education & Faith Formation
St. Luke's 'Cross Training' faith formation program is family-centered: weekly faith formation lessons are taught at home by parents, with one monthly Sunday family session at the Religious Education Center located at St. Andrew's. The parish describes the program as engaging 'all family members in a lifelong faith journey' and encourages registration through Rosemary Murray.
- Program name: Cross Training
- Format: weekly at-home lessons + monthly Sunday family session
- Location: Religious Education Center at St. Andrew's
- Contact: Rosemary Murray, [email protected] or 410-250-0300
Liturgical Ministries
The parish depends on lay volunteers for liturgical life. Those interested are encouraged to use the 'Ministries' tab on the parish website to learn more and to sign up.
- Eucharistic Ministers
- Lectors
- Music Ministry
- Altar Servers
- Ushers
- Altar Guild
Our Parish Locations
St. Luke's ministry is split between a year-round parish church and a seasonal worship center, allowing the parish to scale its liturgical life for the summer tourism season.
- St. Luke Catholic Church — 100th & Coastal Highway, Ocean City, MD 21842 (year-round)
- St. Andrew's Parish Center — 14401 Sinepuxent Ave., Ocean City, MD 21842 (open July–August only)
Pastoral Succession
Eight pastors have led St. Luke's-St. Andrew's Parish since its 1985 founding. The parish history page lists each transition, with associate pastors also noted; the listing below reflects the verified succession from the parish's own history.
- 1. Fr. Richard Gardiner (1985–1989)
- 2. Fr. Bruce Byrolly (1989–1991)
- 3. Fr. William J. Porter (1991–2003)
- 4. Fr. Raymond Weisman (2003–2005)
- 5. Fr. Thomas J. Protack (2005–2007)
- 6. Fr. Christopher LaBarge (2007–2008)
- 7. Fr. Richard Smith (2008–2014)
- 8. Fr. Paul F. Jennings, Jr. (2015–present)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Richard Gardiner1985–1989
Founding pastor; previously served when St. Luke's was a mission of St. Mary Star of the Sea/Holy Savior. Died in 1989.
- Fr. Bruce ByrollyDecember 1989 – June 1991
Second pastor; oversaw 96% growth in registered families.
- Fr. William J. PorterJune 1991 – June 2003
Third pastor; oversaw construction of St. Andrew's Parish Center (blessed Oct. 17, 1993) and St. John Neumann Church (dedicated Jan. 5, 1995).
- Fr. Raymond WeismanJune 2003 – 2005
Fourth pastor; previously Associate Pastor from June 2002.
- Fr. Thomas J. ProtackNovember 2005 – June 2007 (Administrator then 5th Pastor)
Administrator from November 2005; appointed fifth pastor in June 2007; left with mission of St. John Neumann when it became separate parish.
- Fr. Christopher LaBargeOctober 7, 2007 – June 30, 2008
Sixth pastor (St. Luke's-St. Andrew's).
- Fr. Richard Smith2008–2014
Temporary Administrator from June 30, 2008; seventh pastor from October 4, 2009. Died October 30, 2014.
- Fr. Paul F. Jennings, Jr.May 19, 2015 – present
Eighth pastor. Appointed by Bishop Malooly; continues to serve.
- Fr. Leonard Blakely1989–1994
Associate Pastor assisting Fr. Gardiner, then continuing under Fr. Byrolly.
- Fr. Patrick O'Neill1995–1999
Associate Pastor under Fr. Porter.
- Fr. Joseph Piekarski1998–2001
Associate Pastor under Fr. Porter.
- Fr. Edward Fahey, Jr.June 2000 – June 2007
Associate Pastor under Bishops Saltarelli.
- Fr. Thomas J. Protack2003–November 2005
Associate Pastor before becoming administrator/pastor.
- Fr. John KavanaughDecember 2005 – c. 2006
Associate Pastor.
- Fr. Richard SmithJune 2006 – October 2007
Associate Pastor before being named Administrator/pastor.
- Fr. Anthony PileggiJune 2007 – October 2007
Associate Pastor; transferred with Fr. Protack to St. John Neumann.
- Fr. Michael Casari2009 – June 30, 2011
Associate Pastor; retired on June 30, 2011.
- Fr. Anthony CardoneJuly 1, 2011 – July 2013
Newly ordained Associate Pastor; transferred to a diocese in New York.
- Fr. John LunnessJuly 2013 – 2014
Associate Pastor.
- Fr. Edward AignerOctober 2014 – May 2015
Temporary Administrator between Fr. Smith's death and appointment of Fr. Jennings.
- Fr. Steve GiulianoJuly 17, 2018 – c. 2022
Associate Pastor.
- Fr. Lance MartinJune 2022 – June 2024
Associate Pastor; reassigned Administrator of St. Mary Star of the Sea in June 2024.
- Fr. Sylvester ObumnemeJune 2024 – December 2025
Associate Pastor; reassigned to Holy Child and St. Helena in Wilmington, Delaware.
- Fr. Ravi Kumar VoligantiDecember 2025 – present
Associate Pastor.