About St. Mary Star of the Sea · Astoria, Oregon
St. Mary, Star of the Sea Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in historic Astoria, Oregon, at the far northwest corner of the state where the Columbia River meets the Pacific Ocean. Founded in 1874, it serves the Astoria and Warrenton–Hammond communities from its church at 1465 Grand Avenue and shares pastoral care of St. Francis de Sales Mission at 867 5th Avenue in Hammond. The parish belongs to the Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon, offers Mass in both English and Spanish, and celebrated its 150th anniversary in October 2024 with a Mass presided over by Archbishop Alexander K. Sample.
- Established
- 1874
- Patron
- Our Lady, Star of the Sea (Marian title)
- Rector
- Fr. William D. Oruko, AJ
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon
Why belong here
St. Mary, Star of the Sea is a small, historic parish with deep roots in the lower Columbia — founded in 1874 and still serving the Astoria and Warrenton–Hammond area 150 years later. It offers the rhythm of Catholic life in two languages: Sunday Mass in English at 8:30 and 10:30 AM and a Spanish Mass at noon, plus weekday Masses, weekly Eucharistic Adoration, and a regular Reconciliation schedule. The parish gathers around a faithful staff (pastor, religious education director, business manager, Hispanic ministry coordinator, and accompanist), active Pastoral and Finance Councils, devotional traditions such as a May Rosary Sunday with the blessing of family rosaries, Advent Posadas, and an annual parish potluck — making it a welcoming community for anyone visiting the Oregon coast or settling on the North Coast.
Mass times at St. Mary Star of the Sea
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesdays 5:00–5:30 PM at St. Mary, Star of the Sea
- Saturdays 3:30 PM at St. Francis de Sales Mission, Hammond
- Or by appointment
Adoration times
- Wednesdays 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM at St. Mary, Star of the Sea
- First Fridays 8:00 PM through 8:00 AM Saturday morning at St. Mary, Star of the Sea
About St. Mary, Star of the Sea
St. Mary, Star of the Sea Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish of the Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon, located in historic Astoria where the Columbia River meets the Pacific Ocean. Its mission is 'to build a Roman Catholic faith community. As a sacramental people, we foster the spiritual growth and attend to the social needs of all through prayer, liturgy, education, and service.' The parish shares pastoral care of St. Francis de Sales Mission in nearby Hammond, serving the Astoria and Warrenton–Hammond area from its church on Grand Avenue.
History & Heritage
Founded in 1874, St. Mary, Star of the Sea is one of the oldest Catholic parishes on the Oregon coast. The parish's story began when a few soldiers stationed at Fort Stevens were the first contributors toward building a Catholic church in Astoria. The parish marked its centennial in 1974 with the booklet 'St. Mary Star of the Sea Parish, 1874–1974' and on October 12, 2024 celebrated its 150th anniversary with a Mass presided over by Archbishop Alexander K. Sample. Over the years the parish also grew to encompass St. Mary Hospital, a Catholic school, the Academy of the Holy Names, and later St. Francis de Sales Mission in Hammond.
- Founded 1874
- Centennial booklet published 1974
- 150th anniversary Mass October 12, 2024 with Archbishop Alexander K. Sample
- Historically served by the Sisters of Charity of Providence
Parish Staff & Leadership
The parish is led by Pastor Fr. William D. Oruko, AJ, supported by a lay staff and two parish councils. The Pastoral Council and Finance Council guide the community's spiritual and temporal life, while the Hispanic Ministry coordinator and Religious Education director shepherd specific communities within the parish.
- Pastor: Fr. William D. Oruko, AJ
- Business Manager: Amy Russell
- Director of Religious Education: Marty Dursse
- Facilities Manager & Hispanic Ministry: Jose Goicochea
- Accompanist: Ellen Kachel-Bewley
- Pastoral Council: Dan Sitkowski (Chair), Linda Sitkowski, Matthew Burgher, Michael Tolley, Margie Jones, Suzanne Bjaranson, Genie Marxer
- Finance Council: Mike Wallis, Ron Brown, Riley Keown, Tim Poole, MJ Englund
Mass & Service Schedule
The parish offers a full weekly schedule of Masses, Adoration, and Reconciliation at its Grand Avenue church, with an additional vigil Mass and weekday Mass at St. Francis de Sales Mission in Hammond. A Spanish-language Mass is celebrated each Sunday at noon for the Hispanic community.
- Saturday Vigil: 4:00 PM (St. Francis de Sales, Hammond)
- Sunday: 8:30 AM and 10:30 AM English; 12:00 PM (Noon) Spanish — at St. Mary, Star of the Sea
- Weekday Masses: Tue/Wed/Fri 8:00 AM at St. Mary; Thu 3:00 PM at St. Francis de Sales
Sacraments
The parish celebrates the seven sacraments and welcomes parishioners and visitors to contact the office for preparation and scheduling. Sacramental preparation is required for parents and godparents before Baptism, and couples should contact the parish at least six months before a proposed wedding date.
- Baptism / Bautismo — preparation required for parents and godparents
- Matrimony / Matrimonio — contact office at least 6 months in advance
- Anointing of the Sick, Communion for the Sick, and visits to the homebound, elderly, or hospitalized
- Reconciliation — see scheduled times or by appointment
Ministries
Parish life at St. Mary, Star of the Sea is supported by both liturgical and faith-formation ministries, including Music, Religious Education, and Hispanic Ministry. Lay-led Pastoral and Finance Councils assist the pastor in guiding the community.
- Music Ministry / Ministerio Musico (Accompanist: Ellen Kachel-Bewley)
- Hispanic Ministry / Ministerio Hispano (Jose Goicochea)
- Religious Education / Educación Religiosa (Marty Dursse)
- Pastoral Council
- Finance Council
Hispanic Ministry / Ministerio Hispano
The parish serves its Spanish-speaking members through a weekly Sunday Mass in Spanish at noon and a coordinated Hispanic Ministry led by Jose Goicochea, who also serves as Facilities Manager. Bilingual sacramental and office support is available, and bulletin announcements are accepted in both languages.
- Spanish Mass: Sundays at 12:00 PM (Noon)
- Coordinator: Jose Goicochea
- Baptism, Matrimony, and other sacraments available in Spanish
Religious Education / Educación Religiosa
Faith formation for children and families is directed by Marty Dursse, the parish's Director of Religious Education, providing catechesis that prepares students for the sacraments and ongoing life in the Church.
- Director of Religious Education: Marty Dursse
St. Francis de Sales Mission (Hammond)
St. Francis de Sales Mission, located at 867 5th Avenue in Hammond, Oregon, is served by St. Mary, Star of the Sea and offers an additional weekend Mass and a weekday Mass for the Warrenton–Hammond area, along with Saturday confessions.
- Address: 867 5th Ave, Hammond, OR 97121
- Saturday Vigil Mass: 4:00 PM
- Thursday Mass: 3:00 PM
- Reconciliation: Saturday 3:30 PM or by appointment
Parish Life & Devotions
Beyond the regular liturgical schedule, the parish maintains several beloved devotional and community traditions that knit the congregation together throughout the year.
- Rosary Sunday in May with blessing of family rosaries
- December Posadas (Hispanic Advent tradition)
- January parish potluck
- Parish pilgrimage to the Grotto (held in May)
- Birthdays listed at the beginning of each month in the bulletin
Visit, Contact & Accessibility
The parish office is open Tuesday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM (closed Mondays). The church is wheelchair accessible through the 15th Street side door, and visitors traveling to the Oregon coast are warmly welcomed.
- Parish Office: 1465 Grand Ave, Astoria, OR 97103
- Phone: (503) 325-3671
- Email: [email protected]
- Office Hours: Tue–Fri, 9 AM–4 PM (closed Mondays)
- Wheelchair access: 15th Street side door
- From Portland: HWY 30 W to Astoria, left on 15th St., right on Grand to 1465 Grand Ave.