About St. Mary Star of the Sea · Newell, South Dakota
St. Mary Star of the Sea is a small Catholic parish in the rural community of Newell, South Dakota, in the Diocese of Rapid City. It is cared for as a mission-style parish 'attended from Sturgis' and shares its pastor and staff with St. Francis of Assisi in Sturgis and St. Martin's Chapel. The parish serves the Newell area and the surrounding ranching/farming communities of Butte County with weekend and weekday Mass, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, Eucharistic Adoration, and Stations of the Cross in Lent.
- Established
- circa 1917
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary, under the title 'Star of the Sea' (Stella Maris)
- Rector
- Rev. Timothy W. Castor (until July 1, 2026; Fr. Kevin Achbach, VG, Administrator from July 1 – September 1, 2026; Fr. Tyler Dennis, Pastor effective September 1, 2026)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Rapid City
Why belong here
St. Mary Star of the Sea is the parish of choice for Catholics in Newell and across northern Butte County who want a small, welcoming community rooted in the Eucharist. Weekend Sunday Mass, a Thursday evening Mass with Stations of the Cross in Lent, monthly Eucharistic Adoration, and readily available Reconciliation make the steady rhythm of Catholic life accessible in this rural setting. The parish is closely tied to St. Francis of Assisi in Sturgis, so worshippers benefit from shared clergy, staff, and bulletin even though the Newell church itself is a small, intimate house of prayer.
Mass times at St. Mary Star of the Sea
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Following Mass on Thursday and Sunday
- Or by request
Adoration times
- First Thursday of the month at 6:00 PM (Exposition & Adoration)
About St. Mary Star of the Sea
St. Mary Star of the Sea is the Catholic parish serving the community of Newell in Butte County, South Dakota. It belongs to the Diocese of Rapid City and is officially listed in the diocesan directory as a parish 'attended from Sturgis,' meaning it shares its clergy and administration with St. Francis of Assisi in Sturgis (about 35 miles to the south). The parish takes its name from the ancient Marian title 'Star of the Sea' (Stella Maris), an invocation asking Mary to guide the faithful safely through the storms of life.
History
The Newell Reclamation newspaper reported in late 1917 that 'a new Catholic church is nearing completion in this city,' establishing St. Mary Star of the Sea as a brick-and-mortar Catholic presence in Newell more than a century ago. For most of its modern history the parish has been administered in connection with St. Francis of Assisi in Sturgis; Father Timothy Castor became the formally named pastor of both parishes in 2018, formalizing that arrangement. In 2026 the diocese announced a clergy transition for the cluster, with Father Kevin Achbach, VG, serving as Administrator until September 1, 2026, and Father Tyler Dennis becoming pastor of both parishes on September 1, 2026, after completing Canon Law studies.
Pastoral Leadership
The parish is currently served by Father Timothy W. Castor, who also pastors St. Francis of Assisi in Sturgis. Effective July 1, 2026, Fr. Castor was reassigned by Bishop Scott Bullock to parishes at Faith, Mud Butte, and Red Owl, and Fr. Kevin Achbach, VG, was named Administrator of both St. Francis of Assisi and St. Mary Star of the Sea until September 1, 2026. From September 1, 2026, Fr. Tyler Dennis — returning from Canon Law studies — is named Pastor of both parishes and Diocesan Director of Vocations.
- Fr. Timothy W. Castor — Pastor (until July 1, 2026)
- Fr. Kevin Achbach, VG — Administrator (July 1 – September 1, 2026)
- Fr. Tyler Dennis — Pastor (effective September 1, 2026)
- Parish staff: Vicki Olson and Kristi (Cricket) Palmer
Parish Office & Staff
Although the Newell church is small, parish administration is robust because St. Mary Star of the Sea shares its office and staff with St. Francis of Assisi in Sturgis. The shared parish office is open Tuesday through Friday from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM and can be reached at 605-720-3579 or [email protected]. Parish staff includes Vicki Olson and Kristi (Cricket) Palmer in addition to the pastoral team.
- Office Phone: 605-720-3579
- Office Email: [email protected]
- Office Hours: Tuesday – Friday, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
- Address (Newell church): 306 6th Street, Newell, SD 57760
- Mailing (Newell): PO Box 72, Newell, SD 57760-0072
Cluster Parishes — Sturgis & St. Martin's Chapel
Because St. Mary Star of the Sea is 'attended from Sturgis,' the parish website actually presents three worship sites under one umbrella: St. Francis of Assisi in Sturgis (1049 Howard Street), St. Mary Star of the Sea in Newell, and St. Martin's Chapel in Sturgis (1521 Sherman Street), which offers the Latin Mass in the Extraordinary Form on certain Sundays and Saturdays. The full weekly schedule across the cluster includes Saturday vigil and Sunday morning Masses, daily Mass, Reconciliation, and First Friday Adoration.
- St. Francis of Assisi, Sturgis — Saturday 5:00 PM vigil, Sunday 8:30 AM, plus daily Mass Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday
- St. Mary Star of the Sea, Newell — Sunday 10:30 AM, Thursday 5:30 PM
- St. Martin's Chapel, Sturgis — Latin Mass (Extraordinary Form), 2nd & 4th Sunday 4:00 PM; Saturday 8:00 AM on the 1st, 3rd, and 5th Saturdays
Diocese & Stewardship
St. Mary Star of the Sea is one of roughly three dozen parishes in the Diocese of Rapid City, which covers western South Dakota. Online giving is available through the parish website, and parishioners can keep up with announcements and the parish bulletin via the same site that serves the broader Sturgis cluster. The parish community is grateful to Kinkade Funeral Chapel, which is acknowledged as a community partner supporting the parish website.
- Online giving available via the parish website
- Parish bulletin published and linked online
- Community partner: Kinkade Funeral Chapel
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Timothy W. Castor2018 – July 2026
Named pastor of St. Mary Star of the Sea in 2018 while also serving as pastor of St. Francis of Assisi, Sturgis; reassigned by Bishop Bullock effective July 1, 2026.