St. Mary Star of the Sea

About St. Mary Star of the Sea

St. Mary Star of the Sea is a Roman Catholic parish at 1335 Blaine Street in Port Townsend, Washington, serving all of Jefferson County on the Olympic Peninsula. Founded in 1864 and now part of the Archdiocese of Seattle, the parish is bilingual (English and Spanish) and welcomes roughly 289 households. Its mission is to celebrate God's presence through Mass, the sacraments and prayer; to live Christ's love by serving others, especially the poor, neglected and suffering; and to grow in the truths and values of the Catholic Tradition, teach them to children, and proclaim them to those who do not know them.

Parish History

Catholic life on Point Hudson began in 1859 when Father Louis Rossi built the first Catholic church in Port Townsend — the third Catholic mission in Washington Territory — at Water and Jackson Streets, dedicating it to St. Anthony. In May 1864 Father F.X. Prefontaine arrived as the parish's first resident pastor and stayed until 1867, when he moved on to found Seattle's first Catholic parish. The parish grew under Fathers Paul Manz, Richard, Caesari Mausueto (1878–1880) and Regis Maniouloux (1880–~1920), who led it for forty years. In 1877 the parish acquired its cemetery on San Juan Avenue, and during this period the parish took its current name, St. Mary Star of the Sea — an ancient English translation of the Latin Stella Maris for the Blessed Virgin Mary. The parish marked its centennial in 1964 and sesquicentennial in 2016, and worship continues today in the present church building dedicated in 1950.

• 1859 — Father Louis Rossi contracts St. Anthony's Church at Water and Jackson Streets (Point Hudson)
• 1860 — Father Charles Varry succeeds Father Rossi
• 1864 — Father F.X. Prefontaine arrives as first resident pastor
• 1877 — Parish cemetery acquired on San Juan Avenue
• 1880 — Father Regis Maniouloux begins ~40-year pastorate
• 1881–1919 — First St. Mary's Church
• 1950 — Present church dedicated
• 1964 — Centennial celebrated
• 2016 — Sesquicentennial (150th anniversary) celebrated

Clergy and Staff

The parish is currently served by Pastor Rev. Jacob M. Maurer and Parochial Vicars Rev. Naresh Gali and Rev. Edward G. White. Lay staff support parish operations and pastoral care from the Blaine Street office.

• Rev. Jacob M. Maurer — Pastor
• Rev. Naresh Gali — Parochial Vicar
• Rev. Edward G. White — Parochial Vicar
• Mark Ortmeier — Administrative Assistant
• Courtney Gunn — Pastoral Assistant for Administration
• Jeanne Stehly — Office Assistant
• MJ Barrett — Bookkeeper

Children's and Youth Religious Education

The parish's Religious Education Program runs September through May on Sundays, with catechists dedicated to passing on the Catholic tradition in cooperation with parents as the primary catechists. Children are grouped by age into stages that follow the image of the Good Shepherd: The Beloved (4–6), Seekers (6–8), Stewards (8–9), Scholars (9–11), and Confirmandi (11–14). Volunteers are always welcome.

• The Beloved — ages 4–6, introduction to Jesus the Good Shepherd
• Seekers — ages 6–8, preparing for Reconciliation and First Eucharist
• Stewards — ages 8–9, exploring the Mass, responses, sacraments and the liturgical calendar
• Scholars — ages 9–11, Salvation History and the events of Jesus' life
• Confirmandi — ages 11–14, catechesis, Church life, and Confirmation preparation
• Programs run Sunday mornings, September through May

Becoming Catholic / OCIA

Adults interested in becoming Catholic, returning Catholics, or those who simply want to learn more about the faith are invited to join the parish's OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) process, formerly known as RCIA. The parish describes it as a journey in a warm, accepting setting where candidates share their faith story and are gradually introduced to Catholic beliefs and practices.

• Contact the Parish Office at (360) 385-3700 to begin
• Open to inquirers at any time of year

Sacraments

The parish prepares parishioners for Baptism, Confirmation, First Reconciliation and First Eucharist, and Holy Matrimony. Sacramental preparation is required before First Reconciliation, First Eucharist and Confirmation, and includes at least one year of prior religious instruction (with a 70% attendance threshold), a home-taught preparation component, and a retreat for candidates and their parents. For emergencies involving death or dying, the parish operates a dedicated emergency line at (360) 809-6907.

• Baptism — contact the parish office
• Confirmation — requires one year of prior instruction plus home preparation and a retreat
• First Reconciliation and First Eucharist — for children who have completed required catechesis
• Marriage — contact the parish office
• Anointing of the Sick / Last Rites — Emergency Line (360) 809-6907

Parish Life and Apostolates

Beyond Sunday worship, parishioners are invited into a wide range of lay apostolates: leadership through the Parish Pastoral Council and Finance Commission; prayer and healing through the St. Joseph Healing Prayer Ministry, Prayer Chain, and Secular Servite Order; outreach through Greeters, the Bereavement Support Ministry, and Rosary Makers; and concrete help to neighbors in need through the 5% Committee, which reserves five percent of parish funds for emergency community assistance.

• Parish Pastoral Council
• Finance Commission
• St. Joseph Healing Prayer Ministry
• Greeters
• Secular Servite Order
• Rosary Makers
• 5% Committee (emergency assistance)
• Prayer Chain (Pat White 360-385-3063 / Carol Hurley [email protected])
• Bereavement Support Ministry
• Grupo de Oración Hispana (Spanish Prayer Group)
• Eucharistic Ministry to the Homebound

Visiting, Accessibility and Parish Facilities

The church is open Monday through Thursday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, on Fridays until 8:00 pm, and at Mass times on weekends. A Family Room is available at the left side of the Blessed Mother's statue at the front of the church for parents with young children during Mass. Rest rooms are located in the church basement, accessible from the narthex down the stairwell to the right of the Sacristy door. Visitors and parishioners are asked to silence cell phones before Mass or other devotions begin.

• Office hours: M–Th 10:00 am – 4:00 pm; Fri until 8:00 pm; weekends at Mass times
• Family Room during Mass — left side, by the statue of the Blessed Lady
• Rest rooms — narthex stairwell to the right of the Sacristy door, in the basement
• Emergency line for death or dying only: (360) 809-6907

Parish Family 49 — Partners in the Gospel

In 2024 the Archdiocese of Seattle grouped parishes into 'parish families' under one pastor through the Partners in the Gospel strategic pastoral planning process. St. Mary Star of the Sea is part of Parish Family 49, which includes Queen of Angels (Port Angeles), St. Anne (Forks), St. Joseph (Sequim), St. Mary Star of the Sea (Port Townsend), and St. Thomas the Apostle (Clallam Bay).

• Queen of Angels — Port Angeles
• St. Anne — Forks
• St. Joseph — Sequim
• St. Mary Star of the Sea — Port Townsend
• St. Thomas the Apostle — Clallam Bay

New to Port Townsend?

Whether you are new to the area, returning to the Catholic faith, or discerning becoming Catholic, the parish invites you to explore its Mass and Confession schedule, OCIA process, Religious Education program, and lay apostolates — and to reach out to the parish office at (360) 385-3700. The parish writes: 'We hope you will find a home here.'