About Star of the Sea · Stevenson, Washington
Our Lady Star of the Sea is a Catholic mission church in Stevenson, Washington, tucked into the Columbia River Gorge and serving the small Skamania County community. It is formally a mission church of St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in Camas, Washington, and since 2024 has been grouped together with St. Thomas Aquinas (Camas) and Holy Redeemer (Vancouver) into Parish Family 46 of the Archdiocese of Seattle under the Partners in the Gospel pastoral planning initiative. The mission offers Sunday Mass, weekday adoration and devotions, and a mission prayer chain, and is described by its own staff as 'a special gem amongst the Columbia River Catholic Family.'
- Patron
- Our Lady Star of the Sea (Blessed Virgin Mary, invoked under the title Star of the Sea)
- Rector
- Rev. Thomas J. Nathe
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Seattle (Metropolitan Archdiocese of Seattle)
Why belong here
Our Lady Star of the Sea brings Sunday Mass, weekday adoration and devotions, and the sacraments to Catholics in the otherwise-rural Skamania County stretch of the Columbia River Gorge. The mission is supported by Mission Coordinators Abby and Tony Coates, a Combined Finance and Pastoral Council that meets monthly, and a parish prayer chain — and it shares the wider Columbia River Catholic staff of priests, a director of evangelization, music and formation ministers with its sister parishes. It is a small, personal community where parishioners know each other, yet it is plugged into the larger Catholic life of the Archdiocese of Seattle through its parish family.
Mass times at Star of the Sea
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday 10:45 AM – 11:15 AM (before Mass)
- Before and after Sunday Mass, 11:00 AM
- Following First Friday 10:30 AM Mass
Adoration times
- Wednesday 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM (Adoration, Rosary and Benediction)
- First Friday 9:30 AM – 10:15 AM
Our Lady Star of the Sea Mission
Our Lady Star of the Sea is a Catholic mission church serving Stevenson, Washington and the surrounding Columbia River Gorge. It belongs to the Archdiocese of Seattle and is administered as a mission of St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in Camas, sharing pastors and staff with the wider Columbia River Catholic parish family that also includes Holy Redeemer in Vancouver.
- Mission Church of St. Thomas Aquinas Parish, Camas, WA
- Located at 725 SW Rock Creek Drive, Stevenson, WA 98648
- Part of Parish Family 46 (Archdiocese of Seattle, Partners in the Gospel, 2024)
- County: Skamania; Deanery: Southern Deanery
History of the Mission
The Stevenson mission was attached to the Camas parish during the period when the present St. Thomas Aquinas church in Camas was being built — the new Camas church was dedicated in April 1950 at a cost of $130,000. The parish history of the broader Camas-area Catholic community notes that, in earlier decades, scattered Catholics had to travel on foot or horseback over rutted winter roads to reach a monthly Mass. Today the mission continues that same outreach to a rural population along the Columbia River.
- Mission status attached to St. Thomas Aquinas, Camas circa 1949–1950
- Continues a long tradition of bringing Mass to Catholics scattered through the Columbia River Gorge
- Joined Parish Family 46 with Holy Redeemer (Vancouver) and St. Thomas Aquinas (Camas) in 2024
Clergy and Staff
Day-to-day pastoral care for Our Lady Star of the Sea is provided through the Columbia River Catholic parish family. The pastor and parochial vicar of St. Thomas Aquinas serve the mission as part of Parish Family 46, while on-site Mission Coordinators Abby and Tony Coates handle liturgy, administration and the prayer chain.
- Rev. Thomas J. Nathe — Pastor (Parish Family 46)
- Rev. Joji Balasamy Nagineni — Parochial Vicar
- Tony and Abby Coates — Mission Coordinators (Abby also serves as Liturgical Coordinator)
- Wider Columbia River Catholic staff: Ted Meany (Director of Evangelization), Mark Mackenzie, Karl Rohde (Director of Sacred Music), Kevin Greenlee (Parish Manager), Amy Parent, Don Anderson, Shawn Norton, Susan Schneider, Daniel Forster, Judy McMorine, Denice Twyman
Parish Life and Pastoral Council
The mission is served by a Combined Finance and Pastoral Council that meets once a month, usually on the second Saturday, to discuss and execute the work necessary to keep the mission running smoothly. The mission also maintains a prayer chain coordinated by Abby Coates for parishioners who wish to request prayers.
- Combined Finance and Pastoral Council — monthly, second Saturday
- Chair: Dave Brown
- Members: Regina Babcock, Katie Leon, Kitty Pallanch, John Pallanch, Greg Townsend, Reece Townsend, Debbie Waters
- Prayer Chain — contact Abby at [email protected]
Ministries of the Columbia River Catholic Family
While Our Lady Star of the Sea itself is a small mission, it shares in the wider ministry life of the Columbia River Catholic parish family. The family's Director of Evangelization oversees sacramental preparation, OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults), Fraternus middle- and high-school youth ministry, marriage preparation, and adult education. There is also a Catechesis of the Good Shepherd program with three atria across the campuses.
- OCIA (formerly RCIA) — adult initiation
- Fraternus — middle and high school youth ministry
- Marriage preparation and wedding coordination
- Adult faith formation and retreats
- Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (atria at Camas and other campuses)
- Children's faith formation
- Sacred Music program (Director: Karl Rohde)
- Parish prayer chain
Sacraments
The mission offers Sunday and Holy Day Mass, First Friday Mass, Reconciliation on Sundays and First Fridays, and Anointing of the Sick and other sacraments by request. For Baptism, Marriage, and Confirmation preparation, parishioners are connected to the formation staff at St. Thomas Aquinas and across the Columbia River Catholic family.
- Eucharist — Sunday, Holy Day, First Friday
- Reconciliation — Sunday before Mass and First Friday
- Anointing of the Sick — by request
- Baptism, Marriage, Confirmation — coordinated through parish family formation staff
Contact, Address and Online Giving
Our Lady Star of the Sea can be reached by phone at 509-427-0010 (the mission office) or by email at [email protected]. The mission's online giving is handled through the Columbia River Catholic platform. The mailing address uses the parent parish in Camas.
- Physical Address — 725 SW Rock Creek Drive, Stevenson, WA 98648
- Mailing Address — PO Box 901, Stevenson, WA 98648-4418 (or c/o St. Thomas Aquinas, 324 NE Oak St., Camas, WA 98607)
- Phone — 509-427-0010
- Email — [email protected]
- Fax — 509-427-4329
- Online giving — via columbiarivercatholic.org
- Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/eastcountycatholics
Investing in Our Future (Capital Campaign)
The mission describes itself as 'a beacon of Christ in the Columbia River Gorge' and is currently inviting parishioners and supporters to help recoup capital savings through a dedicated pledge campaign, so it can continue to serve Catholics in the Gorge for years to come.
- 'Investing in Our Future' capital-savings recoupment campaign
- Pledges made through the Columbia River Catholic online giving page
- Funds directed specifically to the Our Lady Star of the Sea mission