Our Lady Star of the Sea in Cape May a treasure of faith and history

Our Lady Star of the Sea in Cape May serves as a quiet space for prayer and Mass amidst the pedestrian traffic of a seaside resort mall, according to the Catholic Star Herald. Parish administrator Terry McGarvey noted that visitors enter the church throughout the day to pray, light candles, or attend Mass.

The parish pastor, Father John Dolan, OSFS, stated that the church is located in the center of the local shopping area. The current church building follows a history that began with Saint Mary’s, a small wooden mission located across the street from the present site. Father Edward Waldron blessed and opened Saint Mary’s on July 23, 1848, making it the first Catholic church in Cape May County.