Mission:
As members of St. Mary Star of the Sea Parish, we strive to live a mission which reflects our baptismal call as Catholic Christians to proclaim Christ's kingdom, centered on the Eucharist and guided by the Holy Spirit. We express this mission by:

- Welcoming all our brothers and sisters who are in need of hearing Christ's invitation: "Come to Me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest."

- Promoting spiritual growth through our parish educational and sacramental work.

- Affirming, promoting and celebrating our cultural diversity and spiritual unity.

History:
St. Mary’s is the fifth-oldest parish in Queens and one of the oldest in the Greater Metropolitan area, going back to the days of the first beach resorts in the New York City area. The Marine Pavilion was the first grand bathing hotel established in Far Rockaway, at approximately Plainview Avenue between B. 19 and 20 Sts. in 1833. According to Sharp’s History of the Diocese of Brooklyn, the Rev. Michael Curran celebrated the first Catholic Mass in 1847 in a hotel owned by William Caffrey. By 1850 summer Masses were celebrated by the Rev. Edward John Maginnis (or McGinnis), pastor of St. Monica’s in Jamaica, in a tent for the burgeoning summer crowd. Thus, the history of Catholic life in Far Rockaway is older than the Diocese of Brooklyn itself, which was established only in 1853.