In late 2023, at the dedication of Stella Maris Chapel on Ocracoke Island, Bishop Luis Zarama remarked, “This is a place for celebration. Enjoy the place. Enjoy the celebration … every time you have the opportunity. All of us together, every Eucharist.”
This past weekend marked a historic celebration for the Catholic community of Ocracoke Island when Very Reverend Michael Burbeck, Vicar General for the Diocese of Raleigh, offered the Sacrament of Confirmation to six candidates from the island.
"After two years of preparation and accompaniment, it was a wonderful blessing to share with the six candidates who received the Sacrament of Confirmation this past weekend,” said Xochitl Martinez, coordinator of faith formation for the Diocese of Raleigh.
"It was truly a joyous event,” said Father Burbeck. “What struck me was how engaged the confirmandi were. We had a brief time before Mass for each of them to introduce themselves and share some of their story. It was evident how much this meant to them. The whole community knew them and was following their journey, including some non-Catholics from the Ocracoke community who came to Mass to support them.”
The 1,200-square-foot chapel, seating about 80, was completed after 15 months of construction and stands as a mission of Our Lady of the Seas in Buxton. For years, local Catholics had gathered in borrowed spaces or traveled by ferry for Mass; the new chapel now provides a permanent home for worship and sacramental life on the island.
