About Our Lady of the Snows · Climax Springs, Missouri
Our Lady of the Snows is a small Roman Catholic mission chapel serving the Lake of the Ozarks community in Climax Springs, Missouri. It is operated as a chapel of St. Anthony Parish in Camdenton within the Diocese of Jefferson City. Begun in 1983 as an outdoor Mass station with its own dock on the Osage Arm of the Lake, the chapel grew into a year-round worship site in 1987 when volunteers built an indoor church. Known affectionately as a 'Lake community,' the mission welcomes both year-round residents and summer visitors, offering a unique boat-to-altar pilgrimage and a tight-knit parish life.
- Established
- 1983
- Patron
- Our Lady of the Snows (Blessed Virgin Mary)
- Rector
- Rev. Paulinus Aneke (Pastoral Administrator of St. Anthony Parish, which includes Our Lady of the Snows)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Jefferson City
Why belong here
Our Lady of the Snows offers an intimate, lake-centered Catholic community where, as one parishioner puts it, 'everybody knows everybody.' With weekend Saturday Vigil Mass, on-site Reconciliation, seasonal Stations of the Cross, and a unique boat dock pickup service for those arriving by water from Memorial Day through Labor Day, the chapel pairs the timeless beauty of Lake of the Ozarks with the steady rhythm of parish life. Whether you are a year-round resident, a summer cottager, or a boater from across the lake, you will find a small, welcoming mission deeply rooted in the faith of its volunteers.
Mass times at Our Lady of the Snows
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- 30 minutes before Saturday Vigil Mass (approximately 2:30 PM)
Parish Overview
Our Lady of the Snows is a Catholic mission chapel of St. Anthony Parish (Camdenton) in the Diocese of Jefferson City. Tucked along Grace Lane near the Osage Arm of the Lake of the Ozarks in Climax Springs, Missouri, it serves a year-round lakeside community and welcomes seasonal visitors and boaters from across the water. The chapel carries the patronage of Our Lady of the Snows, celebrated August 5.
- Type: Mission chapel
- Diocese: Jefferson City
- Parent parish: St. Anthony, Camdenton
- Feast day: August 5 (Our Lady of the Snows)
History of the Chapel
Founded in January 1983 by Fr. Joseph Starman on land donated by Fred and Louise Baker, Our Lady of the Snows began as an outdoor Mass station with an altar and a dock for boaters near Coffman Bend Road. A permanent indoor chapel was built by community volunteers in 1987 on land donated by Nolan Helm, allowing year-round worship. The chapel's small but devoted core congregation of about 28 grows to 100 or more in summer and to standing-room crowds of 150+ on the big holiday weekends.
- 1983 — Outdoor Mass station established by Fr. Joseph Starman
- Land for outdoor station donated by Fred and Louise Baker
- First planning meeting held at Baker's Resort
- 1987 — Permanent indoor chapel built by volunteers
- 1987 chapel land donated by Nolan Helm
Stained Glass Windows
In a project led by then-pastor Fr. Daniel Vacca, the chapel acquired seven reconditioned stained glass windows originally created in the 1980s for the former St. Anthony Church in Camdenton. Village Glass in Columbia resized and reframed them to fit the chapel's smaller window openings, and congregant Norman Koelling installed each one as it arrived. Deacon Richard Von Gunten called the windows 'a blessing and the grace of the Holy Spirit' in their new home.
- Sacred Heart of Jesus
- St. Michael the Archangel
- St. Francis of Assisi
- The Holy Eucharist
- Madonna and Child Jesus
- Bible and candle design
- Jesus with the Children
Staff and Pastoral Care
Our Lady of the Snows is pastorally administered through St. Anthony Parish in Camdenton. Fr. Paulinus Aneke serves as the current Pastoral Administrator. Two deacons — Rev. Mr. Stan Buczko and Rev. Mr. Steve Lemons — assist, along with retired deacon Richard Von Gunten who has been closely tied to the chapel. Parish operations are supported by a secretary/bookkeeper, a Director of Religious Education, a music director, a parish council president, and a prayer line coordinator.
- Pastoral Administrator: Rev. Paulinus Aneke
- Deacon: Rev. Mr. Stan Buczko
- Deacon: Rev. Mr. Steve Lemons
- Deacon (retired): Rev. Mr. Richard Von Gunten
- Parish Secretary/Bookkeeper: Rene Magelky
- Director of Religious Education: Karri Brauman
- Music Director: Anne Surerus
- Prayer Line: Nancy VonGunten
- Parish Council President: Sandy Majchrzak
- Maintenance: Mike Rucker
Mass and Sacraments
The chapel offers a regular Saturday Vigil Mass at 3:00 PM throughout the year, with Reconciliation available 30 minutes before Mass (around 2:30 PM). On Easter Sunday, a special 3:00 PM Mass is offered. During Lent, Stations of the Cross are prayed on Wednesdays at 3:00 PM. Daily Mass, additional Confession times, and other sacraments are available through the parent parish, St. Anthony in Camdenton.
- Saturday Vigil Mass — 3:00 PM
- Reconciliation — 30 minutes before Saturday Mass
- Stations of the Cross — Wednesdays at 3:00 PM (Lent)
- Easter Sunday — special 3:00 PM Mass
The Boat Dock and Lake Ministry
One of the chapel's most distinctive features is its own dock on the Osage Arm of the Lake of the Ozarks — reportedly the only Catholic church dock in the state. From Memorial Day through Labor Day, volunteers provide a free shuttle service from the dock to the chapel for boaters arriving by water. Some boating parishioners travel as far as 20 miles across the lake to attend Mass, making the dock a true lifeline for the Lake of the Ozarks Catholic community.
- Free boat-to-chapel shuttle (Memorial Day–Labor Day)
- Dock pickup coordination: (573) 345-3133
- Boaters arrive from up to 20 miles away
Contact Information
Parishioners and visitors can reach the chapel via an answering machine at the mission or by calling the parent St. Anthony Parish office in Camdenton. Email and other parish business is generally handled through St. Anthony's office staff.
- Chapel phone (answering machine): (573) 345-4223
- St. Anthony Parish office: (573) 346-2716
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://camdenton.diojeffcity.org/ourladyofsnows/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Joseph Starman1983
Founded the chapel in January 1983 as an outdoor Mass station on land donated by Fred and Louise Baker.
- Fr. Daniel Vacca2019–
Appointed pastor of St. Anthony Parish (Camdenton) and Our Lady of the Snows mission effective June 23, 2019; came on mission from the Diocese of Wichita with Bishop McKnight's permission. Oversaw the stained glass window project.