About Saint Paul · Fremont, Indiana
St. Paul Catholic Chapel at Clear Lake is a small Catholic chapel in rural northeastern Indiana that serves as an outstation of St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Parish in Angola. Founded in 1941 by the Conventual Franciscan Friars and a handful of dedicated Catholic families, the chapel today draws its congregation from across the tri-state region of Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan. Originally a converted one-room schoolhouse, the present chapel was built in the 1960s in the spirit of the Second Vatican Council, and the community has grown to include roughly 125 year-round families and another 125 summer families, swelling to 700–800 people at weekend Masses in the peak vacation season.
- Established
- 1941
- Patron
- Saint Paul (the Apostle)
- Rector
- Father Osman Ramos
- Diocese
- Diocese of Fort Wayne–South Bend
Why belong here
St. Paul's Catholic Chapel is a small but welcoming Franciscan community that offers the full sacramental life of the Catholic Church in a peaceful rural setting near Clear Lake. Whether you are a year-round resident, a summer vacationer, or just passing through the tri-state region of Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan, you can register as a parishioner and immediately become part of a spiritual family that gathers around the Holy Eucharist, weekly Eucharistic Adoration, the Rosary, and active lay ministries. Volunteers are warmly welcomed — training is offered for every liturgical role — and the chapel community is known for its hospitality, its gardens, and the joy of summer Masses that swell the building to capacity.
Mass times at Saint Paul
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Every Sunday following Mass
- Every Wednesday during Eucharistic Adoration
Adoration times
- Every Wednesday after 9:00 a.m. Mass
History of St. Paul Catholic Chapel
St. Paul Catholic Chapel at Clear Lake began in 1941 when a handful of Catholic families bought an abandoned schoolhouse for $169 and, by hand, transformed it into a chapel. It has been served continuously by the Conventual Franciscan Friars since that time, growing from a summer-only mission into a year-round 'quasi-parish' that today serves roughly 125 year-round and 125 summer families, with weekend Masses in summer often drawing 700–800 worshippers.
- 1929 — Conventual Franciscan Friars arrive in Steuben County.
- 1941 — Sand Schoolhouse purchased at auction for $169 by the Federspiel, Pohlius, Carroll, and Reide families.
- July 27, 1941 — Chapel dedicated by the bishop from Fort Wayne as a Public Chapel.
- 1964 — Surrounding land purchased from W.E. Esterline; present chapel built (Vatican II spirit) with bell tower.
- 1981 — Community room added, raising rated capacity to 375.
- 1991 — New center built with classrooms and chaplain's office.
- 2016 — 75th anniversary: Chapel Gardens renewed and a statue of St. Paul installed.
Franciscan Heritage
St. Paul's is a Conventual Franciscan foundation. The friars arrived in Steuben County in 1929, convinced the bishop to dedicate the entire county to St. Anthony of Padua, and have staffed St. Paul's Chapel continuously since its 1941 dedication. The chapel today continues to be guided spiritually by the Franciscans of Mary, and its stated mission and vision are explicitly rooted in Franciscan spirituality.
- Order: Conventual Franciscans (OFM Conv.)
- Founding chaplain: Friar Leonard Wren
- Canonical pastor at founding: Fr. Ignatius Hanley
- Spiritual guidance today: 'Franciscans of Mary'
Parish Ministries and Groups
As a small community of roughly 125 year-round families, St. Paul's relies heavily on lay volunteers to sustain the life of the chapel. Training is offered for all liturgical roles, and a Ministry Scheduler Pro app is used to coordinate the weekly schedule. Both men's and women's groups, plus a Chapel Boosters organization, support fellowship, fundraising, and upkeep.
- Liturgical Ministry (Lectors, etc.) — coordinated via Ministry Scheduler Pro
- Music Ministry
- Catechism / Religious Education
- Environments & Arts
- Maintenance Committee
- Wednesday Group
- Chapel Boosters
- Angel Tree Ministry
- Women's Group
- Men's Group
Becoming a Parishioner
Because St. Paul's Chapel has no territorial boundaries, registration is the simple way to formally join the community. The parish welcomes both regular attendees and summer-only parishioners as part of its 'spiritual family.'
- Register online via the parish website
- No territorial boundaries — belonging is by registration
- Welcomes year-round and summer families
- Tri-state community: Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan
Contact and Office Hours
The chapel itself has limited on-site office hours on Fridays. For most administrative needs, the main parish office at St. Anthony's Church in Angola handles appointments and inquiries.
- Chapel address: 8780 E. 700 N., Fremont, IN 46737
- Mailing address: 700 W. Maumee Street, Angola, IN 46703
- Phone: (260) 665-2259
- Office at St. Paul's Chapel: Friday 8:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
- Office at St. Anthony's, Angola: Mon/Wed/Thu 9 a.m.–5 p.m.; Tue 9 a.m.–12 p.m. & 4–7:30 p.m.
Mission, Vision, and Community
The chapel's stated mission is to spread the word of God faithfully as a spiritual family, joining together to live a sacramental life centered on the Holy Eucharist and loving one another as Jesus loves us. Its vision is to create an inviting and welcoming environment for peaceful prayer and worship, growing in the love of the Holy Spirit under the guidance of the Franciscans of Mary and in accordance with the beliefs and values of the Holy Catholic Church.
- Mission: spread God's word as a spiritual family centered on the Holy Eucharist
- Vision: welcoming, Christ-centered, Franciscan community
- Guided by the Franciscans of Mary
- Active sacramental and devotional life
Facilities and Grounds
The campus includes the 1960s chapel with its bell tower, the 1981 community room (which opens for additional summer seating, giving a rated capacity of 375), the 1991 center with classrooms and a chaplain's office, and the recently renewed Chapel Gardens featuring a statue of St. Paul installed in 2016.
- Chapel (built 1960s, Vatican II style, with bell tower)
- Community Room (1981) — opens for extra summer seating
- Center (1991) — classrooms and chaplain's office
- Chapel Gardens (renewed 2016) — with statue of St. Paul
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Ignatius Hanley, OFM Conv.1941
Canonical pastor of St. Anthony of Padua Parish at the dedication of the chapel.
- Friar Leonard Wren, OFM Conv.1941 onward
First chaplain of St. Paul's Chapel at Clear Lake.
- Friar Conrad Schweibold, OFM Conv.1960s
Worked with the people to expand the chapel and replace the schoolhouse.
- Friar Earl Zajdel, OFM Conv.1960s
Worked with Schweibold on the chapel expansion.
- Friar Wilfrid Logsdon, OFM Conv.1970s (first tenure)
Chaplain under whom volunteer catechists began teaching catechism to children.