About St. Mary Star of the Sea · Jackson, Michigan
St. Mary Star of the Sea is a Roman Catholic parish in downtown Jackson, Michigan, in the Diocese of Lansing. It unites the historic St. Mary Star of the Sea Church on East Wesley Street with St. Stanislaus Kostka Chapel on South Elm Avenue and the former Sacred Heart community, forming one of the most ethnically and racially diverse Catholic parishes in the city. The parish is dedicated to Our Lady, Star of the Sea and is known for its striking 1926 Byzantine/Romanesque Revival limestone church, its weekly Traditional Latin Mass, and its on-site Catholic school serving pre-K through sixth grade.
- Established
- 1880
- Patron
- Our Lady, Star of the Sea
- Rector
- Fr. Timothy (Tim) Nelson
- Diocese
- Diocese of Lansing
Why belong here
St. Mary Star of the Sea welcomes new parishioners from every background to register through the parish office, and Mass is celebrated in English, Spanish and Latin each Sunday, making it unusually accessible for the diverse Jackson community. The parish runs an on-site Catholic elementary school (pre-K through sixth grade), a licensed daycare, a robust faith-formation and Confirmation program, RCIA, youth ministry, and a St. Vincent de Paul food pantry right on the property. Daily noon Mass, Saturday confessions, First Friday Adoration, a weekly Eucharistic Holy Hour and a richly traditional liturgical life (including a weekly Latin Mass) give the parish both deep Catholic roots and active outreach.
Mass times at St. Mary Star of the Sea
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 10:00 AM – 12:00 noon
Adoration times
- First Friday Adoration following the 12:05 PM Mass (begins around 12:30 PM, until 5:30 PM)
- 5:00 PM Eucharistic Holy Hour (prayer, Scripture, hymns, quiet meditation, and Benediction)
About St. Mary Star of the Sea Parish
St. Mary Star of the Sea describes itself as 'a Roman Catholic faith community in the heart of Jackson, Michigan, uniting St. Mary Star of the Sea Church, St Stanislaus Kostka Chapel and the Sacred Heart Community.' The parish is called, in its own words, to be 'a beacon of Christ's light to all persons,' drawing people closer to God through the Sacraments, Sacred Scripture, and the Magisterium, while placing special value on Eucharistic Adoration, Catholic Education and social justice.
Parish History
Founded in 1880 as the second Catholic parish in Jackson after St. John the Evangelist, the parish built its first church in 1881, then outgrew it within twenty years. Construction of the present limestone church began with a cornerstone laying on September 23, 1923, and was dedicated by Bishop Joseph C. Plagens on May 31, 1926. The interior was largely assembled from post-World War I European imports: stained glass, Stations of the Cross and the 'Our Lady Star of the Sea' mosaic from Tyrolese Art Glass Company in Innsbruck, Austria, and Italian Carrara marble altars, statues and rail gifted by American Tobacco Company president George Washington Hill. In the fall of 2008 the parish merged with St. Stanislaus Kostka Chapel (Polish community) and Sacred Heart (Mexican community); the original Kostka Chapel at 608 S. Elm Ave. continues as a worship site. A stained-glass restoration by Full Spectrum Stained Glass of Colon, Michigan, began in 2015, and in 1981 the building was designated a Michigan Historic Site.
- 1880 — parish approved by Bishop Caspar Henry Borgess of the Detroit Diocese
- July 4, 1881 — cornerstone laid for the first (Gothic brick) church
- 1910 — plans announced for a larger church; pastor and trustees tour European cathedrals
- September 23, 1923 — cornerstone of the present limestone church laid
- Christmas 1923 — Midnight Mass celebrated in the finished basement
- May 31, 1926 — Bishop Joseph C. Plagens dedicates the completed church (cost ≈ $375,000)
- 1981 — Michigan Historic Site marker erected
- Fall 2008 — merger with St. Stanislaus Kostka and Sacred Heart communities
- 2015 — stained-glass restoration project begins
Architecture & Art
Notable interior features include Innsbruck stained-glass windows, Italian Carrara marble altars and statues of Saints Mary, Joseph, Anne with Mary, Divine Mercy, Therese, Roch and Pope Pius X, and the 39-rank electro-magnetic pipe organ originally built by Frank Roosevelt in 1891 and relocated from the first church. A particularly striking window, 'Christ and the Battlefield,' was designed by pastor Eugene M. Cullinane as a World War I memorial to Jacksonians in the armed forces and the nuns and nurses who cared for them.
Worship Locations
The Diocese of Lansing lists St. Mary Star of the Sea as a single parish with two worship sites. The main church is the historic limestone building at 120 East Wesley Street, Jackson, MI 49201, while St. Stanislaus Kostka Chapel at 608 South Elm Avenue, Jackson, MI 49203, continues to serve the Polish community that joined in the 2008 merger.
- St. Mary Star of the Sea — 120 E. Wesley St., Jackson, MI 49201
- St. Stanislaus Kostka Chapel — 608 S. Elm Ave., Jackson, MI 49203
Clergy & Staff
The parish is currently shepherded by Fr. Timothy (Tim) Nelson as pastor, with Fr. Rick Eberle, OSFS, in residence. Three permanent deacons — Matt Shannon, Jake Gerber and Vince Genco (who also serves as Buildings & Grounds Manager) — assist, along with a lay staff that includes a Music Director, Director of Faith Formation, Youth Discipleship Director, Office Manager, and a licensed Child Care & Development Center Director.
- Fr. Timothy Nelson — Pastor
- Fr. Rick Eberle, OSFS — Priest in Residence
- Matt Shannon — Permanent Deacon
- Jake Gerber — Permanent Deacon
- Vince Genco — Deacon / Buildings & Grounds Manager
- RoseMarie Genco — Pastoral Associate
- Mary Malewitz — Music Director
- Bernice Haglund — Director of Faith Formation / Religious Education
- Suzanne Courtis — Office Manager / Notary
- Sue Hutchinson — Child Care & Development Center Director
- Matthew Berkemeier — St. Mary Elementary School Principal
Faith Formation & School
Faith formation at St. Mary spans cradle to adulthood. The parish runs a K-12 religious education program, a Confirmation program, and RCIA for adults, plus youth ministry that links to the diocesan Queen of the Miraculous Parish youth network. The associated St. Mary Elementary School provides pre-K through sixth grade education on campus.
- Religious Education K-12 — Director: Bernice Haglund
- Confirmation program
- RCIA — Coordinator: John Manser
- Youth Discipleship — coordinated with Queen of the Miraculous Parish
- St. Mary Elementary School (Pre-K through 6th grade)
- Licensed Child Care & Development Center (established 1990)
Music & Liturgical Ministries
Music is a particular point of pride: the parish lists an Adult Choir, Children's Choir, organ, flute, clarinet and violin, and welcomes additional instrumentalists (French horn, cello, timpani) at holiday liturgies. Liturgical volunteers — lectors, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, ushers, hospitality ministers and gift-bearers — are organized on a twice-yearly rotating schedule.
- Adult Choir & Children's Choir
- Organ, flute, clarinet, violin, plus seasonal instrumentalists
- Lectors & Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Eucharist — contact Mary Malewitz
- Ushers and gift-bearers — contact David & Karen DesNoyer (783-1401)
- Hospitality / greeters — contact Mary Malewitz (414-1886)
- Eucharist to the Shut-ins — call the parish office (784-7184)
Outreach & Parish Life
Beyond the liturgy, the parish runs several ministries of presence and charity. The Arimatheans provide a parish-family presence at funerals. A Prayer Shawl Ministry gathers to craft shawls for those in need. The on-site St. Vincent de Paul food pantry distributes food to the needy in the Jackson community, and parishioners are regularly invited to bring pantry or monetary donations to Mass to be brought up at the offertory.
- Arimatheans — funeral presence/support (contact Rose Marie Genco, 517-750-3759)
- Prayer Shawl Ministry
- St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry (on-site)
- Hospitality Ministry (welcome at weekend Masses)
Getting Involved & Contact
New parishioners are invited to register by calling Suzanne in the parish office at 517-784-7184. The parish office is open Monday–Thursday 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM and Friday 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM, closed for lunch 12:00–1:00 PM. Office fax: 517-783-2571. The Star Hall kitchen line is 789-8306, and the Buildings & Grounds Manager is Nathan Courtis.
- Parish Office — 120 E. Wesley St., Jackson, MI 49201
- Phone — 517-784-7184
- Fax — 517-783-2571
- Office Hours — Mon–Thu 8–4, Fri 8–3 (closed 12–1)
- Registration — call Suzanne in the parish office