St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Church (Jackson, Michigan)

Last updated
St. Mary Star of the Sea
St. Mary Star of the Sea Church (Jackson. Michigan).jpg
Religion
Affiliation Roman Catholic
District Diocese of Lansing
LeadershipRev. Timothy Nelson Rev. Richard Eberle, OSFS
Year consecrated 1926
Location
Location120 E. Wesley St.
Jackson, MI
Geographic coordinates 42°14′42″N84°24′19″W / 42.2451°N 84.4054°W / 42.2451; -84.4054
Architecture
Architect(s) Frederick Spier
Type Church
Style Byzantine Revival, Romanesque Revival
Groundbreaking1923
Completed1926
Construction cost$375,000
Specifications
Height (max)180 feet
Materials Limestone
Steel
Copper towers
Website
stmaryjackson.com

St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Church is a parish of the Roman Catholic Church located in downtown Jackson, Michigan, in the Diocese of Lansing. It is dedicated to Our Lady, Star of the Sea. In 2008 it absorbed the congregations of St. Stanislaus Kostka Chapel and the Chapel of Sacred Heart, also in Jackson.

Contents

History

In 1880, Bishop Caspar Henry Borgess of the Detroit Diocese approved the establishment of a second Catholic parish in the city of Jackson, after St. John the Evangelist.

On June 14, 1881, Robert Lake was contracted to build a new church. It was to be Gothic style and of brick, with the steeple rising 180 feet. The cornerstone was laid July 4, 1881. [1] It would seat six hundred people and the cost was just over $30,000. Within 20 years, this first church had become inadequate in size, and admission cards were issued to parishioners for Mass.

St Mary Star of the Sea Church pre -1923 St Marys pre-1923.jpg
St Mary Star of the Sea Church pre -1923

In 1910, plans were announced for the current church, and the pastor and church trustees traveled to Europe, viewing some of the most beautiful cathedrals. Building plans were delayed by World War I, but finally on Sunday, September 23, 1923, the cornerstone was laid. The basement was ready and used for Midnight Mass on Christmas, 1923. However, a prolonged strike in the limestone industry delayed progress and it was not completed until 1926. On May 31, 1926, Bishop Joseph C. Plagens officiated at the dedication. The cost of the new church was approximately $375,000.

In the fall of 2008, St. Mary Parish merged with St. Stanislaus Kostka Chapel in Jackson, which houses both the Polish community of the former St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish [2] and the Mexican community of Sacred Heart, formerly an independent chapel at a separate site in Jackson.

Architecture

Exterior

Frederick Speir, of Spier & Rohns of Detroit designed the Romanesque Revival structure. [3] It is constructed of steel framework with an exterior hammer-dressed limestone veneer, and is a combination of Byzantine architecture and traditional Romanesque architecture, reminiscent of German Rundbogenstil. [4] The front of the church originally featured two lighthouses where wrought iron lamps now stand.

The steeple rises 180 feet. The southwest corner houses the 2,700 pound bell, cast in 1902 for the parish's original church. [1] All three towers are capped with copper sheeting, which is curved to meet at the top with a wood post that supports a 6' × 3' × 6' gold-leafed metal-clad cross.

The front features three sets of double doors of copper and bronze. Over the entrance is a figure of Mary and the words "Domus Mea Domus Orationis Est" which translated from the Latin is "My House is a House of Prayer" taken from Isaiah 56:7.

The slate roof and copper gutter system was replaced by the Detroit Cornice and Slate Co. as a part of the church's recent renovation projects. [5]

Interior

Statues of Saints Mary, Joseph, Anne with Mary, Divine Mercy, Therese, and Roch, Pope Pius X, the communion rail, and back altar are all made of Italian Carrara marble. The altars and communion rails were a donation by George Washington Hill, then president of the American Tobacco Company. The red and green colors of the mosaic work on the main altar correspond to the original colors on a pack of Lucky Strike cigarettes. The pews from the original church were used to construct the confessionals and sacristy cases. [1]

All of the stained glass windows, stations of the cross, and mosaic "Our Lady Star of the Sea", believed to have been created in the early 1900s, were purchased after World War I from Tyrolese Art Glass Company in Innsbruck, Austria for $22,000. In 1961, the windows were appraised for $150,000. The Stations of the Cross were appraised at $16,000 at that time. In 2015, the church began the project of having the stained glass windows restored and renovated, by the Full Spectrum Stained Glass Company of Colon, Michigan. [6]

A notable stained glass window is entitled "Christ and the Battlefield." [3] The window was created from a design made by the church pastor, Eugene M. Cullinane. It is a World War I memorial to "all Jacksonians serving in the Armed Forces and to the nuns and nurses who cared for them on the battlefields." At the right of the scene are soldiers and sailors arriving on shore, bearing the American flag and supporting the wounded. To the left are other soldiers and a Sister of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul tending a fallen nurse. Behind them St. Mary looks upward toward figures of Christ and attending angels.

The pipe organ, originally built by Frank Roosevelt in 1891 and relocated to the new church when it was completed, is electro-magnetic, and consists of 39 ranks and 3 consoles. [7]

A marker designating the church as a Michigan Historic Site was erected in 1981 by the Michigan History Division of the Michigan Department of State. The inscription reads:

In 1880 Bishop Casper Henry Borgess of the Detroit Diocese approved the establishment of a second Catholic parish in the city of Jackson. The cornerstone ceremony for the parish church was held July 4, 1881. The present limestone Romanesque structure, erected in 1923/26 was designed by Frederick Spier of Detroit. One of the towers houses the 2,700-pound 1902 bell from the parish's first church. The edifice also features stained-glass windows imported from Innsbruck, Austria, and Italian Carrara marble altars and communion rails. The confessionals and sacristy cases were built using the pews of the first building. During the parish's growth from 124 members at its founding to 3,800 at the time of its centennial, it has had only six pastors. [1]

School

A school associated with the church, St. Mary's, was built in 1889. The laying of the cornerstone for the school on June 30, 1889, was attended by a large crowd and presided over by Bishop John Foley, of Detroit, as reported by the Jackson Daily Citizen the following day. [8] The ten-room school house was built at a cost of $17,000. When the school opened that October with 150 students, it was staffed primarily by the Sisters of Charity from Cincinnati, Ohio. The first graduating class, in 1892, consisted of three girls. It was accredited in 1915 by the University of Michigan.

In 1950 the school purchased an adjacent building to add space to provide primary education. In 1956 more classrooms were added to the main school building and another building was purchased in 1959. The last class to graduate from St. Mary's High School did so in 1968, when Lumen Christi Catholic High School opened in Jackson and St. Mary's stopped offering secondary education. St. Mary continued to educate students through eighth grade until the opening of Jackson Catholic Middle School in 1971.

While the high school was in operation its sports teams included the 1925 Class C state championship in basketball, and unbeaten football teams in 1925, 1946, 1953 and 1954. The 1946 team closed the season by beating rival St. John's High School 13-0 before a record crowd of over 10,000 at Withington Stadium. The golf team won eight straight Class C-D titles beginning in 1954, and featured three future PGA pros, Mike Hill, Dave Hill and Steve Miller.

Other notable former students include Tom Monaghan.

In 2014, the school marked 125 years of operation, including continuing use of the original 1889 school house. [9]

During the 1980s and 1990s, enrollment fluctuated as parents were faced with more choices and the neighborhood changed. In 1999, St. Mary's and St. Stanislaus Kostka's schools merged, with students from St. Stanislaus Kostka enrolling in St. Mary's school.

The school currently provides pre-kindgarten through sixth grade secular and K-12 religious education. A licensed daycare center was established in 1990.

As of March 2022, the school had 96 students, of which 23% were Hispanic, 12% Black and 12% multiple ethnicities. According to its pastor, Fr. Tim Nelson, “We probably have the most ethnically diverse and racially diverse student population in the city,” [10]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit</span> Latin Catholic ecclesiastical jurisdiction in Michigan, USA

The Archdiocese of Detroit is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or archdiocese of the Catholic Church covering the Michigan counties of Lapeer, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, St. Clair, and Wayne. It is the metropolitan archdiocese of the Ecclesiastical Province of Detroit, which includes all dioceses in the state of Michigan. In addition, in 2000 the archdiocese accepted pastoral responsibility for the Catholic Church in the Cayman Islands, which consists of Saint Ignatius Parish on Grand Cayman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edward D. Kelly</span>

Edward DenisKelly was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the first auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Detroit in Michigan from 1911 to 1919, and then as the third bishop of the Diocese of Grand Rapids in Michigan from 1919 until his death in 1926.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (Fort Wayne, Indiana)</span> Historic church in Indiana, United States

The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Fort Wayne, Indiana, is the primary cathedral of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, headed by Most Rev. Kevin Carl Rhoades. The parish was established in 1836, making it the oldest in Fort Wayne. The church was erected in 1860.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cathedral of Saint Augustine (Kalamazoo, Michigan)</span> Church in Michigan, United States

Cathedral of Saint Augustine is a Catholic cathedral and parish church located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States. It is the seat of the Bishop of the Diocese of Kalamazoo. The parish was founded in 1856, the present church building was completed in 1951, and it was raised to cathedral status in 1970.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Florian Church (Hamtramck, Michigan)</span> Historic church in Michigan, United States

St. Florian Church is a Roman Catholic Church at 2626 Poland Street in Hamtramck, Michigan. The church was designed by Ralph Adams Cram of the firm Cram and Ferguson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Our Lady of the Scapular Parish</span> Church in Michigan, United States

Our Lady of the Scapular Parish is a Roman Catholic personal parish that specifically ministers to Polish immigrants and those of Polish descent. Our Lady of the Scapular Parish was established on August 1, 2013, as a result from a merger of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish (1899–2013) and St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish (1914–2013). The activities of the parish are located at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church in Wyandotte, Michigan, Wayne County, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Stanislaus Kostka Church (Pittsburgh)</span> Historic church in Pennsylvania, United States

St. Stanislaus Kostka Church in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, referred to in Polish as Kościół Świętego Stanisława Kostki, is a historic church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh. Located in the Strip District in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, it is a prime example of the so-called 'Polish Cathedral' style of churches. It is known also as 21st and Smallman Street Church. It is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Stanislaus Kostka Church (Chicago)</span> Church in Illinois, United States

Saint Stanislaus Kostka Catholic Church is a historic Polish church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago that is located at 1351 West Evergreen Avenue in the Pulaski Park neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois, United States. It is designated as the Sanctuary of Divine Mercy of the Archdiocese.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caspar Henry Borgess</span> German-born American prelate

Caspar Henry Borgess was a German-born American prelate of the Catholic Church. He was the second Bishop of Detroit, serving from 1871 to 1887.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sweetest Heart of Mary Roman Catholic Church</span> Historic church in Michigan, United States

The Sweetest Heart of Mary Roman Catholic Church is located at 4440 Russell Street in Detroit, Michigan, in the Forest Park neighborhood on the city's central East side. The Gothic Revival cathedral styled church is the largest of the Roman Catholic churches in the City of Detroit. It was designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 1974 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. It, along with St. Albertus Roman Catholic Church, 0.4 miles east on East Canfield Street, and St. Josaphat Roman Catholic Church, 0.3 miles west at East Canfield Street and Chrysler Drive, served the large Polish community through most of the twentieth century. In a diocesan reorganization instituted by Archbishop Allen Vigneron in 2013, Sweetest Heart of Mary joined with St. Josephat to form Mother of Divine Mercy Parish.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Albertus Roman Catholic Church</span> Historic church in Michigan, United States

St. Albertus Roman Catholic Church is in the Forest Park neighborhood of Detroit, Michigan. It was designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 1974 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Josaphat Roman Catholic Church</span> Historic church in Michigan, United States

St. Josaphat Roman Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic church located at 715 East Canfield Street in Detroit, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982 and designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 1985. Since 2013, it has been one of two churches that comprise Mother of Divine Mercy Parish.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Stanislaus Bishop and Martyr Roman Catholic Church</span> Historic church in Michigan, United States

The St. Stanislaus Bishop and Martyr Roman Catholic Church is a church located at 5818 Dubois Street in Detroit, Michigan. The church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Stanislaus Parish (New Haven, Connecticut)</span> Church in Connecticut, United States

St. Stanislaus Parish, designated for Polish immigrants in New Haven, Connecticut, United States, was founded on December 28, 1901. It is one of the Polish-American Roman Catholic parishes in New England in the Archdiocese of Hartford.

St. Stanislaus Kostka Church in Wilmington, Delaware, was founded November 23, 1913, as a Roman Catholic Church on the East Side of Wilmington to serve the needs of a growing Polish immigrant community. The Church was a part of the Diocese of Wilmington, until its closure on February 15, 2009.

St. Mary, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cathedral, also known simply as the Cathedral of St. Mary, is a Catholic cathedral and parish church located in Gaylord, Michigan, United States. It is the seat of the Diocese of Gaylord.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Basilica of Saint Stanislaus Kostka</span> Historic church in Minnesota, United States

The Basilica of Saint Stanislaus Kostka is a historic church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Winona in Winona, Minnesota, United States, and a prominent fixture on the city's skyline. Within the diocese it is better known as Saint Stan's. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984 as Church of St. Stanislaus–Catholic and was designated as a Minor Basilica of the Roman Catholic Church on November 10, 2011 by Pope Benedict XVI.

The Holy Cross Roman Catholic Church, also known as the Church of the Holy Cross, is a Roman Catholic church located at 61-21 56th Road in Maspeth, Queens, New York City. It is considered one of the national churches within the geographical area. Historically, the purpose of establishing the church and its parish in 1912 was to provide spiritual services to early immigrants from Poland. It once had a school known as the Holy Cross School.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saint Michael the Archangel Church (Monroe, Michigan)</span> Church in Michigan, United States

Saint Michael the Archangel Church is located on the west side of the city of Monroe, Michigan, along the River Raisin and is a part of the Archdiocese of Detroit. Its congregants include over 1,000 registered families. It was founded in 1852. Its current pastor is Rev. Kishore Battu, who has been serving the St. Michael community since August 1, 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Guardian Angels Church (Manistee, Michigan)</span> Historic church in Michigan, United States

Guardian Angels Church is a Roman Catholic church located at 371-375 Fifth Street in Manistee, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2020. Along with St. Joseph Church, Guardian Angels Church is part of Divine Mercy Parish in the Diocese of Gaylord.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Wilcox, Dave. "St. Mary Star of the Sea Church". hmdb.org. Historical Marker Database. Retrieved May 4, 2022.
  2. ↑ Boyea, Earl (October 30, 2008). "Decree - Suppression of St. Stanislaus Kostka". dioceseoflansing.org. Diocese of Lansing Office of the Bishop. Retrieved May 4, 2022.
  3. 1 2 "Christ and the Battlefield". Michigan Stained Glass Census. Michigan State University Museum. Retrieved 16 August 2013.
  4. ↑ Eckert, Kathryn (17 July 2018). "St. Mary Star of the Sea Church". Sah Archipedia. Society of Architectural Historians. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
  5. ↑ "St. Mary Star of the Sea – Jackson, MI". detroitcornice.com. Detroit Cornice & Slate Co. Retrieved May 4, 2022.
  6. ↑ Raven, Benjamin (December 4, 2015). "St. Mary Star of the Sea starts long-term restoration project of iconic stained glass windows". Mlive.com. Retrieved May 3, 2022.
  7. ↑ Roper, John. "St. Mary Star of the Sea Roman Catholic Church". Pipe Organ Database. Organ Historical Society. Retrieved May 3, 2022.
  8. ↑ "The Founding of St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic School". jacksoncatholicschools.org. December 2021. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
  9. ↑ Smith, Leanne (September 10, 2014). "Peek Through Time: St. Mary Star of the Sea school has taught 125 years of students in same Jackson building". MLive.com. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
  10. ↑ Hansen, Elizabeth (March 2022). "St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic School Forms Disciples in the Heart of Jackson". FaithMag.com. Diocese of Lansing. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.