St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Church (Jackson, Michigan)
| St. Mary Star of the Sea | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Basic information | |
| Location | 120 E. Wesley St. Jackson, MI |
| Geographic coordinates | 42°14′42″N 84°24′19″W / 42.2451°N 84.4054°WCoordinates: 42°14′42″N 84°24′19″W / 42.2451°N 84.4054°W |
| Affiliation | Roman Catholic |
| District | Diocese of Lansing |
| Year consecrated | 1926 |
| Leadership |
Rev. Timothy Nelson Rev. Richard Eberle, OSFS |
| Website | Parish website |
| Architectural description | |
| Architect(s) | Frederick Spier |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Architectural style | Byzantine Revival, Romanesque Revival |
| Groundbreaking | 1923 |
| Completed | 1926 |
| Construction cost | $375,000 |
| Specifications | |
| Height (max) | 180 feet |
| Materials |
Limestone Steel Copper towers |
Rev. Timothy Nelson
St. Mary Star of the Sea is a Catholic parish church located in downtown Jackson, Michigan. The parish was the second in the Jackson area, after St. John the Evangelist.
In 1880, Bishop Caspar Henry Borgess of the Detroit Diocese approved the establishment of a second Catholic parish in the city of Jackson.
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. 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.
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 and the Mexican community of Sacred Heart, formerly an independent chapel at a separate site in Jackson.
Frederick Spier of Detroit designed the Romanesque Revival structure. It is constructed of steel framework with an exterior limestone veneer, and is a combination of Byzantine and traditional Romanesque architecture. 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. All three towers are capped with copper sheeting, which is curved to meet at the top with a wood post that supports a 6' x 3' x 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.
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