Completed in 1926 after three years of construction, the current church replaced an earlier, smaller church. With three spires, it stands 180 feet tall at its highest point. Adorned with recently refurbished stained glass on every side, giant arches, murals of the apostles, and an original altar rail, the church has two side altars as well as a marble high altar. A mosaic of Our Lady Star of the Sea adorns the apse.

McGuire, who moved to Jackson in 1970, has worshiped in the same pew on the front left side of St. Mary’s ever since. The church has become home to her, McGuire explains, especially as her eight children have moved away. And she’s not the only one who calls the church home.

Mary Malewitz, for example, has been a parishioner her entire life and a music teacher at the school for 29 years. She currently serves as the director of music and liturgy for the parish. “This was my mom’s church,” she explains, noting that her mom would tell stories of the church being built and the Stations of the Cross being hung when she was a little girl. “I think my mom’s was the first class to receive Communion here. My parents were married here. All six of us kids were baptized here; we received our sacraments here. St. Mary’s is home.” 

Both Malewitz and McGuire insist that the location and beauty of St. Mary’s are crucial tools for the evangelization of Jackson.

“It’s an inner-city church, so people have the opportunity to get to Mass who otherwise wouldn’t. Downtown is the perfect place for St. Mary’s,” McGuire says.

“We have people from all walks of life who come to worship here, including people who are unchurched,” Malewitz adds. “That’s the real advantage of being in the center of downtown: people walk in who have never been in a church before. People are awed by the beauty of it.”

But as magnificent as it is, St. Mary Star of the Sea is more than just a beautiful church, says Father Tim Nelson, pastor for the last 15 years. 

“I don’t want this church to be a fossilized relic,” Nelson says. “It’s a breathing, living, dynamic, vital player of the present, which is enriched and ennobled by the past.”

Currently comprising 1,086 families, the parish includes the thriving Sacred Heart of Jesus Hispanic Community, fosters devotion to Our Lady of Perpetual Help, provides outreach to the homeless, and spreads the Gospel through the elementary school, which is the most ethnically and socio-economically diverse parochial school in Jackson, Nelson adds.

For Nelson, the school stands out as a key element of the success of St. Mary parish, both past and present. “The school is a principal means of evangelization and is necessary for the life of the parish,” Nelson says, noting that without it he fears the parish would begin to decline.

Founded in 1889, the school actually pre-dates the present church building. With a current enrollment of 94 students, the school has been in continuous operation for the past 136 years, bringing continuity from the past to the present day. 

Another aspect of continuity for the parish, Father Nelson explains, is the offering of the Traditional Latin Mass. “We celebrate the Latin Mass every Sunday. Some people complain that the Latin Mass is a harkening back to the past. But I agree with Pope Benedict XVI, that the past is lived by the present generation. And that’s what we do. We’re bringing the past into the present day and to the future.”

St. Mary Star of the Sea in Jackson will celebrate its past and ask for blessings upon its future with Bishop Boyea at the 10 a.m. Mass on May 31, 2026 — exactly 100 years after it was dedicated by Bishop Joseph C. Plegans, Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit. 

“This church is a beautiful tribute to God and his glory,” Malewitz explains, with emotion. “He’s given us everything, and beauty is just one small way we can give back to him. I hope St. Mary’s will stand the test of time for another 100 years and that future generations will cherish it like we have.”