“Wherever you have a group of people believing the word of God, and quoting and standing on the Word of God, you are going to see more signs, more wonders and more miracles,” Father Ralph Jones, priest-in-charge of the Stella Maris Chapel in Lamar, said about “what is happening” at the historic mission under his charge.

“There is an anointing on this building,” Father Jones said. “It is a work of God and it has survived many crises. God sovereignly birthed this chapel to serve the people’s need.” 
Through the years, Stella Maris has been many things for many people. At more than 160-years-old, the chapel, located in the quiet Aransas County town of Lamar, is the oldest building owned by the Diocese of Corpus Christi. Historical records show an Irish immigrant named James Byrne, one of the original founders of Lamar, commissioned the building in the mid 1850s. 

Twice during the Civil War Stella Maris was bombed, but received little damage. Later, in 1919, Stella Maris was nearly destroyed by a hurricane. In 1931, the building was rebuilt and repurposed as the personal chapel of Bishop Emmanuel Ledvina, Bishop of the Diocese of Corpus Christi from 1921-49. Midcentury, the Lamar Women’s Club used the chapel as a non-denominational worship space, and then, for much of the second half of the century, the Schoenstatt Sisters took care of the property.

In 1986, the Aransas County Historical Society raised funds to move the building from the Schoenstatt property overlooking Aransas Bay to its present site across from the Lamar Cemetery. Later that decade, the building was deeded to the Knights of Columbus of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Rockport. In 2005, the chapel became property of the Diocese of Corpus Christi and on Nov. 20, 2005, Stella Maris celebrated its first Mass in its new location.

Father Ralph Jones prepares altar for Mass at Stella Maris Chapel. Luisa Buttler for South Texas Catholic

The chapel regularly serves about 50 families, and experiences exponential growth in attendance during the colder months due to an increase in Winter Texans. 

There is also another reason new faces have arrived to worship at the picturesque white chapel tucked beneath the trees. That reason, Father Jones explains, is a spiritual pilgrimage for healing. 

Worshipers have been coming from all over the state—and even all over the country—for the healing service led by Father Jones after each Mass, if requested by someone in the pews. Father Jones himself has experienced the healing power of prayer.

“When I first arrived here as priest, I was almost immediately diagnosed with cancer. Since then, I’ve had cancer four times,” Father Jones said. “In talking to the Lord, I said to him that I would like to pray for people, especially the sick, but to do that, I needed him to bring people here to Stella Maris.”

Just as Father Jones had prayed for, people of all faiths and walks of life have been coming to pray at Stella Maris, often stopping at the chapel on their way from the Rio Grande Valley to hospital treatments in Houston. During many of the after-Mass healing services, Father Jones tells stories of those who prayed at Stella Maris and were healed through their faith. He also reminds those present of the power of prayer—which he stresses—has been laid out for all to see in Holy Scripture. 

“Every Mass is a healing opportunity,” Father Jones said. “But like so many other things, people don’t know the official teaching of the Church or of their faith, or even when the healing part happens.”

Father Jones, with his deep warm voice, has a unique way of sharing the message so people understand.

“Father Jones breaks down what’s in the Bible so that we can relate to it,” parishioner Joe Shaw said. “When he speaks the Gospel, you can hear a pin drop.”

At the healing service, each person receives prayer cards, holy water, holy oil, healing salts and a handkerchief. The faithful are also invited to pray to any of the six first class relics, a physical remain of a saint, in the small chapel.

“When I first arrived here, there were two empty shelves on each side of the chapel, and no one knew what they were for,” Father Jones said. “So, I put some plants there, but it didn’t really fit. Flowers didn’t work either because they distracted from the altar. Meanwhile, at my house, I had first class relics of the Blessed (Francis Xavier) Seelos, St. Kateri Tekakwitha and St. Peregrine. I can’t say I heard a voice, but somehow, something came over me, and said ‘Ralphy, you have all these first class relics in your house, wouldn’t they be better off in the chapel?’ I said ‘Yes, God,’ and moved them over here.”
The church has since added first class relics of St. Francis of Assisi, St. Padre Pio, St. John Vianney and St. Rita.

“People love to see them and take pictures of them,” Father Jones said. “I encourage them to pray to the saints here and the ones they hold dear in their personal lives.”
Father Jones took a non-traditional path to the priesthood, entering the seminary at age 65. He was ordained to the priesthood in 2003 at the age of 69. 

“I was called to be a priest when I was a teenager, but had academic difficulties and had to go to many different schools as a child,” Father Jones said. “God’s call never left me. I gave myself to God as a teenager, and years later, it was him that made it possible for me to go to seminary.”

It is easy to see why Father Jones is much-loved by his parish family and those who visit his parish, as his quick wit, straight talk and love of God’s word are on full display during Mass. He is quick to deflect the growing popularity of the church away from himself and back on the power of group prayer.

“None of this is about me,” he said. “It’s about the Church and Jesus, the Divine Physician.”

Stella Maris, with its squeaky wood plank floors and pews just long enough to sit three across, only holds about 50 people comfortably, with room for a few extra on folding seats in the side aisles. Parishioners occasionally take up a seat on the altar when there is no room anywhere else.

Because of the growth, a high-tech high-mounted camera was installed in the back of the church in January 2017, which captures and simulcasts the Mass to the chapel’s hall, which has double the capacity of the chapel. The hall, like the camera, is fairly new, along with a new space for Father Jones to live, a small business building, storage space, a restroom for parishioners and a proper confessional.

“We used to do confessions on the back porch, or behind the altar, or by the tree out front,” Father Jones said. “Also, before proper bathrooms were built, all we had was a porta-potty.”

An anonymous donor paid for the building additions. The camera was also donated.
“I was given one goal when I first came to Stella Maris, and that was to grow this church, and that’s what I have done,” Father Jones said. “I have never deviated.”

All are welcome to attend Mass at Stella Maris, located at 222 Hagy St., in Lamar. Mass times are 5 p.m. on Saturday and 9 a.m. on Sunday, with weekday Mass held at 8 a.m.