The History of St. James Parish

June 13, 1963  Archbishop Gerald T. Bergan creates St. James Parish, naming Fr. Jerome Dickes the founding pastor.

June 23, 1963  The first Mass is celebrated at Boyd Elementary School, dubbed "St. Boyd" by parishioners.

June 1965  Construction of a 16-5oom school, multi-purpose room and temporary church is completed.

September 1965  St. James School opens with 500 students in grades 1 - 8

1966  The west wing is added to the school.

1972  A rectory is built at 9025 Larimore Avenue

1981  After the parish grows to 2,200 families, a sister parish, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, is formed.   The school is renamed St. James/Seton.

1987  An 11,000-square-foot parish center adjoining the school is built.

1994  A new junior-high wing for the school (the upper floor of the parish center addition) opens.

1999  The parish center mortgage is retired.

1999  A two-phase capital campaign is begun to build a new church and make improvements to the school.

2001  Ground is broken for a 23,200-square-foot addition that includes a new St. James church building.

2002  Work on a possible second phase of the capital campaign is begun, with the centerpiece of the proposed project the renovation of the former St. James worship space into school offices, meeting space, computer laboratory and library.

December 1, 2002  The new St. James church building is dedicated by Archbishop Elden Francis Curtiss.

For more information on the history and pastors of St. James Parish, please follow this link.

For monthly photographs of the building of the Church, please follow this link.

For photographs of the dedication, please follow this link.

Tour Part Four - Saint James Biography

Welcome     Clergy      History     Saint James Biography      The Sanctuary
     The Crucifix and Stained Glass     The Nave     The Adoration Chapel     The Narthex      Around the Church     
The Bell Tower and Statue       Architects and Artisans/Constructors and Craftsmen    Parish Center