Welcome to St. James the Greater!

As disciples of Jesus Christ, 
St. James the Greater Catholic Community, 
seeks to grow in holiness, 
through the stewardship way of life.

Significance of the elements found in the St. James the Greater Catholic Church logo:

Shield: commonly used in heraldry, the shield symbolizes protection.  Here the shield denotes the protection offered through Christ our Savior, and also the intercession of our patron, St. James the Greater.

Sword: St. James the Greater was martyred by beheading.  He was also known for his tenacity.  It was his mother who asked Jesus if her sons, James and John could sit on his right and left in his Kingdom.  

The Crown and Stars: The Crown and Stars has a double meaning. First, the crown with 12 stars symbolize our Blessed Mother, who in the Book of Revelation (chapter 12:1) is the woman clothed with the sun with a crown of 12 stars on her head.  St. James the Greater is the first to receive an apparation of Mary, and the only person to have received a vision of Mary while she was still alive.  All the other apparitions in the history of the Church took place after Mary was assumed into heaven, body and soul.  The Crown also symbolizes the crown of martyrdom won by St. James.  Stars are also a symbol of hope, and traditionally understood to be a sign of celestial presence and guidance-that God provides guidance for us, even in the darkness. Finally, the city of his burial is called Compastella, which means, land of the stars.  

The Shepherd's Crook or Crozier: As an Apostle, St.James the Greater shared in the fullness of the Priesthood as a Bishop.  His burial site in Compastella Spain is the third most popular pilgrimage site in the world (third only to Jerusalem and St. Peter's in Rome).  Typically, men and women who make the journey to Compastella use a walking stick due to the difficulty of the terrain and length of the journey.

St. James the Greater is given the title to distinguish the two Apostles who share the same name.  Some say it referred to their pesonality or physical height, but the dilenation of the Greater from the Lesser is not completely known, that is, how they got their "nicknames".

Our Church was dedicated to St. James the Greater, Apostle of Jesus Christ on October 29, 1907.  St. James is 110 years old!

The New Church at 1012 Belmont was dedicated on November 29, 2003!  

St. James the Greater, pray for us!