Due to a booming Catholic population, in  July 1908, a new parish was created within the Village of Lakewood, with Rev. Michael D. Leahy as the first pastor, under the patronage of Saint James the Greater.

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Speaking at the church site dedication on November 8, 1914, Bishop John Farrly proclaimed: "This is your house, your home. This is the place where you are to acquire strength for the lives you live. Here birth, marriage and death will bring you."

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And so it was.  For the next 90 years, St. James gave strength to its parishioners at all the pivotal moments of their lives, up until the closure of the church in 2010, as part of a diocese-wide consolidation effort.  

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Due to the valiant efforts of many of the daughters and sons of St. James, following canonical procedures, an appeal was made, and the Vatican recognized procedural and substantive problems with the church's closure.  On July 23, 2012, Rev. Joseph G. Workman celebrated Mass, and Saint James the Greater Parish began anew.

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So began a new chapter in Saint James Parish history.  Today St. James is still as much "[our] house, [our] home" as it was in 1914, and we hope it will be yours too.   Come join our Parish Family.  >>