A Message From Fr. David 07/24/2022

This weekend we celebrate the Feast of our patron, Saint James the Apostle, and we commemorate a milestone in the life of our parish. In 2002, inspired by the vision of Father Bob Stagg, then pastor, and designed by Mr. Arthur Sikula of Arthur John Sikula Associates, P.A., the church building was constructed and consecrated. The Saint James community is grateful for the work of Fr. Stagg and the many dedicated parishioners who helped bring that vision to fruition, many of whom have gathered with us this weekend to worship and celebrate.

A seminary professor of mine would often emphasize a unique characteristic of Catholics. He would say that “for Catholics, matter matters.” His point was to say that for Catholics, the things we employ in the worship of God is of unparalleled importance and value. That’s why our religious practice is strewn with music, beautiful works of art, scented sacred oils, water, incense, statues and candles, to name a few things. Part of the inevitable consequence of the Incarnation of God is that the material world can be for us a conduit of God’s presence and grace. When one enters our church and sees the colorful stained glass windows depicting scenes from the life of Jesus, a grand baptismal pool, the life-size crucifix, the large sanctuary with its magnificent altar and prominent tabernacle, one can experience the sacred in a profound way. Simply put, our church building matters, and we are so grateful to the many parishioners who helped build it – THANK YOU!

I’d also like to thank everyone who helped make this weekend’s liturgy
and parish BBQ a success. Thank you to all our parishioners (past and
present), honored guests, visiting clergy, our parish deacons, musicians,
cantors, lectors, altar servers, ministers of hospitality, the St. James parish staff, and the Parish Life committee for making our celebration joyful and delicious!

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