St James' has a tradition of being the local church. As custodians of this inheritance, we recognise that the strength of our parish lies within us: to nurture our faith, to assume responsibility for our pastoral needs and to maintain St James' Church as a house of prayer.

Patron Saint

St James the GreaterThe church's patron saint is St James the Greater, an apostle of Jesus and the brother of Saint John the Evangelist.

The church was most likely named after this saint because he was the patron saint of the first Catholic Bishop of Melbourne, James Goold and also of the first Parish Priest of Richmond, Rev James Madden.

St James the Greater, traditionally considered to be the first apostle to be martyred, is the patron of pilgrims and Spain.  His feast day is 25 July.

Image of St James courtesy of turnbacktogod.com

History

The foundation stone of the original St James' Church building, located on the corner of Bridge Road and Coppin Street, was laid in 1853.  That church building was demolished when St Ignatius' Church was built, but its foundation stone became part of the second, present St James' Church which opened in 1900.

St James’ Church: Richmond’s Early Catholic Church

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