About Cathedral Basilica of St. James · Brooklyn, New York
The Cathedral Basilica of St. James (formally Cathedral Basilica of Saint James the Apostle) is the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn and the historic mother church of Catholic Christianity on Long Island. Located at the corner of Jay Street and Cathedral Place in Downtown Brooklyn, the parish was founded in 1822 as the first Catholic church on Long Island, predating the diocese itself. The current Neo-Georgian church building was completed in 1903 to designs by Brooklyn-born architect George H. Streeton, was restored to cathedral status in 1972 by Bishop Francis Mugavero, and was elevated to a Minor Papal Basilica by Pope John Paul II in 1982. Today it serves as the diocesan seat of Bishop Robert J. Brennan and houses a downtown congregation that worships amid the office towers of Downtown Brooklyn.
- Established
- 1822
- Patron
- St. James the Apostle (son of Zebedee)
- Rector
- Very Rev. Joseph R. Gibino, STM (Rector)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Brooklyn
Why belong here
St. James offers a rare combination: it is the historic mother church of Catholicism on Long Island, the seat of the Diocese of Brooklyn, and a Minor Papal Basilica — yet it remains a small, accessible downtown parish where the 12:00 noon weekday Mass draws office workers and downtown residents alike. The basilica is celebrated for its dignified Georgian-Revival architecture, a Tridentine-influenced baldachino over the high altar, Borgia-designed side altars, and Locke stained glass, all set on the original 1822 parish site in the middle of Downtown Brooklyn. Daily Mass is broadcast on NET-TV and on cable (FiOS 48, Spectrum 97, Optimum 30) and the church hosts Eucharistic Adoration on Fridays, weekly Confession, and major diocesan liturgies presided over by Bishop Robert Brennan.
Mass times at Cathedral Basilica of St. James
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Friday: immediately after the 12:00 noon Mass
Adoration times
- Friday: 11:00 AM (Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, leading into the noon Mass)
History of the Parish and Cathedral Basilica
St. James was founded in 1822 at the petition of seventy Brooklyn laymen, making it the first Catholic church on Long Island. It became the cathedral when the Diocese of Brooklyn was erected in 1853, served as a pro-cathedral from 1896 to 1972 while the planned Immaculate Conception cathedral in Fort Greene remained unfinished, was restored to cathedral status by Bishop Francis Mugavero in 1972, and was elevated to a Minor Papal Basilica by Pope John Paul II in 1982. Pope John Paul II's unscheduled 1979 stop at the church cemented its place in the diocese's living memory.
- 1822 — cornerstone laid July 25, 1822 on the original parish site
- 1823 — first church dedicated to St. James by Bishop John Connolly on August 28, 1823
- 1853 — becomes cathedral when the Diocese of Brooklyn is created
- 1868 — construction of the planned Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception begins in Fort Greene but stalls at 10–20 feet of wall
- 1903 — present Neo-Georgian church building completed to designs by George H. Streeton
- 1972 — Bishop Francis Mugavero restores cathedral status
- 1979 — Pope John Paul II makes an unscheduled visit during his first U.S. apostolic trip
- 1982 — elevated to Minor Papal Basilica by the decree 'Prima inter Civitatis'
- 2013 — St. Joseph's Church in Prospect Heights named co-cathedral because of size constraints
- 2022 — 200th anniversary celebrated with a Mass bringing together the bishops of Brooklyn, New York, and Rockville Centre
Sacraments and Devotions
The basilica celebrates the sacraments of the Eucharist, Reconciliation, and (periodically) Holy Orders, and devotes a special place to Eucharistic Adoration on Fridays. A printed 'Guide for the Celebration of Confession' is provided to all who approach the sacrament.
- Confession — Friday, immediately after the noon Mass
- Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament — Friday, 11:00 AM
- Holy Orders — ordinands are consecrated here on major diocesan occasions (e.g., the June 6, 2025 ordination of Transitional Deacon Paul Zwolak — the first priestly ordination at the basilica in 13 years)
Architecture, Art, and Sacred Furnishings
The basilica is one of the few American Catholic cathedrals designed in the restrained Neo-Georgian idiom rather than Gothic Revival, a choice that gives the exterior a quiet, almost domestic presence amid Downtown Brooklyn's towers. Inside, however, the worshipper encounters a high-altar baldachino on black marble columns, four Borgia-designed side altars, and Locke stained-glass windows — a deliberately hybrid Catholic-and-Georgian interior.
- Architect: George H. Streeton (1860–1940), Brooklyn-born, trained at Cooper Union and Cornell, formerly of Schickel & Ditmars
- Style: Neo-Georgian / Georgian Revival
- Materials: brick and terracotta
- Baldachino over the high altar: black marble columns with Classical capitals
- Altar, baldachino, pulpit and four side altars designed by Cav. Domenico Borgia
- Stained-glass windows by the Alexander F. Locke Decorative Co. of Brooklyn
- Interior coffered ceiling with Georgian pilasters
- Seating capacity: approximately 650–700
Cathedral Staff and Diocesan Leadership
The basilica is led by a rector who is also the pastor of the parish, supported by a permanent deacon, the Director of Sacred Music, and administrative staff. The diocesan bishop is the ordinary of the Diocese of Brooklyn and uses the basilica as his liturgical seat.
- Bishop of Brooklyn: Most Rev. Robert J. Brennan
- Rector: Very Rev. Joseph R. Gibino, STM
- Rector Emeritus: Rev. Msgr. John J. Strynkowski, S.T.D.
- Pastoral Associate: Deacon Ronald Rizzuto
- Director of Sacred Music: Mr. Nick Martellacci
- Administrative Assistants: Ms. Isabel Navarro, Ms. Rosa Paulsen
Parish Governance: Pastoral and Finance Councils
In keeping with universal canon law, the parish maintains both a Parish Pastoral Council that advises the rector on pastoral matters and a Parish Finance Council that assists with temporal administration. Both meet on a regular cycle and include ex officio members from the parish staff.
- Parish Pastoral Council — meets bi-monthly; members include Elina Cruz, Charles Karnati, Imelda Karnati, Theodore Oberman, and Diane Wilson; ex officio: Deacon Ronald Rizzuto and Anthony Serrao
- Parish Finance Council — meets quarterly with the pastor and parish accountant; members include John Notaro, Charles Karnati, and Donald Salvaggio (among others)
Notable Significance and 200th Anniversary
St. James occupies an outsized place in the history of American Catholicism: it is the cradle of Catholic Christianity for what is now Brooklyn, Queens, Long Island, and beyond. In 2022 the parish marked its bicentennial with a Mass bringing together Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York, Bishop Robert Brennan of Brooklyn, and Bishop John Barres of Rockville Centre — a tangible reminder that three present-day dioceses descend from this single 1822 parish.
- Cradle of Catholicism on Long Island and mother parish of 388 later parishes
- Site of Pope John Paul II's unscheduled 1979 greeting on Jay Street
- One of only a handful of churches that are simultaneously a cathedral and a Minor Papal Basilica
- 2022 bicentennial Mass united the bishops of Brooklyn, New York, and Rockville Centre
