About Saint James the Greater · Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
St. James the Greater Catholic Church is a bilingual Roman Catholic parish in south Oklahoma City serving the 73109 area and surrounding zip codes. Part of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, it offers a robust schedule of Masses in English, Spanish, and American Sign Language (with the 11:00 am Sunday Mass featuring ASL interpretation and wireless hearing aids available). The parish runs an accompanying Catholic school (Pre-K3 through 8th grade), operates a neighborhood food bank, hosts a 24/7 Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration chapel, and ministers to local families in need through the St. Vincent de Paul Society. Under Pastor Rev. Russell Hewes and Associate Pastor Rev. Lawrence Damian, with two deacons and a full lay staff, St. James combines traditional Catholic devotions with vibrant Hispanic ministry and outreach to the southwest OKC community.
- Established
- 1956
- Patron
- Saint James the Greater (Apostle)
- Rector
- Rev. Russell Hewes
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Oklahoma City
Why belong here
St. James the Greater is a true bilingual Catholic home in south Oklahoma City, where an English-, Spanish-, and American Sign Language–accessible parish welcomes families across the 73109 zip code and beyond. Daily Mass, a Saturday Vigil, and a deep well of devotions — 24/7 Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration in the chapel at 41st Street, Thursday adoration in church, weekly Rosary, weekly Anointing of the Sick, and regular Confessions in both languages — give parishioners rich spiritual life. Practical outreach is central to the parish's identity: the on-site Food Bank at 1331 SW 59th St feeds neighbors on Monday afternoons, the St. Vincent de Paul conference pays utilities for families in zip codes 73109, 73119, 73139, and 73159, and the parish Catholic school (Pre-K3–8th) has been forming young Catholics since the 1950s. For a Catholic seeking a parish that combines traditional devotions, Sacramental breadth, and genuine service to south OKC, St. James is an unusually complete fit.
Mass times at Saint James the Greater
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Thursday 6:00 pm (English / Español)
- Saturday 5:15 pm (English / Español; or by appointment)
Adoration times
- 24/7 Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration in the Chapel at 41st Street
- Thursday 8:30 am – 5:30 pm in church
About St. James the Greater Catholic Church
St. James the Greater Catholic Church is a bilingual Roman Catholic parish of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, located at 4201 S. McKinley Avenue in south Oklahoma City (zip 73109). The parish is recognized for combining traditional Catholic liturgical life — daily Mass, Perpetual Adoration, weekly Anointing of the Sick, and a Sunday Rosary — with a strong Hispanic ministry, American Sign Language accessibility, an on-site food bank, a St. Vincent de Paul conference, and the parish school serving students from Pre-K3 through 8th grade.
- Parish established in the mid-20th century; parish school 'Educating the Greatest Students since 1956'
- Part of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City
- Address: 4201 S. McKinley Ave., Oklahoma City, OK 73109
- Phone: (405) 636-6800
Clergy & Parish Staff
St. James the Greater is led by Pastor Rev. Russell Hewes and Associate Pastor Rev. Lawrence Damian, assisted by two permanent deacons. A full lay staff directs Christian Formation, Religious Education, Music, Youth Ministry, the parish office, and the Safe Environment program.
- Rev. Russell Hewes — Pastor (405-636-6800)
- Rev. Lawrence Damian — Associate Pastor (405-639-2725)
- Deacon Arnoldo Moreno
- Deacon Long Luong
- Veronica Cuellar — Secretary
- Jose Marull — Office Manager (405-636-6805)
- Angelicia Nizza — Director of Christian Formation (405-636-6840)
- Jennifer Mogna — Director of Religious Education (405-636-6803)
- Marianne Kokojan — Music Director (405-208-8310)
- Moises Cisneros — Youth Director (405-208-8310)
- Maria Perez — Safe Environment Coordinator (405-636-6847)
St. James the Greater Catholic School
The parish school serves students from Pre-K3 (with Pre-K2 also offered in admissions) through 8th grade on a campus in southwest Oklahoma City. Under Principal Alicia Vazquez (a 20-year veteran of the school, now in her 11th year as principal), the school integrates faith and academics — weekly Mass, daily religion class and prayer, small class sizes, fine arts, technology, and physical education — and reports a strong track record of alumni graduating as high-school valedictorians. The school offers a 'Supporting Parishioner Discount' for registered, active St. James parish families.
- Established 1956 (per school's tagline 'Educating the Greatest Students since 1956')
- Serves Pre-K3 through 8th grade (Pre-K2 also offered)
- Principal: Alicia Vazquez, M.Ed.
- School Office: 636-6810 / Fax 636-6818
- Email: [email protected]
- Recently renovated gymnasium; gated field and two playgrounds
- Weekly Mass and daily religion class for all students
- 2025-2026 tuition: $8,500 per student (Pre-K2 to Pre-K4); $500 Supporting Parishioner Discount
- Athletic participation rate reported at 88%
Sacramental Schedule
Beyond Mass, the parish offers a robust schedule of sacraments and devotions. Confessions are heard in both English and Spanish twice weekly, Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration runs 24/7 at the chapel on 41st Street with additional Thursday adoration in church, the Anointing of the Sick is celebrated weekly, and the Rosary is prayed Sunday mornings.
- Confessions — Thursday 6:00 pm (English/Español); Saturday 5:15 pm (English/Español or by appointment)
- Perpetual Adoration — 24/7 Chapel at 41st Street
- Adoration in church — Thursday 8:30 am – 5:30 pm
- Anointing of the Sick — Thursday 5:30 pm in church (or by appointment)
- Rosary — Sunday 10:30 am
- Baptismal Seminars / Bautismos — register through parish office (registered parishioners ≥ 3 months)
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Christian Formation and Religious Education at St. James the Greater are led by Director of Christian Formation Angelicia Nizza and Director of Religious Education Jennifer Mogna. The parish also hosted Year 2 of the Archdiocese's Escalera (Ladder of Ascent) Spanish-language adult faith formation program on Thursday evenings, with parishioners eligible for full scholarships.
- Director of Christian Formation: Angelicia Nizza (405-636-6840)
- Director of Religious Education: Jennifer Mogna (405-636-6803)
- Escalera / Ladder of Ascent — Spanish adult formation, Year 2 Thursdays 6:30–8:30 pm at the parish
- Parish-piloted Dynamic Catholic 'Dynamic Parish' program
Youth Ministry
Youth Ministry at St. James the Greater is directed by Moises Cisneros, providing programming for the parish's middle- and high-school-aged young Catholics alongside the parish school's faith-based curriculum.
- Youth Director: Moises Cisneros (405-208-8310)
- School youth attend weekly Mass and daily religion class
- Parish-based youth programming separate from the school
Music Ministry
Music at St. James the Greater is coordinated by Music Director Marianne Kokojan, supporting liturgy across the parish's bilingual English/Spanish schedule. The parish maintains a dedicated Music Department page linked from its website Quick Links.
- Music Director: Marianne Kokojan (405-208-8310)
- Music supports both English and Spanish Masses
Outreach & Charity
Outreach is a defining mark of St. James the Greater. The parish operates a Monday-afternoon food bank at 1331 SW 59th St and a St. Vincent de Paul Society conference that helps south-OKC neighbors pay utility bills in zip codes 73109, 73119, 73139, and 73159.
- St. James Food Bank — 1331 SW 59nd St, open Mondays 3:30 pm – 6:30 pm
- St. Vincent de Paul — utility assistance helpline 405-594-2307 (Mon & Thu 8:00 am – 12:00 noon)
- Service area zip codes: 73109, 73119, 73139, 73159
Immaculate Conception Cemetery
St. James the Greater maintains the Immaculate Conception Cemetery as part of its parish campus ministry, with information available through the parish office.
- Immaculate Conception Cemetery — contact the parish office
Visit, Contact & Get Involved
Parishioners and visitors can reach St. James the Greater at (405) 636-6800 or in person at 4201 S. McKinley Ave., Oklahoma City, OK 73109. Quick Links on the parish website connect to the Weekly Bulletin, Parish Calendar, WeShare online giving, the parish school, the Music Department, and the parish Facebook page.
- Parish Office: (405) 636-6800
- Address: 4201 S. McKinley Ave., Oklahoma City, OK 73109
- Website: https://stjames-catholic.org/
- Online giving via WeShare
- Weekly Bulletin and Parish Calendar online
- Parish Facebook page
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Pruett
Referenced in parish Dynamic Catholic pilot materials as pastor during the parish's selection as one of 61 U.S. pilot parishes for the Dynamic Parish initiative (mid-2010s).
- Rev. Russell Hewes
Current pastor.