St. James

About the Parish

St. James is a Catholic parish in Boonsboro, Maryland — a small historic town along the National Pike in Washington County. The parish is one of three that together form the Catholic Parishes of South Washington County (CPSWC), sharing ministry and resources with St. Joseph in Hagerstown and St. Augustine in Williamsport, all under the Archdiocese of Baltimore. Worship at St. James centers on a Sunday Mass at 9:45 a.m., with daily Mass on Monday and Friday mornings and a First Friday Holy Hour with Eucharistic Adoration.

Founding Story & Parish History

St. James was founded in September 1868 through the efforts of the Irish Catholic Smith family — Dr. Otho J. Smith, his brother Dr. Josiah Smith, and Dr. Otho B. Smith — who purchased land on the National Pike and erected a small brick church. The parish closed in 1898, with Mass instead offered at the Dahlgren Chapel and at the home of Dr. Edgar T. Smith. In 1938, Monsignor Francis J. Leary was empowered to reopen St. James to serve more than 200 enrollees of the Civilian Conservation Corps camped outside Boonsboro. By 1968 the original brick church had to be torn down due to failing scissor-truss construction; the present church was built with bequests from Smith-family relatives and the first Mass was offered June 22, 1969.

• 1868 – Original brick church completed (Smith family)
• 1898 – Parish closed
• 1938 – Reopened by Monsignor Francis J. Leary for CCC enrollees
• 1968 – Original church demolished (deteriorating scissor trusses)
• 1969 – New church opens; first Mass offered June 22, 1969

Mass & Worship Schedule

At St. James, the Sunday Mass is celebrated at 9:45 a.m., with daily Mass on Monday at 11:30 a.m. and on Friday at 11:30 a.m., and Holy Day Mass at 7:00 p.m. The pastorate also offers additional Sunday and daily Masses at neighboring St. Joseph and St. Augustine, including a Spanish-language Mass at St. Joseph (Sundays at 2:15 p.m.) and a Byzantine-rite Mass at St. Augustine (Saturdays at 4:00 p.m.).

• Sunday Mass — 9:45 a.m.
• Monday Mass — 11:30 a.m.
• Friday Mass — 11:30 a.m.
• Holy Day Mass — 7:00 p.m.

Clergy & Staff

St. James is served by the CPSWC clergy and staff, who minister across the three-parish pastorate. The leadership team includes Rev. Msgr. J. Bruce Jarboe (Pastor), two associate pastors (Rev. David Ray and Rev. Isaac Makovo), and Permanent Deacon Dcn. Paul Nicholas. Parish administrative and ministry staff include a Business Manager (Dawn McDonald), Facilities Manager (Becky Bryan), Director of Liturgical Music (Patricia Scott), Faith Formation Administrator (Linda Baer), Administrative Assistant / Bulletin Editor (Deysi Escobar), and a Maintenance Assistant (Randy Furry). Linda Baer and Donna Bockstanz serve as Corporators for St. James on the pastorate board.

Parish Ministries & Groups

Active lay life at St. James includes a Women's Bible Group that meets in the St. James Parish Hall, a Men's Prayer Group that gathers every other Thursday evening from 7:30 to 8:30 in the Parish Hall, and the St. James Court of the Catholic Daughters of the Americas. The Catholic Daughters also run an ongoing RADA Sales fundraiser supporting the parish. Across the pastorate, the Rosary Makers meet monthly to craft rosaries for the missions, first communicants, confirmation candidates, OCIA, and local hospitals.

• St. James Women's Bible Group (St. James Parish Hall)
• St. James Men's Prayer Group (every other Thursday, 7:30–8:30 p.m.)
• Catholic Daughters of the Americas — St. James Court
• Catholic Daughters RADA Sales fundraiser
• Pastorate Rosary Makers (second Sundays, 2:00–4:00 p.m. at St. Joseph)
• Altar Linens care volunteers

Faith Formation & Sacramental Preparation

Faith Formation for PreK through 8th grade is offered pastorate-wide, with classroom sessions held on Sundays at St. Joseph. The First Sacraments program prepares children for First Communion, while Confirmation preparation is open to students in grades 9 through 12; for 2025–26 Confirmation registration parishioners contact Steve Schaefer at 301-302-3698. The parish also supports OCIA (the restored rite of Christian initiation) for adults preparing to enter the Church.

• Faith Formation, PreK–8 (Sundays at St. Joseph)
• First Sacraments program
• Confirmation (grades 9–12) — contact Steve Schaefer, 301-302-3698
• OCIA (adult initiation)

Music Ministry

Music at the Sunday 9:45 a.m. St. James Mass is led by cantors who direct congregational singing and the psalmody and acclamations. Across the pastorate, the music program also includes a choir at the St. Augustine 8:00 a.m. Sunday Mass and a Contemporary Music Group (singers, guitarists, and other instrumentalists) at the St. Joseph 11:30 a.m. Mass. Opportunities exist for vocalists, organists, pianists, and instrumentalists; inquiries go to Director of Liturgical Music Patricia Scott at the St. Joseph parish office.

• Cantors — St. James 9:45 a.m. Sunday Mass
• Choir — St. Augustine 8:00 a.m. Sunday Mass
• Contemporary Music Group — St. Joseph 11:30 a.m. Sunday Mass
• Open to vocalists and instrumentalists across the pastorate

Outreach & Charity

St. James and the wider pastorate are active in local outreach, especially to those facing food insecurity. Donation bins in each parish support the South Washington County Food Pantry in Boonsboro and the Williamsport Food Bank, and the parishes also back Micah's Backpack, which sends nonperishable food home on Fridays with elementary and middle-school students who lack access to school meal programs over the weekend. Social fellowship for newcomers and established parishioners alike takes place through the Parishioners Night Out dinners (third Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m.) and the Parishioners Lunch (second Wednesdays at noon).

• South Washington County Food Pantry (Boonsboro)
• Williamsport Food Bank
• Micah's Backpack
• Parishioners Night Out dinners (3rd Wednesdays, 5:30 p.m.)
• Parishioners Lunch (2nd Wednesdays, noon)

The CPSWC Pastorate

St. James is one of three parishes in the Catholic Parishes of South Washington County (CPSWC), a collaborative pastorate under the Archdiocese of Baltimore that also includes St. Augustine in Williamsport and St. Joseph in Hagerstown. The pastorate shares clergy, faith formation, music, social events, and outreach, with combined weekend and daily Mass schedules across the three churches and an active livestream of the St. James 9:45 a.m. Sunday Mass and the Spanish-language St. Joseph Sunday Mass on the CPSWC YouTube channel.

• St. Augustine — 32 E. Potomac Street, Williamsport, MD
• St. James — 121 N. Main Street, Boonsboro, MD
• St. Joseph — 17630 Virginia Ave., Hagerstown, MD
• Combined Mass, Confession, and outreach schedule
• Livestream on YouTube (@thecatholicparishesofsouth9909)

Visiting & Practical Information

St. James sits at 121 N. Main Street in Boonsboro, with the parish office open on Mondays from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (phone 301-432-2887). When Washington County Schools are delayed or closed, or a Snow Emergency Plan is in effect, morning Masses are cancelled and the office opens at 10:00 a.m. Travelers are directed via I-70 (exit 33 south to Route 66 south into Boonsboro) or from Route 40 Alternate by bearing left onto Main Street; the church is on the left.

• Parish office — 121 N. Main Street, Boonsboro, MD 21713
• Office hours — Mondays, 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
• Phone — (301) 432-2887
• Directions — I-70 exit 33 S to Route 66 S; or Route 40 Alternate, bear left onto Main Street
• Inclement weather — morning Masses cancelled when Washington County Schools are delayed/closed or Snow Emergency Plan is in effect