About St. James Catholic Church · Charles Town, West Virginia
St. James the Greater Catholic Church is a large pro-life, pro-family, stewardship parish in Charles Town, West Virginia, belonging to the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston. With about 3,500 parishioners enrolled, it is the largest Catholic church in the state of West Virginia, seating 1,200 in a Gothic-style building finished in 2006 with 350,000 red bricks, 66,000 pieces of slate, and 400 tons of structural steel. The merged parish also maintains historic St. Peter's Chapel inside Harpers Ferry National Park, St. Peter Cemetery, and the Priest Field Pastoral Center in Kearneysville. St. James offers Mass in both English and Spanish, a perpetual adoration chapel, and dozens of ministries spanning liturgy, pro-life work, charity, and family life.
- Established
- 1889
- Patron
- St. James the Greater
- Rector
- Rev. Timothy J. Grassi
- Diocese
- Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston
Why belong here
St. James the Greater is the largest Catholic parish in West Virginia, with a 1,200-seat Gothic-style church, daily Mass in English and a weekly Mass in Spanish, and a perpetual 24-hour adoration chapel. Beyond Mass, it runs dozens of active ministries — Knights of Columbus, two Legion of Mary praesidia, Pro-Life and Gabriel Project outreach, the Webster Springs Project, St. Zita's Cupboard, a 5,000-volume parish library, faith formation for all ages, and the Priest Field retreat center on 38 acres of cedar forest. With both Hispanic and English ministries under one roof and a strong pro-life and stewardship identity, it offers newcomers a real place to put faith into action.
Mass times at St. James Catholic Church
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 PM – 4:45 PM
- Wednesday 5:00 PM – 6:45 PM
- Monday – Friday 6:30 AM
- Thursday 11:30 AM
- First Thursdays 11:30 AM – 12:00 PM
- By appointment (call the Parish Office at 304-725-5558)
Adoration times
- Adoration Chapel: 24 hours daily
- Holy Hour in the Main Church (with devotions, Evening Prayer, and Benediction)
History of St. James the Greater
Catholic roots in Jefferson County go back to 1765, when a visiting Jesuit priest was reportedly escorted to the Potomac and told never to return. St. James itself was founded in the 1880s in Charles Town, with the downtown church dedicated on May 26, 1889. After more than a century of growth — from 68 souls in 1890 to over 1,000 families — the parish dedicated its current Crosswinds Drive church on July 25, 2006. In 1995 it merged with St. Peter of Harpers Ferry, forming today's combined parish.
- 1887 – Bishop John J. Keane purchases South George Street lot for $350
- 1889 – Church dedicated May 26 by Rev. A. Van de Vyver, Administrator of Richmond diocese
- 1890 – 68 souls in parish; Mass twice monthly
- 1954 – Rev. John Ryan relocates to Charles Town from Harpers Ferry
- 1967–1980 – Parish served by the Missionary Servants of the Most Holy Trinity
- 1974 – Transferred to the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston
- 1995 – Merged with St. Peter Parish, Harpers Ferry
- 2006 – Current church at 49 Crosswinds Drive dedicated on July 25 (feast of St. James the Greater)
Architecture & Building Features
St. James is a Gothic-style church — the pastor calls it 'West Virginia Gothic' — built with pointed arches but updated with more modern stained-glass design. The exterior uses 350,000 red bricks chosen to harmonize with historic Charles Town, 400 tons of structural steel, 66,000 pieces of slate on the roof, and over 50,000 feet of wiring installed by volunteers. The interior seats 1,200, making it the largest Catholic church in West Virginia.
- Scallop shell motif throughout (symbol of St. James the Greater)
- St. James Cross (dagger-like) and pilgrim's walking stick and wallet
- Gothic pointed arches
- Modern stained-glass windows
Clergy & Staff
The parish is led by Father Timothy J. Grassi as Pastor, supported by Associate Pastor Father Alex Paul, two Hispanic Ministry Chaplains (Father Travis Moger and Father Manny Gelido), three active Permanent Deacons (Deacon Marcus Pressl, Deacon Bryce Timberlake, and Deacon Dave Galvin as Pastoral Associate for Business & Outreach), and retired Deacon Bill Bronzi. Lay staff handle liturgy and music, faith formation, stewardship, the bulletin, the Hispanic office, accounts, facilities, sacred art/mosaics, and St. Zita's Cupboard.
- Rev. Timothy J. Grassi – Pastor
- Rev. Alex Paul – Associate Pastor
- Rev. Travis Moger – Hispanic Ministry Chaplain
- Rev. Manny Gelido – Hispanic Ministry Chaplain
- Rev. Mr. David E. Galvin – Pastoral Associate for Business & Outreach
- Rev. Mr. Marcus Pressl – Permanent Deacon
- Rev. Mr. Bryce Timberlake – Permanent Deacon
- Rev. Mr. Bill Bronzi – Permanent Deacon (Retired)
- Tommy McKee – Director of Liturgy & Music
- Allie Enos – Faith Formation
- Carol Dindinger – Sacred Art & Mosaic Program Director
- Ana Bone – Director of Stewardship and Support Services
- Catherine Oligmueller – St. Zita's Cupboard
Parish Ministries
St. James offers a wide range of ministries for every age and interest — liturgical service at Mass, parish councils, family and women's groups, pro-life outreach, and charity to those in need. The parish describes itself as a 'stewardship parish' with hundreds of opportunities each year to grow in faith and mercy.
- Altar Servers, Readers, Ushers & Greeters, Assistant Sacristans
- Two Legion of Mary Praesidia: Our Lady of Good Help and Our Lady of Grace
- Knights of Columbus, Women's Club, Helping Hands
- Pastoral Council, Finance Council, Stewardship Council
- Pro-Life Ministry (March for Life, Prayer Chains, Jefferson County Fair)
- Gabriel Project, Webster Springs Project, St. Zita's Cupboard
- Faith Formation, Summer Camps, Hispanic Ministry
Hispanic Ministry
St. James has a robust Hispanic Ministry with two chaplains — Father Travis Moger and Father Manny Gelido — supported by staff and Hmna. Jennifer Lopez and Hmna. Alicia Sanchez (HSMP). A Spanish Mass is celebrated every Sunday at 1:30 PM, and the parish offers a First Friday Mass in Spanish at 7:00 PM.
- Sunday Mass in Spanish: 1:30 PM
- First Friday Spanish Mass: 7:00 PM
- Hispanic Office staffed by Keiry Martinez
- Hispanic retreats and programs at Priest Field
Faith Formation
Faith Formation for all ages is led by Allie Enos. The parish offers programs for children preparing for First Communion (which also opens the door to the altar server ministry), summer camps, and ongoing education through the parish library of over 5,000 volumes. The Stewardship Council also plans retreats and faith-formation events throughout the year.
- Faith Formation (Allie Enos)
- Summer Camps (June 1 – July 24)
- Sr. Carolyn Ackerman Library – over 5,000 books on loan
Outreach & Charity
The parish lives out its pro-life, pro-family, stewardship identity through concrete outreach. St. Zita's Cupboard aids those in need locally, while the Webster Springs Project serves a broader Appalachian community. The Gabriel Project walks with mothers in crisis pregnancies, and the Pro-Life Ministry partners with Birthright, hosts the International Dinner Fundraiser, and travels to the March for Life in Washington. Adjacent to the church, the Social Concerns Building — given by the Chicchirichi family in memory of Orazio and Maria DiGiacomo Chicchirichi — houses storage and offices for these ministries.
- St. Zita's Cupboard (Catherine Oligmueller)
- Webster Springs Project
- Gabriel Project (partners with Birthright)
- Pro-Life Ministry events and Prayer Chains for Life
- Simon of Cyrene Trucking (Priest Field) — 1.5 million lbs of food distributed in 2020
Priest Field Pastoral Center
A ministry of St. James since 2022, Priest Field is a 38-acre retreat center on the Opequon Creek in Kearneysville, originally deeded by Adam Livingston to Father Dennis Cahill on February 1, 1802. Under the leadership of Father Tim Grassi, Deacon Dave Galvin, and director Susan Kersey, the center hosts 78+ retreats per year, addiction counseling, Hispanic ministry gatherings, family retreats, and the Simon of Cyrene Trucking food-distribution ministry. The site has 39 double rooms, a chapel and church, walking trails, kayaking, campsites, and now rented cabins and bunkhouses that help fund the center's mission.
- Centerpiece: Prince Gallitzin Project honoring the 'Apostle of the Alleghenies'
- 78 retreats held in first year under parish management
- 39 double rooms, chapel, church, gift shop, dining hall
- 38 acres of cedar forest with hiking trails and Opequon Creek access
- Simon of Cyrene Trucking – food distribution to needy families
St. Peter's Chapel & Cemetery (Harpers Ferry)
As part of the 1995 merger, St. James continues to maintain historic St. Peter's Chapel inside Harpers Ferry National Park and St. Peter Cemetery on Route 340. A Sunday Mass at St. Peter's is celebrated at 9:30 AM.
- Sunday Mass at St. Peter's, Harpers Ferry: 9:30 AM
- St. Peter Cemetery on Route 340
- Weekday Mass at Priest Field (linked campus in Kearneysville)
Symbols of St. James the Greater
The scallop shell is the most familiar symbol of St. James the Greater and is used throughout the church. Pilgrims to Santiago de Compostela in Spain — where the saint's relics are venerated — once brought scallop shells home as keepsakes, and the shell was also used as a utensil for pouring water at Baptism. Other symbols include the St. James Cross (dagger-shaped) and the pilgrim's walking stick and wallet.
- Scallop shell (most common symbol)
- St. James Cross (dagger-like)
- Pilgrim's walking stick and wallet
Visiting & Newcomers
Newcomers are welcomed at 49 Crosswinds Drive in Charles Town. Hearing-assistance devices are available from the sacristan before Mass. Confession is offered at multiple weekly times or by appointment through the Parish Office at 304-725-5558. The parish invites all parishioners — new and longtime — to be active members of its faith community.
- Address: 49 Crosswinds Drive, Charles Town, WV 25414
- Phone: 304-725-5558
- Assistive listening devices available on request
- Confession by appointment through the Parish Office