About St James Church - Good Shepherd Parish · Madison, Wisconsin
St. James Church is one of two worship sites that together make up Good Shepherd Catholic Parish in Madison, Wisconsin. The parish was formed by merging the historic St. James parish (founded in 1905 in the Greenbush neighborhood for the area's growing German Catholic population) with St. Joseph parish. Today Good Shepherd is a community of more than 800 family units, with a strong Latino ministry that includes a weekly Sunday Mass in Spanish. The parish continues to operate St. James Catholic Grade School, the oldest Catholic school in Madison, serving Pre-K through 8th grade.
- Established
- 1905
- Patron
- St. James the Elder
- Rector
- Msgr. Thomas Baxter
- Diocese
- Diocese of Madison
Why belong here
Good Shepherd Parish welcomes more than 800 family units across two worship sites rooted in Madison's oldest Catholic communities (Italian, German, and Anglo heritage, joined now by a thriving Latino community). Worshippers can attend a Saturday vigil or weekday Mass at the historic St. James site, celebrate in Spanish at the Sunday evening Misa en español, enroll their children in St. James Catholic Grade School (the oldest Catholic school in Madison, Pre-K through 8th), or participate in choirs, faith formation for all ages, and parish-wide liturgical and pastoral councils.
Mass times at St James Church - Good Shepherd Parish
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 5:15 pm Vigil Mass at St. James (December–May) – confessions heard in connection with weekend liturgy (Note: there will be no confessions at either site on Oct. 13, 20 and 27)
About Good Shepherd Parish
Good Shepherd Catholic Parish in Madison, Wisconsin, is a unified community of more than 800 family units formed from the merger of the historic St. James and St. Joseph parishes. It brings together Anglo, Italian, German, and growing Latino Catholic heritages and worships at two sites: St. James Church at 1128 St. James Ct. and St. Joseph Church on West Beltline Highway. The parish operates St. James Catholic Grade School, the oldest Catholic school in Madison.
History of the Parish
St. James Parish was incorporated on May 20, 1905, to serve the needs of Catholics in west Madison after Holy Redeemer Parish became overcrowded. Six lots in the Greenbush neighborhood were donated by the Ramsay family (James Bowen Ramsay and Mrs. Sarah Ramsay Del Prate), and the name 'St. James' honored both the family patriarch and a grandson. Reverend Joseph Koester became the first pastor and supervised construction of the rectory, the combined church-school (which opened February 5, 1906), and the auditorium. By 1912 parish families had tripled, and the present upper church was completed in 1924. In the 2010s St. James merged with St. Joseph Parish to form Good Shepherd Catholic Parish.
- 1905 — Parish incorporated May 20; Ramsay family donates six lots in Greenbush
- 1906 — School opens February 5 with 86 students in six grades
- 1912 — Families triple; basement of new church built to free classrooms
- 1924 — Present Romanesque Revival church completed (designed by Ferdinand Kronenberg, built 1923)
- 1958 — Original 1905 church-school building demolished to build the new school
- Early 2010s — Merger of St. James and St. Joseph parishes forms Good Shepherd Parish
Sunday Misa en Español (Latino Ministry)
Good Shepherd Parish has a strong ministry to the Latino members of the Madison community. Fr. Manuel Mendez, the associate vicar, celebrates a Spanish-language Mass every Sunday evening at 7:00 pm. The Latino Choir sings at this Mass each week, with rehearsals on Wednesday evenings from 7:00 to 8:30 pm.
- Sunday 7:00 pm — Misa en español, St. Joseph site
- Latino Choir — rehearses Wednesday evenings, 7:00–8:30 pm
Liturgy and Music
The parish Liturgy Commission supports the pastor in celebrating parish liturgies with attention to environment, music, and liturgical roles. It is open to all confirmed members who wish to be more involved. Two choirs support parish worship: the St. James Adult Choir (which sings at the 8:30 am Sunday Mass, September through May, rehearsing Thursday evenings in St. James School room 213) and the Latino Choir at the Spanish Mass (rehearsing Wednesday evenings). All members of the parish community — high-schoolers, college students, and adults — are invited to join; no experience is required.
- Liturgy Commission — advises pastor on parish liturgies
- St. James Adult Choir — Thursday evening rehearsals, room 213
- Latino Choir — Wednesday evening rehearsals
Faith Formation and Religious Education
Faith Formation registration is open each year for faith formation, youth ministry, and sacramental preparation. The Religious Education program is divided into three sections: Elementary and Middle Grades (K–Grade 5, Sunday evenings at 6:45 pm at the St. Joseph site), Youth Ministry and Confirmation (Grades 6–9 at the St. James site), and Adult Faith Formation (which meets at the St. Joseph site library).
- Elementary & Middle Grades (K–5) — Sundays 6:45 pm, St. Joseph site
- Youth Ministry & Confirmation (Grades 6–9) — St. James site
- Adult Faith Formation — St. Joseph site, Library
- Registration contact — Shawn at 608-268-9931
St. James Catholic Grade School
Good Shepherd Parish operates St. James Catholic Grade School, the oldest Catholic school in Madison, dating to its founding in 1905–1906. The school serves a Pre-K full-day program through 8th grade with a strong academic curriculum strengthened by religious values, and includes instruction in Spanish and computers across all grades.
- Pre-K (full day) through 8th grade
- Spanish and computer instruction for all grades
- Principal: Denice Barajas (St. James site)
Parish Governance and Pastoral Council
The Joint Pastoral Council advises the pastor on pastoral action and policy, and is equally represented by parishioners from both the St. James and St. Joseph sites. Trustees are part of the council's structure.
- Joint Pastoral Council — equally represented from both sites
- Includes Trustees
Visiting the St. James Site
St. James Church is located at 1128 St. James Ct., about two blocks south of Regent Street and one block west of Mills Street, near Meriter Hospital. The parish office can be reached at (608) 268-9930.
- Address — 1128 St. James Ct., Madison, WI 53715-1390
- Phone — (608) 268-9930
- Fax — (608) 268-9929
- Two blocks south of Regent Street, one block west of Mills Street
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Joseph Koester1905 – c. 1921
First pastor of St. James Parish; ordained June 21, 1891 at St. Francis Seminary; served 16 years and oversaw construction of the rectory, church-school, auditorium, and lower part of the present church. Retired in 1942, died September 12, 1954.