About St. James · Coolidge, Arizona
Saint James the Apostle Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Coolidge, Arizona, belonging to the Diocese of Tucson. Founded in 1947 by Bishop Gerke's decree and built up by its first pastor, Fr. John Troy, the parish today serves a bilingual, worshipping community through daily and Sunday Masses celebrated in English and Spanish. The current pastor, Fr. Alexander Tigga, a member of the Missionaries of St. Francis de Sales (MSFS), arrived in July 2023 and is known for transforming the parish grounds into a prayer garden, vegetable beds, and flowering spaces. Through love, compassion, and respect, the parish describes itself as a welcoming, Eucharistic and Marian community that prays, learns, and serves together.
- Established
- 1947
- Patron
- St. James the Apostle
- Rector
- Rev. Alexander Tigga (MSFS)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Tucson
Why belong here
St. James the Apostle is a small, bilingual parish where parishioners are known by name and drawn into the life of the community — from catechesis and OCIA to a youth group, an Annual Catholic Appeal, the Guadalupanas Scholarship, and a hands-on prayer garden. Daily Mass is offered in the chapel Tuesday through Friday, Sunday Mass is celebrated in both English and Spanish, and Adoration extends every Friday morning into Saturday morning. If you are looking for a welcoming parish in Coolidge that prays, learns, and serves together, St. James is ready to walk with you.
Mass times at St. James
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:30 PM – 4:15 PM in the Church
- By appointment
Adoration times
- Friday 7:00 AM – Saturday 8:00 AM in the Chapel
History of St. James the Apostle Parish
The parish was canonically erected in the summer of 1947 at the decree of Bishop Gerke. Its founding pastor, Fr. John Troy of the Archdiocese of St. Paul, moved into a parishioner's home as a temporary rectory on July 27, 1947, and immediately began preparing housing and a church site. Within two and a half years the new church had been built, blessed, and used for its first Mass on December 8, 1949 — the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception — with the original structure repurposed as a parish hall.
- July 27, 1947 — Fr. John Troy takes up residence in Coolidge.
- March 1948 — priests' residence opens.
- May 8, 1949 — groundbreaking for the new church.
- December 4, 1949 — cornerstone blessed.
- December 8, 1949 — first Mass offered in the new church.
Mission Statement & Parish Identity
The parish describes itself as 'the Eucharistic and Marian people of the Roman Catholic Church of St. James the Apostle of Coolidge AZ' — a worshipping, faith-filled community that, empowered by the Holy Spirit, serves the Lord Jesus Christ, the local community, and the Diocese of Tucson. The parish commits to being a welcoming community that prays and learns together, marked by love, compassion, and respect.
Parish Staff
St. James is led by its pastor and supported by a small team of parish secretaries, volunteers, and a custodian. The Religious Education coordinator also serves from the parish office.
- Fr. Alexander Tigga — Pastor
- Veronica Renteria — Secretary
- Anthony Nawrot — Custodian
- Yolanda Arredondo — Office Volunteer, Accountant (ext. 23)
- Shani Makowski — Office Volunteer (ext. 22)
- Mariana Granillo — Office Volunteer / Religious Education Coordinator (ext. 29)
Office Hours & Contact
The parish office serves visitors in person and by phone during the following hours. The office is closed on weekends, Holy Days, and U.S. national holidays.
- Monday / Lunes — 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
- Tuesday / Martes — closed
- Wednesday / Miércoles — 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
- Thursday / Jueves — 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM
- Friday / Viernes — 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
- Address: 401 W. Wilson Ave., Coolidge, AZ 85128
- Phone: (520) 723-3063 | Fax: 520-723-5137
- Email: [email protected]
Faith Formation
Religious Education registration is open annually for parish families, with materials offered in both English and Spanish. The parish also runs a Catechism program for ongoing faith learning.
- Religious Education — registrations now open
- Catechism program (four-part series on the parish site)
- Volunteer catechists welcomed each year
OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults)
OCIA — formerly known as RCIA — is the parish's formal pathway for adults and older children seeking full initiation into the Catholic Church through Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist, and for already-baptized Christians seeking full communion with Rome. Inquirers are invited to contact the parish office for an interest form and to begin the process of study, prayer, and faith formation.
- For unbaptized adults and older children (catechumens)
- For baptized Christians seeking Eucharist and Confirmation (candidates)
- Registration forms available at the Parish office
- Interest forms processed by the pastoral staff
Youth Group
The parish sponsors a Youth Group for the young people of Coolidge and surrounding communities, listed as a recurring ministry of the parish on the website's blog index.
Guadalupanas Scholarship
Each year the Guadalupanas ministry offers a scholarship for students in the parish community. Applications are picked up from the parish office and must be submitted before the June 30th deadline.
- Application deadline: before June 30th each year
- Available in the parish office
Annual Catholic Appeal & Ministry Fair
St. James participates in the Diocese of Tucson's Annual Catholic Appeal and hosts periodic Ministry Fairs to help parishioners find ways to serve. Watch the parish news page for announcements.
The Prayer Garden
The prayer garden behind the parish office is one of the defining features of St. James under Fr. Alexander Tigga. Begun in July 2023, it transformed a hot, gravel-and-asphalt lot into a flowering retreat with irrigation, statues, benches, fruit trees, and vegetable beds. Featured in OSV News, the National Catholic Reporter, and the Pinal Central Coolidge Examiner, the garden has become a place of meditation for parishioners and visitors — and a model for gardening ministry that Fr. Alex has carried from his earlier assignments at Infant Jesus of Prague (Kearny) and St. Therese of Lisieux (Patagonia).
- Planting began July 2023, soon after Fr. Alex's arrival
- Cool-season flowers planted in September–October
- Summer blooms (sunflowers, bougainvillea, yellow bells) planted February–March
- Vegetable garden behind the rectory
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. John Troy1947–1949+
Founder and first pastor; arrived from the Archdiocese of St. Paul; built the rectory and the first church building (cornerstone blessed Dec 4, 1949; first Mass Dec 8, 1949).