About St. James · Denver, Colorado
St. James Catholic Church is a bilingual (English/Spanish) parish in Denver's historic Montclair neighborhood, founded in 1904 by Bishop Nicholas Matz and serving as the mother parish for the growing East Denver suburbs at the turn of the 20th century. Today it is part of the Archdiocese of Denver and combines a parish church with an attached preschool–8th-grade Catholic school (est. 1948), offering daily Mass, Saturday Vigil and Sunday Masses, weekday Eucharistic Adoration, and a robust slate of liturgical, faith-formation, prayer, and outreach ministries.
- Established
- 1904
- Patron
- St. James the Lesser
- Rector
- Fr. Angel Perez-Brown
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Denver
Why belong here
St. James is a bilingual (English/Spanish), Christ-centered parish with deep roots in Denver's Montclair neighborhood — a place where a young Irish priest rounded up 13 families in 1904 and where generations have worshipped since. A daily and Sunday Mass schedule (including a Saturday Vigil and a Spanish Mass on Sunday), an extensive Eucharistic Adoration schedule (weekdays plus an all-night Friday-into-Saturday vigil), and the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) make it a sturdy spiritual home for cradle Catholics, newcomers, and Spanish-speaking families alike. The presence of St. James Catholic School (Preschool–8, founded 1948, around 260 students) and a wide array of liturgical, prayer, formation, and community-outreach ministries — from the Knights of Columbus and the Charismatic Prayer Group to the Neocatechumenal Way and the Homebound/Nursing Home Ministry — gives parishioners of every age and language a concrete way to belong.
Mass times at St. James
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 7:30 a.m. – 7:55 a.m.
- Saturday: 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
- Also available by appointment: call 303-399-7449
Adoration times
- Monday through Thursday: 12:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. (Adoration Chapel)
- Friday 9:00 a.m. through Saturday 7:00 a.m. (overnight, all-day Friday including overnight)
- Monday – Saturday: 7:00 a.m. – 8:00 a.m. (Holy Hour and Morning Prayer)
Parish Overview
St. James Catholic Church is a bilingual (English and Spanish) parish of the Archdiocese of Denver, located in the historic Montclair neighborhood of East Denver at 1311 Oneida Street (church) and 1314 Newport Street (office). Founded in 1904 and named for St. James the Lesser, it serves an area that once stretched from Colorado Boulevard to Brighton and Yuma. Today it combines a parish church, a daily-Eucharistic-Adoration chapel, and an attached Preschool–8 Catholic school (founded 1948).
- Founded 1904
- Patron: St. James the Lesser
- Diocese: Archdiocese of Denver
- Bilingual: English and Spanish
- Office: 1314 Newport St., Denver, CO 80220
- Phone: 303-322-7449
- Email: [email protected]
History
St. James was established in 1904 by Bishop Nicholas Matz to serve Catholics in Montclair — East Denver's first suburb, founded in 1885 by Baron Walter B. von Richthofen. Fr. Hugh L. McMenamin organized 13 families and said the first Mass in the Montclair Town Hall on Oneida Street. His successor, Fr. James M. Walsh, built the original stone church, dedicated November 7, 1909. After slow growth through the early 20th century, the post-WWII boom under Fr. William V. Powers and Archbishop Urban J. Vehr made St. James one of the fastest-growing parishes in the diocese, leading to the 1948 three-story red-brick school and 550-seat garden-level church designed by architect John K. Monroe. Later decades brought further construction (a 1958 garden-level church on the school's north wing, 1964 gymatorium, 1968 rectory) and a successful 100th-anniversary celebration in 2004 led by Fr. Allen and Archbishop Charles Chaput, followed by the parish's debt-free milestone on August 11, 2004.
- Founding families: 13 Catholic households gathered by Fr. McMenamin in 1904
- Original church: one-story stone, 13th & Newport, dedicated Nov. 7, 1909
- 1948 school + 550-seat church designed by John K. Monroe
- 1958 new garden-level church on school north wing
- 1964 combined gymnasium/auditorium
- 1968 new rectory at 1314 Newport
- 100th anniversary Mass May 2, 2004 (Archbishop Charles Chaput)
- Debt-free on Aug. 11, 2004
Parish Staff
The parish is led by Fr. Angel Perez-Brown as Pastor, supported by parish office staff and maintenance. The Office is open Monday–Friday and can be reached at 303-322-7449 or [email protected].
- Fr. Angel Perez-Brown – Pastor (303-322-7449)
- Cathy Cancino – Secretary (303-322-7449)
- Jose Luis Valdez – Maintenance (303-322-7449)
St. James Catholic School
Founded in 1948 alongside the new red-brick school building, St. James Catholic School is an Archdiocese of Denver Catholic Preschool–8th-grade school located in the Montclair neighborhood, west of Lowry and southwest of Stapleton. Its mission is to provide a Christ-centered education forming the whole person in wisdom, virtue, and joyful discipleship, partnering with families as the first educators.
- Type: Archdiocese of Denver Catholic School, Preschool–8
- Founded: 1948
- Total students: 260
- Average class size: 25
- Full day: 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.; half day available for Preschool & Pre-K (8:00 a.m. – noon)
- Contact: [email protected] / 303-333-8275
Faith Formation & Catechesis
Adults and children are served by the parish's catechetical programs: OCIA (the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults, the parish's RCIA process) and ReEd for Children / Catecismo para Niños for grade-school-age religious education.
- Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA)
- ReEd for Children / Catecismo para Niños (Children's Catechism)
Liturgical Ministries
Volunteers staff every part of weekend and daily liturgy. The parish publishes contact information for each ministry on its Liturgical Ministries page (including coordinator Carleen Sweet for music, 970-331-4211).
- Music Ministry
- Altar Servers (open to boys and girls who have made First Communion and are in 3rd grade or older)
- Lectors
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (EMHC) — including to the sick and homebound
- Sacristans
- Ushers (hospitality and seating, including taking up the collection)
Prayer & Community Groups
Beyond Sunday liturgy, St. James hosts a Charismatic Prayer Group, the Neocatechumenal Way, and a Knights of Columbus council, giving parishioners a variety of prayer and fraternal options.
- Charismatic Prayer Group
- The Neocatechumenal Way
- Knights of Columbus
Parish Councils & Outreach
The Pastoral Council advises the Pastor on pastoral needs and programs; its president is Mr. Patrick Nash (303-399-2558). The Finance Council handles stewardship. The Homebound and Nursing Home Ministry extends the parish's reach to those who cannot attend Mass in person.
- Pastoral Council — president Patrick Nash (303-399-2558)
- Finance Council
- Homebound and Nursing Home Ministry
Contact & Visit
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish by phone (303-322-7449), fax (303-399-2850), or email ([email protected]). Office hours are Monday–Friday. The parish also maintains a presence on Facebook.
- Church Address: 1311 Oneida St., Denver, CO 80220
- Office Address: 1314 Newport St., Denver, CO 80220
- Phone: 303-322-7449 | Fax: 303-399-2850
- Email: [email protected]
- Office Hours: Monday – Friday
- Facebook: stjamesdenver
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Hugh L. McMenamin1904–~1905
Founding pastor; chaplain of Mercy Hospital; said the first Mass in Montclair Town Hall (1426 Oneida St.); purchased the original four lots at 13th & Newport for $360 before being transferred to the Cathedral Parish.
- Fr. James M. Walsh1905–1937
Built the original one-story stone church at 13th Ave. & Newport, dedicated Nov. 7, 1909; acquired the rectory at 1284 Newport in 1920; remained until his death on March 9, 1937.
- Fr. Mark W. Lappen1937–1938
- Fr. Charles M. Johnson1938–1940
- Fr. William V. Powers1940–?
Led the post-war expansion; with Archbishop Vehr, obtained 1946 federal permission and worked with architect John K. Monroe to build the three-story school and garden-level church (seating 550) completed in 1948.
- Fr. Clement DeWall
Continued parish building projects; resigned in 1975.
- Fr. Michael F. Kavanaugh1976–
Succeeded Fr. DeWall.
- Fr. Allen
Led the parish's 100th-anniversary celebration on May 2, 2004 and the debt-free milestone on Aug. 11, 2004.