About St. James · Glendale, Arizona
St. James Roman Catholic Parish (also called St. James the Greater) is a multicultural Roman Catholic parish in north Glendale, Arizona, belonging to the Diocese of Phoenix. It was founded around 1982 during Bishop Thomas J. O'Brien's tenure and grew into a notably diverse community where, by its 30th anniversary in 2012, the Prayers of the Faithful were being offered in Swahili, Spanish, Samoan, Hindi, French, Italian and English. The parish runs a daily Mass schedule, a weekly Spanish Mass, Eucharistic Adoration on Fridays, an active St. Vincent de Paul conference, a Knights of Columbus council, faith formation and youth ministry, and a long-running outreach to educate needy children in Uganda through the non-profit EENU.
- Established
- 1982
- Patron
- St. James the Greater (one of the Twelve Apostles, brother of St. John the Evangelist)
- Rector
- Fr. Ben Onegiu, AJ (Apostles of Jesus Missionary)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Phoenix
Why belong here
St. James is a Christ-centered, multicultural parish where English and Spanish Masses are celebrated side-by-side and where the faith is lived in many languages and cultures. A parishioner can grow through daily Mass, Friday Eucharistic Adoration, Reconciliation twice a week, the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA), and a long list of ministries — Pro-Life, St. Vincent de Paul, Knights of Columbus, Eucharistic Ministers to the homebound, funeral brunch, money counters, Cursillo, and a youth and young-adults program that attends the Steubenville Catholic Youth Conference. The parish also runs a remarkable missionary outreach to Uganda through EENU (Efforts to Educate the Needy Children of Uganda), giving parishioners a tangible way to support orphans and education abroad.
Mass times at St. James
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 2:00 PM (some listings: 2:00–3:30 PM)
- 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month, 6:00 PM (some listings: 6:00–6:45 PM)
Adoration times
- Friday 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM (Adoration with Benediction; ministry page also notes Adoration from 8:30 AM until Benediction at 4:00 PM)
History & Parish Identity
St. James was established in north Glendale around 1982 during Bishop Thomas J. O'Brien's tenure and is among the parishes founded during the Diocese of Phoenix's growth years. By its 30th anniversary Mass on September 8, 2012, the community had become famously multicultural — at that Mass the Prayers of the Faithful were offered in Swahili, Spanish, Samoan, Hindi, French, Italian and English, and the dinner that followed featured both African and traditional Mexican dance. Ten original founding members were honored with a decorative St. James Cross, and pastor Fr. Robert Aliunzi, AJ (Apostles of Jesus Missionaries, Uganda) spoke of a renewal that would carry the parish forward 'spiritually as well as structurally,' including remodeling the original multipurpose worship building into a more conventional church.
- Founded c. 1982 under Bishop Thomas J. O'Brien, Diocese of Phoenix
- 30th anniversary celebrated September 8, 2012
- Ten original members honored with St. James Cross
- Staffed by Apostles of Jesus (A.J.) Missionaries from Uganda
Clergy, Staff & Office
The parish is currently pastored by Fr. Ben Onegiu, AJ of the Apostles of Jesus Missionaries, with Fr. Felix Kauta serving as Parochial Vicar and Sr. Sophie Moding, SHS on staff. Retired Deacons Ron TenBarge and Rene Vera remain affiliated with the parish. The office team includes Brianna Chavez (Youth and Young Adults Coordinator & Bulletin Editor), Kristy Hillhouse, Terri Simonetta (Admin Assistant / Formation Assistant), Thelia Morris (Office Manager), James Poppleton (Director of Music), Scott Fitzgerald (Facilities Coordinator), and a Music Assistant. The main number is 623-581-0707, with staff reached at 623-281-0707 plus extensions.
- Pastor: Fr. Ben Onegiu, AJ (ext. 102)
- Parochial Vicar: Fr. Felix Kauta (ext. 103)
- Sr. Sophie Moding, SHS (ext. 110)
- Deacons (retired): Ron TenBarge, Rene Vera
- Office Manager: Thelia Morris (ext. 101)
- Business Manager: Scott Fitzgerald (ext. 119)
- Director of Music: James Poppleton (ext. 105)
- Youth & Young Adults / Bulletin: Brianna Chavez (ext. 106)
- Formation Assistant: Terri Simonetta (ext. 104)
Spirituality & Parish Life Ministries
The parish offers a broad range of spiritual and devotional groups that support both the parish community and the wider Church. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament runs each Friday and ends with Benediction, and Divine Mercy Sunday is observed annually. Cursillo — a three-day 'short course' in Christianity that began in Spain — is supported at the parish, and the Knights of Columbus maintain an active council. Pastoral Care volunteers bring Holy Communion to parishioners in hospitals, nursing homes, and private homes, while the Funeral Brunch Ministry organizes food and service for grieving families and the Money Counters serve the parish's weekend collections.
- Pro-Life / Right to Life Ministry (2nd Tuesday, 7:00 PM, Parish Hall; [email protected])
- Pastoral Care to the Sick and Homebound
- Funeral Brunch Ministry
- Money Counters ([email protected])
- Knights of Columbus
- Adoration & Benediction (Friday 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM)
- Divine Mercy Sunday
- Cursillo
Outreach Ministries & Charity
St. James operates several outreach programs serving both the local Phoenix area and the international community. The parish's St. Vincent de Paul Conference specifically serves people living within parish boundaries — north of Bell Road to Carefree Highway and west of Interstate 17 to 51st Avenue — through a dedicated help line. Volunteers also support DUET, an interfaith non-profit serving homebound elderly and disabled adults, and deliver Thanksgiving desserts to youth at the Adobe Mountain and Black Canyon juvenile correctional centers. The most distinctive outreach is EENU — Efforts to Educate the Needy Children of Uganda — a non-profit supported by St. James parishioners that sponsors the schooling of Ugandan orphans and works toward building a school there. The parish also maintains an Andre House wish list that delivers items directly to the homeless ministry in downtown Phoenix.
- St. Vincent de Paul Conference — help line 623-581-0728; boundaries Bell Rd to Carefree Hwy, I-17 to 51st Ave
- DUET — grocery shopping, friendly visits, transportation, respite, minor home repairs (602-285-0543; desert foothills 480-488-1105)
- Adobe Mountain / Black Canyon juvenile detention dessert delivery at Thanksgiving
- EENU — Efforts to Educate the Needy Children of Uganda
- Andre House wish list for the homeless of downtown Phoenix
Faith Formation & Sacraments
Through its Faith Formation Office, the parish prepares members for the sacraments and welcomes new Catholics through the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA), which guides adults to complete their initiation through Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist. Reconciliation is offered regularly, with Mass-based celebrations of the Eucharist at the heart of parish life, and the Anointing of the Sick and Pastoral Care ministries extend the sacrament to the homebound and hospitalized.
- OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) — Scripture, prayer, and community journey into the Catholic faith
- Reconciliation — Saturday 2:00 PM; 2nd & 4th Wednesday 6:00 PM
- Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist
- Anointing of the Sick / visits to the homebound
- Marriage preparation (contact parish office)
- Faith Formation Office contact: 623-281-0707 ext. 104 (Terri Simonetta)
Youth, Young Adults & Music
The Youth and Young Adults ministry, coordinated by Brianna Chavez, takes the parish's young members to events like the Steubenville Catholic Youth Conference — supported by fundraising such as Panda Express give-back nights. Sunday evenings at 6:00 PM are set aside as the parish Youth Mass. A Music Ministry led by Director of Music James Poppleton, supported by a Music Assistant, provides liturgical music for the parish's diverse schedule of Masses.
- Youth Group — fundraiser for Steubenville Catholic Youth Conference
- Young Adults ministry
- Sunday 6:00 PM Youth Mass
- Choirs and Music Ministry under Director of Music James Poppleton
Parish Life & Fundraisers
Parish life at St. James revolves around well-loved community traditions. The annual Rummage Sale, which in past years has filled a Friday-through-Saturday weekend, raises money for parish ministries and offers clothing, household items and 'hidden treasures.' Andre House wish-list shopping drives let parishioners support the homeless in downtown Phoenix simply by purchasing items online that are shipped directly to the ministry. The parish motto, visible on the website, captures the welcoming spirit: 'You are a stranger here but once!'
- Annual Rummage Sale (Friday, Saturday, Sunday weekend)
- Andre House wish-list drives
- Parish dinners, picnics, and bingo traditions
- Tagline: 'You are a stranger here but once!'
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Robert Aliunzi, AJ2005–past 2012 (at least)
Apostles of Jesus Missionary; pastor at the 30th anniversary in 2012; spoke of plans to remodel the church from its multipurpose-building origins.