About St. James · Seattle, Washington
St. James Cathedral is the mother church of the Archdiocese of Seattle and the seat (cathedra) of the Archbishop of Seattle, currently Archbishop Paul D. Etienne. Located at 804 Ninth Avenue on Seattle's First Hill neighborhood overlooking downtown, the Renaissance Revival cathedral was designed by the New York architects Heins & LaFarge, constructed beginning in 1905, and dedicated on December 22, 1907. It serves roughly 2,588 registered households and hosts a full sacramental life including daily Mass, perpetual-style adoration, RCIA, immigrant assistance, mental-health ministry, an extensive music program, and outreach to the poor. The cathedral, rectory, and grounds were designated a Seattle City Landmark on March 12, 1984.
- Established
- 1907
- Patron
- St. James the Greater
- Rector
- Very Rev. Gary F. Lazzeroni
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Seattle
Why belong here
St. James is both the spiritual center of the Archdiocese of Seattle and a working parish of about 2,588 households, so visitors find a rare combination of cathedral-scale liturgy and a personal parish community. Daily Mass in English (with Saturday Vigil and four Sunday Masses), weekly Eucharistic Adoration, an acclaimed music program, a robust RCIA process, youth and young adult ministries, immigrant assistance, mental-health support, and an active St. Vincent de Paul–style social outreach all operate from a single First Hill campus. Its landmark Renaissance Revival building, central Seattle location, and welcoming pastor make it a natural home for Catholics who want to pray at the heart of the archdiocese while serving the wider city.
Mass times at St. James
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 8:30 am – 9:30 am
Adoration times
- Sunday 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm (Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament)
History of St. James Cathedral
St. James Cathedral is the third cathedral to bear the name in the Pacific Northwest. The first, dedicated to Saints James and Augustine, was blessed inside Fort Vancouver on January 23, 1851, when the Diocese of Nesqually was barely a year old; the second, built by Bishop Aegidius Junger, was completed in Vancouver in 1885. In 1903 Bishop Edward O'Dea moved the episcopal see from Vancouver to booming Seattle and resolved to build 'the greatest cathedral in the West,' retaining the New York firm Heins & LaFarge as architects. The cornerstone was laid on November 12, 1905, before more than 5,000 people, and the finished Renaissance Revival building was dedicated on December 22, 1907. The dome that originally crowned the crossing collapsed under snow on February 2, 1916, and was never rebuilt; major renovations followed in 1917, 1950, and 1994, and the cathedral, rectory, and grounds became a Seattle City Landmark in 1984.
- 1850 — Diocese of Nesqually established; first St. James/Augustine cathedral blessed at Fort Vancouver (1851)
- 1885 — Second St. James Cathedral completed in Vancouver by Bishop Junger
- 1903 — Bishop O'Dea moves the see to Seattle; First Hill site purchased
- 1904 — Planning with architects Heins & LaFarge of New York
- 1905 — Cornerstone laid November 12 before 5,000 people; construction supervised on site by W. M. Somervell
- 1907 — Diocese renamed Seattle (September 11); Cathedral dedicated December 22
- 1916 — Dome collapses under snow (February 2); interior rebuilt
- 1917 — Cathedral reopens March 18
- 1950 — Major centennial renovation
- 1984 — Designated a Seattle City Landmark (March 12)
- 1994 — Most recent comprehensive renovation
Architecture and Building
Heins & LaFarge's design rejected the Spanish Romanesque O'Dea had favored and proposed instead a serene Italian Renaissance Revival building with two 175-foot western towers, a centrally-planned interior, and a 60-foot dome over the crossing. The warm, golden-hued exterior made the new cathedral a striking landmark on First Hill above the city's red-brick downtown. When the dome collapsed in 1916 it was never replaced, giving the cathedral its present towered silhouette; subsequent renovations in 1917, 1950, and 1994 reworked the interior in successive styles.
- Architects: Heins & LaFarge (New York)
- Style: Italian Renaissance Revival
- On-site construction supervisor: W. M. Somervell
- Tower height: approximately 167 feet (51 m)
- Original dome height: approximately 120 feet (37 m), collapsed 1916
- Designation: Seattle City Landmark, March 12, 1984
Parish Staff
The pastoral team is led by Very Rev. Gary F. Lazzeroni as Pastor, with Very Rev. Michael G. Ryan serving as Pastor Emeritus / Senior Priest and Rev. Paul A. Magnano as Senior Priest. Two Parochial Vicars — Rev. Sylvester Chanda and Rev. Francis K. Thumbi — assist with the parish's sacramental and pastoral ministry. Lay staff include Corinna Laughlin (Director of Liturgy), Maria Laughlin (Director of Stewardship & Development), Christopher Stroh (Director of Music), an Assistant Director of Music & Organist, Joseph Adam (Director of Social Outreach and Advocacy), Maggie Corrigan (Wedding Office), Mary MacLean (Funeral Ministry), Larry Brouse, and an Office Manager, Bookkeeper, and Immigrant Assistance coordinator.
- Pastor: Very Rev. Gary F. Lazzeroni
- Pastor Emeritus / Senior Priest: Very Rev. Michael G. Ryan
- Senior Priest, Parish Priest: Rev. Paul A. Magnano
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Sylvester Chanda
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Francis K. Thumbi
- Director of Liturgy: Corinna Laughlin
- Director of Stewardship & Development: Maria Laughlin
- Director of Music: Christopher Stroh
- Director of Social Outreach and Advocacy: Joseph Adam
- Wedding Office: Maggie Corrigan
- Funeral Ministry: Mary MacLean
Ministries and Programs
St. James runs the full slate of ministries expected of a large urban cathedral parish, with particular strength in social outreach and formation for adults. Departments listed on the cathedral's website include Becoming Catholic (RCIA), Faith Formation, Youth Ministry, Young Adults, Liturgy, Music, Pastoral Care, Funerals, Weddings, Immigrant Assistance, Mental Health, Outreach/Advocacy, and the Cathedral Bookstore.
- Becoming Catholic (RCIA)
- Faith Formation
- Youth Ministry
- Young Adults
- Liturgy and Music
- Pastoral Care
- Funerals
- Weddings
- Immigrant Assistance
- Mental Health Ministry
- Outreach / Social Outreach and Advocacy
- Stewardship & Development
- Cathedral Bookstore
Sacraments
Information on arranging each sacrament is published on the parish website under dedicated departments. Reconciliation is heard in the cathedral on Saturday mornings; baptisms, weddings, and funerals are scheduled through the parish office and individual ministry coordinators.
- Baptism — arrange through the parish office
- First Communion and Confirmation — via Faith Formation
- Reconciliation — Saturday 8:30–9:30 am
- Marriage — Wedding Office (Maggie Corrigan)
- Funerals — Funeral Ministry (Mary MacLean)
- Anointing of the Sick and Communion to the sick/homebound — via Pastoral Care
Music and Liturgy
The Music Department, under Director of Music Christopher Stroh and an Assistant Director of Music & Organist, supports the cathedral's sung liturgy at Sunday and weekday Masses. The Director of Liturgy, Corinna Laughlin, coordinates the broader liturgical life of the parish including the Sunday afternoon hour of Eucharistic Adoration and the cathedral's seasonal celebrations.
- Director of Music: Christopher Stroh
- Assistant Director of Music & Organist
- Director of Liturgy: Corinna Laughlin
- Sunday Eucharistic Adoration 4:00–5:00 pm
Social Outreach and Advocacy
Beyond its worship life, St. James Cathedral maintains a sizeable social-services operation through dedicated staff. The Director of Social Outreach and Advocacy coordinates parish engagement with the poor and marginalized, while a separate Immigrant Assistance department and Mental Health Ministry address specific community needs on and around First Hill.
- Director of Social Outreach and Advocacy: Joseph Adam ([email protected])
- Immigrant Assistance (dedicated staff)
- Mental Health Ministry
- Pastoral Care visits to First Hill hospitals arranged via the hospital chaplain's office
Visiting, Tours, and Accessibility
The Cathedral is open to visitors and welcomes tour groups. The parish office is staffed Monday through Friday, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm, and an after-hours emergency line is reserved for registered parishioners. Wheelchair access is available in the Northeast (Marion Street) and Southern (Columbia Street) vestibules.
- Parish Office: Mon–Fri, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
- Public tours: Wednesdays at 1:00 pm
- Group tours (4+): contact Corinna Laughlin, 206-264-2086
- Wheelchair access: NE (Marion St.) and S (Columbia St.) vestibules
- After-hours emergency line (parishioners only): 206-467-3049
Publications
The parish publishes a weekly bulletin, an e-bulletin mailing list, and a pastoral column 'Pastor's Desk' by Father Ryan. 'In Your Midst' is the cathedral's signature pastoral publication, with back issues such as 'One Hundred Years Ago: The Cathedral Builders' preserved on the website as an archive of the parish's history.
- Weekly parish bulletin (print and e-bulletin)
- In Your Midst (pastoral publication)
- Pastor's Desk (Father Ryan's column)
- Homilies archived online