St. James the Greater (Chinese Catholic Community)

Brief History of St. James the Greater

St. James the Greater was founded in 1854 to serve Irish Catholic immigrants in downtown Boston, and for nearly a century that was its primary mission. After 1946 the parish was reshaped by Cardinal Cushing's decision to station the Maryknoll Sisters here for Chinese pastoral work, and then in 1967 by the formal assignment of Fr. Francis Li to launch what became the Boston Catholic Chinese Community (BCCC). Since then the parish has been continuously led by religious-order and diocesan priests focused on the Chinese apostolate, with Fr. Joseph Zhang, AA, currently serving as Administrator. The Chinese Catholic Pastoral Center at 78 Tyler Street — converted from the old Maryknoll Sisters' Center and dedicated by Auxiliary Bishop John Boles in September 1992 — remains the BCCC's headquarters.

• 1854 — Parish founded for Irish Catholic immigrants in downtown Boston
• 1946 — Maryknoll Sisters assigned to St. James for Chinese ministry
• 1967 — Fr. Francis Li invited as Assistant Pastor; BCCC formally launched
• 1979 — Deacon Francis Chao ordained, first Chinese-descent deacon in Boston
• September 1992 — Boston Chinese Catholic Pastoral Center dedicated by Auxiliary Bishop John Boles
• Sep 19, 2019 — Fr. Joseph Zhang, AA, becomes current Administrator

Parish Clergy, Staff & Leadership

Pastoral leadership is shared among an Augustinian administrator-priest, a priest-in-residence from another diocese, and a permanent deacon, supported by a small but dedicated lay staff for operations, liturgy and music, faith formation, and youth ministry. The parish is governed in conjunction with the BCCC Council, which represents the community's Chinese-Catholic families across Greater Boston.

Sacraments & Sacramental Preparation

The parish celebrates the Eucharist regularly in three languages and offers Reconciliation (Confession) in Mandarin during the work week and on Saturdays. Adults seeking baptism, Confirmation, or full reception into the Catholic Church participate in the parish OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) program, which is offered in Cantonese on Zoom every Monday evening and in person in Mandarin on Sundays. The parish also gathers annually for a special Thanksgiving Mass at which the Anointing of the Sick is offered to all who wish to receive it.

• OCIA — Cantonese, Mondays 8:00 PM on Zoom (contact Deacon Francis Sung)
• OCIA — Mandarin, Sundays
• Anointing of the Sick — offered at the annual Thanksgiving Mass

Faith Formation, Bible Study & Youth Ministry

Ms. Susan Ho coordinates parish faith formation, while Mr. Jeffrey Chen and Ms. Angie Zhang direct the youth ministry program. Catechesis and Bible study are available in all three community languages, with adult groups meeting on weeknights and a dedicated youth session on Saturday evenings.

Liturgy & Music

Liturgy and music are coordinated by Mr. Joseph Leung, supporting the trilingual Sunday schedule and the Marian procession and evangelization concerts that draw hundreds to the church. The parish's bilingual Marian procession through Chinatown, held annually on Mother's Day, is one of its most visible public events, blending Mandarin, Cantonese, and English hymnody and prayer.

Deacon Francis Chao & Father John Hines Memorial Scholarship

Every spring the parish community awards the Deacon Francis Chao and Father John Hines Memorial Scholarship to graduating high-school seniors and currently-enrolled college students who are registered members of St. James, have a 3.0 GPA or higher, and have a documented record of service to the parish. Applications are evaluated by a volunteer committee that weights service to the St. James community heavily (double points), alongside academic achievement, Catholic moral character, and leadership potential.

• Deadline typically May each year — submit to [email protected]
• Eligibility: SJ member in good standing, graduating senior or current college student, 3.0+ GPA, SJ member reference and teacher recommendation, must not be a previous recipient
• Awards: $1,000 for one qualifying applicant, or $750 each for two or more, depending on the number of qualifying applications
• Scholarship Committee: Anna Leung, Joanie Mok, Linda Cho, Marissa Ho, Benjamen Ng Yeung

Boston Catholic Chinese Community (BCCC)

St. James the Greater is the anchor parish of the Boston Catholic Chinese Community (BCCC), which serves all Chinese Catholics and neighboring communities from the Archdiocese of Boston. Members come from across Greater Boston — from as far south as Mansfield, Brockton, Randolph, and Rockland; west to Marlborough, Framingham, and Sudbury; and as far north as Lowell and Nashua, New Hampshire. The community has a registered membership of more than 300 families (over 1,000 people), with Mandarin, Cantonese, and Fujianese as the predominant dialects. The BCCC Council, chaired by elected parishioners, organizes spiritual, social, and outreach events and acts as the liaison with the Archdiocese.

• Founded 1967 by Cardinal Cushing with Fr. Francis Li
• Hosted at 78 Tyler Street (Chinese Catholic Pastoral Center)
• More than 300 registered families / 1,000+ members
• Predominant dialects: Mandarin, Cantonese, Fujianese