About St. James the Greater · Vernal, Utah
St. James the Greater Catholic Church is a small Roman Catholic parish serving Vernal, Utah, in the Uintah Basin of northeastern Utah. Established in 1922 and now part of the Diocese of Salt Lake City, the parish ministers to a bilingual community with both English and Spanish Masses. Worship takes place in a parish church at 138 N. 100 W., where the faithful gather for weekday and weekend Masses, the sacraments, devotions such as Benediction and Stations of the Cross, and the work of parish organizations including the Knights of Columbus, the Council of Catholic Women, and a youth group for grades 6–12.
- Established
- 1922
- Patron
- St. James the Greater (Apostle)
- Rector
- Father Ariel Durian
- Diocese
- Diocese of Salt Lake City
Why belong here
St. James the Greater is a welcoming, bilingual Catholic family in the heart of the Uintah Basin. The parish offers daily and weekend Masses in both English and Spanish, regular Confession and Benediction, Stations of the Cross in Lent, and a strong calendar of fellowship — from the July 25 feast-day potluck and the July 24th community parade to Knights of Columbus blood drives and CCW-led hygiene-kit service projects. With active ministries for adults (Knights of Columbus, Council of Catholic Women), teens (the 6th–12th grade Youth Group), and growing families (Baptism and Marriage preparation, Scripture classes), it is a small but lively parish where newcomers are quickly known by name.
Mass times at St. James the Greater
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
- Also by appointment (call 435-789-3016)
Adoration times
- Benediction on Fridays following the 8:30 am Mass
Parish Overview
St. James the Greater is a Roman Catholic parish in Vernal, Utah, belonging to the Diocese of Salt Lake City. The parish gathers daily and on weekends for Mass in English and Spanish, prepares the faithful for the sacraments, and supports a small but active calendar of ministries, devotions, and fellowship events in the Uintah Basin.
History
The Diocese of Salt Lake City's official timeline records that Saint James the Greater Parish in Vernal was established in 1922. According to GCatholic, the mission was dedicated as Immaculate Conception in September 1923, renamed St. John of God in 1926, and received its present name, St. James, on July 25, 1948 — a date the parish continues to celebrate each year as its feast day. In 2023 the parish marked its centennial, and in 2024 it hosted the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage on its way east across Utah.
- 1922 — Parish established under Bishop Joseph S. Glass, C.M.
- September 1923 — Dedicated as Immaculate Conception
- 1926 — Renamed St. John of God
- July 25, 1948 — Renamed St. James (parish feast day)
- September 23, 2023 — Centennial Mass celebrated
- June 5, 2024 — Hosted National Eucharistic Pilgrimage Mass
Clergy & Staff
The parish is currently served by Father Ariel Durian, who is named on the parish website as the parish priest and who is also listed in the diocesan directory. The diocesan directory additionally names Reverend Edward Leondhas in connection with the parish. Day-to-day parish office work is coordinated through staff member "Hillary," referenced in announcements, with the office open Monday–Thursday, 9:00 am – 12:00 pm.
- Father Ariel Durian — Parish Priest
- Reverend Edward Leondhas — listed in diocesan directory for St. James the Greater
- Hillary — parish office staff (referenced in announcements and youth-group sign-ups)
Mass & Worship Schedule
St. James the Greater offers a weekly Mass schedule in both English and Spanish. Weekday Masses are celebrated Monday and Wednesday through Friday at 8:30 am. The Sunday vigil is Saturday at 5:30 pm in English, and Sunday Masses are at 9:00 am in English and 11:00 am in Spanish. Holy Days have a 6:00 pm bilingual vigil and a 6:00 pm Holy Day Mass. Benediction is celebrated on Fridays following the 8:30 am Mass.
- Daily Mass — Mon & Wed–Fri, 8:30 am
- Saturday Vigil — 5:30 pm (English)
- Sunday — 9:00 am (English) and 11:00 am (Spanish)
- Holy Day Vigil — 6:00 pm (Bilingual)
- Holy Day — 6:00 pm
Sacraments
The parish prepares families and individuals for the sacraments of initiation and for Marriage. Baptisms are scheduled by contacting the parish office at least one month in advance, and Marriages require at least four months of preparation. Anointing of the Sick is available at any time by calling the parish office.
- Baptism — contact the office 1 month prior
- Marriage — contact the office 4 months prior
- Anointing of the Sick — available any time, contact the office
Parish Organizations
Two adult organizations anchor parish life at St. James: the Knights of Columbus and the Council of Catholic Women (CCW). The Knights meet on the third Thursday of every month at 7:00 pm in the upstairs room of the Religious Education building and host service projects such as parish blood drives. The CCW brings together all the women of the parish for spiritual, leadership, and service work, including ongoing hygiene-kit collections for neighbors who come to the church for help.
Knights of Columbus — Council 7401 "Bishop Scanlan"
St. James the Greater hosts Knights of Columbus Council 7401, "Bishop Scanlan," which was chartered September 16, 1979. The council meets at the parish on the third Thursday of each month at 7:00 pm in the upstairs room of the Religious Education building and supports service projects including blood drives.
- Grand Knight — Brad Laney (435-828-5469)
- Deputy Grand Knight — Bob Meinrod (970-852-1919)
- Financial Secretary — Brad Mitchell (435-828-0803)
- Treasurer — Kevin Stratton (435-828-0692)
- Meetings: 3rd Thursday, 7:00 pm, Religious Education building
Council of Catholic Women (CCW)
The CCW follows the Diocesan Council of Catholic Women mission of uniting Catholic women's organizations and individual Catholic women in Utah through spirituality, leadership, and service. The St. James chapter meets regularly, is open to all women of the parish, and coordinates service projects including the ongoing hygiene-kit drive for those seeking help from the church.
- Co-Chair — Linda Mitchell (435-790-6426)
- Co-Chair — Roxanne Burman (435-219-0568)
- Secretary — Vicki Myers (307-399-6213)
- Treasurer — Lisa Stringer (435-260-2682)
- All women of the parish are welcome
Faith Formation & Youth
St. James the Greater runs a Youth Group for students in grades 6 through 12, meeting on the fourth Wednesday of each month at 6:30 pm in the Parish Hall. Evenings include food, activities, and occasional movies. Father Ariel invites all parish teens to take part. The parish also hosts Scripture and Doctrine Classes for adults, with sessions advertised at 7:00 pm in the parish hall.
- Youth Group (grades 6–12) — 4th Wednesday, 6:30 pm, Parish Hall
- Youth Group Coordinator — Vanessa Liesik (435-724-5719)
- Scripture & Doctrine Classes — evenings in the parish hall
Parish Life & Fellowship
Beyond the liturgical schedule, the parish community gathers for a number of annual traditions. The feast of St. James on July 25 is marked with a 4:00 pm Mass and a parish potluck with games for the children. Parishioners also build and walk a float in the community's July 24th parade. CCW runs ongoing service projects (hygiene kits), and the Knights of Columbus host blood drives at the parish.
- July 25 — Feast of St. James: 4:00 pm Mass and parish potluck
- July 24 — Community parade float, organized with the Youth Group
- CCW hygiene-kit service project (ongoing)
- Knights of Columbus blood drives (e.g., December)
Visit Us
The parish office is open Monday through Thursday, 9:00 am to 12:00 pm, and can be reached at (435) 789-3016 for appointments, confession outside the regular Saturday time slot, or sacramental preparation. The church is located at 138 N. 100 W., Vernal, UT 84078, at the corner of 138 North and 100 West.
- Office Hours — Monday–Thursday, 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
- Phone — (435) 789-3016
- Address — 138 N 100 W, Vernal, UT 84078