SAINT JAMES CATHOLIC CHURCH HISTORY
To serve the growing needs of the Hispanic Catholics in Beeville’s southwest side, construction of St. James Catholic Church commenced in 1946 under Rev. Herman H. Berg of the Our Lady of Victory Church, St. James was then a mission of Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church situated on the city’s northwest section.
In desperate needs of funds for the construction of a new mission, sources have it that some of the original lumber used on the church came from, then, the Naval Auxiliary Air Station - Chase Field and $2,000 were donated by successful attorney and philanthropist, James R. Dougherty of Beeville, whose donation was made with the request that the church be named in memory of James Dougherty, II, their son who had been killed in action during World War II. (In Later years, this fine man’s foundation was instrumental in the building funds of the church’s CCD Center.)
Within ten years, the people of St. James Church were so numerous that the sides were expanded to its current size to accommodate St. James parishioners. The expansion to both sides of the church was done under Father Adolph Fiato around 1957.
Under Father Fiato, who came to St. James Church in 1955, the growing needs of the church children attending catechism classes and other church instructions was acknowledged and in 1962 the church hall was erected to house the needs of the children who, at times, attended classes under temporary tents. The hall also served church organizations and related needs.
On October 10, 1966 the mission of St. James was raised to the status of an independent parish with Father Arthur Ockwood as its first pastor. During Father Ockwood’s tenure, as pastor of St. James Church, between 1966 and 1970, the current C.C.D. Center was built and duly dedicated by Bishop Thomas J. Drury on Sunday, November 23, 1969 at a celebration held at 4:00 P.M.
It was also during Father Ockwood’s tenure, in 1965, that need for an independent rectory was acknowledged by the parishioners and a small “Jim Walters construction home” was purchased and moved from the city’s extreme northwest to the church grounds to serve as the rectory and later enlarged to better-accommodate the father and an office.
As a mission of Our Lady of Victory
1946 - 1957 Rev. Herman Berg, MSF
1957 - 1963 Rev. William Janning, MSF
1963 - 1964 Rev. Alphonse M. Fiato, MSF
1964 - 1966 Rev. Aloys M. Hepp, MSF
As an independent Parish
1966 - 1970 Rev. Arthur Ockwood, MSF - Pastor
1970 (Jun 1) - 1989 (Aug. 1) Rev. Stephen Devine, MSF - Pastor
1983 (Dec. 13) - 1991 (Nov. 1) Dcn. Domingo C. Castillo
1989 (Aug. 1) - 1995 (Oct. 15) Bro. Robert Manzer, MSF Administrator
1989 (Aug. 1) - 1995 (Dec. 11) Rev. Simon Brzozowski, MSF - Sacramental Minster
1990 (Jul. 2) - Present Dcn. Juan Vasquez
1995 (Dec. 11) - 1996 (Feb. 14) Rev. Eugene T. Ronan, MSF - Temporary Administrator
1996 (Feb. 14) - 1997 (Apr. 21) Rev. Eugene T. Ronan, MSF - Administrator
1997 (Apr. 21) - 1997 (Aug. 1) Dcn. Cesar M. Ponce - Administrator
1997 (Aug. 1) - 1998 (Jul. 6) Rev. James Q. Dudley, MSC - Pastor
1998 (Jul. 6) - 1999 Rev. Timothy Kinast - Administrator
1999 (Nov. 1) - 2000 (Sep. 24) Rev. Edward Couch, OMI - Pastor
2000 - 2001 Rev. Tom P. O'Donovan
2001 (Jun.1) - 2006 (Jun. 1) Rev. Balaswamy Pasala - Administrator
2006 (Jun.1) - 2017 (Jul. 5) Rev. Balaswamy Pasala - Pastor
2017 (Jul. 5) - 2018 (Dec. 31) Rev. Paul Kottackal - Parochial Administrator
2019 (Jan. 31) - Present Rev. Jacob Valayath - Pastor