Neighbor News
Cardinal Tobin Celebrates St. James 95th Anniversary
Church, School Milestones Marked by Springfield Church with Mass by Archbishop and Reception Following
Photo credit: John McDevitt
Photo caption: Joseph Cardinal Tobin, archbishop of Newark, visited St. James the Apostle Church on July 21 to celebrate a special mass in honor of the parish's 95th anniversary and the 65th anniversary of St. James the Apostle School.
Joseph Cardinal Tobin, archbishop of Newark, celebrated a special mass at St. James the Apostle Church in Springfield on July 21, to mark the 95th anniversary of the parish and the 65th anniversary of St. James the Apostle School. In his homily, Cardinal Tobin commended St. James for being a “welcoming parish” and he reminded the congregation to be shepherds to one another.
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“It was a privilege to have Cardinal Tobin here with us to celebrate these milestones of our parish," said Rev. Joseph F. Barbone, pastor of St. James.
Springfield Mayor Richard Huber, a parishioner of the church, presented a proclamation to Father Barbone honoring the parish and school for their presence in the township. The proclamation now hangs in the church’s Gathering Area.
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St. James parish was founded in December 1923. At that time, Sunday mass was celebrated at Springfield’s Municipal Hall. The first church building, a wooden structure, was built circa 1924 on the corner of Linden and Morris Avenues. In 1952 a combination school and church building was erected on South Springfield Avenue. Ground was broken for the present church on June 16, 2001 and it was dedicated on June 6, 2002.
Currently, 1800 families are members of St. James parish, and 170 students attend St. James School.
