Saint James Catholic Church (830 W. Broad St., Falls Church) will celebrate its 125th year in existence on Sunday, May 21 during the noon Mass. A reception will immediately follow the Mass in the Joseph Knecht gym. The Most Reverend Michael F. Burbidge, Bishop of Arlington, will celebrate the Mass.
St. James was orginally founded in 1892 and is the sixth oldest parish in the Catholic Diocese of Arlington. The original wood-frame structure was built on a property at the modern day West and Fowler streets, the current site of the cemetery, while the stone church was constructed at its current location in 1902. Father Edward Tierney was St. James’ first pastor and was responsible for building the church’s accompanying school in 1906. Father Edward Mullarkey, pastor in 1944, used War bonds he received for his 25th ordination jubilee as seed money to expand the school. The Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM) have been with St. James Parish for 94 consecutive years.
