St. James the Just Parish prepares for Jubilee

Friday, Jul. 29, 2016

NORTH OGDEN — St. James the Just Parish will celebrate its golden anniversary by recognizing the eight priests who built the church, and the past and present parishioners who have made it a community throughout the last 50 years. The celebration will begin with a Jubilee Mass followed by a dinner at the parish Aug. 20.

In 1966, Bishop Joseph Lennox Federal created St. James the Just Parish in north Ogden by dividing St. Joseph Parish. He appointed Fr. David C. Goddard as its first pastor. A donation of land by St. James parishioner Edith Dinneen made possible the acquisition of a larger parcel of land, where the present church campus was built. The parish was named in memory of Dinneen’s husband, James. 

“My mom was thrilled that the church was named after my dad,” said Bernard Dinneen, a parishioner, who prays for his parents during Mass and especially thinks about his father when he sees the church. 

While funds were being raised, daily Mass was celebrated at the priest’s residence on Cook Street, and Sunday Mass was in the Highland Junior High School auditorium. 

“Ours sons were altar servers and we would hold prayer meetings for parishioners in our home,” recalled Deacon Tony Lopez, a founding parishioner. “We also started Cub Scout and Boy Scout troops; my wife, Constance, was a den mother and I was a scout master for Troop 207.”

Jane Francis Blair, also a founding parishioner, attended the first Diocesan Development Drive meeting for the parish, where a fund drive for a new church was started, she said. In 1968 a parish center was built for 300 families and the first Mass was held in the temporary church, which remained for 40 years; a gymnasium was constructed before the permanent church was built. 

Fr. William Flegge, who was pastor from 1987 to 1996, said, “‘If we don’t do something for the youth in the parish we will lose them,’” recalled Blair. “So the money we had saved for the church was used to build a gymnasium. However, it’s used for socials, boys basketball, St. Joseph School uses it and all kinds of activities are held there. It was a good investment.”

The community continued holding fundraisers for the church, said Blair, who was married 61 years before her husband died in 2015.

“The parish has been my family. I don’t know what I would have done without this parish,” she said.

Similarly, Cam Loffredo, whose family were founding members of the parish, thinks of “all the fun times we had there. We held all of our family parties in the social center,” she said. “My dad used to call bingo on Fridays and he would help Fr. Flegge set up for funerals. I also remember the different priests coming to our house for dinner.” 

In 2006, the new church was dedicated by Msgr. J. Terrence Fitzgerald, then diocesan administrator. 

“So many meetings, discussions, plans, changes, efforts to raise money, perseverance and faith have paid off; so many have been the building stones of this new church,” Msgr. Fitzgerald said in his homily on June 9, 2006, which was preserved in the diocesan archives. “Each subsequent pastor has contributed to building a community of faith. Now Fr. Erik, with the help of many, has built this beautiful church to offer praise to God and service to others.”

The parish has continued to grow over the past 10 years and “we are looking forward to the Jubilee and seeing all those who have been a part of this parish,” said Fr. Erik Richtsteig, pastor.

 

WHAT: Parish Jubilee

WHEN: Saturday, Aug. 20

                      5 p.m. Mass; dinner follows

WHERE: St. James the Just Parish 

                  495 N. Harrison Blvd., Ogden

Tickets must be purchased by Aug. 5. For information, contact the parish, 801-782-5393, or stjames_secretary@comcast.net.