Sunday, March 15, 2009

St. James Church - Lakewood, Ohio


A picture is worth a thousand words. The above historical photo is of St. James Catholic Church in Lakewood, OH ... (mentioned in the previous post) one of the 52 parishes expected to close in the Cleveland Catholic Diocese. According to an architectural description, the building design is Sicilian Romanesque, patterned after the Monreale Cathedral in Palermo, Sicily. The photo is from the Cleveland Memory Project.

St. James Church | 17514 Detroit Avenue | Lakewood, OH 44107

14 comments:

  1. I WENT TO SCHOOL AT ST. JAMES IN THE 1980'S. MY MOTHER IS STILL A PARISHONER HERE. I HAVE MOVED TO MEDINA. I JUST CAN'T BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE CLOSING THIS MAGNIFICENT CHURCH FOR THE PEOPLE. I AM IN DISBELIEF AND HAVE BEEN SAD ABOUT IT SINCE THE NEWS WAS ANNOUNCED. I FEEL THAT BISHOP LENNON IS NOT BEING A SHEPARD FOR HIS PEOPLE. MAYBE HE SHOULD READ THE BOOK " THE SHEPARD" BY MICHAEL GIRZONE. I AM IN SHOCK. ALL THAT HISTORY, EFFORT, BLOOD, SWEAT AND TEARS. WHAT WILL BECOME OF THAT BEAUTIFUL STRUCTURE? WHAT CAN WE ALL DO? WOULD ANY FAMILIES BE WILLING TO DONATE $100 PER FAMILY? 750,00 CATHOLICS IN THIS AREA. YOU DO THE MATH. THAT COULD SAVE THE PARISHES FOR AT LEAST ANOTHER YEAR.

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  2. I also attended St. James School in the 1980's but unlike the earlier poster, I have chosen to remain in Lakewood and raise my family here. The problem is, too many people like the earlier poster left the city and by doing so, caused the Parish to shrink, lose money and now face the closure that has been brought upon it.

    I am not trying to be negative here but honestly, the earlier poster has absolutely no right to complain here since he or she is part of the reason why this is happening.

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  3. WhAt about dismantling the church and moving it South where new churches are needed? See St Gerard's Church in Buffalo NY which may be moved to Georgia. .. St James was the church of my childhood...very dear to my heart!

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  4. ... I checked out the stories online re: the moving of St. Gerard's Church in Buffalo -- amazing. Thanks for bringing it to my attention !

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  5. I am hopeful that our Vatican appeal will reverse the Bishop's decision to close St.James. In the meantime, if everyone who loves St. James would donate $25 or more, we could keep the church opened until we hear from Rome. Send donations to St James Church, 17504 Detroit Ave., Lakerwood,Oh 44107. Please pray for all of us at St. James so that we can continue to be a beacon of light on Lakewood's West side. Spread the word.

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  6. The City of Lakewood is currently proposing to designate the Church as Historic Landmark both inside and out, so the church will have to remain in place.

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  7. I was baptizedd and made my first communtion at StJoseph's Byzantine Church, where my grandparents and parents worshipped. What a shame that the beautiful Eastern Rite church has fallen in such disarray. The Church was sold to another denomination backi in the 60s, so whose fault is it really?

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  8. the truth is the population of church goers has steadily decreased in catholic church's. These churches are run in some ways like a business so with little to no customers if you will there is no funds to maintain these large beautiful buildings. Remember that in the Bible those who worshiped their faith did it in large tents our even outside to truly admire god's beauty.
    I did have a question though does anyone have any details about the the donor who paid for many of the church steeples to be lite on clevelands west side. At night you can see many of them from I-90 in tremont and all the way out to west blvd. as far east as the steel yards. I was wondering if there was a list or any other information.

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  9. I want to get married at St. James, will it be closing?

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  10. I went to that school in 2002 up until it closed my 5th grade year, in 2005. I loved every bit of it. Father tom and john comeing to visit the class every now and then, going to church every friday morning(which i was always late to), eating lunch in Andrew's Hall, talking to the lunch/cleaning lady's(they were always so nice), and retakeing a hearing test 3times because i could figure out if the noise i was hearing was from having huge cup like head phone over my ears or the nurse pushing the button to make it beap. When St. James school closed i was very hurt. But i thought at lest the church was still open.
    Hearing that the church is closeing, i was at a loss of words, all i could do was cry. The church was not just a place to learn new things that God has done for us, But also an angelic place to be. How the church was designed, its almost entrancing. Yes when it was dark inside it could look gloomy(or mysterious, take your pick). But when light shined throw those beautiful stained glass windows, it was like you could feel and see God right there with you.
    I have missed that feeling everyday since i have moved, and i always thought when i was older i could move back there and feel it again, but it looks like that may never happen. All i can hope for is to see it one last time before it is closed forever.

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  11. St. James will forever remain a huge part of my life. My father was baptized there as well as myself and my oldest son. I went to school there from 1st grade to 8th grade and one of the fondest memories that I have was of seeing Monsignor Gallagher in the school every day. I will never forget Sister Michelle who gave me such inspiration and Miss Kelly and her guitar. I would not have changed any of it for the world, and now is actually NOT the time to be placing blame but to remember and cherish the wonderful memories and relationships that St. James has given us!

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  12. I too attended St. James from the 3rd through the 8th grade in 1974. Remember Monsignor Gallagher very well. Sister Barbara Lee Walters was my 3rd grade teacher. Just went by the building a few weeks ago while visiting from Ft. Lauderdale. Wish I could find the other students who were in my class. Ilona Birkas

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  13. I was baptized, made my 1st communion, confirmed and married at St. James church. Attended St. James School, (in the 50's) through the 8th grade along with my 3 sisters and brother. It was very sad to hear that they closed it.

    I pray they will decide to preserve it for future generations. It is beautiful.

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