1842 - 1969 History of St. James Booklet

Catholicism was introduced into Cabarrus County by Joseph Barnhardt, a Lutheran known for his many questions on religious theology and his deep belief in God. Through his reading and the grace of God, Joseph embraced the Catholic faith. In 1842, Father Gifford received him and his family into the Catholic Church. They were visited by priests, who prepared the children for the reception of the sacraments and became acquainted with others who concluded that Catholicism was their way to God. Once they embraced the Catholic faith, they were fervent believers. Others joined the church; and within 25 years, nearly all of the settlement embraced the Catholic faith.

Joseph Barnhardt always dreamed of having a church in the community instead of holding services in homes. He often talked of donating land; however, he died in 1858 before making any practical plan for having a church built. On June 1, 1869, according to the wishes of his father-in-law, George C. Goodman deeded a picturesque plot of land, on Gold Hill Road, a top a hill surrounded by pines, where the first St. James Catholic Church was built.

On August 1, 1869, the Rt. Rev. James Gibbons, Vicar Apostolate of North Carolina, dedicated St. James Catholic Church. During these years, Mass was celebrated once a month with priests coming from Belmont, Greensboro or Salisbury.

The Rev. Herman Wolfe of St. Mary Help Abbey, Belmont, NC, became the pastor of the Concord Mission in 1876. St. James was the first mission the Benedictines accepted outside of Gaston County. In the fall of 1880, the Rt. Rev. Bishop John J. Keene, newly-consecrated for the Richmond Diocese, acting as administrator of the North Carolina Diocese, administered Confirmation and appointed the Rev. Stephen Lyons to take charge of the mission.

In 1945, Thomas Curran became the first resident pastor. In 1947 St. James was designated a parish. When fire destroyed the church on Gold Hill Road in 1954, Bishop Vincent Waters of Raleigh then requested a church be built in the city of Concord.   Bishop Waters later dedicated the new church on Union St.

St. James Catholic Church adopts St. Joseph Catholic Church in Kannapolis as a mission in 1967. Rev. George Kelly, C.Ss.R. became the first Redemptorist pastor at St. James in 1974. In 1978 Bishop Begley dedicated the Religious Education Center at the Union St. site. On January 13, 1980, Knights of Columbus Council 7450 received their charter. The rectory was built in 1986 and Bishop William C. Curlin dedicated the new Parish Center in 1994.

Later, as the parish grew and moved to a new location, Bishop Peter Jugis dedicated the new church on Manor Avenue in December of 2004. Two years later, the St. James parish welcomed our Hispanic members under the guidance of Rev. Oscar Rojas and Rev. Dimas Arce, C.Ss.R. Most recently, in the spring of 2007, our Pastor Father James Geiger dedicated our new youth center in honor of St. James parishioners Stephen and Naomi Gill for there generous support toward the project.

 In August of 2008, we welcomed Fr. Joseph Dionne as the new pastor of St. James and a year later (October 2009) we dedicated the new rectory as our latest addition to our parish campus.

Bishops and Pastors ministering to St. James:

1842 Fr. Gifford

1848 Fr. J.J. O'Connell & Fr. L. P. O'Connell

1854 Fr. A.J. McNeal

1855 Fr.Joseph P. O'Connell

1865 Fr. L.P. O'Connell (Vicar General)

1876 Fr. Herman Wolfe & Fr. Joseph Keller, OSB

1879 Fr. Stephan Lyons

1882 Bishop H.P northrop of Charleston, SC administered Confirmation

1884 Fr. Rudesind Schrembs, OSB

1885 Fr. Julius Pohl and Fr. Patrick Doulon, OSB

1886 Fr. Walter Leahy, OSB

1887 Fr. John Hill of Charleston Diocese and Fr. Julius Pohl

1888 Fr. Julius Pohl

1891-1934 Benedictines of Belmont Abbey given pastoral care of nine counties including Cabarrus.

1891 Fr. Bernard

1892 Fr. Joseph Mueller

1901 Fr. Albert

1903 Fr. Peter

1904 Fr. Matthew

1904 Bishop Haid confirmed twenty-two

1906 Fr. William

1908 Fr. Gregory Windschegl

1911 Fr. Leo Kuny

1913 Fr. Celestine Bache

1914 Fr. Mark Cassidy

1915 Fr. Maurus Buckert

1920 Fr. Gerard Rettys

1925 Fr. Herman J. Goines

1934 James Cowan first Diocesan Pastor

1946 Thomas Curran first resident pastor. St. Thomas Hall named for him

1947 St. James designated a parish. Bishop Waters of Raleigh requests a church be built in the city of Concord.

1954 Fire destroys church on Gold Hill Rd.

Bishop Vincent Waters of Raleigh dedicated the new church on Union St. N.

1960 Edward L. Gross

1962 James C O’Brien

1963 Richard Allen

1967 St. Joseph, Kannapolis, became a mission of St. James Catholic Church

1968 Fr. Edward Beatty

1969 Fr. William Pharr

Fr.Joseph Showfety

Fr. Michael J. Begley became the new Bishop of Charlotte

1971 Fr. Francis Connolly

1974 Redemptorists come to St. James and St. Joseph

1974 Fr. George Kelly, C.Ss.R. , Pastor

1978 Bishop Begley dedicated Religious Education Center

1980 Knights of Columbus Council 7450 receives Charter, 01/13/80

1981 Fr. Michael Hopkins, C.Ss.R.

1986 Rectory built

1987 Fr. Eugene Daigle, C.Ss.R.

1987 Daniel Carl, First Deacon

1993 Fr. Daniel Carboy, C.Ss.R., Pastor

1994 Parish Center dedicated by Bishop William C. Curlin

1998 Brother Darrell Cevasco, C.Ss.R., Parish Administrator

1999 Fr. John L. Smyth, C.Ss.R., Pastor

2002 Fr. James Geiger, C.Ss.R., Pastor

2002 Parochial Vicars: Fr. Edward Gray, C.Ss.R. and Fr. Alvaro Riquelme, C.Ss.R. at St. Joseph , Kannapolis, NC

2004 St. James Dedicated 12/04/04 by Bishop Peter Jugis

2005 Brother Christopher Walsh, C.Ss.R., Parish Administrator

2006 Rev. Oscar Rojas, C.Ss.R. and Rev. Dimas Arce, C.Ss.R.

2007 Gill Hall dedicated by Fr. James Geiger, C.Ss.R.

2008 Fr. Joseph Dionne, C.Ss.R., Pastor

2015 Fr. Jerome Chavarria, C.Ss.R., Pastor, 08/2015

2023 Fr. Glenn D Parker, C.Ss.R., Pastor, 08/2023

updated 07/01/2025