One evening during my Freshman year, I was reading either Plato's Republic or Aristotle's Politics and I was amazed that these authors dealt with a similar situation that confronted our culture; i.e. moral decay and corruption. Both of these great thinkers of the past said that there is no political solution for the collapse of society. The problem was spiritual and man's heart needed to turn to God. I then asked myself a question: Who best can reach man's heart?

The answer, I said to myself, is a priest. That one intellectual discovery shocked me and placed me on a journey. My spiritual life began to develop for the first time since the innocence of Catholic grade school. Four years of public high school during the 1970's were no help to a relationship with Jesus Christ.

At college, I was exposed to the treasures of our Catholic Faith, four very committed laymen who began the college, diocesan and religious priests who loved their priesthood, and a small group of classmates who became the best friends of my life. One evening in the early part of my sophomore year, after the evening Rosary, I felt a profound urge to stay in the chapel and pray. Everyone left to go and study or socialize, and I was left alone with Jesus. There were no visions, no voices, but the presence of Jesus was so intimate and awesome. I looked at the Tabernacle and I said, I know that you want something big from me. I don't know what it is. Just tell me and I will do it.

Thirty minutes latter I returned to my room. It just so happened that the next day was a Wednesday. A diocesan priest came on campus on Wednesdays and Sundays for Mass. I was the altar server that morning. At the moment of the consecration when Father elevated the Host, I could feel this tremendous urge that said, you have to do what he is doing. The outpouring of grace was so powerful that it almost caused me to loose my balance as I was kneeling on the side of the altar.

When I left the chapel, there was no doubt in my mind that God wanted me to be a priest. Initially there was fear. Most especially, the fear of more studies. Studies did not come easy to me. It was always a lot of work. Shortly after these experiences, during that same school year, the freshmen were assigned to give a talk on a saint of their choice for All Saint's Day.

During the special activity where each freshman got up and gave their little talk, one girl gave a short talk on the life of St. John Vianney. I had never heard of the Curé of Ars. She spoke about his difficulty with studies and how he persevered to become a great priest and a great saint. When she finished, I said to myself:  If he can do it, so can I. My fears were gone. After graduating college, I went to the seminary. They were years filled with profound happiness and excitement. I was ordained on December 24, 1987, in Rome.

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Fr. James Farfaglia was born on February 20, 1956 to Salvatore and Eleanor Farfaglia, in Stamford, Connecticut.  Father is the oldest of four children.  His sister Donna lives in Phoenix, Arizona, his brother John lives in Saratoga Springs, New York, and his youngest sister Amy, is a member of a religious order .

At the age of five, Sal and Ellie took their young family to the beautiful New England town of Ridgefield, Connecticut.  Ridgefield is where Father James grew up.  He went to St. Mary’s Catholic elementary school, and then graduated from Ridgefield High School in 1974.  He spent all of his Saturdays and summers of his boyhood working along side his Dad at the family restaurant. 

During the tumultuous years of 1968 – 1974, Father developed a deep passion for politics.  Although he loved serving Mass as an altar boy, he never experienced a desire to become a priest.  His mind was set on becoming a lawyer and he wanted to run for public office. 

God’s divine providence led the High-School graduate to a new Catholic College that was just beginning in New Hampshire.  Magdalen College welcomed their first group of students in September, 1974, and it is there where Fr. James met Jim Hickel from Anchorage, Alaska. They were roommates for four years and became life long friends. During his sophomore year at Magdalen College, Father experienced a profound calling which led him to the Catholic priesthood.

Upon graduating college in 1978, Father joined the Legionaries of Christ.  At that time, the Legion of Christ was just beginning to develop in the United States, and Father had many opportunities to help in the growth of the congregation. 

His path to the Roman Catholic priesthood brought him to study in Spain and Rome.  Throughout his years with the Legionaries of Christ, he founded and developed seminaries, schools and a Lay Movement, in Spain, Mexico, Canada, and throughout different parts of the United States.

Once again, divine providence was at work, and God led him to parish life.  He met Bishop Edmond Carmody who was then the Bishop of Tyler, Texas.  Bishop Carmody asked Father to found and build a new parish in Lufkin, Texas.  St. Andrew the Apostle Catholic Church was built in 6 months and the rectory within 3 months. 

When the project was completed, God’s providence was at work again, and Bishop Carmody was transferred to the Corpus Christi diocese.  Although the founding of St. Andrew’s was a very rewarding ministry, through much prayer and discernment, Father decided to follow Bishop Carmody to South Texas.  Bishop Carmody welcomed him with open arms and put him to work with Msgr. Michael Heras.

Both Msgr. Heras and Fr. James became instant friends and have worked very well together.  During his time as parochial vicar of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church, Father assisted Msgr. Heras in the growth and development of the parish, along with the foundation of the ALPHA program, which is now called Real Life.  Father co-founded with Msgr. Heras the Lay Formation Program, and they both took on the exciting, but rather challenging project of co-founding a new parish, St. Helena of the True Cross of Jesus. St. Helena’s was elevated to a parish on March 17, 2004 by Bishop Carmody, where Father James currently serves as the pastor. He is incardinated in the diocese of Corpus Christi, Texas. 

Aside from his duties at St. Helena’s, Father has his own Internet ministry.  In 2002 he developed his own electronic parish and his weekly homily is featured on the diocese of Corpus Christi website.  His homilies have been frequently featured on Catholic Exchange and Spirit Daily.

Father James is a regular contributor to KLUX, the diocese of Corpus Christi radio station, where he has created his own inspirational radio spot called Power for Life.   Father is  the spiritual advisor to Hope House, a home for unwed mothers, a position that he holds close to his pastoral heart.   

As of January 22, 2007, Father James has led, together with his parishioners, a renewed effort to close down the one remaining abortion clinic in the city of Corpus Christi. 

Aside from his demanding duties as a Catholic priest, Father loves movies, he is an avid Three Stooges fan, enjoys swimming and the outdoors, listens to jazz, and he is a passionate cigar aficionado.