The Latest Cathedral News
Season of Faith Pledge Drive- How to Pledge
October 29, 2025
We are three weeks into our Season of Faith at St. James Cathedral, and what a wonderful journey it has been so far! Thank you to everyone who has already made a pledge—your generosity is a sign of the deep faith and commitment that sustain our community.
Our goal this year is $850,000 and 220 pledges, and together we are making great progress. Each gift, no matter the size, moves us closer to that goal and strengthens the mission and ministry of the Cathedral.
Now is the time to make your pledge. This Season of Faith is our opportunity to reflect on God’s blessings in our lives and to respond with gratitude and generosity. Just as those who came before us built this Cathedral in faith, we are called to carry that legacy forward for generations to come.
Ways to Pledge:
- Fill out a pledge card in the pews and place it in the offering plate.
- Pledge online through the Cathedral website.
- Call the Cathedral office at 312-751-3570 and make your pledge by phone.
- Mail your pledge card directly to the Cathedral at 65 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611.
Let us continue this journey together, with hearts open to God’s abundance and trust in what we can accomplish as a community of faith.
- Marcy Backhus, St. James Parishioner and 2026 Annual Pledge Drive Chair
Season of Faith Annual Pledge Drive Week 2
October 22, 2025
We are off to a great start in our Season of Faith! Thank you to everyone who has already begun prayerfully considering your pledge. Your generosity and commitment help us continue the mission and ministry of St. James Cathedral.
I know many of you have questions about stewardship—what it means, why it matters, and how pledges are used. To help, we’ve put together a list of Frequently Asked Questions. You can find the link here: FAQ. We hope it will give you clarity and confidence as you make your pledge.
As a reminder, our goal this year is $850,000 and 220 pledges. This goal is not just about numbers; it represents the resources we need to sustain worship, care for our community, and support the ministries that allow St. James to live out its calling in the heart of Chicago.
Together, we are building on the faith of those who came before us. May we continue to walk this Season of Faith with gratitude, trust, and a spirit of generosity.
- Marcy Backhus, St. James Parishioner and 2026 Annual Pledge Drive Chair
Final Camino Pilgrimage Reflection
October 17, 2025
-The Very Rev. Lisa Hackney-James
I am sending this Dean’s greeting from the Camino de Santiago (the Way of Saint James) and from the city and cathedral of Santiago de Compostela at which a dozen St. James, Chicago parishioners - now pilgrims – have just arrived following over a week of travel together. What makes a trip like this a pilgrimage rather than just an excursion? It is the act of walking in the literal footsteps of faithful people who have gone before us. Together, we have followed the trail blazed across Northern Spain over one thousand years ago by Christian pilgrims who were seeking the blessing and special grace brought by proximity to the remains of James the Apostle, which are believed to lie at the heart of both the town and cathedral that bear his name.
Along the Camino, we have learned of the centuries of the intertwined strands of James's apostolic witness and the political evolution of what has become the modern day nation of Spain. And just as travel can expand our experience and understanding of the world around us, pilgrimage can help us locate ourselves within a much broader and deeper sense of belonging - to one another, and to God. This has certainly been the case as we have walked the footpaths of rolling hills and desolate Meseta, frankly awed by the pilgrims of the Middle Ages who traveled much further with far less support than we have experienced. As we made the difficult climb to the Cruz de Ferro, we joined with millions of pilgrims who have gone before us, carrying a stone that we could place at the foot of the Iron Cross - a monument representing the prayers of all those who walk the pilgrim’s route, and for many, it is a sacred place where our deepest grief and deepest hope can find expression. Rather than feeling far away from our beloved St. James Cathedral and City of Chicago, time and distance seemed to melt away as our prayers were offered.
As our group completed this part of our journey, we experienced a full circle moment when St. James parishioner Dawn Baity met us as we entered the cathedral square.. Dawn, who lives in Madrid now, was raised up in prayer by our cathedral community as she made her pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela over six years ago as she undertook her solo pilgrimage. As I have shared in previous posts, it was Dawn’s curiosity and fearlessness that inspired us to consider making real the connections between St. James Cathedral, Chicago and the living legend of the saint whose name we bear.