Mission:
Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish at Saint James Church Is: Hospitable Open Prayerful Eucharistic Faithful Universal Loving.

In June 1994, Father Edward Correia was assigned to St. James Parish in New Bedford, Massachusetts replacing Father James Greene. Upon arriving in the parish, Fr. Correia in conjunction with the Parish Council, embarked on the task of defining our identity - who is St. James Church?

During the months of July, August, September and October of 1994, the parish council met, prayed and discussed the mission of St. James Parish. In October 1994, the parish council developed the mission statement and had a banner designed to express this mission statement. On Ascension Thursday in May 1995, the banner with the Mission Statement for St. James Church was unveiled in the sanctuary of the Church.

In his preaching, Fr. Correia incorporates the mission statement whenever possible. Also, the various self-study committees kept the mission statement in mind when they met and discussed the various aspects of this parish self-study.at the Brigham Center at 5:15 p.m.