June 9, 2006 was the last day of classes at St. James elementary school in Grand Rapids, Michigan. For 120 years, it served the working class Catholic families on the city’s west side. Shrinking enrollment and budget deficits forced the diocese to close the school. For the years 1975 to 1983, first through eighth grades, my twin brother Rob and I attended school there. In June 2006, after the teachers and students had moved out, we visited again for another look at the sunken gymnasium and terrazzo floors and to search for our names in old library books. My own history at the school was confirmed when I found the deliberate cursive “Brian W.” in a biography of baseball player Roberto Clemente.
St. James Catholic Church and school were named for St. James the Greater, brother of John and one of Jesus’ first disciples. He preached Christianity in Spain and upon returning to Jerusalem, was the first apostle to be martyred - beheaded by Herod Agrippa, grandson of King Herod. Many believe that his body was miraculously translated to Compostela in northwest Spain, arriving on an unattended ship. After Jerusalem and Rome, Compostela is the most popular destination for Christian pilgrimages.
