Welcome to the web site of
  St James & St William of York

 in Reading

Welcome to our parish web site. Whether you are moving into the parish, are passing through or are just curious to know more about us, here you will find a wealth of information about a Christian community worshipping God within the tradition of the Roman Catholic Church.

We are a town centre parish comprising two churches:

                                
St James Church, built between 1837-1840 by A.W. Pugin, is one of the oldest churches in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth. Built amid the ruins of Reading Abbey it is today familiar to many locals as the 'church next to the prison'.

St William of York Church, built in 1906, has for many years welcomed students attending Reading University.

Today both churches are the regular place of worship for a large community drawn from a wide variety of nations - fifty four at the last count.

We rejoice in our faith in Jesus Christ believing that He has invited us to be a 'light to the world'. As the pages of this web site indicate, we are striving in all sorts of ways to accept that invitation. I hope that what you read about us will inform and inspire you. Do be assured of a place in our prayers and, if you will, please pray for us.

Find out more about the history of St James Church