The year was 1917, and the Gentilly area of New Orleans was filling with people.  Catholics in the area traveled several miles over very poor roads to the closest churches (Holy Trinity, St. Vincent de Paul, St. Cecilia, St. Maurice and Our  Lady Star of the Sea) for Mass, sacraments and Catholic education.  Rev. John Primm of Holy Trinity Church was appointed by Archbishop James H. Blenk to be pastor of Gentilly Terrace, Milneburg and adjacent territories.  The Gentilly Terrace Company (land developers Lafaye, Baccich and DeMontluzin) gave the use of a lumber warehouse for Masses.  The building stood in an area bounded by Spain St., Gentilly Rd. (now Gentilly Blvd.), St. Roch Ave. and Lombard St.  This served as the first St. James Chapel.  It was at this time noted that “St. James” was used for another church in the Archdiocese (now in the Baton Rouge diocese) so the people began referring to the Gentilly church as “St. James Major.”
 
By 1919 the chapel was overcrowded and not regularly staffed.  Newly appointed Archbishop John Shaw, D.D., took steps to establish a parish for the 1000 Catholics in the Gentilly area.  Rev. D. Minor Halley Augustino Chauvin  was appointed pastor of the new parish.  Its boundaries were Touro St., Lake Pontchartrain, Florida Walk (now Florida Ave.) and the Rigolets. 
The first St. James Major Parish Mass was celebrated in the temporary chapel February 8, 1920.  Father Chauvin initially lived above a grocery and saloon at 3865 Gentilly Road.  In July of that year a two-story structure was built (4436 St. Roch Ave.) which housed the church, school and priest’s residence.  In this church the first high Mass was celebrated on Thanksgiving Day 1920.