Our History

The Catholic presence in Bartlesville began in the early twentieth century as the city itself was growing. In 1906, St. John Before the Latin Gate was founded by Fr. John Van den Hende, becoming the first Catholic parish in the community. The parish was named in honor of St. John the Evangelist, recalling the ancient Roman church dedicated to the apostle after his miraculous survival from martyrdom outside the Latin Gate.

For decades, St. John served as the spiritual home for Catholics throughout Bartlesville and the surrounding region. As the community continued to grow, so too did the parish. Under the leadership of Fr. John F. Lynch, the parish constructed the current church building in 1961, a beautiful space designed to serve the expanding Catholic population. The church features fifteen stained glass windows created by Gabriel Loire of Chartres, France, including fourteen depicting the Stations of the Cross and a fifteenth portraying the Baptism of Jesus.

By the early 1960s, Bartlesville was expanding rapidly, especially toward the east side of the city. Recognizing the needs of the growing Catholic population, Fr. Lynch envisioned the establishment of a second parish to serve the new neighborhoods. Land was purchased on Douglas Lane, and in 1964 construction began on what was initially planned as St. Jude School.

Shortly before the school opened, Bishop Victor Reed of the Diocese of Oklahoma City and Tulsa announced that the new campus would become St. James Catholic Church and School. The first Mass at St. James was celebrated on August 29, 1965, and the parish was formally dedicated in December 1966.

The parish school was staffed by Ursuline Sisters from Paola, Kansas, who served as teachers and administrators in the early years of the community. Although the school closed in 1969 due to declining enrollment and financial strain, St. James continued to grow as a parish community rooted in faith, service, and fellowship.

Over the following decades, both St. John and St. James developed vibrant parish communities, each contributing to the spiritual and charitable life of Bartlesville. Parishioners have long been active in local service organizations and ministries that support the broader community, reflecting the Catholic call to serve others.

In 2020, an important new chapter began in the history of the Catholic Church in Bartlesville. Very Rev. John M. O’Neill, who had been serving as pastor of St. John, was appointed pastor of both St. John and St. James. This marked the first time a single pastor had been entrusted with shepherding the two parishes together, strengthening collaboration and unity between the communities.

Today, Fr. Leo Morales leads the Catholic faithful of Bartlesville as they continue to live out their mission as one Catholic community with two parish homes. Together, St. John Before the Latin Gate and St. James Catholic Church remain committed to proclaiming the Gospel, celebrating the sacraments, and serving the people of Bartlesville with faith, hope, and charity.

As our community continues to grow, we remain grateful for the generations of faithful parishioners who built these parishes and for the many blessings God has given to our Catholic community in Bartlesville.