Catholic Cathedral-Basilica of St. James in Brooklyn is also called "another Cathedral" – to distinguish from the well-known and very popular St. Patrick's Cathedral in Manhattan. Church of Manhattan and long island (which houses the new York boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens) belong to different dioceses, so on long island and acquired its own Cathedral.

St. James looks much more modest than his famous Manhattan "brother". The red-brick building on Jay street, built in the neo-Georgian style looks quite simple. On a small belfry tower with a Golden spire stands a gilded statue of St. James, holding in his hand a staff.

In 1982, the Vatican granted the title of Basilica Cathedral, which means the special role of the Church in Church history. The Cathedral really played an important role in the lives of Catholics of long island. A Church on this site was founded in 1822, the first Catholic on long island, the "mother" of the Brooklyn diocese, the fifth largest in the United States. It happened on the initiative of the laity. "Diocese of immigrants," as it was known then, grew very quickly, as does the city of Brooklyn, who had fled from famine and British oppression of the Irish. About 70 of brooklynites Catholics led by Peter Turner took the decision to build the Church (before they went through the East river in St. Patrick's Cathedral). In the document that has been generated by a group, stated: "first of all, we want our children were brought up in the principles of our Holy religion; we want more convenience in the hearing of the word of God. Actually we want the Church, the priest and the place of burial".

The construction was carried out on donations. Men who have not had the extra money, donated their labor. 60 years after the founding of St. James Cathedral on the territory of Brooklyn was already 45 Catholic churches.

The present Church building was erected in 1902. For the bronze doors opens the space of the Cathedral is much larger than it looks from the outside. The interior is bright and festive. Struck by the impressive altar under a canopy on four marble columns. The Cathedral is proud of its magnificent stained glass Windows depicting scenes from the old Testament. Stained glass window in the center window is devoted to the establishment of the dogma of the immaculate conception of the blessed virgin Mary.

Although St. James is quite spacious, it accommodates 600 people. So in 2013 in the diocese of Brooklyn has another Cathedral – a special act of Pope Benedict XVI turned him in St. Joseph's Church. However, St. James can't lose its value – it was and remains the "mother diocese", beloved by the Church parishioners. About the glorious history of the Cathedral resembles and plaque in memory of the visit of Pope John Paul II in 1979, and a bronze bust of Peter Turner, delivered in the Church cemetery in 1895. The creation of this bust, thousands of children Catholics were collected a penny.