Father James was born to Catholic parents in Tamil Nadu, India. He is the third and youngest child in his family. His parents and brothers still live in India. His brothers are married, and Father James has two nieces and two nephews. Primary and high school education took place at catholic schools. The priests and religious sisters who worked in those schools inspired Father James to become a priest through their witness and support. He entered the seminary in 1999 in the state of Andhra Pradesh, South India, and was ordained in 2009 for the Heralds of Good News (HGN), a missionary society of apostolic life founded in India in 1984 to promote vocations to the priesthood, to train seminarians, and to send missionaries to dioceses throughout the world where there is a need.

After ordination, Father James served as a parochial vicar for one year and then was sent for advanced studies for two years. After completing a master’s degree in philosophy, he taught in his major seminary for four years and served as Dean of philosophy for three years. He was then sent as a missionary to the United States in 2016, where he served as parochial vicar, administrator, and pastor in the Archdiocese of Mobile, AL, and the Diocese of Baton Rouge, LA.