About St. Jude · Benton, Louisiana
St. Jude Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Benton, Louisiana, part of the Community of All Saints within the Diocese of Shreveport. Founded in 1964, the parish describes itself as 'A Beacon of Faith, Hope, and Love,' and moved into a newly built sanctuary and adjoining campus on Palmetto Road completed in early 2014. St. Jude offers an English-only Mass schedule of one Saturday Vigil, two Sunday Masses, and Tuesday–Friday daily Mass, with confession on Tuesday evenings and Saturday afternoons, and Eucharistic Adoration on Wednesdays.
- Established
- 1964
- Patron
- St. Jude
- Rector
- Fr. Kevin Mues
- Diocese
- Diocese of Shreveport (Western Deanery)
Why belong here
St. Jude is a family-friendly, English-speaking Catholic parish that worships in a sizable, newly built sanctuary with daily Mass, weekday confession, Saturday afternoon confession, and all-day Wednesday Eucharistic Adoration. Members take ownership of parish life through ministries for every age and interest — ACTS retreats, a Mother's Day Out, a Day School, robust youth and children's programs, a Music Ministry with choirs, cantors, and instrumentalists, plus outreach such as St. Vincent de Paul, the Kairos Prison Ministry, the parish Food Pantry, Habitat for Humanity, Embrace Grace, and an annual Angel Tree — meaning there is genuinely something going on most nights of the week.
Mass times at St. Jude
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday 5:30 pm
- Saturday 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm
Adoration times
- Wednesday 9:00 am – 5:00 pm (with Devotions 5:00 pm – 5:30 pm)
Parish Identity & Patron
St. Jude Catholic Church in Benton, Louisiana, is dedicated to St. Jude, the patron saint traditionally invoked in difficult or seemingly hopeless causes. The parish is one of three that share the 'Community of All Saints' web presence at stjudebossier.org, alongside St. Clement and St. Pius X, and falls within the Western Deanery of the Catholic Diocese of Shreveport. A cast statue of St. Jude marks the circle outside the main church entrance, greeting parishioners and visitors alike.
- Patron: St. Jude
- Feast day: October 28
- Part of the 'Community of All Saints' along with St. Clement and St. Pius X
- Diocese of Shreveport, Western Deanery
History & Growth
Established in 1964 and originally meeting on Viking Drive, St. Jude outgrew its first home and spent roughly eight years planning a new campus. The current sanctuary and adjoining buildings on Palmetto Road were completed in early 2014. The Diocese of Shreveport lists the parish as established in 1964, and the church's own 'Tour of the Church' document records the long process of designing and building the new sanctuary.
- Founded 1964 (per Diocese of Shreveport and parish history)
- Former location: Viking Drive (Bossier City area)
- New sanctuary completed early 2014 after ~8 years of planning
- General contractor: Boggs & Poole
Architecture, Grounds & Facilities
The sanctuary was designed by local architects Prevot & Associates to harmonize old and new. The 15,000 sq. ft. worship space seats 650 and can expand to 900. Other spaces include an 80-foot Hyde Tower bell tower, the John & Rose Miciotto Parish Center (with 27 stained-glass panels, seven classrooms, and a large carved Madonna of the Chair), the Family Life Center that seats 300 (or 500+ informal) and divides into three soundproof rooms, the Montgomery Youth Center, the Nursery, and a commercial-style Ladies Guild kitchen. The grounds include a Mary Garden honoring Deacon Sonny Daigle (d. 2008), a statue of St. Francis of Assisi between the magnolias, a Pro-Life Monument to the Unborn, aerated ponds, and a tall American flag.
- Style: Gothic arches with Romanesque bell tower, Texas limestone, polished concrete
- 80' Hyde Tower bell tower
- Miciotto Center with 27 stained-glass panels
- Family Life Center: 300 seated / 500+ informal, divisible into three soundproof rooms
- c. 1965 Italian crucifix brought from the former Mary Queen of Heaven Chapel
- c. 1970 carved wooden Madonna of the Chair from the former Viking Drive church
Clergy & Staff
Long, Pastor, who signed the introduction to the parish 'Tour of the Church' document. The parish office is open Monday through Thursday 9:00 am – 4:00 pm and Friday 9:00 am – 12:00 pm. Gwen Stuart serves as Director of Music and Liturgy, per a 2018 BeBossier feature on the parish.
- Director of Music and Liturgy: Gwen Stuart
Faith Formation & School
Faith formation runs through the Religious Education program that uses the seven classrooms on the Miciotto Center campus. Children not yet in kindergarten are served by the Pre-School and Mother's Day Out programs housed in the same building. The parish notes that these classrooms were deliberately designed to state specifications 'to provide for our desire to open a St. Jude School at the appropriate time.' St. Jude Day School & MDO is listed among the parish ministries, and Sacramental Preparation and Catechist Registration are featured prominently on the homepage.
- Religious Education
- Sacramental Preparation
- Catechist Registration
- St. Jude Day School & Mother's Day Out (MDO)
Music & Liturgy
Music Ministry at St. Jude is robust: in addition to parish choirs at the morning Masses, the parish maintains cantors, instrumentalists, and the Broken Chains Band. Lay Liturgical Ministries include Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, Lectors, and Altar Servers, with volunteer sign-up forms posted on the parish website. The Arts and Environment Committee cares for the sanctuary décor.
- Morning Mass Choirs
- Cantors
- Instrumentalists
- Broken Chains Band
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- Lectors
- Altar Servers
- Arts and Environment Committee
Outreach & Service
St. Jude maintains a wide charitable footprint in the Bossier/Benton area. Internal ministries include the parish Food Pantry, the St. Vincent de Paul Society, Souper Saturday, Marcie's Feast (Thanksgiving and Easter food baskets), Kairos Prison Ministry, Prison Ministry, the Angel Tree program, and LifeShare Blood Drives. Externally, the parish partners with Habitat for Humanity and runs an Embrace Grace outreach for young, single women facing unplanned pregnancy. Pastoral Care to the Sick and Homebound brings the Eucharist and visits to those unable to attend Mass.
- Food Pantry
- St. Vincent de Paul Society
- Souper Saturday
- Marcie's Feast (Thanksgiving & Easter Food Baskets)
- Kairos Prison Ministry
- Prison Ministry
- Angel Tree
- LifeShare Blood Drive
- Habitat for Humanity partnership
- Embrace Grace
- Pastoral Care to the Sick and Homebound
Community, Fellowship & Organizations
Parish life extends well past Sunday Mass, with groups that build friendship and spiritual support. The St. Jude Ladies Guild (with a Ladies Auxiliary and the commercial-grade Guild kitchen) and the Knights of Columbus council anchor the organizations side, while smaller groups like the Men's Prayer Breakfast, the Ladies Dinner Group, the Morning Prayer Group, the Bereavement Committee, and the Altar Society provide targeted fellowship. Family-friendly events include the annual Krewe of Thaddeus Mardi Gras Celebration, Community Dinner / Family Nights, the Garden Group, and the 12 Days of Christmas celebration, and the parish supports Scouts.
- Knights of Columbus
- Ladies Auxiliary
- St. Jude Ladies Guild
- Altar Society
- Bereavement Committee
- Men's Prayer Breakfast
- Ladies Dinner Group
- Morning Prayer Group
- Community Dinner / Family Night
- Krewe of Thaddeus Mardi Gras Celebration
- 12 Days of Christmas
- Garden Group
- Scouts
Spiritual Life & Retreats
Beyond the regular liturgy, the parish supports deepening spiritual life through A.C.T.S. retreats, parish-sponsored Pilgrimages, weekly Eucharistic Adoration on Wednesdays, and devotions immediately following adoration. The ACTS retreats, in particular, have been highlighted by parish leadership as a key way parishioners — new or long-time — find greater ownership of their faith and of the parish community.
- A.C.T.S. retreats
- Pilgrimages
- Eucharistic Adoration (Wednesday)
- Devotions (Wednesday after adoration)
Plan Your Visit
Visitors are warmly welcomed at St. Jude Catholic Church at 4700 Palmetto Road, Benton, LA 71006. The parish office can be reached at (318) 746-2508 (office hours: Mon–Thu 9:00 am – 4:00 pm, Fri 9:00 am – 12:00 pm). The most up-to-date schedule, ministry sign-ups, and forms (Liturgical, Music, Outreach) are available on stjudebossier.org, and directions to the Benton campus are also published via the Diocese of Shreveport and Catholic directory sites.
- Address: 4700 Palmetto Road, Benton, LA 71006
- Phone: (318) 746-2508
- Office hours: Mon–Thu 9–4; Fri 9–12
- Website: stjudebossier.org