About St. Jude · Ceres, California
St. Jude Parish is a bilingual Catholic community serving the city of Ceres in Stanislaus County, California, as part of the Diocese of Stockton. Located on Mitchell Road, the parish celebrates an extensive schedule of daily, weekend, and evening Masses in both English and Spanish, reflecting its richly multicultural congregation. Its ministries span liturgical service, faith formation for children and adults, music, charity (St. Vincent de Paul and Knights of Columbus), and a parish construction project for expanded religious education space.
- Established
- 1962
- Patron
- St. Jude Thaddeus
- Rector
- Rev. Hamilton Suarez (Parochial Administrator)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Stockton
Why belong here
St. Jude Parish welcomes Catholics from Ceres and the surrounding Stanislaus County communities with one of the most accessible Mass schedules around — daily bilingual Masses, four Sunday English Masses, and multiple Sunday Spanish Masses including a hall Mass at 1:00 pm. The parish runs robust faith formation in both English and Spanish, an OCIA (RCIA) program for adults on Sundays, and outreach through St. Vincent de Paul's food pantry (open Wednesdays). With active choirs, Knights of Columbus, Ladies Guild, Extraordinary Ministers, Lectors, Altar Servers, and the Good Shepherd Ministry, there is a clear place for anyone who wants to worship, learn, or serve.
Mass times at St. Jude
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Thursday: 4:00 pm
- Friday: 5:00 pm
- Saturday: 5:00 pm
Adoration times
- Thursday: 5:00 pm (Hora Santa / Holy Hour)
History of St. Jude Parish
Catholics in the Ceres area pre-date the parish itself: before 1921, local families belonged to St. Stanislaus in Modesto and then to St. Anthony's in Hughson. The Ceres community eventually became a mission of St. Anthony's, celebrating Mass in the American Legion Hall. Bishop Merlin Guilfoyle dedicated St. Jude's first church in 1953, and in 1962 — the very year the Diocese of Stockton was created — the community was formally established as St. Jude Parish. The parish has continued to grow as Ceres has grown, developing into a bilingual community that ministers in both English and Spanish.
- Before 1921: Ceres Catholics served from St. Stanislaus, Modesto
- Mission of St. Anthony's, Hughson; Mass celebrated at American Legion Hall
- 1953: Bishop Merlin Guilfoyle dedicates first church
- 1962: Becomes a parish with the creation of the Diocese of Stockton
Clergy and Parish Staff
St. Jude is currently served by a team of three priests: Rev. Hamilton Suarez as Parochial Administrator, along with Rev. Khoi Pham and Rev. Alvaro Lopez. The parish office is open 10:00 am to noon and 1:00 to 5:00 pm, and can be reached at (209) 537-0516.
- Parochial Administrator: Rev. Hamilton Suarez
- Rev. Khoi Pham
- Rev. Alvaro Lopez
- Parish office hours: 10:00 am–12:00 pm and 1:00–5:00 pm
- Phone: (209) 537-0516
Faith Formation and Religious Education
St. Jude's faith formation program operates fully in English and Spanish, with separate coordinators for each language group. Catechism classes serve parish children, while the OCIA program (the restored Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) welcomes adults preparing for Baptism, Eucharist, and/or Confirmation. Catechists describe their mission as planting 'the seed of faith which represents Christ, who is the same yesterday, today and always.'
- Maria Nevarez — English Coordinator (209-537-7439)
- Rosy Lopez — Assistant Coordinator, English
- Azucena Alvarez — Coordinadora, Español (209-538-8136)
- Sylvia Ochoa — Coordinadora, Español (209-537-3773)
- OCIA classes Sundays at 9:00 am in rooms 3 & 4 of the Parish Hall
- Parish Religious Education construction project approved by Planning Commissioners
Liturgical Ministries
Lay faithful participate in the Mass as Altar Servers, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, and Lectors. A bilingual Spanish-language page on the parish website describes the duties of acolytes, crucifers, and lectors in detail, and the parish invites those with all their sacraments who feel called to serve.
- Altar Servers (acolytes and cross bearers)
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (also take Communion to the sick)
- Lectors
St. Jude Choirs and Music Ministry
The parish music ministry follows the Church's teaching that 'He who sings prays twice.' Drawing on the tradition of sacred music called for by Sacrosanctum Concilium and the USCCB's Sing to the Lord, the choirs support the sung liturgy at Mass and lead the congregation in prayer through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.
- Parish choirs serve the bilingual liturgical schedule
- Guided by Sacrosanctum Concilium and Sing to the Lord (USCCB, 2007)
Outreach: St. Vincent de Paul
The St. Jude conference of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul — the worldwide charity founded in 1833 by Blessed Frédéric Ozanam and six companions in Paris — runs a parish food pantry and seasonal outreach. Donations can be left at the altar box at the front of the church, with 25% of funds raised staying in the diocese for local anti-poverty projects.
- Food pantry open Wednesdays 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm
- Coordinators: Frank Gomes and Mabel Gomes
- Annual Thanksgiving canned food drive (mid-November through mid-December)
- Christmas Giving Tree for children in need
- Donations accepted via the box at the front of the altar
Knights of Columbus
St. Jude hosts a council of the Knights of Columbus, the fraternal Catholic service organization founded in 1882 by Father Michael J. McGivney. The local council joins nearly two million brother Knights worldwide in works of charity, faith formation, and parish service.
- Catholic men's fraternity and service organization
- Local council supports parish and community initiatives
Other Parish Groups
Beyond the major ministries, the parish hosts a Ladies Guild and a Good Shepherd Ministry, giving parishioners additional ways to build community and serve. The parish also runs an OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) program for those seeking to enter the Catholic Church or complete their initiation sacraments.
- Ladies Guild
- Good Shepherd Ministry
- OCIA — Sundays 9:00 am, Parish Hall rooms 3 & 4
Sacraments
The parish celebrates all seven Catholic sacraments. Infant baptisms are scheduled with a limit of ten children per celebration, and families register through the parish office. Older sacraments — Reconciliation, First Holy Eucharist, Confirmation, Marriage, and Anointing of the Sick — are coordinated through the parish office as well. The parish lists dedicated English and Spanish Baptism pages on its site with 2025 dates.
- Baptism (English and Spanish)
- Reconciliation (Confession)
- Holy Eucharist (First Communion)
- Confirmation
- Marriage
- Anointing of the Sick
Visit, Contact, and Construction Updates
The parish office is located at 3824 Mitchell Rd., Ceres, CA 95307, and is open 10:00 am to noon and 1:00 to 5:00 pm. Phone (209) 537-0516 and email [email protected] are the main contact points. The parish is currently working through engineering and permitting for its approved Religious Education construction project.
- Address: 3824 Mitchell Rd., Ceres, CA 95307
- Phone: (209) 537-0516
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours: 10:00 am–12:00 pm and 1:00–5:00 pm
- Religious Education construction project approved by Planning Commissioners