St. Jude

Parish History

St. Jude Parish traces its founding to July 8, 1941, when Fr. John Ording received his canonical appointment to establish it; the first official Sunday Mass was celebrated five days later at Denby High School before 500 people. The cornerstone of the original combination four-room school and church was laid in 1942, and within a decade the parish numbered roughly 2,000 families with 800 students in school. Much of this detail — including the timeline of pastors, buildings, and ministries — comes from the parish's own Golden Jubilee history booklet, posted on the current website.

• 1941 – Fr. John Ording receives appointment; first Mass at Denby HS, July 13, 1941
• 1942 – School opens Sept. 14; first St. Jude Novena, Sept. 2, 1942
• 1947 – Cardinal Edward Mooney blesses the auditorium-church
• 1952 – St. Vincent de Paul conference organized; $250,000 church campaign launched
• 1956 – Lower church used on Easter; bronze bells blessed Sept. 23
• 1957 – Upper church used for First Communions, May 12
• 1982 – Convent converted to Fr. John Ording Parish Center
• 1985 – RCIA begins at the parish
• 1991 – 50th anniversary: 2,164 households, ~5,200 parishioners
• December 18, 2024 – Archdiocese decree merging St. Jude with St. Raymond–Our Lady of Good Counsel, effective Jan. 15, 2025

Architecture of the Church

The present church was designed by architect Arthur DesRosiers in a style the Detroit Historical Society calls a 'late 1950s interpretation of Romanesque' (Detroit Catholic has described it as 'neo-classical'). A statue of St. Jude stands in the niche above the entrance, and the interior is filled with vibrant stained-glass windows featuring Gospel scenes and saints. The bell tower sits a short distance from the nave.

• Architect: Arthur DesRosiers
• Style: Late-1950s Romanesque interpretation / neo-classical
• Statue of St. Jude above the main entrance
• Stained-glass windows depicting the Gospels and saints
• Separate bell tower near the nave

Parish School and Religious Education

St. Jude School opened on September 14, 1942 with 160 pupils in grades 1–8 and was staffed by the Sisters of the Order of St. Dominic (Adrian Dominicans) of Adrian, Michigan, who taught there through much of its history. By 1949 enrollment had grown to about 800. The school has since closed, but faith formation continues through catechism classes for public-school students (begun September 27, 1942) and the parish-based RCIA program (begun 1985).

• 1942 – School opens with 160 students; Adrian Dominican Sisters staff it
• 1949 – Enrollment reaches ~800; new convent opens
• 1985 – RCIA inaugurated for adult initiation
• Ongoing – Catechism classes for public-school youth

Outreach and Charitable Works

Outreach has been part of St. Jude's identity almost from the start. The parish chapter of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul was organized in 1952, an emergency food depot was created in 1990, and the parish's food pantry now distributes donated groceries to roughly 100 people a month — described by Auxiliary Bishop Donald F. Hanchon at the 75th anniversary as 'a lifeline to the poorest of the poor in the community.'

• St. Vincent de Paul conference (1952)
• Emergency food pantry / food depot (1990)
• Meals on Wheels program
• Neighborhood cleanup efforts
• Bereavement support group (1987)
• Funeral luncheon program (1984)

Parish Life and Devotions

St. Jude's devotional life has long revolved around its patron, with a St. Jude novena begun September 2, 1942 that continues in some form today. Annual milestones — like the 70th and 75th anniversaries — are marked with ethnic dinners, picnics, talent shows, choir concerts and a Mass of Thanksgiving, and the parish has honored its many volunteers with an annual Appreciation Party since 1987.

• St. Jude Novena (annual, since 1942)
• Sunday Ministers of Hospitality (since 1990)
• Annual Volunteer Appreciation Party (since 1987)
• 40th, 50th, 70th, 75th anniversary celebrations with ethnic dinners, picnic, dinner-dance, and Mass of Thanksgiving

Mission Statement

Adopted by the Pastoral Council in May 1990, the parish's mission statement continues to guide its identity today: 'We the people of St. Jude Parish celebrate the presence of Christ in every aspect of our daily lives. We are dedicated to the Word of God and find strength and joy in celebrating Eucharist. As parishioners we commit ourselves to share our time and talent and our treasures for the good of our parish family. We are a diverse community and we celebrate our diversity. We pledge ourselves to promote social justice in our cities and neighborhoods. We welcome all people to join us.'