About St. Jude Shrine Church · Brooklyn, New York
Shrine Church of Saint Jude is a Roman Catholic parish in the Canarsie neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York, and the only Shrine church in the Diocese of Brooklyn dedicated to St. Jude, the patron saint of impossible causes. Founded on June 30, 1961 by Bishop Bryan J. McEntegart to serve the rapidly expanding post-World War II Canarsie community, the parish began life with Masses celebrated in the Canarsie Theater on Avenue L before growing into its present church on Canarsie Road. Today it is a multi-ethnic parish of roughly 1,200 registered families — drawn from the Caribbean, Africa, South America, Southeast Asia, India and Poland, alongside the Irish and Italian families who founded it — served by a thriving devotional life centered on the weekly Novena to St. Jude and daily Eucharistic adoration.
- Established
- 1961
- Patron
- St. Jude (the Apostle, patron saint of impossible / hopeless causes)
- Rector
- Rev. Fr. Ikenna Okagbue
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn
Why belong here
St. Jude Shrine offers a rare combination in Brooklyn: it is the only Shrine church in the Diocese dedicated to St. Jude, with a beautiful marble statue and stained-glass shrine chapel at its devotional heart, plus a robust sacramental and devotional life — daily Mass, daily Eucharistic adoration, a weekly Thursday Novena to St. Jude, and the Rosary and Divine Mercy devotion prayed every morning after Mass. Its roughly 1,200 registered families are genuinely multicultural, with parallel prayer groups in English, Creole (Haitian Charismatic 'Coeur de Jesus'), Spanish (Sto. Nino Devotees), and Filipino traditions, alongside a thriving Youth Ministry, a 50-year-old Rosary Society, the Legends seniors group, a Bereavement Group, the Holy Name Society, RCIA, and the Parish Pastoral and Finance Councils. Add the on-site Our Lady of Trust Catholic Academy and you have a parish where an entire family — from toddlers to seniors, and from new Catholics to lifelong Brooklynites — can plant roots in faith.
Mass times at St. Jude Shrine Church
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Adoration times
- Monday – Friday: 8:45 AM – 6:00 PM (Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament after the 8:10 AM Mass until 7:00 PM)
- Saturday: 9:30 AM – 12:00 PM (Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament after the 8:10 AM Mass until 2:00 PM)
- Sunday: No exposition
Parish History
St. Jude Shrine was founded on June 30, 1961 by Bishop Bryan J. McEntegart to serve the booming post-war population of Canarsie, carved from Holy Family parish with founding pastor Fr. Rosario Pitrone. The first Masses were celebrated just nine days later in the Canarsie Theater on Avenue L. A multi-purpose hall was built in 1962–1963, the parish school opened in 1966, and the present church was constructed between 1987 and 1993 at a cost of about $2.8 million — the year the parish formally took the 'Shrine' designation. Across six pastors and 60+ years the parish has welcomed Irish and Italian founding families alongside waves of Caribbean, African, South American, Southeast Asian, Indian and Polish immigrants.
- Established June 30, 1961 by Bishop Bryan J. McEntegart
- First Masses: July 9, 1961, Canarsie Theater on Avenue L
- Parish incorporated October 31, 1961
- Multi-purpose hall dedicated March 22, 1964
- School opened September 1966 (Sister Frances Marie, O.P., first principal)
- Ground broken for new church: 1987; first Mass Thanksgiving Day 1989; dedicated June 1993
- Parish officially designated 'Shrine' after 1993 dedication
- Designated a Jubilee Church for the Holy Year 2025
Our Pastor and Staff
The parish is led by its sixth pastor, Rev. Fr. Ikenna Okagbue, appointed June 30, 2023, who reopened the St. Jude Gift Shop, deepened liturgical formation, and re-established active Parish Pastoral and Finance Councils. He is assisted by Deacon Mauclair Simon, Music Director Wesner Blanc, Director of Faith Formation Helen Teifer, Office Secretary Bessie Yenko, and Academy Principal Muriel Wilkinson.
- Rev. Fr. Ikenna Okagbue — Pastor (since June 30, 2023)
- Deacon Mauclair Simon
- Mr. Wesner Blanc — Music Director
- Ms. Helen Teifer — Director of Faith Formation ([email protected])
- Mrs. Bessie Yenko — Office Secretary
- Ms. Muriel Wilkinson — Academy Principal
The Church and Shrine Chapel
The present church was dedicated in June 1993. Its centerpiece is a separate Shrine Chapel housing a six-foot multi-colored marble statue of St. Jude, flanked by sixteen vertical stained-glass windows designed to temper the light and focus the eye on the statue in a devotional setting. The Narthex contains a Shrine of Our Blessed Mother between the doors of the church and the adoration chapel, and the parish grounds include a St. Jude Prayer Garden and a Memorial Candle / vigil-lights program where donors may purchase tiles ($250) 'In Memory of,' 'In Honor of,' 'The Intentions of,' or for anniversaries — each name remembered at the weekly St. Jude Novena.
- Six-foot multi-colored marble statue of St. Jude in the Shrine Chapel
- Sixteen vertical stained-glass windows flanking the statue
- Shrine of Our Blessed Mother in the Narthex
- St. Jude Prayer Garden on the parish grounds
- Memorial Candle / Vigil Lights with personalized tiles ($250) feeding the Thursday Novena
Parish Ministries and Prayer Groups
St. Jude Shrine runs a wide and multicultural range of ministries and prayer groups, reflecting the ethnic backgrounds of its 1,200 registered families. Alongside the foundational Ushers' Society (1961) and Rosary Society (1961) are youth, senior, charismatic and devotional groups in English, Haitian Creole, Spanish and Filipino traditions.
- Hospitality / Ushers Society
- Rosary Society (founded 1961)
- Altar Servers
- Lectors (Confirmation and training required)
- Morning Prayer Group (daily Adoration + Rosary + Divine Mercy)
- The Legends (senior citizens)
- Haitian Charismatic Prayer Group 'Coeur de Jesus'
- Sto. Nino Devotees in North America (Filipino)
- Holy Name Society
- Youth Ministry (grades 6–12; monthly Youth Mass)
- Parish Pastoral Council & Finance Council
- Parish Choir (Saturday practice after 5:30 PM Mass)
- Bereavement Group
- Apostleship of Prayer / PWPN
- RCIA
Faith Formation and Religious Education
All school-age children in grades 1–8 are expected to attend formal Religious Education classes yearly. The Religious Education program, under Director of Faith Formation Ms. Helen Teifer, runs alongside the parish's Catholic academy and its RCIA process for adults seeking full initiation.
- Religious Education Program for Grades 1–8 — directed by Ms. Helen Teifer ([email protected])
- RCIA — adult initiation
- Youth Ministry for grades 6–12 (director: Lisa-Mone Lamontagne, [email protected])
- Monthly First-Saturday Youth Mass followed by fellowship in the Narthex
Our Lady of Trust Catholic Academy
The parish school, founded in 1966 with Sister Frances Marie, O.P. as its first principal, was reorganized under the Diocese of Brooklyn's clustering initiative into Our Lady of Trust Catholic Academy, sharing the St. Jude campus with students from Our Lady of Miracles and Holy Family parishes. The academy today is led by Principal Ms. Muriel Wilkinson.
- School founded September 1966 — originally St. Jude School
- First principal: Sister Frances Marie, O.P.
- First lay principal: Mr. Ron Rizzuto (1994)
- Reorganized as Our Lady of Trust Catholic Academy with Our Lady of Miracles and Holy Family parishes
- Current principal: Ms. Muriel Wilkinson
Devotion to St. Jude and Memorials
St. Jude, the Apostle and 'patron saint of impossible / hopeless causes,' is honored at the heart of parish life. The Thursday Novena to St. Jude, begun in 1961 in thanksgiving by founding pastor Fr. Rosario Pitrone and continued unbroken, remains the devotional anchor of the parish. Memorial tiles purchased for $250 and continuously burning vigil lights keep the intentions of donors before the saint — with each inscribed name remembered at every Thursday Novena.
- Weekly Thursday Novena to St. Jude (after 8:10 AM Mass and 7:00 PM)
- Memorial tiles: $250 — 'In Memory of,' 'In Honor of,' 'The Intentions of,' or anniversaries
- Continuously burning vigil lights in the Shrine
- Feast of St. Jude: October 28
Sacraments and Pastoral Care
Sacramental preparation is offered through the parish office, the Faith Formation program, and RCIA. A 24-hour emergency line (718-763-6301) reaches a priest for last rites or a death. Baptism, Marriage and Funeral arrangements are all scheduled through the rectory office.
- Baptism — scheduled via the parish office
- Marriage / Wedding — scheduled via the parish office
- Funeral — scheduled via the parish office (emergency: 718-763-6301)
- Anointing of the Sick / Last Rites — emergency line 718-763-6301
- First Communion & Confirmation preparation via Religious Education
- RCIA for adult initiation
- Memorial Mass Cards on request
Visiting and Getting Involved
New Catholics and visitors are warmly welcomed at every Mass; new parishioners are asked to introduce themselves to a priest after Mass and register at the parish office during the week. The parish stresses that 'active' parishioners are those who are registered, attend Mass regularly and use the weekly donation envelopes — the only way the parish can attest to membership and Catholic practice for sacramental sponsorships and other documents. Office hours are Monday–Friday 9:00 AM–12:00 PM and 1:00–4:00 PM, and Saturday 9:30 AM–12:00 PM.
- Office hours: Mon–Fri 9:00 AM–12:00 PM and 1:00–4:00 PM; Sat 9:30 AM–12:00 PM (closed Sunday)
- Introduce yourself to a priest after Mass and register at the parish office
- Use weekly donation envelopes to establish active membership
- Accessibility: wheelchair-accessible bathroom on site
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Rosario Pitrone1961–1966
Founding pastor; had a special devotion to St. Jude. Oversaw first Masses in the Canarsie Theater, incorporation of the parish, and the building of the multi-purpose hall.
- Fr. Thomas Coyne1966–1981
Second pastor; purchased the convent on Canarsie Road to house the sisters serving the parish. School opened during his tenure.
- Fr. Thomas Anastasio1981–1993
Third pastor; oversaw the parish's Silver Jubilee in 1986, the year Deacon Arthur Cuccia was ordained as the parish's first deacon.
- Rev. Matteo Rizzo1993–2004
Fourth pastor; dedicated the new church and rectory in 1993, the year the parish adopted the name Shrine Church of St. Jude.
- Msgr. John DelendickAugust 2004 – December 2022
Fifth pastor; FDNY chaplain who ministered to first responders of September 11, 2001; shepherded the parish through Super Storm Sandy and COVID-19; led the Generations of Faith upgrades (lighting, accessibility, paving). Retired due to declining health.
- Fr. Jean Delva MoiseJanuary 2023 – June 2023
Six-month temporary administrator; completed the church-floor upgrade funded from the Generations of Faith reserve and parishioner generosity.
- Fr. Ikenna OkagbueJune 30, 2023 – present
Sixth and current pastor. Reopened the St. Jude Gift Shop, deepened liturgical formation, and re-established an active Parish Pastoral Council and Finance Council along with sub-councils and committees.