About St. Jude · Tequesta, Florida
St. Jude Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Tequesta, Florida, belonging to the Diocese of Palm Beach. The parish describes itself as a family dedicated to nurturing Christ's love among God's people, with a mission to be a prayerful, unified community committed to Jesus Christ and loving service in His name. Founded as a mission church in 1957 and dedicated as St. Jude in 1962, the parish has served the northern Palm Beach County community for over 65 years, offering daily and Sunday Masses, the sacraments, Adoration, faith formation for all ages, and an extensive roster of ministries. Its worship space was rebuilt in the early 1990s to seat roughly 1,200 worshippers and continues to be renewed through ongoing renovations and devotional installations.
- Established
- 1957 (mission), 1962 (parish dedication)
- Patron
- St. Jude (Thaddeus)
- Rector
- Reverend Kevin C. Nelson
- Diocese
- Diocese of Palm Beach
Why belong here
St. Jude offers a full sacramental and devotional life with daily Mass, four Sunday Masses, Saturday Vigil, Saturday reconciliation, monthly First Friday Adoration, and live-streamed Sunday Masses for those at home. The parish runs a robust faith formation program for children through adults — including Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, First Communion, Confirmation small-group discipleship, and the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA). More than two dozen ministries, from the St. Vincent de Paul Society, Food Pantry, Grief Support, and Respect Life to the Knights of Columbus, Council of Catholic Women, Music Ministry, Altar Servers, 'That Man Is You,' Women's Emmaus Scripture Study, and an 'Organic' Young Adult Family Ministry, give parishioners of every age and stage meaningful ways to serve.
Mass times at St. Jude
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Every Saturday from 3:00 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. in the Chapel
- By appointment — call the Parish Office at (561) 746-7974
Adoration times
- First Friday Adoration — 7:00 a.m. Friday through 7:00 a.m. Saturday (every month; Adoration Chapel closed from Holy Thursday through Easter Sunday)
About St. Jude Parish
The Catholic Community of St. Jude Parish, Tequesta, is a family dedicated to nurturing Christ's love among God's people. As stewards of God's love, in union with the Universal Catholic Church, the parish endeavors to become a prayerful and unified community deeply committed to Jesus Christ and loving service in His name. Through participation in prayer, the Eucharist and the sacraments, parishioners express their unity in Christ and proclaim His loving message.
History of St. Jude
St. Jude traces its roots to the founding of the Village of Tequesta on June 4, 1957 and the first Mass of the Jupiter Catholic Mission Church at the Civic Center on December 8, 1957. Bishop Coleman Carroll dedicated St. Jude Church on December 16, 1962 on land west of US Highway One that Tequesta had annexed in 1962; the original building seated about 500. After decades of growth and a unanimous parish vote in January 1990 to expand, the parish broke ground on December 1, 1991 and celebrated the first Mass in the new, approximately 1,200-seat church on August 21, 1993, with Bishop J. Keith Symons formally dedicating the church, parish office, and rectory on October 31, 1993.
- 1957 – Village of Tequesta chartered; first mission Mass Dec. 8 at the Civic Center
- 1962 – Ground broken May 27; church dedicated Dec. 16 by Bishop Coleman Carroll
- 1980 – Parish Center dedicated Oct. 26
- 1982 – 25th anniversary celebrated Dec. 8
- 1990 – Parishioners unanimously approve new church and parish office
- 1993 – First Mass in the new church Aug. 21; Bishop Symons dedicates the campus Oct. 31
- 2007 – 50th Jubilee Dec. 8; Bishop Barbarito rededicates renovated church Dec. 9
- 2013 – Bishop Barbarito rededicates the renovated Jubilee Parish Center Oct. 26
- 2022 – Bishop Barbarito blesses new front-lawn crucifix Jan. 24
- 2024 – Playground installed Mar. 1; stained glass chapel doors May 3; new marble St. Jude statue May 13; 14 Stations of the Cross plaques June 29
- 2025 – Life-size statue of Saint Carlo Acutis erected in front of the Parish Center Oct. 20
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The parish's Faith Formation office, led by Deacon Les Loh and Julie Barrientos (Director of Religious Education, Youth and Family Life), serves children and adults. Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is offered at Levels 1 (ages 3–6) and 2 (ages 6–9) on Sundays and Wednesdays, and conventional classroom instruction is available for 2nd through 5th grades on Sundays. Middle-school students (6th–7th grade) meet in small-group discipleship, and Confirmation preparation runs as a two-year small-group program for 8th and 9th graders on Sunday mornings from 8:45 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Sacramental-year tuition donations are $150 per child ($50 per child when not in a sacramental prep year).
- Catechesis of the Good Shepherd – Level 1 (ages 3–6) and Level 2 (ages 6–9)
- 2nd Grade First Communion (Sacramental Year)
- 3rd–5th Grade Conventional Classroom Instruction (Sundays)
- 6th–7th Grade Small Group Discipleship
- 8th & 9th Grade Small Group Confirmation Formation (Sundays 8:45 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.)
- Confirmation Ceremony 2026: March 7, 2026
- Confirmation Ceremony 2027: March 6, 2027 at 10:30 a.m.
- Contact: Julie Barrientos, (561) 743-6125, [email protected]
Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA)
OCIA (formerly RCIA) provides a structured inquiry for adults considering the Catholic faith, for those baptized in another Christian tradition, and for baptized Catholics who have not yet received First Communion and/or Confirmation. Regular gatherings are held most Wednesday evenings from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in the St. Jude Parish Center, and full sacramental initiation is customarily celebrated at the Easter Vigil. Inquiries can be directed to Julie Barrientos at [email protected] or (561) 743-6125.
- Open to unbaptized adults, those baptized in another faith, and baptized Catholics needing sacraments
- Wednesday evenings 7:00 – 8:00 p.m., St. Jude Parish Center
- Sacramental initiation celebrated at the Easter Vigil
Adult Faith & Scripture Study
Beyond OCIA, St. Jude offers ongoing adult formation opportunities including the Women's Emmaus Scripture Study, the men's program 'That Man Is You,' and retreats at the Our Lady of Florida Spiritual Center for both men and women.
- Women's Emmaus Scripture Study
- That Man Is You (men's program)
- Our Lady of Florida Spiritual Center Annual Men's and Women's Retreats
Parish Staff & Clergy
St. Jude is served by a pastor, a priest assistant, three deacons, and a parish staff that handles music, faith formation, reception, sacristy, facilities, and bookkeeping.
- Rev. Kevin C. Nelson – Pastor
- Rev. Gabriel Ghanoum – Priest Assistant
- Deacon Bob Rodriguez
- Deacon Augustine DiFiore
- Deacon Les Loh – Pastoral Associate; Religious Education Grades K-7 ([email protected], (561) 746-1890)
- Julie Barrientos – Faith Formation Coordinator & Bulletin Editor ([email protected], (561) 743-6125)
- Nicholas Christodoulidis – Director of Music Ministry ([email protected], ext. 223)
- Michelle Maurno – Receptionist
- Adele Colozzo – Sacristan
- Patricia Snell – Receptionist ([email protected])
- Barbara Bzura, RN – Coordinator of Grief Ministry ([email protected], 772-359-8369)
- Ramon Velutini – Bookkeeper ([email protected], ext. 224)
- George Billey – Facilities Staff
- Iutita Forgony – Facilities Staff
Liturgical Ministries
Liturgical ministries assist at the altar, proclaim the Word, distribute Holy Communion, and help the parish worship with reverence and beauty. The Music Ministry serves at all weekend Masses under Director Nicholas Christodoulidis, and a Ministry Scheduler coordinates Lectors and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (EMHCs).
- Altar Servers
- Music Ministry (Nicholas Christodoulidis, ext. 223)
- Ushers (Albert Moreschi, Lead Usher)
- Lectors (Tim Nichols and Todd Hoffman, Ministry Leaders)
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (Liz Schauer; Jill Harrigan, Schedule Coordinator)
- Easter and Christmas Flower Ministry
Parish Life & Community Ministries
St. Jude's parish-life ministries foster fellowship, formation, and family life for every age and stage, from Catholic Tots and Little Flowers through youth ministry, young-adult families, men's and women's groups, and senior fellowship.
- St. Jude Youth Ministry / Youth Activities
- 'Organic' Young Adult Family Ministry
- Catholic Tots
- Little Flowers
- Council of Catholic Women
- Men for Jesus
- Knights of Columbus – 3rd Degree Council and 4th Degree Assembly
- St. Jude Guardians of Hope – 'St. Jude's Dudes'
- Library & Café
Outreach, Charity & Pastoral Care
Outreach ministries bring the parish's faith into the wider Tequesta and northern Palm Beach County community through direct service to those in need, respect for life, and care for the sick, homebound, and bereaved.
- St. Vincent de Paul Society
- Food Pantry
- Respect Life
- Health & Wellness Ministry
- Homebound Companionship Ministry
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion – To The Sick or Homebound
- Funerals
- Grief Support (Barbara Bzura, RN, 772-359-8369)
- Rosary Makers
- Sewing Ministry
Prayer & Devotional Life
In addition to daily Mass, Saturday reconciliation, and monthly First Friday Adoration, the Prayer Ministries and the Adoration Chapel sustain ongoing devotion. New devotional installations in 2024–2025 — the marble St. Jude statue, stained glass Chapel doors, Stations of the Cross, and the life-size statue of Saint Carlo Acutis — reflect a continuing effort to enrich the parish's devotional life.
- First Friday Adoration (monthly, 24 hours)
- Prayer Ministries
- Adoration Chapel
- Marble statue of St. Jude (installed 2024)
- Statue of Saint Carlo Acutis (installed 2025)
- 14 Stations of the Cross around the courtyard (installed 2024)
Contact & Visiting
St. Jude is located on US Highway One in Tequesta, just north of Jupiter in northern Palm Beach County. The Parish Office is open Monday 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. and Tuesday through Friday 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. (closed noon to 1:00 p.m.). The main phone line is (561) 746-7974, with a fax line at (561) 743-6127 and general email at [email protected].
- Address: 204 N US Highway One, Tequesta, FL 33469-3726
- Mailing: P.O. Box 3726, Tequesta, FL 33469
- Phone: (561) 746-7974 • Fax: (561) 743-6127
- Email: [email protected]
- Office Hours: Mon 1–4 p.m.; Tue–Fri 9 a.m.–4 p.m. (closed noon–1 p.m.)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Thomas VengayilPastor at the dedication of the new church, August 21, 1993
Celebrated the first Mass in the new church in 1993.