About St. Jude Thaddeus [San Judas Tadeo] · Earlimart, California
St. Jude Thaddeus (San Judas Tadeo) is a bilingual Roman Catholic parish in the small unincorporated community of Earlimart, in the southern San Joaquin Valley of California. It is one of the parishes of the Diocese of Fresno and is currently served by the Misioneros del Sagrado Corazón y de Santa María de Guadalupe (Missionaries of the Sacred Heart and of Saint Mary of Guadalupe), a religious institute from Mexico. Its community life is rooted in Spanish-language devotion, a strong youth ministry, and regular Eucharistic Adoration and confession in both English and Spanish.
- Established
- 1968
- Patron
- St. Jude Thaddeus (San Judas Tadeo)
- Rector
- Rev. José Valdez Romo, M.S.C.
- Diocese
- Diocese of Fresno
Why belong here
St. Jude Thaddeus is a warm, bilingual parish that serves a rural, predominantly Spanish-speaking community in the southern San Joaquin Valley, and it is one of the few Catholic communities within easy reach of Earlimart. It offers a full weekly schedule of Masses in both Spanish and English, a Thursday Holy Hour combining Eucharistic Adoration (5:00–6:00 pm) with confessions (5:00–5:50 pm), regular preparation for Baptism and Marriage in Spanish, and an active youth ministry that the parish itself highlights as central to its future. For anyone moving to Earlimart, Pixley, or nearby farmworker communities, it provides a faithful Catholic home grounded in the Devotion to St. Jude Thaddeus — patron of difficult causes — and in the missionary charism of the Sacred Heart fathers who currently staff it.
Mass times at St. Jude Thaddeus [San Judas Tadeo]
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Thursday 5:00 – 5:50 pm (before the 6:00 pm Spanish Mass)
Adoration times
- Thursday 5:00 – 6:00 pm (Hora Santa / Holy Hour, Spanish)
History of St. Jude Thaddeus Parish
The Catholic community of Earlimart had no church of its own for many years — before 1960, local faithful attended Sunday Mass in a local theatre. The turning point came when Marko Zaninovich donated land for a church. In October 1960, Fathers Owen McMullan and Lawrence McHugh blessed the site, and construction began. The church was completed and dedicated in 1961, and seven years later, in 1968, St. Jude Thaddeus was formally erected as a parish of the Diocese of Fresno. Today the parish is served by the Misioneros del Sagrado Corazón y de Santa María de Guadalupe from Mexico, who have brought new missionary energy, especially to the youth ministry, which the parish itself singles out as central to its future.
- Mass first celebrated locally in a theatre
- Land donated by Marko Zaninovich
- Site blessed and construction begun October 1960 by Frs. McMullan and McHugh
- Church dedicated 1961
- Parish erected 1968 (Diocese of Fresno)
- Currently served by the Misioneros del Sagrado Corazón y de Santa María de Guadalupe
Sacraments
Information on how to receive the sacraments at St. Jude Thaddeus is published on the parish website and reproduced by Mass-time directories.
- Baptism (Spanish): 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month at 10:00 am
- Marriage (Spanish): Saturday at 11:00 am or 1:00 pm; couples must begin preparation at least six months in advance
- Reconciliation (Confession): Thursday 5:00–5:50 pm
- Eucharistic Adoration: Thursday 5:00–6:00 pm
- Anointing of the Sick and other needs: by appointment through the parish office
Parish Staff and Clergy
The parish is currently served by members of the Misioneros del Sagrado Corazón y de Santa María de Guadalupe (Missionaries of the Sacred Heart and of Saint Mary of Guadalupe), a religious congregation based in Mexico. The pastor is Rev. José Valdez Romo, M.S.C., and he is assisted by a parochial vicar, Rev. [first name unclear in the source] Valle Alvarez, M.S.C. The parish office is staffed Tuesday through Friday and can be reached by phone or email for pastoral needs.
- Pastor: Rev. José Valdez Romo, M.S.C.
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Valle Alvarez, M.S.C.
- Served by: Misioneros del Sagrado Corazón y de Santa María de Guadalupe (Mexico)
- Office Hours: Tue–Fri 10:00 am–12:00 pm & 3:00–5:00 pm
Ministries and Community Life
The parish itself emphasizes that its youth ministry is the heart of its present and future life. Bilingual liturgical ministries support the Mass schedule in both Spanish and English, and sacramental-preparation teams coordinate Baptisms, First Communions, Confirmations, and Marriage formation. The parish is rooted in the predominantly Hispanic, rural, working-class community of Earlimart and the surrounding Tulare County farm towns.
- Youth Ministry (highlighted on the parish's own history page as a source of hope)
- Faith Formation and Sacramental Preparation
- Liturgical ministries (bilingual Mass support)
- Marriage preparation team (six-month process)
About the Diocese of Fresno
St. Jude Thaddeus is one of the parishes of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fresno, which covers the inland central and southern San Joaquin Valley and surrounding areas of central California. The parish is listed in the Diocese of Fresno's official 'Succession of Pastors' records and is grouped with other parishes of the Kern Rural Vicariate that serve small farming communities such as Delano, McFarland, Wasco, Shafter, Buttonwillow, and Taft.
- Diocese: Roman Catholic Diocese of Fresno
- Diocese website: https://dioceseoffresno.org
- Parish listed in the Diocese's official Succession of Pastors
- Part of the Kern Rural Vicariate cluster of parishes
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Owen McMullan1960s (founding period)
Co-blessed the site with Fr. Lawrence McHugh and oversaw the start of church construction in October 1960.
- Rev. Lawrence McHugh1960s (founding period)
Co-blessed the building site with Fr. Owen McMullan at the start of construction in October 1960.
- Rev. José Valdez Romo, M.S.C.present
Current pastor; member of the Misioneros del Sagrado Corazón y de Santa María de Guadalupe.
- Rev. [first name unclear] Valle Alvarez, M.S.C.present
Current parochial vicar; also a Missionary of the Sacred Heart.