About St. Jude the Apostle · Taunton, Massachusetts
St. Jude the Apostle is a Roman Catholic parish at 249 Whittenton Street in the Whittenton neighborhood of Taunton, Massachusetts, part of the Diocese of Fall River. It was formed in 2007 by merging Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception (founded 1882) and St. Jacques (founded 1904), and in 2013 absorbed Holy Rosary Church, which had been founded by Polish immigrants in 1899/1906. Since June 2019 the parish has been linked with St. Anthony of Lisbon as the Taunton Catholic North collaborative, sharing staff, faith formation, and a collaborative office. Today St. Jude is pastored by Fr. Bill Rodrigues and offers weekend Mass in English, weekday Masses on Mondays and Tuesdays, weekly adoration, and a Saturday free-lunch ministry that has become a signature outreach of the parish.
- Established
- 2007
- Patron
- St. Jude the Apostle
- Rector
- Rev. Fr. Bill Rodrigues
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Fall River
Why belong here
St. Jude welcomes visitors, returning Catholics, and anyone looking for a parish home to encounter Christ in its liturgies and ministries. It is a true melting-pot community, drawing together French-Canadian, Portuguese, Polish, and English-speaking Catholic heritage from Immaculate Conception, St. Jacques, and Holy Rosary. Parishioners can worship at a historic Whittenton church, send their children to a collaborative faith-formation program (Grades 1–9) shared with St. Anthony, and serve neighbors through the Saturday TCN Meal Ministry, which has become a signature outreach.
Mass times at St. Jude the Apostle
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:15–3:45 PM (at St. Jude, per catholicmasstime.org)
Adoration times
- Adoration held in the daily Mass chapel in the basement of the Church (currently used for adoration during the pandemic)
Welcome & About Taunton Catholic North
St. Jude the Apostle is one of two parishes that make up Taunton Catholic North, a collaborative formed in June 2019 (alongside the now-closed St. Mary) under the patronage of St. Anthony of Lisbon. Both parishes sit on the north end of Taunton. The collaborative is led by Pastor Fr. Bill Rodrigues, and a single collaborative office — located at the St. Anthony Parish Center, 126 School Street — handles all parish business from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM, Monday through Friday.
- Collaborative phone: 508-824-3333
- Collaborative email: [email protected]
- Principal language: English; Portuguese and Haitian Creole Masses at St. Anthony
Parish History
St. Jude the Apostle was formed in 2007 by merging two Whittenton parishes — Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception (1882) and St. Jacques (1904) — under Fr. John Perry, following 2005 pastoral planning meetings called by Bishop George W. Coleman. In 2013 Holy Rosary Church — a Polish-American parish founded in 1899 and formally established in 1906 by Bishop William Stang — also joined. The combined heritage of French-Canadian, English-speaking, Portuguese, and Polish Catholics has shaped the parish into a true 'melting pot.' Since 2019 the parish has shared staff, faith formation, and a joint office with St. Anthony of Lisbon as part of Taunton Catholic North.
- Immaculate Conception founded 1882 (school and convent followed)
- St. Jacques founded 1904 — first French-language parish in the Diocese of Fall River
- Merger officially created St. Jude the Apostle at a 10:30 AM Mass on June 24, 2007, ~1,100 families
- Holy Rosary (Polish, est. 1899/1906) joined St. Jude in 2013
- Taunton Catholic North collaborative formed June 2019
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The two parishes share a single Faith Formation Program. Grades 1–6 are coordinated by Jane Santos, and Grades 7–9 are coordinated by Beth Hoye. Classes meet at both the St. Anthony Parish Center and the St. Jude Religious Education Center. The Faith Formation Office is at St. Anthony Parish Center, 126 School Street; office hours are Monday and Thursday, 8:00 AM to noon.
- Faith Formation Office: 508-824-4545 / [email protected]
- Grades 1–6 Director: Jane Santos
- Grades 7–9 Coordinator: Beth Hoye (774-226-9696)
Parish Staff & Clergy
The collaborative is led by Fr. Bill Rodrigues and is served by three permanent deacons (one retired but active) and a small team of parish and faith-formation staff.
- Rev. Fr. Bill Rodrigues — Pastor ([email protected], 508-824-3333 Ext. 1)
- Rev. Deacon José H. Medina — Permanent Deacon
- Rev. Deacon Philip Bedard — Permanent Deacon
- Rev. Deacon José Medeiros — Permanent Deacon (Retired, but active)
- Mrs. Bonny Ferry — Parish Staff (Ext. 4)
- Mrs. Cheryl Cunha — Parish Staff (Ext. 5)
- Mrs. Regina Medina — Parish Staff (Ext. 3)
- Ms. Jane Santos — Faith Formation Coordinator, Grades 1–6
- Ms. Beth Hoye — Faith Formation Coordinator, Grades 7–9
- Mr. Tom Mills — Maintenance Manager
Outreach: TCN Meal Ministry
The parish's signature outreach is the TCN Meal Ministry, which serves a free lunch from St. Jude Hall every Saturday from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM. During the COVID-19 pandemic the program continued as 'Grab-n-Go' only, and volunteers are always needed — anyone interested can call the parish office at 508-824-3333.
- Free lunch served Saturdays 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
- Location: St. Jude Hall (Grab-n-Go format during pandemic)
- Volunteers: call 508-824-3333
Sacraments
Arrangements for Baptism, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick, and RCIA are coordinated through the collaborative parish office. Faith Formation supports children preparing for First Reconciliation and First Eucharist, while adult initiation is handled through the collaborative's faith formation program.
- Baptism — contact the parish office
- Marriage — contact the parish office
- Anointing of the Sick / Communion calls — arranged through the office
- RCIA / Adult Faith Formation — through the Faith Formation Office
Safe Environment
Taunton Catholic North follows the Diocese of Fall River's Safe Environment policies to protect children and vulnerable adults. Anyone wishing to minister, work, or volunteer in the collaborative must complete the diocesan screening and training process.
- Diocesan Office of Safe Environment — required for all volunteers
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Fr. John Perry2006–2007 (formation)
Appointed pastor of Immaculate Conception and St. Jacques in June 2006; led the 2007 merger that created St. Jude the Apostle.
- Rev. Fr. Gerard Hebertpastor (served by ~2016)
Pastor of St. Jude the Apostle as reported by the Diocese of Fall River in 2016.
- Rev. Fr. Bill Rodriguescurrent
Current pastor and head of the Taunton Catholic North collaborative formed in 2019.