St. Jude

About St. Jude Parish

St. Jude Parish is a Catholic community in the Warrendale section of Waltham, Massachusetts, established in 1949 by the Archdiocese of Boston. The parish worships in a Colonial Revival church dedicated in 1952 by Cardinal Richard Cushing and serves a multigenerational, English-speaking congregation with daily Mass, weekly confession, devotions to its patron, and outreach to the deaf community. As Pastor Fr. Shawn Carey noted at the start of the 75th anniversary year, the parish remains a thriving community because of the dedication and support of its parishioners across decades.

History

Founded in 1949, the parish first worshipped at the Willow Street Fire Station before moving to the church basement in July 1951 and finally dedicating the upper church on March 29, 1952. The Colonial Revival building — the first of its style at full length in the Boston Archdiocese — was designed by James C. Flaherty with oversight from diocesan architect Joseph G. McGann. The first pastor, Rev. Edmund J. Haynes, shaped the design but left before completion due to illness; Msgr. Daniel McCabe shepherded the project to its dedication and welcomed the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur in 1965, who opened St. Jude School that September with 79 students. The parish celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2024–2025 with a year of commemorations concluding at an Anniversary Mass on June 1, 2025.

• 1949: Parish established by the Archdiocese of Boston
• First Mass at Willow Street Fire Station
• July 22, 1951: First Mass in the church basement
• March 29, 1952: Upper church dedicated by Cardinal Cushing
• 1965: Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur arrive; St. Jude School opens Sept. 8
• 2025: 75th Anniversary Mass celebrated by Bishop (now Archbishop) Richard Henning

Architecture & Building

St. Jude's is the first 'full-length' Colonial Revival Catholic church in the Archdiocese of Boston. Its classical front — columns and pediment — is paired with a steeple modeled on the Mary and Martha Chapel at the Wayside Inn in Sudbury: a belfry on a rectangular tower capped by a tapering spire. A distinctive symbol of St. Jude — a club surrounded by a wreath — is set into the pediment, recalling the apostle's martyrdom and his promise of immortal intercession.

• Style: Colonial Revival
• Architect: James C. Flaherty
• Builder: Patrick J. O'Leary & Company
• Diocesan oversight: Joseph G. McGann, Director of the Diocesan Building Commission
• Notable feature: St. Jude symbol (club in a wreath) in the pediment

Clergy & Staff

The parish is currently served by Pastor Rev. Shawn P. Carey and Parochial Vicar Rev. Jeremy P. St. Martin. The administrative and faith-formation staff includes Colleen Croatti (Administrative Staff), Anne Marie McDonald (Finance), and Sheila King (Faith Formation). The parish also partners with the Archdiocese of Boston's Deaf Apostolate (Rachael Weber) and hosts a summer seminarian intern (e.g., Michael Marincel in 2025).

• Pastor: Rev. Shawn P. Carey
• Parochial Vicar: Rev. Jeremy P. St. Martin
• Administrative Staff: Ms. Colleen Croatti
• Finance: Ms. Anne Marie McDonald
• Faith Formation: Ms. Sheila King
• Deaf Apostolate liaison: Rachael Weber

Liturgy & Music

Music at St. Jude is coordinated by Bob Hartman, who supports the parish's liturgical celebrations alongside cantors and congregational singing. The parish's livestream and recorded broadcasts (including Masses, funerals, the Lenten play, and Healing Masses) extend the parish's liturgical life beyond the church walls.

• Music Coordinator: Bob Hartman
• Livestream of Mass and parish events via parish website and Twitch

Parish Ministries

St. Jude offers a wide range of parish ministries — from liturgical service (Eucharistic Minister, Lector, Usher, Altar Guild) to outreach (St. Vincent de Paul Society, Bristol Lodge cooking, Mother's Day Layette, Collection for Young Moms) and parish operations (Counters, Building & Maintenance, Parish Finance Committee). The parish frames its ministries with the scriptural image of the vine and branches: as branches bring life to the vine, parishioners' gifts enliven the Body of Christ.

• Liturgical: Eucharistic Minister, Lector, Usher, Altar Guild, Church Decorating
• Outreach: St. Vincent de Paul Society, Bristol Lodge, Mother's Day Layette, Collection for Young Moms, Homebound Ministry
• Operations: Counters, Building & Maintenance Committee, Parish Finance Committee, Social Committee
• Formation: Religious Education (catechists), Support of Fr. Joe Domfe's Africa Mission

Deaf Apostolate & ASL Ministry

St. Jude hosts a ministry of the Archdiocese of Boston's Office of the Deaf Apostolate, with a monthly rosary prayed in ASL before the 10:30 AM Mass on the first Sunday of every month. The parish also welcomes deaf parishioners and visitors into the full sacramental and community life of the church.

• ASL Rosary — first Sunday of the month at 10:00 AM
• Led by the Boston Deaf Catholic Community
• Coordinated by Rachael Weber

Sacraments

St. Jude celebrates the Eucharist daily (Monday, Wednesday–Friday at 9 AM and on weekends), offers the Sacrament of Reconciliation every Saturday afternoon and by appointment, brings Communion to the homebound through its Homebound Ministry, and prepares couples for the Sacrament of Matrimony (with a Wedding Rehearsal Assistance ministry to help on the day before the ceremony). Anointing of the Sick is administered at Healing Masses.

• Eucharist: daily, Sunday, and Vigil Masses
• Reconciliation: Saturdays 2:00–3:30 PM and by appointment
• Anointing of the Sick: at Healing Masses
• Communion to the Homebound
• Marriage preparation and rehearsal assistance
• Mass Cards available through the parish office

Outreach & Charity

St. Jude's outreach flows through the St. Vincent de Paul Society (Thanksgiving meal boxes for parishioners in need), the Bristol Lodge cooking ministry, the Advent Giving Tree (Christmas gifts for local charities), the Mother's Day Layette, and the Collection for Young Moms (gift cards to Catholic Charities and Pro-Life offices). The parish also sustains an international mission partnership with Fr. Joe Domfe, SMA in Africa.

• St. Vincent de Paul Society — Thanksgiving meal boxes
• Bristol Lodge — monthly cooking for local charity
• Advent Giving Tree — Christmas gifts for local charities
• Mother's Day Layette
• Collection for Young Moms — gift cards to Catholic Charities and Pro-Life offices
• Fr. Joe Domfe's Africa Mission (SMA) partnership

St. Jude School & Religious Education

St. Jude School opened on September 8, 1965 with 45 first-graders and 34 second-graders, staffed by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur from their convent at 115 Main Street. Twenty-eight Sisters from the order have taught at the school over the decades, forming a long and fruitful relationship with the parish. Today the school continues as part of parish life, hosting the 1st-Friday 9:00 AM Mass each month, and Religious Education offers catechist opportunities for parishioners who wish to help form the next generation in the faith.

• St. Jude School opened September 8, 1965
• Long-running staffing partnership with the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur
• Faith Formation Director: Ms. Sheila King
• Religious Education — catechist opportunities (one hour per week)

Getting Involved

Parishioners are invited to make St. Jude their spiritual home by registering at the rectory, attending Sunday Mass, and joining one or more of the parish's many ministries. The bulletin regularly publishes volunteer opportunities and contact information for ministry coordinators, and visitors interested in joining the parish are asked to call the parish office.

• Register at the rectory / parish office (781-893-3100)
• Join a ministry — Altar Guild, Lector, Eucharistic Minister, Homebound Ministry, etc.
• Bible Study — Wednesdays at 7 PM
• Music Ministry — contact Music Coordinator Bob Hartman

Contact & Visit

St. Jude Parish is located at 147 Main Street, Waltham, MA 02453-6622, in the Warrendale section of Waltham. The parish office can be reached at 781-893-3100 or [email protected], and the bulletin is available electronically (sign-up via the parish website). All Masses are livestreamed on the parish website and archived on the parish Twitch channel, with selected Masses also available on the parish YouTube channel.

• Address: 147 Main Street, Waltham, MA 02453-6622
• Phone: 781-893-3100
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: https://saintjudewaltham.org/
• Streaming: parish website / Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/stjudeswaltham) / YouTube
• Office Hours (per bulletin): Monday–Friday 9:00 AM–5:00 PM (some bulletins list 9:30 AM–1:30 PM)