History of St. Jude Catholic Church 
St. Jude Church was named by Bishop Mark K. Carroll in April, 1959. The parishioners selected the name from four proposals given by Bishop Carroll. Other names proposed were St. Cecilia, St. Francis de Sales, and St. Joan of Arc. St. Jude Taddeus is the patron saint for whom we are named and is the saint of difficult cases and of things despaired.
A temporary chapel served our parish until the new church was completed in November, 1959. Fondly called 'St. Zickafoose' after the Zickafoose furniture store in which it was located, this tiny place of worship was just three blocks north on Amidon from where the new church was to be built. This building is still standing and is now occupied by Discount Tobacco.
Father Gerald Pathe was the first pastor of St. Jude and lived in a house on the current property of St. Jude. The parish started with approximately 200 families. By the time the new church was completed just 7 months later, the number of families had grown to 300. The first church was a split-level building, with the church on the upper level and the church hall in the basement. It measured 40 x 101 feet and seated approximately 380 persons.
The school followed two years later. It was opened in September of 1961, just 2 months after the new priest, Father Francis Hay arrived at St. Jude. The school was staffed by the Sisters of St. Joseph at first. They were Followed by the Dominican Sisters in 1969 and the Adorers of the Blood of Christ in 1975. The sisters who came to staff the school moved into the former rectory facility. Father Hay and his assistant moved into a house on 25th Street, thus making St. Jude the only parish with a rectory located outside of its boundaries. This was only a temporary problem, however. In 1963 the new and present rectory was finished. Father Hay requested that the last four numbers of the rectory's phone number be 1963 after the year that the rectory was finished. This number is still used today in the rectory's phone number - 838-1963.
While still at St. Jude, Father Hay led the effort to build the present church. It was architecturally ahead of its time and is still a unique building. The present church was finished in 1967. The old church was turned into a parish hall and activity center, where many parish functions, including Bingo, church bazaars and dinners were held.
Father Reinhard Eck followed Father Hay and served our parish from July, 1969 until July, 1976. Following Father Eck came Father George Kruzick. He was pastor at St. Jude from July 1976 to 1985. While serving as pastor, Father Kruzick helped the parish build on to the school, adding additional classrooms and a gym. Naming this project "A Project of Hope," it was completed in the spring of 1984.
Father Kruzick was replaced by Father Thomas Scaletty in 1985. While at St. Jude, Father Scaletty was in charge of tearing down the original church (which was being used as an activity center) and the old convent to make room for our new building project, "Faith in the Future." This project added additional classrooms, meeting rooms, and a parish hall that connected to the school. It allowed the school children to be able to go to lunch in the same building as the school instead of having to go outside to the activitiy building to have lunch. It also added easier accessibility to our parish hall. This building project was finished in 1994.
Father Scaletty was replaced by our current pastor, Father Doug Campbell, in 1998. Father Doug began his first day in St. Jude church on September 15, 1998. Since his arrival he helped get our beautiful grotto built. Known as Mary's Garden, the grotto was dedicated on May 13, 2001. He also completed a building project known as "Graces" which added an entrance and parish and school offices to the hall. This addition was dedicated on December 29, 2002.
St. Jude presently has 710 families registered and is still growing. To all parishioners and priests whom have served at St. Jude, it is fitting to say, "well done, good and faithful servants." We hope you enjoy your membership at St. Jude and become part of tomorrow's history.
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