St. Jude Catholic Church

Spirituality

broyall — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 21:38:14 +0000

Eucharistic Adoration
Eucharistic Adoration at St. Jude is available following the 7 am Wednesday Mass until 6:15 pm (the time of Benediction). This ministry is very important in the life of the parish, providing not only a place where parishioners may meet with Our Lord, but also a source of grace for all parish activities. Please sign up for a Holy Hour today!

Benediction
Benediction immediately follows Adoration on Wednesdays at 6:15 pm. Benediction, from the Latin for ‘blessing,’ is when those present for Adoration are blessed by Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament at the end of Adoration. Come be blessed by Jesus Himself!

Chaplet of Divine Mercy
The Chaplet of Divine Mercy is prayed immediately before Benediction on Wednesdays at 6:00 pm. The Chaplet of Divine Mercy was given to St. Faustina, a Polish nun in the early 1900′s who experienced visions of Jesus Christ. In the visions, He gave her a prayer, the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, through which He promised to shower great mercy on earth. He also gave her an image of Himself with red and white light coming from His Sacred Heart. This devotion was approved and recommended by Pope John Paul II.

Men’s Prayer Breakfast
From September through May, the men of St. Jude meet on Wednesday mornings during at 6am to share breakfast, discuss spirituality, and pray together before 7am Mass.

Morning Prayer
Morning Prayer is available Monday-Friday at 7:00 am in the Daily Mass Chapel. Those participating use the Shorter Christian Prayer Breviary. Morning Prayer is one of the main hours of the Divine Office (The Liturgy of the Hours) prayed by all clergy and religious around the world and recommended for use by all the faithful.

Rosary Group
The Rosary Group meets at 10:30 am every Saturday to pray the Rosary together. This familiar and popular Catholic prayer is commonly prayed in the form of five decades of Hail Mary’s with Our Father’s and Glory Be’s between them. Each decade is a meditation on an important mystery of Christ’s life from the Gospels. The four sets of mysteries are Joyful (the Annunciation, the Visitation, the Nativity, the Presentation, and the Finding of Jesus in the Temple), Luminous (the Baptism of Jesus, the Wedding Feast at Cana, the Proclamation of the Kingdom, the Transfiguration, and the Institution of the Eucharist), Sorrowful (the Agony in the Garden, the Scourging at the Pillar, the Crowning with Thorns, the Carrying of the Cross, and the Crucifixion), and Glorious (the Resurrection, the Ascension, the Descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Coronation of Mary as Queen of Heaven).

Parish Small Groups

broyall — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 21:37:43 +0000

If you are interested in joining any of the many small groups St. Jude has to offer, please contact Peggy Moran at pastjude@bellsouth.net.

Benton Chapel Group
The Benton Chapel Group meets for Mass at the Benton Chapel (Mary, Queen of Heaven) at 7:30 am the first Sunday of every month.
In addition, the group meets for pot-luck dinner and discussion of various Catholic topics every third Thursday of the month at 6:30.

Dinner Group
The Dinner Group meets once monthly at restaurants around the Shreveport-Bossier area.

Ladies Guild
The largest “small group,” the Ladies Guild is comprised of all ladies of the parish brought together by a common bond of service to St. Jude and its parishioners. The Ladies Guild meets the second Monday of the month at 7 pm in Kilpatrick Hall. Their meeting time is spent in fellowship and planning of their monthly activities. They help provide many ongoing services that might not otherwise be available. For more information, click here.

Middle & the Restless
The Middle & the Restless group gathers to share their faith and the issues and concerns that arise in the daily lives of adults.

Mom’s Group
The Mom’s Group at St. Jude is open to and provides support for anyone responsible for the raising of children.

Movie Group
The St. Jude Movie Group meets every Sunday afternoon throughout the year to watch movies, both Christian and secular.

Parents of Youth
The Parents of Youth small group meets once monthly to discuss the activities of the middle and high school youth group, share ideas and concerns, and advise the youth minister.

Scrap Booking
The St. Jude Scrap Booking Group meets regularly to share scrap booking ideas.

St. Jude Travelers
The St. Jude Travelers travel together to local destinations several times each year.

Theology at the Tavern
Theology at the Tavern meets at the Church to study the Bible and Catholic theology on Friday evenings at 5:30 pm.

Young Adults
St. Jude’s Young Adult group meets frequently for fellowship, food, and fun.

Parish Ministries

broyall — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 21:34:41 +0000

If you are interested in assisting with or learning more about any of the many ministries St. Jude has to offer, please contact Peggy Moran at pastjude@bellsouth.net.

Catechetical Ministries

Bible Study
St. Jude offers several Bible Studies for all parishioners. For more information, click here to see the information on our many parish catechetical offerings.

GIFT
Growing in Faith Together (GIFT) is a religious education program for all grades and meets on Wednesday evenings at 6:15pm. For more information, click here.

Middle School Youth
St. Jude’s Middle School Youth regularly meet for their GIFT classes on Wednesday evenings, as well as various other programs throughout the year, including regular involvement at youth community nights. For more information, click here.

High School Youth
The high school youth group meets twice weekly, at 6pm Mass and following on Sundays, as well as 6pm on Wednesday evenings. For more information on the high school youth group, click here.

RCIA RCIA, the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, is a process for those inquiring about the Catholic faith or considering coming into the Catholic Church. St. Jude also offers RCIC, the Rite of Christian Initiation of Children.

Scripture from Scratch
Scripture from Scratch meets three Sundays each month between the 8:30 and 11:00 am Masses to study the Scriptures and share fellowship.

Whole Community Catechesis
Whole Community Catechesis meets one Sunday each month between the 8:30 and 11:00 am Masses to learn about the teachings of the Catholic faith in a whole community setting.

Liturgical Ministries

Altar Servers
Altar Servers help the priest and deacon at Mass by providing assistance with candles, holy water, preparation of the altar for Communion, and other tasks.

Arts & Environment
The Arts & Environment Ministry provides decoration for the Church and surrounding area according to the norms of the liturgical seasons.

Choir
The St. Jude Choir sings for all weekend Masses. For more information, click here.

Eucharistic Ministry
Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion carry out the very important job of bringing Jesus, truly present in the Most Blessed Sacrament, to the people of the parish, within Mass and in addition to Mass by taking the Eucharist to the sick and homebound.

Lectors
Lectors play an important role in the life of the Church by reading the Word of God for the congregation at Mass.

Liturgy of the Word for Children
St. Jude has among its many ministries the Liturgy of the Word for Children program, allowing those youth who have not yet received First Holy Communion to get more out of the Sunday readings. For more information, click here.

Sacristans
St. Jude sacristans maintain the materials, vestments, and vessels required for Mass.

Ushers
St. Jude ushers keep busy throughout Mass out of service to the community, helping others to find seats, handling the collection baskets, and taking care of many other tasks.

Parish Office Assistance Ministries

Money Counters
The St. Jude Money Counters assist St. Jude parish by counting the money donated each weekend at the Masses.

Office Helpers
St. Jude Office Helpers assist with ancillary tasks around the office, including mail-outs, filing, answering phones, and other jobs that allow the St. Jude staff to operate with greater efficiency.

Parish Life Ministries

St. Jude – Greenfield Preschool
St. Jude – Greenfield combines the excellence in childcare of Greenfield Daycare with the familiarity of St. Jude parish. It provides care for all preschool-aged children Monday-Friday.

Mother’s Day Out
St. Jude’s Mother’s Day Out program allows mothers to take a break while we watch their 12-36 month olds. This service is currently available from 9:30 am – 1:30 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Personal & Community Development Ministries

Bishop William B. Friend Library
The Bishop Friend parish library and those who maintain it are devoted to providing free resources for the growth in the faith of the parishioners of St. Jude. Normal operating hours are:

Monday – 8:30 am – 4:00 pm
Tuesday – 8:30 am – 4:00 pm
Wednesday – 8:30 am – 7:30 pm
Thursday – 8:30 am – 4:00 pm
Friday – 8:30 am – 4:00 pm
Saturday – 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Sunday – 8:00 am – 7:15 pm

Community Dinner
St. Jude Community Dinner offers a chance for all parishioners to gather in Kilpatrick Hall and spend time together at table. Just before GIFT, community dinner is a convenient and inexpensive option for all our families.

Food Pantry
The food pantry is a joint effort between St. Jude, Christ the King, and Mary Queen of Peace parishes to serve those in need in Bossier Parish. It is open from 9 am until 12 noon at Christ the King parish every Tuesday and Thursday.

Garden Group
The St. Jude Gardening Group helps beautify St. Jude with fauna and flora year-round.

Go Green
St. Jude’s ‘Go Green’ group encourages and facilitates environment-friendly activities, such as recycling.

Knights of Columbus
The Knights of Columbus, Bossier Council (4873), meets at 5400 E. Texas St., Bossier City, Louisiana, 71111, and is always interested in new members for social and charitable projects.

Parish Archives
The St. Jude Parish Archive Ministry keeps track of the history of St. Jude parish. By knowing our roots, we hope to better our future.

Mentoring
St. Jude’s mentoring program allows children and teens to receive mentoring from experienced and compassionate adult members of St. Jude.

Tutoring
St. Jude’s free tutoring program can help people of all ages in their studies.

Wellness Ministry
The St. Jude Wellness Ministry seeks the better health of mind and body for all St. Jude parishioners, providing frequent health-screenings, dance classes, and other opportunities for personal enrichment.

Souper Saturday
Souper Saturday is a group at St. Jude which acts in rotation with other churches in the area to provide a free meal each month on Saturdays as a supplement to the Meals on Wheels program.

St. Vincent de Paul
SVdP, or St. Vincent de Paul, is a Catholic charity group providing help for the poor in Bossier Parish. If you are in need, please call them at (318) 865-7807.

Vocations Committee
St. Jude’s Vocations Committee participates with the Diocesan Vocation Director and the Serra Club to pray for and encourage vocations in the Diocese of Shreveport and in the Universal Church.

Mercy Ministries

Angel Food Ministries
Angel Food Ministries-A food ministry with a Servants heart, providing affordable, high quality food to all.

Kairos
St. Jude’s Kairos Prison Ministry visits and leads retreats for those in prison, bringing hope and forgiveness to those most in need.

Pastoral Care
St. Jude’s Pastoral Care group makes visits to the sick, hospitalized, elderly, and homebound, especially to bring the Eucharist to those unable to attend Mass.

Pro-Life Ministry
St. Jude’s Pro-Life Ministry raises money for the pro-life cause and raises awareness about the alternatives to abortion.

Retreat Team
The retreat team is responsible for organizing and facilitating several retreats each year.

Transportation
St. Jude’s transportation ministry provides rides to weekend Masses for those who cannot otherwise attend.

Pastoral Team

broyall — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 21:11:02 +0000

Fr. Pike Thomas, Pastor

email: pthomas@shreve.net

Fr. LaVerne ‘Pike’ Thomas, first-born of four siblings, saw the world first at Colorado Springs, Colorado (hence his nickname Pike) in “the summer of ’42,” at the beginning of WWII. He grew up all over Louisiana, and spent precious years in Northwest Louisiana 1950-53, which he loved then and still does. Educated mostly in Catholic schools, he graduated from Tulane University in 1964 with honors in history, was in the Navy in Japan as engineering officer, and then spent three years in New York and Chicago in sales. He returned South to New Orleans and became assistant director and director of Tulane Alumni Giving, then to Southern California as VP for Development for Chapman College. His last position before going to Seminary in 1982 was as VP of the national capital fund-raising firm of Brakeley, John Price Jones, where he was responsible for over $40 million in philanthropy.

Fr. Pike entered seminary in 1982 at St. Mary in Baltimore, the “mother-seminary” of the US, and after graduating in 1986 with a Masters in Sacred Theology, was the last priest ordained for the Diocese of Alexandria-Shreveport in 1986, asking to remain in Shreveport when the diocese split one month later. From 1986-93, he was assistant and then pastor of a five-church cluster east of Shreveport, the Communities of the Holy Spirit, headquartered in Minden. He then received a sabbatical to pursue doctoral studies in Liturgy at the University of Notre Dame (Indiana). He is presently working (slowly) on his dissertation. He returned to Shreveport in 1995 and became the third pastor of the newest parish in the Diocese, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, where he remained for ten years, overseeing a period of growth and building in that church. In summer of 2005, he was assigned to St. Jude. Fr. Pike has filled many positions in the Shreveport Diocese, including President of the Presbyteral Council, Vicar for Clergy, Vicar for Evangelization, member of Diocesan Liturgical Commission, professor in the Greco Institute, and Master of Ceremonies for the diocese. He is also active in several local organizations as board member or officer, including Rotary Club of Shreveport, Volunteers of America, Shreveport Symphony, Habitat for Humanity, Northwest Louisiana Free Pharmacy, Sons of the American Revolution, and the Holy Angels Residential Facility. His interests are travel, genealogy, history, classical music, skiing and tennis.

Rev.John Bosco Uwamungu, Parochial Vicar

email:bwamungu@yahoo.com

Rev. Mr. Larry Mills, Deacon

email: lmills@clutchanddrive.ntcmail.net

Deacon Larry Mills was born in 1952 in Houston, TX and his family moved to Shreveport, LA in 1965. He married Lynn at St. Joseph Catholic Church in 1976 and they have two unmarried children. Their son, John, lives in Shreveport and their daughter, Nicole, lives in Dallas.

Deacon Mills attended Louisiana Tech and LSU. In Baton Rouge he helped create the Louisiana State News Radio Network where he worked as Chief Announcer and covered the state capital. In 1982 they moved to College Station, TX where they opened a new business He served as choir director at St. Anthony Parish as well as numerous other ministries, included lector, cantor, EMHC, retreat committee, liturgy committee, prison ministry and other outreach programs. Lynn served as president of the Ladies Altar Society.

In 2002, Deacon Mills entered diaconal formation in the Austin Diocese in conjunction with St. Mary’s Seminary in Houston. His profession brought him back to Shreveport in 2005 where he was ordained for the Diocese of Shreveport in November 2006 and is currently assigned to St. Jude Parish. He assists in liturgy, music, retreat programs, prison ministry. He is also an advocate for the Marriage Tribunal, coordinates the parish RCIA program, and coordinates parish Social Concerns Ministries.

Rev. Mr. Freeman Ligon, Deacon

email: deaconligon@hotmail.com

Deacon Freeman Ligon was born in February, 1959 in Shreveport, LA. Deacon Ligon is deaf, having partial hearing in his right ear only, a condition resulting from his mother contracting German measles during her pregnancy. He and his wife Debora were married in May, 1986 at St. Mary of the Pines. Debora is a special education teacher at Broadmoor Middle Lab School, who loves working with young teens, teaching them the life skills they need. They have two children, sons Andrew and Joseph. Andrew is a graduate of C.E. Byrd High School and recently began attending college at Stephen F. Austin in Nacogdoches, TX. He is majoring in History and minoring in Military Science, and is the recipient of the ROTC scholarship. Joseph is in the seventh grade at St. John Berchmans Catholic School in Shreveport. He is a member of the Science Olympiad team, which last year won the state championship.

Freeman attended Gallaudet University, the only liberal arts college for the deaf, in Washington, D.C. During his time there, he learned American Sign Language (ASL) and acquired an in-depth understanding of Deaf Culture. He received his B.A. in Government in 1982, and is currently attending both Bossier Parish Community College and St. Thomas University. He expects to graduate from BPCC in December, 2009, earning an Associate degree in General Studies with a concentration in AutoCAD (Computer-Aided Drafting), and St. Thomas University in May, 2010, earning a Master’s degree in Pastoral Ministries with a concentration on Deaf Ministry.

When not in school, Deacon Ligon is employed as a mechanical drafter for ACT Industrial Process Service. In 2001, he entered the diaconal formation in the Diocese of Shreveport and was ordained as a deacon for the Dioces of Shreveport on May 7, 2005, along with 17 other men. In addition to being assigned to St. Jude Parish, he is the coordinator for Diocese of Shreveport Deaf Ministry. He assists in liturgy, hospital ministry, prayer service for the Waterford Senior Living Center in Shreveport and is a sacristan.

Mr. John Blank, Parish Administrator

email: johnblankstjude@bellsouth.net

John is responsible for the oversight of accounting and day-to-day operations of St. Jude. He is married to Robin, and they have four children, Jessica, Jenna, Julia, and Connor.

John is originally from NJ, but has been in the Bossier City area off-and-on for the past 25 years. He holds a Master’s degree in Accounting from The University of Phoenix, and a B.S. in Finance from Oklahoma State University. He has over 19 years experience in directing accounting and operations at the senior management level. Such activities have been performed for companies ranging in size from $20 million to $1.5 billion in annual revenue, single and multi-location operations, and public and private in structure. While living in Miami, FL, John served on the Parish Finance Council of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Catholic Church. Additionally, he was the volunteer Controller for that parish’s Catholic School, which included grades Pre-K3 through 8th and an annual operating budget in excess of $1MM.

In his spare time, John coaches his children’s softball and baseball teams, and he likes to engage in outdoor activities.

Mr. Mike Wise, Executive Assistant

email: adminstjude@bellsouth.net

Mike was born in Cincinnati, Ohio on May 27, 1954. He spent his first 10 years as a farm boy in southern Indiana. In 1964, his family moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, which is where he calls home. Elementary school was in Catholic schools where Mike was an Altar Server, sang in the children’s choir and was in the Legion of Mary. Mike graduated in 1972 from Manzano High School and then joined the Air Force. Mike attended Louisiana Tech University from 1979 till 1986, majoring in Bio-Medical Engineering with minors in Chemical and Electrical Engineering. Mike married his lovely wife Anne in September, 1986. In 1987, he was employed by GPC, a Fortune 500 company, where he worked his way up to the upper management level. Mike moved his wife and three children, Stephanie, Robert, and Elisabeth to Anne’s hometown of Shreveport in 2001, where he entered the propane business. After an interesting time as partner in a small business, Mike took the position here at St. Jude.

Mike was a member of the Pastoral Planning Council and is a member of the Basket Ministry, Empowerment Ministry, a LEM, and sings in the adult choir.

Mrs. Peggy Moran, Pastoral Associate

email: pastjude@bellsouth.net

Peggy Moran serves as the Pastoral Associate. Peggy comes to St. Jude from the former Parish of Holy Rosary where she held the positions of Director of Religious Education (DRE) and Youth Minister until its closure in 2004. Originally from Natchitoches, Louisiana, she is married to Chris and they have two beautiful children, a daughter Mallory and son Brad.

Mrs. Marcie Rankins, Director of Spiritual Formation

email: giftstjude@bellsouth.net

Marcelle Rankins serves as DRE. Marcie, as she is known around the High School, came to Saint Jude from Germany where she served as DRE at Saint Michael’s, a military parish in Baumholder. Originally from Minnesota, Marcie is one of twelve children.

Mr. Blake Royall, Director of Youth Ministry

email: youthstjude@bellsouth.net

Blake was born and raised Catholic. He graduated in 2008 with a BA in Catechetics and Theology with a specialization in youth ministry from Franciscan University of Steubenville. His favorite part about the Catholic Faith is the Eucharist. Blake chose a position in youth ministry because, “The youth today are not presented with the truth often enough. [He hopes] to give the truth a little better representation.”

Mr. Jeremy Dixon, Director of Music & Liturgy

email: musicstjude@bellsouth.net

Jeremy was born Sept 29, 1977 in Pickerington OH and in 1983 moved to Charlotte, NC. Music was in his blood early, as he began to teach himself to play the organ on Grandma Dixon’s old Wurlitzer Organ. He started taking piano lessons in the 3rd grade then the saxophone in the 5th and later in the 8th grade switched to the bassoon.

Jeremy graduated from East Carolina University in 2001 with a Bachelor’s of Music in Music Education.

Jeremy’s “Liturgical Life” began in 1989 when he began playing in a contemporary group at St. Gabriel Catholic Church. He remained with this group, named “New Spirit” all the way through college graduation. While in college, he became the Music Director for the Newman Catholic Student Center, preparing music for three masses each week, a position he held for four years. After 14 years with “New Spirit”, he also joined in the parish choir after Steav Congdon was hired as the new Director of Music a man who would grow to be his good friend and mentor. At Steav’s recommendation, Jeremy became a member of the National Association of Pastoral Musicians.

Jeremy married his better half, Shannon, on June 22, 2002. They moved to Louisiana after St. Jude’s national search for a “Director of Liturgy and Music. They have one son, Elijah Thomas, and two dogs, Tucker and Bailey.

Mr. Timothy Christopher Patrick Glennon I, Building/Maintenance Manager

email: maintstjude@bellsouth.net

Tim is responsible for the Building and Maintenance of St. Jude Catholic Church. He is married to Margie and they have four children, Tim II, Kathleen, Sean and Shannon.

Tim spent 17 years in New York City as Northeast Regional Technical Service/Information Technology Manager for Ticketmaster Corp. He moved to Shreveport in 1999 and worked at the Ticketmaster Call Center until it closed in 2000. He then was co-owner of Advanced Concrete Designs LLC in Shreveport until its closure in 2006.

Tim has a passion for both music and golf. So when he’s not cantoring a mass or singing at some local (and not so local) establishment he can be found tearing up the fairways at Querbes Park Golf Course.

Mrs. Rebecca Jamroz, Accounting

email: accountingstjude@bellsouth.net

Rebecca Jamroz, known as Becky to family and friends, was born in Japan in 1957 while her father was serving in the U.S. Army. She grew up in west Shreveport, graduated from St. Vincent’s Academy and attended Northeast Louisiana University and LSU-S. In 1982, she married her high school sweetheart, Mark and together they have two beautiful daughters, Alicia and Amanda. Becky and her family have lived all over the South from Baton Rouge to south Florida, then to Atlanta and Houston before returning to the area and settling on Cypress Lake.

Becky serves in many ministries at St. Jude. She was the facilitator for the Adult bible studies, the originator of the adult retreats, served as Vice President of the Ladies Guild and as Secretary of the Pastoral Planning Council. She is a Lay Eucharistic Minister and a past receiptant of the Diocesan Medal of Honor.

Becky’s interests are reading, hosting parties, working a variety of puzzles (her email address is “puzzlequeen”), motorcycling and traveling to locales around the world with her husband.

Parish History

broyall — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 21:07:13 +0000

A History of Saint Jude Parish in Bossier City, LA and Mary, Queen of Heaven Chapel in Benton, LA

In 1959, Mr. and Mrs. Albert Cascio donated twenty-five acres of land to the Catholic Diocese of Alexandria-Shreveport in North Bossier parish. On June 11, 1964, Bishop Charles Paschal Greco formally erected Saint Jude as a parish church. At that time, Saint Jude was 142 families strong. Reverend Charles Glorioso was appointed pastor. At the founding of the parish, Masses and other liturgical services were held at Rose-Neath Funeral Home through the generosity of Mrs. Nellie Kilpatrick. Our present parish hall is named in her honor.

On the Solemn Feast of our holy patron, Saint Jude, October 28, 1969, the church structure and physical plant were underway, cornerstone was laid on May 20, 1970, and the sanctuary dedicated for worship to the glory of God in 1971. The contemporary church and grounds was designed in accord with the liturgical renewal of the Second Vatican Council. Architects Weiner, Neil, Morgan, o’Neal, and Sutton of Shreveport received the Louisiana Architects Association Award in 1979 in recognition of its unique quality.

On May 6, 1971, Father Charles Glorioso died suddenly after the dedication of the church. His “Last Will and Testament” are on a plaque in the foyer. Pastors Gerald Bordelon, Ronald Hoppe, Philip Michiels, Richard Norsworthy and Rothell Price have guided our church through the years. Our current pastor, Father Pike Thomas, continues the pastoral care of the Saint Jude family, assisted by Deacons Larry Mills and Homer Tucker. The parish now is the second-largest in the Diocese of Shreveport, with almost 1200 families on the rolls. The parish is known for its hospitality and outreach to those in need, and for its celebratory style in worship. Please come and worship with us at our parish church and join in the many opportunities for ministry.

Mary Queen of Heaven Chapel

Catholics in the Benton area were originally served by Holy Trinity Church in Shreveport. In 1939, Christ the King Parish was carved from Holy Trinity to include all of Bossier Civil Parish. Father Morel, assistant priest at Christ the King, began celebrating Mass in the Benton area in 1957 and the lovely, brick chapel with the spectacular vaulted wood ceiling was completed in November of 1958. With the establishment of Saint Jude Parish in 1964, the mission was transferred to the care of this new parish in North Bossier City.

Currently, Mass is held at Mary, Queen of Heaven Chapel on the First Sunday of each month at 7:30 a.m. A popular brunch follows immediately following. Other social and spiritual gatherings are held regularly for those who reside in Benton and surrounding towns.

Biography of St. Jude

broyall — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 21:53:14 +0000

St Jude, Apostle and and Patron of Desperate Causes

Saint Jude, listed eleventh in the list of apostles (Luke 6), is named as a relative of James, probably James known as “the less”. In some sources he is called “Judas not the Iscariot” (Acts 15) and in the lists of Matthew and Mark he appears to be the same as one Thaddeus, so he is sometimes called Jude Thaddeus. The writer of the New Testament Letter of Jude calls himself “brother of James” but scholars today are not so certain as in earlier times that the apologist writer of this letter is the same as St. Jude the Apostle, because the writing is that of an educated Greek with great command of dogma and doctrine.

St. Jude is often paired with the apostle Simon (called in one place “the Zealot”), and in the Western Church their feasts are celebrated together. In the “Passion of Simon & Jude”, a 5th-century hagiographic work, they are paired as early martyrs, having served through many dangerous journeys as evangelists in Egypt, Iran and elsewhere.

From one of the most “obscure” of the apostles (the writer Thomas Hardy even penned a famous novel called Jude the Obscure), St. Jude’s name has become remarkably familiar in the last century. It is not entirely clear how the association was made, but in recent years St. Jude has become known as the “saint of desperate causes”, sometimes dubbed the “saint of impossible causes”. Shrines to him have multiplied around the world as places of healing, and in the Unites States, St. Jude Hospital in Memphis TN has made his name even more famous. Perhaps this remarkable rise in fame reminds us how God “raises up the lowly”. May it be so! Amen.

Parish Mission Statement

broyall — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 21:50:40 +0000

United in the love of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, We commit ourselves as a welcoming Catholic community: To worship God in Word and Eucharist; To learn, live and share our Faith; To serve others; And to reconcile with God and one another.

“Jude, a slave of Jesus Christ and brother of James, to those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept safe for Jesus Christ; may mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance…. But you, beloved, build yourselves up in your most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in the love of God and wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life…. To the One who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you unblemished and exultant, in the presence of his glory, to the only God, our savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord be glory, majesty, power, and authority from ages past, now and ages to come. Amen.”

The Letter of Saint Jude 1: 1-2, 20-21, 24-25