Saint Jude Catholic Church stands at 2130 Pemberton Drive in Fort Wayne's established Lakeside neighborhood on the city's near north side. The parish has been an anchor in Lakeside since 1929, known for a Catholic school, a full sacramental life, and a perpetual Eucharistic adoration chapel that has welcomed quiet prayer around the clock for more than four decades. Father Emmanuel Abuh serves as pastor, and Father Johnathon Hickey serves as associate pastor. First-time visitors are welcome at Mass, and everyone may enter the adoration chapel for prayer in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament.
An Anchor in Lakeside Since 1929
The need for St. Jude arose in 1925 through 1927 among Catholic residents of Lakeside and Kensington Addition. Those families felt the distance from the Cathedral and Saint Mary made another church and parochial school necessary. Bishop John Francis Noll authorized the new parish. On May 7, 1926, the Diocese purchased five acres for the church and other parish buildings, creating what became Parish Square between State Boulevard, Randallia Drive, Forest Avenue and Pemberton Drive. An additional five acres to the west and south were purchased with hopes that resale would help finance construction, but the Great Depression delayed the sales.
One proposed neighborhood name, Sharon Terrace, was selected. It referred to the Rose of Sharon and to the scriptural image of Christ as the flower of humanity. Father Thomas M. Conroy directed the building program. Bishop Noll dedicated a school and chapel in the lower southwest wing on March 3, 1929. The Sisters of Providence opened the school the next day to 105 children in the first four grades. The parish was formally established on April 12, and the Rev. John A. Dapp became its first pastor. The first Mass was celebrated in the chapel on April 21. By September, the school had eight grades and 293 pupils.
By 1935, the 260-seat chapel no longer fit the growing parish. A second church was built in a Spanish architectural style that matched the school and seated 750 people; Bishop Noll dedicated it on November 28, 1935. A larger construction era began in 1965 after another period of growth. The resulting church placed a prominent altar made of Minnesota Red Granite at the center of worship, and the farthest pew was set only 60 feet from the sanctuary so the whole assembly could gather around the altar. Bishop Leo A. Pursley dedicated the church on June 4, 1967, and the former church was remodeled into school classrooms.
Today the parish complex includes the sanctuary, school, parish center, meeting rooms, gymnasium and buildings around the Pemberton Drive campus. The former convent was adapted for more effective parish and school use. Over time, capital work has added an administration wing and addressed air-conditioning, organ rehabilitation, roofs, windows, restroom accessibility and asphalt at the parking lot and playground. St. Jude is an urban parish in which many families remain with the church across generations. Its work combines worship, education, care for people in need and a tradition of prayer that continues around the clock.
Mass and Reconciliation on Pemberton Drive
All principal worship takes place at Saint Jude Church, 2130 Pemberton Drive. The weekly pattern includes:
- Saturday vigil: 5:00 p.m.
- Sunday: 7:00 a.m., 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.
- Monday: 7:00 a.m.
- Tuesday through Friday: 8:00 a.m.
- Tuesday and Thursday: 6:00 p.m.
- Wednesday: 5:00 p.m.
- Saturday morning: 8:15 a.m.
Confession is offered Monday after the 7:00 a.m. Mass until everyone has gone, Tuesday and Thursday from 5:00 to 5:45 p.m., Wednesday from 4:15 to 4:45 p.m., and Saturday from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. and 3:45 to 4:30 p.m. Appointments are also available.
St. Jude celebrates the Roman Catholic Mass, with Scripture, Eucharist and the liturgical calendar at its center. Worship follows the three-year Lectionary cycle. Music Ministries includes a director, cantors, choirs and other musicians, while sacred music at the parish includes psalms, Eucharistic hymns, hymns of praise and traditional sacred songs drawn from GATHER Third Edition. The parish's worship is centered on the proclaimed Word, the altar and sacred music.
Children may serve as altar servers beginning in grade 5, and the yearlong training includes preparation for assisting the priest at Sunday Mass and weekday Masses. Hospitality ministers welcome people at the doors, take up the collection and distribute parish information. Childcare is provided for various parish activities. The church and school occupy Parish Square, which includes a parking lot and playground. The parish office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to noon and from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.
A Chapel Open Every Hour
St. Jude's Perpetual Adoration Chapel has been open 24 hours a day, seven days a week since October 28, 1985, the Feast of Saint Jude. The entrance is on the north side of the Parish Office building. The chapel provides a quiet place for prayer in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, and the Perpetual Adoration Chapel is open to all who wish to spend time there.
The Perpetual Adoration Society shares responsibility for keeping the chapel covered, with at least two adorers present at every hour of the day and night. The renewed chapel was blessed by Bishop Kevin Rhoades. Its continued availability makes quiet prayer one of the clearest ministries of the parish and gives the school's families, parishioners and visitors a place to pause throughout the day.
The School at the Heart of St. Jude
St. Jude School opened in 1929 and remains the parish's educational anchor. It educates preschool students through grade 8. Enrollment reached 964 children in the 1963-64 school year. The Sisters of Providence served the parish for 44 years, and the Sisters of Notre Dame arrived in 1973. The school was named a Blue Ribbon School in 2006 based on academic excellence, and later construction added a dedicated administration wing overlooking the parking lot. Principal Mike Obergfell leads the school together with the parish's religious education program.
Religious education classes meet on Tuesday evenings during the school year, beginning with the 6:00 p.m. Mass and dismissing at 7:45 p.m. at the school. Classes for kindergarten through grade 7 begin with a family Mass, while eighth-grade classes prepare for Confirmation. Director of Religious Education Amy Parker oversees the program, financial assistance is available, and the parish provides support for children with special needs in learning and reception of the sacraments.
Sacramental formation follows a steady sequence. Preparation for First Eucharist begins in second grade through the school and religious education program, with at least two years of formation, a Rite of Enrollment, parent sessions and a retreat day before First Communion. First Reconciliation preparation also begins in second grade and includes two parent classes, making it a family celebration. Confirmation preparation spans seventh and eighth grades, includes two parent meetings and a retreat for candidates and sponsors, and requires at least two years of religious education.
Baptism preparation meetings are held on the third Monday of each month at 7:00 p.m. in the parish center. Parents are encouraged to attend before the birth of a child, and baptisms are usually scheduled on Sundays at 12:15 p.m. Older students and adults preparing for Baptism or Confirmation are included in the parish's adult initiation process.
Young and Adult Disciples in the Parish
Youth Ministry for Grades 6 Through 12
St. Jude Youth Ministry follows the National Conference of Catholic Bishops' model of comprehensive youth ministry. It works with adult volunteers to draw young people into the life of Christ through personal and spiritual growth. Separate groups serve middle-school students in grades 6 through 8 and high-school students in grades 9 through 12. Catechesis, prayer, community building and service are all part of its approach. The ministry also forms youth as leaders through training and guidance. Its defining commitments are a Christ-centered approach, a life flowing from the Eucharist, service to people in need, and an environment of belonging.
Adult Education and Men's Groups
Adult education sessions are offered each year on varied aspects of Catholicism, with topics selected according to the needs of the parish. Two longstanding men's gatherings provide regular formation. The first Saturday prayer breakfast follows the 8:15 a.m. Mass at Hall's restaurants and includes the pastor's prayer intentions, shared prayer, scripture and a meal. The men's Bible study meets from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. on the second and fourth Mondays of each month in the north reconciliation room. It combines Scripture reading, fellowship and prayer, including daily prayer for the parish's priests, the parish and one another.
Women's Bible Study and Rekindling Faith
The women's Bible study meets on Mondays from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. during the school year in the Parish Hall. Scripture, prayer and fellowship shape the sessions, and childcare is provided. Rekindle the Fire, a separate women's group, meets at 7:00 p.m. on the third Monday of each month in the Parish Center. Its focus is renewing a personal commitment to Christ and continuing that commitment through the different stages of adult initiation and return to active parish life.
Becoming Catholic
The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults is the standard process for initiating adults and children into the Roman Catholic Church. It welcomes people who have not been baptized, baptized Catholics of another Christian tradition, and baptized Catholics who have not been catechized. A sponsor accompanies each catechumen or candidate through the journey. The process moves through inquiry, the Rite of Initiation, catechumenate, election and the Sacraments of Initiation at the Easter Vigil, followed by a period of reflection and celebration called mystagogy. Laura LaMaster directs the program.
Remembering Church offers weekly sessions for inactive Catholics considering a return to active participation. Its small groups explore questions of faith and church teaching from an adult perspective, with sessions designed around the questions and circumstances of those attending. Shared Faith Communities also gather around Sunday Scripture to deepen prayer and sacramental life. The Rosary Society includes women of the parish in prayer, service and fellowship, including work connected to church care, parish receptions, events and funerals.
Care for the Sick, the Grieving and the Needy
Ministering to Those Who Cannot Come to Church
Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion distribute the Body and Blood of Christ at Mass and bring Communion to people who are homebound or living in hospitals and nursing homes. The ministry is open to high-school juniors and older adults, with annual training and a day of reflection. Parish Eucharistic ministers bring Sunday Communion to sick and homebound parishioners, and a priest visits them monthly. The parish also provides transportation for anyone who needs it for Saturday evening or Sunday morning Mass and other parish functions.
Saint Vincent de Paul and Social Action
Saint Vincent de Paul Society members help people in the area with confidential financial assistance and budgeting. They also deliver holiday food baskets and visit people in hospitals, nursing homes and private homes. The society meets on the second and fourth Mondays of each month. Social Action reaches beyond those direct services by contacting newcomers, comforting the grieving and assisting people through the parish tithe. The committee organizes hands-on service projects, blood donations and education on social justice, often with speakers from local social service agencies.
The Giving Tree and Other Practical Support
The Giving Tree began in 1992 and has continued providing Christmas gifts to families in need. It also includes gifts for people in nursing homes and assisted-living facilities and for those confined at home. The Gift of Warmth assists with utility expenses, while gas and grocery cards are distributed throughout the year. Funeral dinners are another important expression of care: volunteers meet with grieving families to select readings and music, then serve lunch after the funeral liturgy.
Grief Support and Care for the Community
Grief support is offered in the name of Jesus for people dealing with the loss of a loved one. Participants draw strength from God, one another, prayer, reflection and discussion. The gathering is not professional counseling; it is a community of grieving people who accompany one another in the promise of God's love. AA and Alanon recovery meetings also take place at the parish.
The Respect Life Committee focuses attention on the unborn, people with disabilities and the elderly. A Vocation Committee develops programs that help identify and support priests and religious brothers and sisters from among the faithful. Together, these ministries extend the parish's concern for human life beyond its own worship and formation activities.
Scripture, Sacraments and the Music of Worship
The Nicene Faith of St. Jude
St. Jude professes the Nicene Creed: one God the Father, maker of all things; Jesus Christ, incarnate from the Virgin Mary, crucified, risen and ascended; the Holy Spirit, giver of life; one holy, catholic and apostolic Church; one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins; and the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. The parish mission names Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, the Word and the Eucharist as the foundations of its communal life.
Marriage, Healing and Preparation
Marriage preparation requires at least six months of planning. The process includes meetings with a priest and an assigned married couple, a daylong diocesan workshop and planning with the priest and parish music director. The Anointing of the Sick is offered to Catholics who are seriously ill or weakened by age, and communal anointing services take place four times each year.
Funeral Rites and the Order of Christian Funerals
The Order of Christian Funerals has three principal parts: the Vigil for the Deceased, the Funeral Mass or Funeral Liturgy outside Mass, and the Rite of Committal. The Vigil may take place at the funeral home or in the parish church. The Funeral Mass is celebrated in the church, and the Committal Rite is normally celebrated at the grave or tomb. Gathering in the church before the Funeral Mass gives family and friends time to console one another, say goodbye and enter into the spirit of prayer.
Cremation is permitted as long as the Church's teaching on the resurrection of the body is upheld. The Church prefers that the body be present for the Funeral Liturgy and cremated following the Final Commendation, although a serious reason can allow the Funeral Liturgy to be celebrated with cremated remains. Funeral rites may also be celebrated for children whose parents intended them to be baptized but who died before Baptism. A person who has separated from the faith remains entitled to the Church's prayers and usual funeral rites. Laypeople may participate as readers, musicians, ushers, pallbearers and special ministers of the Eucharist.
Funeral music includes psalms and sacred hymns from GATHER Third Edition, with seasonal choices that reflect the Catholic liturgical year. During Lent, hymns marked with an asterisk are not sung because the alleluia is not sung until Easter. The funeral ministry combines the church's proclamation of Christian hope with the practical care provided by parishioners for grieving families.
Saint Jude for Hopeless and Desperate Causes
Saint Jude Thaddeus is the patron of hopeless and desperate causes, and his feast day is October 28. Scripture describes Jude as a relative of Jesus and the brother of James the Less, while the name Judas is used to distinguish him from Judas Iscariot. St. Jude's identity also explains the parish name and the long-standing devotion to its patron.
The parish prayer asks the saint to intercede for people in sorrow and trial and to help them see God's plan for salvation. Its hymn calls him a comforter in sadness and a source of help in weakness: 'Help of the hopeless, intercede for us. Strength in our weakness, intercede for us.' This emphasis on perseverance in difficult circumstances is part of the reason Saint Jude remains a familiar figure to a parish that has endured changing eras in Fort Wayne.
Stewardship, Service and Parish Fellowship
St. Jude calls itself a stewardship parish. Its approach encourages intentional and proportional gifts of time, talent and treasure in service to the parish community. Sacrificial Giving was formally introduced in 1989 after financial strain threatened the parish's ability to meet operating expenses. The model uses the biblical tithe of 10 percent as a guide, with five percent for the church and five percent for other charities. The parish tithe also supports social action and assistance for people in need.
Parishioners can make one-time or recurring gifts through online giving. The parish emphasizes that giving can continue when someone cannot attend a service, and that contributions can be scheduled around a donor's pay period. Volunteers also give time and talent in hospitality, liturgical service, education, youth ministry, transportation, social action and care of the church.
Knights of Columbus Council 16065 meets on the second Monday of each month, beginning with a 6:30 p.m. Rosary and continuing with a 7:00 p.m. meeting in the church basement. The council supports parish projects and provides an eighth-grade scholarship. The annual parish festival, Eaglemania, is designed as a non-profit evening that brings the parish and neighborhood together with food, children's games, a talent show, a teen dance and an adult dance with a beer garden.
These ministries grow out of a long relationship between faith and neighborhood life. The parish's teachers, religious sisters, priests, families and volunteers have helped maintain a school, a worship schedule and a chapel open through every hour of every day. The result is a Catholic community grounded in sacramental worship, education, service and steady prayer.
At the center of Saint Jude is the mission it shares with its people: 'We, the Catholic Church of Saint Jude, called by Jesus Christ, empowered by the Holy Spirit, nourished by Word and Eucharist, commit our time, talent, and treasure to the growth of God's Reign in our world.' The school, adoration chapel, parish life and service of its people all grow from that shared commitment.