Organizations and Committees
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St. Jude Pastoral Council:The St. Jude Pastoral Council serves in an advisory capacity to the Pastor, recommending and suggesting courses of action regarding parish activities, policies and administration. The Council strives to maintain two-way communication between the priests and parishioners on spiritual and physical matters which concern the welfare of our parish. The Council is comprised of the Pastor, the assistant Pastors, Deacons, the Principal of the parish school, representatives of the parish organizations, and eight members of the parish elected bi-annually by the parishioners. In addition, the Pastor can designate up to two members for a one year term. The Council meets every other month from September to May. The eight elected members of the Pastoral Council for the 2005-2006 Council are:
Sean O’Rourke, Chair
Arlene Draize, Vice Chair
Mary McCarthy MacTurk, Secretary
Nancy Mayer-Whittington
Susie Van Giesen
Rose Lawrence
Bob Kammer
Rateb Rabie
Organizations and their representatives that currently serve on the Pastoral Council include:
Holy Name Society-President, Kevin Ferrick
Sodality-Prefect, Carolyn Naughton
Office of Religious Education-Gail Saur and Eileen McKetchnie
St. Vincent de Paul Society-Judi Rowles
Youth Ministry-Gina Swanda
Hispanic Ministry-Mario Moreno, Pedro Esteban
Athletic Association-Ed Ribas
Home and School Association-to be announced
Vocations Committee-Liz Welton
Hospitality Committee-Liz Welton
Social Justice Committee-Judi Rowles
Finance Committee-Vince Arendes
Athletic Association:Evangelization/Adult Education:The SJAA was formed by our founding pastor, Msgr Lauriola, who appointed John O’Hara (deceased) as its first athletic director. The SJAA provides athletic programs for the youth of our parish with teams participating in football, cheerleading, basketball, softball, baseball, track and soccer. The SJAA is highly regarded by the Catholic Youth Organization, and by many coaches and sports officials who have had contact with our teams over the years, as one of the best in the archdiocese. Besides participating in CYO sports, our youth also play in the Montgomery County leagues, as well as in the Rockville Football League. The sports programs have consistently produced winning teams. Many coaches express “dread” at having to play a St. Jude team in any sport! The SJAA is supported through fund raisers, by supplying bar service at the Thaddeus Room rentals and its annual parish collection. Through the SJAA’s leadership and its many volunteers, St. Jude has a great tradition of sports champions since its inception as can be witnessed by the many trophies in the cases in the breezeway of the school and in the basement of the school’s equipment room. The SJAA has progressed under the guidance of its pastors, moderators and athletic directors, namely, Jack Campbell, Bill Maguire and Cal Bowser. In addition, the SJAA has had the distinction of having three of its coaches named to the Hall of Fame of the Catholic Business Network: Jerry Miller, Jack Campbell and Cal Bowser!
The Evangelization/Adult Education program is designed to enrich the spiritual development of the Parish's adult community.Garden Club:This dedicated volunteer group began in 1990 and is comprised of 23 parishioners of all ages. They plant and maintain the 16 garden beds at St. Jude’s, and are assisted by the sixth graders of the St. Jude School. The St. Jude Gardeners have won the “Keep Montgomery County Beautiful” Award each year in which they have participated in the competition.Holy Land Outreach Committee:The Holy Land Outreach Committee was formed several years ago to educate our parish on the conditions of Christians in the Holy Land. The Christians are the “Living Stones” of our Mother Church in Jerusalem. Due to deteriorating conditions in the Holy Land the number of Christians decreases every year, as it is difficult for people to get to work, for the children to attend school and families to attend church. Our parish was partnered with Our Lady Queen of Peace in Birzeit, Palestine, and we support our sister parish by holding Olive Wood sales twice a year during the Christmas season and again at Easter. The local Christians carve the beautiful olive wood artifacts in the Holy Land. Due to the dwindling number of tourists in the Holy Land the local artisans are unable to sell their products at home. HCEF (Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation) imports the olive wood items and asks churches to assist them in selling these beautiful items. Over the years our parishioners have been extraordinarily kind in supporting this endeavor. In addition our parish organizations: the Sodality, Holy Name and the Library Committee have made generous contributions to Our Lady Queen of Peace. In addition a number of our parishioners participate in the Child Sponsorship Program. This program provides $300 a year to assist with the tuition of the child in the local religious school. Continue to pray for peace in land of Jesus’ birth, death, and resurrection and keep these brave people in your daily prayers.
Holy Name Society:
Home and School Association:The St. Jude Holy Name Society has been an important part of the St. Jude’s community since the parish’s founding. For the last 50 years, the society has worked toward two specific goals—“To unite the Catholic men in the parish in a canonically established confraternity for the spiritual and temporal welfare of the individual, his family and his parish” and “To honor God’s Name by Word and Example.” The men of the society have met the first by providing 50 years of fund-raising and volunteer services to the parish. For many years, the men of the Holy Name organized family days, held award dinners and communion breakfasts, raffled automobiles, and recruited ushers for Sunday masses. Today, the men sponsor an annual Parish Crab Feast, operate the Parish Christmas Tree Sale, and host a yearly Valentine’s Dance. The proceeds from these events are donated to projects and programs within the Shrine of St. Jude Parish and to worthy organizations like the Little Sister’s of the Poor and St. Anne’s Infant Home. Holy Name men can also be seen helping out during other parish-sponsored events, such as the Sodality’s social events and service projects. In fact, the Sodality’s 2006 “Sodalist of the Year” Award was given to Holy Name member Frank Carroll, for his dedicated work to the St. Jude Sodality. The willingness of the men of the Holy Name Society to maintain the temporal welfare of the Parish has remained strong at the Shrine of St. Jude. The Holy Name Society has met the second goal by honoring God’s Name through 50 years of devotion. In the early years of the parish, the men attended Nocturnal Adoration devotions at the Shrine of the Sacred Heart in Washington DC. They also instituted annual weekend retreats, initially at the former Manresa Retreat House outside Annapolis and now at the Loyola Retreat House in Faulkner, MD. Although adoration and retreats played or continue to play an important spiritual role, the society’s most lasting tradition of devotion continues to be its presence at mass every second Sunday of the month. Holy Name men join in prayer for mass and then remain to say a rosary for their families, deceased members of the society, and the rest of the families of the Shrine of St. Jude. This simple monthly practice serves as an important reminder of the need to honor God’s Name. The ranks of the society are composed of men of the parish who have differing occupations and interests, but all are united in the desire to continue the tradition established in 1956 to unite parish men in an organization to honor God’s Holy Name by word and example.
An elected board that maintains a close relationship between parents, school faculty and the clergy.Hospitality Committee:International Festival Committee:This committee sponsors a monthly Community Sunday in the Blue Room on the 3rd Sunday of the Month where all parishioners are welcome to attend, mingle and enjoy coffee and doughnuts. New parishioners are called and invited to attend the next Community Sunday upon registering with the parish. Parish organizations set up displays and hand out information about the different activities and projects available at the Shrine of St. Jude.
The International Festival is held periodically at the Shrine of St. Jude to bring together the many diverse and different cultures present in our church congregation. Booths are set up representing a country or in some instances a group of countries. The booths are decorated with flags of the representative countries and other memorabilia, and the cuisine of each country is prepared and set out for parishioners to sample. This event is a huge success each time it is held, with many hundreds of parishioners in attendance.Leisure Club:
This social club provides opportunities to travel and to socialize for parishioners who have achieved daytime leisure. Monthly meetings are held in the Thaddeus Room. Welcome to all!Marriage Prep:This parish organization helps to prepare engaged couples for the sacrament of Matrimony.Parish Library:Prayer Shawl Ministry of St. Jude:The library of the Shrine of St. Jude Church was founded in 1966 under the leadership of then pastor Msgr. Lauriola, Library Committee Chairman, James Healy, and a very able Library Committee membership. The Parish Library is located in the breezeway of the school building. The Parish Library is opened after all Sunday masses including the Hispanic Mass, and has over 4,000 books, 480 additional books in the juvenile and children’s holdings, 160 audio cassettes and CDs, and 380 videos (VHS and DVD) all indexed in a computerized data base. All holdings can be borrowed at no charge by registered members of the Parish Library except videos which cost $1 per week. The Parish Library happily accepts donations of materials which are then either added to the holdings, sold to parishioners from a cart, or otherwise redistributed to interested users depending on the nature of the contribution.
The St. Jude Prayer Shawl Ministry is a group of parishioners who knit or crochet shawls for those of our parish community in need of comfort and solace. Prayers are said when beginning to knit or crochet the shawl, and while continuing the work on the shawl, praying for and thinking about the person for whom the shawl is being made. When it is presented to the person, a copy of the Prayer Shawl Prayer is included. Many churches throughout the country have begun this project as a ministry to their parishioners, it was first started in Venice, Florida, by women from a Catholic parish there. Shawls are given to those who have experienced a death in their family, those who have been recently diagnosed with a serious illness, or to anyone in need of comfort and solace. The pattern is very simple, and you can choose whatever type of yarn or color you prefer. Participants can meet regularly to knit or crochet together as a group, or just work on them individually in their free time. For more information on this ministry, please go to the Prayer Shawl Ministry web site at www.shawlministry.com. If you would like to participate by either knitting or crocheting a prayer shawl to donate, the donation of yarn, or to submit names of potential recipients of the prayer shawls, please contact Michelle Ardillo during the day at the rectory, or via e-mail at michard@aol.com.Pro-Life Committee:
RCIA Team:The St. Jude Pro-Life Committee was established to help promote the sanctity of human life in our parish. Activities include the monthly John Paul II Pro-Life Holy Hour the last Wednesday of each month, 7-8 pm in the Convent Chapel, monthly meeting, Christmas card sales and Mother’s Day carnation sales to benefit RTL of Montgomery County, monthly Mass offered for pro-life intentions, letter writing campaigns, Baby Bottle campaign to benefit Shady Grove Pregnancy Center, coordinating Priests for Life visits to parish, educational bulletin inserts, spiritual adoption program. New members are welcome.
Religious Education/CCD:Moderated by Deacon Donald Mays, this team of committed parishioners at the Shrine of St. Jude provides Spiritual and Educational preparation programs for people who are interested in reception into the church. Unbaptized adults and those previously baptized are welcome.
Sodality:The St. Jude’s Religious Education Program began when the parish was founded 50 years ago. Over the years, the program has been blessed with 11 different directors and a host of volunteer teachers and aids without whom we could not have succeeded. Enrollment has varied from a high of over 2,000 students in the 1970’s, to a current level of 420 students, which is increasing each year. Over 80% of our volunteer teachers participate in the “Hearts Aflame” Catechist Certification program of the Archdiocese of Washington which helps them gain a better understanding of the faith and teaching skills. Our students come from many different cultures, representing 13 different languages. The program provides instruction for students beginning in pre-school through high school, and includes classes for preparing students at any age to receive the Sacraments. Using classroom instruction, personal witness, and study of sacred scripture and tradition, the program is passing on the faith that has been given to us by Jesus Christ.
A strong and active sisterhood of the parish. The sodality of St. Jude is a way of life, devoted to our Lord through the intercession of the Blessed Mother. We serve the parish and the diocese through activities such as the Annual Craft Fair, the Christian Spirit Tree, Assisting the Catholic Center at the University of Maryland, and St. Ann's Home for Infants to name a few. We pray, work and play as a sisterhood of faith. We attend mass together once a month and also meet once a month. All women over the age of 17 that are members of the parish are invited to join us. This year we are celebrating our 50th anniversary. The extent of involvement in our activities is totally up to the individual. Our dues are $10 per year. Please click the link to view our latest newsletter. To Jesus Through Mary. For a sample of our Sodality newsletter, click here.St. Jude Athletic Association:The SJAA is a parish organization whose purpose is to coordinate, organize, foster and encourage athletic activities in a fair and equitable manner. The SJAA Sports Programs are designed to reach for Catholic spiritual ideals through sports while developing good manners and sportsmanship.St. Vincent de Paul:Toastmasters:With the spiritual objective of visiting families in need and bringing consolation to the sick, the St. Vincent de Paul Society was established in St. Jude’s parish in 1958. All works of charity, whether spiritual or corporal are conducted in a manner “calculated to render the greatest amount of service with the least publicity.” Requests for food, clothing, rent and utility assistance are considered for those in need. Because of the nature of their services, members of the Society choose to avoid acclaim and recognition for their work. “By their deeds you shall know them.”
St. Jude Toastmasters meets at the Shrine of St. Jude Catholic Church [12701 Veirs Mill Road] at 7:30pm on the Second and Fourth Wednesday of each month. We are a diverse community club with both experienced and new Toastmaster members. Our Club Officers are ready and waiting to give you practical communication and leadership skills.Vocations Committee:Youth Club:The mission of this committee is to promote vocations to the priesthood and religious life among St. Jude's youth and families. The Vocations Committee promotes vocations with a monthly holy hour for vocations, vocations prayer prayed at Mass, and annual Vocations Day at St. Jude School. In 2006, the Vocations Committee joined with the St. Jude Youth Club to enrich the annual Spaghetti Supper with guest speaker Msgr. Robert Panke, Director of Vocations for the Archdiocese of Washington.
The St. Jude Youth Club provides activities based on faith, fun and service for the youth of St. Jude Parish and is open to all parishioners in grades 6 through 12, including students at St. Jude School, students registered in the religious education program, students in area public or private schools and students being home-schooled. More information on the Youth Club can be found on their web site (see link on this web site) or by phone at 301-946-3447.
The Youth Club is moderated by Father Robert E. Walsh and Deacon Nick Scholz. Our Youth Minister is Gina Swanda.
Altar Servers:Under the leadership of Fr. Jaime Hernandez who currently trains and oversees the St. Jude altar server program, the number of altar servers has grown to more than 85! Students hail from St. Jude School, St. Jude Religious Education program, area public schools, and Home School Programs. Altar servers are boys and girls in grades 6-12 who serve our parish's daily 9:00AM Mass, First Fridays, Sunday Masses, the annual St. Jude Novena, Holy Days, weddings, funerals, First Communion and Confirmation, as well as other special liturgies. One of our current altar server's father remembers serving the daily 6:30 AM Mass as a youth, riding his bike to church! At the heart of this ministry is the desire to foster awareness and love for Christ present in the Eucharist and the Mass as the source and summit of our lives as Catholic Christians.Community of Light Prayer Group:Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist:We are a charismatic prayer group who meet weekly to Praise God the Father, to proclaim that Jesus is Lord and to be open to the power of the Holy Spirit among us. We are in our 35th year of gathering to praise our Triune God, to ask for His intercession in our needs, to share our experiences of His love and goodness---rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit among us (Acts 2:42). We invite all to come and worship with us who seek a closer relationship with God, so that all may be one in the love of the Holy Spirit as Jesus and the Father are one. We meet on Wednesday evenings at 7:30 p.m. in the school basement. Come and experience the joy of getting to know Jesus in a deeper way and to rejoice in experiencing His love, goodness, beauty, encouragement, mercy and inspiration through the gifts of His Holy Spirit and our study of His Good News. "It is good to give thanks to the Lord, for His mercy will endure forever." (Ps. 118.1)
Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist serve at the request of the parish by assisting the priests and deacons in distributing Holy Communion during masses. We also take the Blessed Sacrament to the sick, the homebound and the Catholic residents at Randolph Hills Nursing Home. The Archdiocese also provides seminars for Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist focusing on the mass as well as ministering to the sick and dying.Hispanic Ministry:El Ministerio Hispano:There has been a growing interest to serve the Spanish-speaking parishioners of the Shrine of St. Jude in the last decade. The Hispanic Ministry is today what it is thanks to the interest, dedication and enthusiasm of priests, deacons and lay people, who had been guided by Monsignor Oliver McGready. It began with Father Bill Byrne, and after him Father Timothy Galbán was appointed to the parish. He in turn was temporarily replaced by Father José Lobatón, O.F.M., and later on by Father Jaime Hernandez, who has been assigned to the parish since June 2003. Other people involved with the Hispanic Ministry have been Hilda Forastieri, Manuel Mendez, Deacon Nathaniel Cordova, Deacon Mario Moreno and Connie Barrera.
The Hispanic Ministry at the Shrine of St. Jude strives to provide catechetical, spiritual, and devotional activities for adult Spanish-speaking parishioners. Through these activities, the Hispanic population is evangelized, as well as inspired toward greater commitment in the living out of their faith. RCIA classes for Adults and for the parents of the children that are being prepared to receive the Sacraments of Initiation, Pre-Baptism courses for parents and sponsors, Pre-Cana meetings for engaged couples, Days of Recollection, Bible Study Groups, Daily Rosary, Hispanic Holy Hour and Vespers, Prayer Groups, Lenten Missions, Lenten Way of the Cross, Life in the Spirit Seminars, Spanish speaking Legion of Mary and a Band of the Sodality have been developed to promote and enhance formation in the faith.
Celebrations, particular to the Hispanic tradition, like the Christmas “Posadas” and the “Quinceañeras” are also integral parts of the Hispanic Ministry program. The latter is a celebration in which 15-year-old young women offer their lives to God. The Church uses these opportunities to reach out, evangelize and teach young Catholics and non-Catholics about Mass and other facets of our faith.
To promote spiritual formation, we also use the written media. The bulletin not only includes news related to the parish but also devotes one column for faith development. Copies of a monthly booklet with faith-oriented reflections, and brochures and fliers are provided as needed. The First Friday Bilingual Mass, frequently followed by a pizza-social is an opportunity to promote integration between the Hispanic and the English-speaking communities. Another one is the Multi-lingual Parish Rosary that is done twice a year. It gathers all at St. Jude’s into one parish community rising in, many languages, one single voice to God.Lectors:Ha habido un creciente interés por servir a los feligreses del Santuario de San Judas en la última década. El Ministerio Hispano es lo que es, hoy en día, gracias al interés, la dedicación y el entusiasmo de sacerdotes, diáconos y laicos, guiados por Monseñor Oliver McGready. Comenzó con el Padre Bill Byrne, y continuó con el Padre Timothy Galban, quien fue asignado a nuestra parroquia. El a su turno fue temporalmente remplazado por el Padre José Lobatón y luego definitivamente por el Padre Jaime Hernández, quien ha estado en la parroquia desde junio del 2003. Otras personas involucradas con el Ministerio Hispano han sido Hilda Forastieri, Manuel Méndez, el Diacono Nathaniel Córdova, el Diacono Mario Moreno y Connie Barrera.
Los programas del Ministerio Hispano de la parroquia buscan satisfacer la necesidades devocionales, catequeticas y espirituales para los feligreses de la parroquia de habla hispana. A través de estas actividades se busca evangelizarlos, e inspirarlos a tomar un compromiso mayor en la vivencia de su fe. Continuamente se desarrollan programas como RICA (Rito de Iniciación Cristiana de Adultos), clases para los padres de los niños que se están preparando para recibir los Sacramentos de Iniciación, clases pre-bautismales para padres y padrinos, preparación pre-matrimonial, Grupos de Estudio Bíblico, rezo diario del Rosario, Hora Santa y lectura de la Liturgia de las Horas, Grupos de Oración, Misiones Cuaresmales, Vía Crucis, Seminarios de Vida en el Espíritu, y tenemos un grupo de la Legión de María y una banda del Sodality.
Todas estos programas han sido desarrollados con el objeto de promover y mejorar la formación en la fe de la comunidad Hispana. Celebraciones particulares a nuestras tradiciones culturales como las Posadas Navideñas y las “Quinceañeras” también forman parte integral del programa. La Iglesia aprovecha la presentación que las jóvenes hacen de sus vidas a Dios, como una oportunidad para evangelizar y enseñar a los jóvenes Católicos y no-Católicos acerca de la Misa y otros aspectos relativos a nuestra fe.
El Ministerio Hispano también utiliza los medios impresos con el fin de promover la formación espiritual de los feligreses de San Judas. Aparte de las noticias relativas a la parroquia el boletín dedica una de sus columnas para continuo crecimiento en la fe. Mensualmente también se suministran copias de “Los Cinco Minutos de Oración” y otros folletos de interés religioso. La Misa Bilingüe de los Primeros Viernes, la cual generalmente culmina con pizza y tiempo para socializar, son oportunidades con las que se busca promover la integración entre la comunidad Hispana y la comunidad Anglo Parlante. Otra actividad que cumple con esta misión, es el Rosario Vivo Multilingüe el cual se realiza dos veces al año y une a todos los feligreses del Santuario de San Judas quienes en múltiples idiomas y como una sola comunidad elevan una sola voz a Dios.Legion of Mary:These individuals serve the community by reading announcements before Mass, proclaiming the first and second readings of the Mass, and by offering the prayers of general intercession. All parishioners who have received the Sacrament of Confirmation are eligible to participate in this ministry.
On the 19th of March 1968, 38 years ago, the enthusiastic Rev. Charles D. Gorman and some devoted men and women founded a Legion of Mary group at St. Jude Parish known as "Our Lady Spouse of St. Joseph Praesidium." The Legion in its infancy started well but as the years rolled by, membership waned. Due to the perseverance and personal contacts of the late Jack Healy, membership revived and now stands at 8 active members attending the meetings along with an additional 156 auxiliaries who provide prayers. The object of the Legion of Mary is the glory of God in cooperation with Mary, expressed through apostolic work. The Legion in our parish visit the sick in homes, hospitals, and nursing homes such as Randolph Hills Nursing Home. They also evangelize the faith by distributing pamphlets such as “Why Catholicism” at metro stations and senior centers. In addition, the Legion of Mary spreads the Fatima message by taking the Pilgrim Virgin Mary's statue to the homes of parishioners at their request. As a world wide organization, the Legion of Mary will be completing the 80th year of its founding in Dublin, Ireland, on September 7, 1921. Three of its founding members are on the way to sainthood: Frank Duff, Edel Quinn, envoy of the Legion to Africa, and Alphonsus Lambe, envoy of the Legion to South America. If you have affection for our Blessed Mother Mary and would like to do something for Her, the Legion of Mary is an ideal organization to join and spread peace and harmony among Her children. As the Gospel message reads “Come and See,” we welcome all, young and old, to attend our weekly meetings in the Parish Rectory Basement on Thursdays at 6:00 pm.
The Music Ministry provides all musical support for parish liturgies. This includes: organ, piano, cantors, adult and children's choirs, adult and youth handbells, and instrumentalists.St. Jude Children's Rosary Group:With the blessing of our then pastor, Msgr. Oliver McGready, the St. Jude Children's Rosary Group was begun in 1995. For 11 years, students have continued to meet weekly to lead and pray the rosary before the Blessed Sacrament. The students participate voluntarily, sacrificing their recess to pray for the needs of their families, friends and teachers. In responding to the requests of Our Lady of Fatima, the children remember in their intentions our Holy Father, our priests, seminarians, vocations, world peace and the conversion of sinners. During the year the students may meet to have lunch together, make spiritual bouquets and take home a pilgrim statue of Our Lady. In 2004, a tradition was begun to recognize our participating 8th grade graduates with a papal blessing for their example and faithfulness to Our Lady. Our desire is to foster a love for the Virgin Mary, our Mother who intercedes for us and leads us to her Son. The moderator of the Children's Rosary Group is Fr. Jaime Hernandez who joins the students to pray the rosary as often as his schedule allows.Ushers:
The ushers welcome arriving worshipers, assist in seating, take the collection, distribute bulletins, and help in emergencies.