Our Patron Saint

Our Patron Saint

St. Jude is known as the Patron Saint of hope and impossible causes and one of Jesus’ original twelve Apostles. History tells us that his father was Clopas, brother of St. Joseph, and his mother, Mary, was a cousin of the Virgin Mary. He was a farmer by occupation and like most people in that time and region probably bilingual, speaking Greek and Aramaic. He preached the Gospel with great passion, often in difficult circumstances. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, he made profound differences in people’s lives as he offered them the Word of God. St. Jude was a loyal follower of Jesus through the Crucifixion and afterwards.


Saint Jude’s second name “Thaddeus” means sweetness and gentleness of character, a name that well fits the saint.


For several centuries, he was known as the “Forgotten Saint” a title given in part because of the confusion between his name and that of Judas Iscariot. Today however, he is a well-loved and well-known saint, an advocate who takes delight in coming to the aide of persons in serious, sometimes desperate need. No petition seems too great for him. Through his intercession to Jesus on our behalf, St. Jude takes us into his continuing care. He welcomes our prayers of gratitude to God, our petitions for strength and help, and offers hope for every intention.

To learn a little more about our Patron Saint here is a link to an animated story about St. Jude and King Agbara. 

Saint Jude and King of Abgara

St. Jude died a martyrs’ death, murdered by an angry pagan mob in Beirut, Lebanon in 65 A.D. Many years after his death, his body was brought to Rome and placed in a crypt under St. Peters’ Basilica.

October 28th is St. Jude Thaddeus’ feast day.

A BEAUTIFUL TESTIMONIAL TO OUR PATRON SAINT

(Danny Thomas was a well-known actor in the 1950’s and 60’s. The following is his testimonial story about his devotion to St. Jude.)

Danny Thomas’ devotion to St. Jude Thaddeus began in 1940. Thomas heard about the saint from a stagehand in Detroit who explained his wife had a miraculous recovery from cancer which he attributed to St. Jude.

When Danny’s first child was born, he was earning a meager wage and knew he needed help. Remembering the stagehand’s words, he visited a Catholic Church, placed his last $7 in the collection, and began prayers to St. Jude, asking the saint “to show me my way in life.” He prayed to succeed professionally and promised he would “do something big” in St. Jude’s name if he managed to gain economic security. The next day, he was offered a job paying 10 times the amount he’d given in the collection.

The family moved to Chicago where Danny performed shows that ran into the early morning hours. After the show, he often attended 6:00 a.m. Mass. One day, he noticed a leaflet about a novena to St. Jude, held quarterly at the National Shrine in southeast Chicago. The novenas marked a pivotal point in Thomas’ life, leading him to steady work. He eventually became one of the biggest stars of radio, film, and television.

Danny Thomas often spoke about his devotion to St. Jude, believing the saint lifted him to prominence in his career. “It was a miracle the way it happened,” he said. Danny fulfilled his promise, establishing the now world-famous St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.

Share by: