We’re excited to celebrate our 80th anniversary as a parish this year! On August 22, 2026, we hope you’ll join us for a special Mass (at 4:00pm) with the Bishop and a parish picnic immediately following the Mass.
Leading up to August 22, keep an eye out for other fun activities like St. Jude trivia. Each week, we’ll be posting a trivia question. The following week, we’ll post the answer!
Trivia Questions
How much do you know about the Parish of St. Jude? Click on the question to reveal the answer!
Some quick math will tell you that it was 1946. But did you know that our parish was established in MAY of 1946? The chaplain that was assigned to the Michigan Veterans Facility was experiencing an increase in the number of people attending the Masses in the chapel. In May 1946, the 75 families were officially named parishioners of St. Jude Parish, as founded by Bishop Francis. J Haas. A year later, the congregation was over 100 families. The parish met for its first four years at the Michigan Veterans Facility chapel. And to this day, the pastor of St. Jude still celebrates Mass there once a week.
The first pastor of St. Jude Parish was Fr. Ralph J. Kelly, after whom the “Kelly Conference Room” is named. Fr. Kelly had recently been discharged from the United States Army and was assigned to serve as chaplain to the Michigan Veterans Facility where the Parish of St. Jude was born. Fr. Kelly served as pastor of St. Jude Parish until 1952.
In 1950,the Parish of St. Jude occupied its first home in two WWII surplus Quonset huts on Plainfield Avenue, where the current Plainfield Plaza is located today. One Quonset hut served as the church and the other a parish hall. A brick rectory for the parish was also added that year. Plans to continue developing the parish grounds were put on hold when it was learned that Plainfield Avenue (then US – 131) was to be widened into a four – lane highway. Eventually, plans for the I – 96 highway were made and the property was rezoned and sold. A larger, more desirable site was needed.
Come back next week to find the answer.
