May 1946
St. Jude Parish established with 75 families. Father Ralph Kelly appointed Pastor. Mass held in Michigan Veterans’ Facility. Fr. Kelly served as St. Jude’s pastor from 1946 to 1952.
1950
Rectory completed on the Plainfield Avenue site (now Plainfield Plaza.) Later two quanset huts were constructed, one to serve as church, one as parish hall.
November 6, 1952
Fr. Charles D. Brophy appointed as Pastor, coming from Indian River; Fr. Kelly was transferred to Indian River. Fr. Brophy served as St. Jude’s pastor from 1952 to 1988.
July 4, 1953
Fire burned the church quonset: $30,000.00 damage. Father Brophy saved the Blessed Sacrament and the sacred vessels. The hall quonset became the church.
August 15, 1955
Purchase of property between 4 Mile Rd and Elmdale.
December 1, 1955
School ground breaking.
September 1956
The present gym and family center were used as the church.
July 1956
Rectory was moved from the Plainfield site to its present location.
October 1957
The convent opened with the Felician Sisters (Congregation of Sisters of St. Felix).
St. Jude School opened with Sister Florentine as the first principal.
1958
Fr. Leo Zielinski appointed Associate Pastor (until 1959).
1959
Fr. John Sullivan appointed Associate Pastor (1959 only).
Fr. Herman Kolenda appointed Associate Pastor (until 1962).
1960
3,000 evergreens planted around Lake St Jude.
1962
Fr. Thomas Dominiak appointed Associate Pastor (until 1966).
August 5, 1962
Ground breaking for the new church (pictured above). Fr. Edmund F. Falicki, Vicar General of diocese, presided, with Fr. Brophy and Fr. Dominiak.
January 20, 1963
Fr. Brophy was made a Domestic Prelate with the title Right Reverend Monsignor Charles D. Brophy
August 1963
At the National Liturgical Convention in Philadelphia, St Jude Church was given the Lecraro Award for “excellence in adapting church design to liturgical concept.”
Thanksgiving Day 1963
First Mass was celebrated in the new church.
1963
Blessing of the bells named for St. Jude, Monsignor Brophy and Bishop Allen Babcock.
April 5, 1964
Rectory rebuilding. New offices, file room and conference room.
April 16, 1964
Monsignor Brophy’s Silver Jubilee Mass.
May 18, 1964
Monsignor Schultz consecrated the altars of the new church.
June 7, 1964
Formal dedication by Bishop Allen J. Babcock.
1965
Fr. Francis Hackett appointed Associate Pastor (1965 only).
June 23, 1972
Mr. and Mrs. Victor Blandford (the namesake for the Blandford Nature Center) gave the parish 17 acres of land between Elmdale and 4 Mile Road “in appreciation to St. Jude Parish for its contribution to the community.”
February 27, 1975
Monsignor Brophy departed for three months in Rome for theological studies. Fr. Patrick Cawley became pastor pro-tem during his absence.
September 1976
Joseph Maitner became principal of St Jude School.
April 10, 1977
Detroit News featured St. Jude Church as one of the four outstanding buildings of worship in the state.
November 6, 1977
Celebration of the 25th Anniversary of St. Jude Parish.
July 1, 1988
Fr. Patrick T. Cawley appointed as Pastor of St. Jude. Fr. Cawley served as St. Jude’s pastor from 1988 to 1995.
April 1989
Monsignor Brophy Golden Jubilee Celebration.
July 1, 1995
Fr. Thomas S. Vesbit appointed as pastor of St. Jude. Fr. Vesbit served as St. Jude’s pastor from 1995 to 2003.
October 13, 1996
50th Anniversary Celebration. On to the Millennium seeking our Destiny!
2000
St. Jude breaks ground on the new Millennium Center (parish offices & Brophy Center).
2003
Fr. Michael A. Danner appointed as pastor of St. Jude. Fr. Danner served as pastor of St. Jude from 2003 to 2009.
2003
The new Millennium Center is completed (includes the parish offices, Brophy Center, etc.)
February 11, 2006
Deacon Larry Hoogeboom ordained as a permanent Deacon and assigned to St. Jude.
2008
St. Jude School closes and re-opens as All Saints Academy.
2009
Fr. Thomas P. Page appointed Pastor of St. Jude. Fr. Page served as pastor of St. Jude from 2009 to 2022.
June 3, 2014
50th Anniversary Celebration of the church building by Bishop David J. Walkowiak.
2022
Deacon Dan Esch becomes permanent Deacon and assigned to St. Jude.
Fr. Ayub Francis Nasar appointed pastor of St. Jude.
July 2023
Bishop Indrias Rehmat visits from the Diocese of Faisalabad, Pakistan.
October 14, 2023
St. Jude celebrates its first Quinceañera Mass.
July 5-8, 2024
Cardinal Joseph Coutts visits from the Archdiocese of Karachi, Pakistan. He is the first Cardinal to celebrate Mass at St. Jude.