What’s distinctive about your parish? Our building is one of the newer churches in the diocese. It was dedicated by Bishop Michael F. Burbidge July 14, 2018.
The parish has been a SHARE host site for 19 years. This is impressive when you consider the parish was founded as mission of St. Mary’s in 2003. In 2007, a parish group started helping at the Thurman Brisben Shelter. The parish has at least two food drives each year and assists Spotsylvania County with gifts for at risk children and adults. The parish recently became a host site for the Fredericksburg Regional Food Bank. The Food Bank brings a truck to our parking lot once a month to distribute food.
What’s something visitors to your parish should see while there? Our altar depicts the apostles because one of our former pastors, Father James C. Hudgins, donated a relic of the Twelve Apostles to be placed in a reliquary built into the altar. It is visible on the side of the altar facing the tabernacle. Our Stations of the Cross are from the 1800s and came to us from a church in Belgium.
What is a new ministry that you’ve started? Our garden club was founded recently. They maintain some of the flower beds at the parish. They also host an annual plant sale to help raise funds for landscaping and our mortgage. St. Jude’s food panty recently celebrated its first anniversary. The food pantry is used to supplement SHARE packages. We also started a support group for divorced and separated Catholics in our area.
Is there a special way your parish encourages and supports faith formation? St. Jude has seen an increase recently in people from other faiths inquiring about becoming Catholic. Father J. Kevin O’Keefe, pastor, is meeting them where they are in their journey and encouraging them to explore becoming Catholic. Most of our events, including Oktoberfest, Soup Suppers, Fish Fries, Craft Fair and Corn Hole Tournament, are open to our neighbors. We encourage questions about the Catholic faith at all these events. We also encourage all to attend a holy hour and exposition of the Eucharist every third Sunday of the month.
How are you supporting the faith journey of particular cultures represented in your parish? In 2022, the parish hosted an International Lenten Food Night. This event was so popular Father O’Keefe decided it should be an annual event. Parishioners are encouraged to bring a meatless dish from their cultural heritage. Following dinner, parishioners are welcome to stay for Stations of the Cross. The parish also hosts a St. Patrick’s feast each year.
What would a visitor say about your parish, and how do new parishioners get involved? We have some of the friendliest ushers you could meet. Parishioners can contact the parish office if they wish to be involved in an existing ministry or start a new one. We ask on our registration cards if people are interested in a ministry. If they are, we introduce them to the person leading the ministry or encourage them to come in and talk with Father O’Keefe about starting a new ministry. Our Mother’s Prayer Group, Garden Club and Divorce Support Group were started by parishioners.
What’s something we should know about your clergy? We are blessed to have Father O’Keefe as our current pastor. Father David Martin was our founding pastor and helped the parish develop a sense of community. He also started the fundraising process for our permanent church. Father Hudgins was our pastor from 2011 to 2018. He was instrumental in both the design of our church building and raising funds so we could build a permanent church.
Father O’Keefe transferred in during the COVID-19 lockdown and is rebuilding the sense of community we lost then. He has introduced family-friendly events and has increased the number of hours we hold adoration. He also has encouraged the parish to be more involved in assisting those who suffer from food insecurity.
Is there a standout or longtime staff member or volunteer you’d like to tell us about? Steve “Perch” Perchalski is one of our more active volunteers. He is generous with both his time and talents, serving in multiple ministries. He is an officer with our Knight of Columbus Council and served as lead for all three Lenten Fish Fries this year. Perchalski is one of our sacristans and is responsible for keeping our sacristy well supplied with hosts, candles, incense and such. He also coordinates the cleaning of the sanctuary on a weekly basis.
He has been a catechist for several years. He enjoys teaching Confirmation classes and has a way of making the faith come alive for our teens. He sets a strong example for our parish youths.
Perchalski also coordinates a small group that journeys to Richmond each month to pray the rosary in front of an abortion clinic. He supported our teens when they attended March for Life in January 2022.
He serves on our finance council and was a money counter prior to becoming a sacristan.
He also coordinates a Divorce Support Group that meets at our parish monthly and helps with SHARE distributions on a monthly basis.
Would you like to share anything else about your parish? Our grounds are a work in progress. We have several Scout projects including outdoor Stations of the Cross, a rosary garden and even a beehive. We welcome not only parish groups but Scout troops, local schools and other organizations to help improve the grounds.
Quick facts
Website: stjudechurch.us
Social media accounts: Facebook
Street address: 9600 Caritas St. Fredericksburg, VA 22408
540/891-7350
Mass times : Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 9 a.m.
Saturday 5 p.m.; Sunday 7:30, 9:30 and 11:30 a.m.
Confession times: Tuesday, 7 p.m., Saturday, 5 p.m. and by appointment
Pastor: Fr. J. Kevin O’Keefe
Year established: 2003 as a Mission of St. Mary’s; 2007 as a parish; 2018 moved into permanent church
Total parishioners: 2,599
