Events Around the Parish
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Religious Education (CCD)
Religious Education classes will be starting on Sunday, September 10 and Wednesday, September 13. Walk up registration...
Last chance to register!
Get your kids signed up for Religious Education
Religious Education classes will be starting on Sunday, September 10 and Wednesday, September 13. Walk-up registration will be available after Masses this weekend and next.
The deadline to sign up is August 13th. Click here for info or contact the parish office.
Stay In the Loop With Flocknote
If you haven't heard, Flocknote is a service St. Jude is using where we will deliver content to parishioners as well as communicate with them - this all happens through email and texting, services most people already use, so there aren't any apps to download.
St. Jude continues to go digital as we begin using Flocknote.
If you haven't heard, Flocknote is a service St. Jude is using where we will deliver content to parishioners as well as communicate with them - this all happens through email and texting, services most people already use, so there aren't any apps to download.
Flocknote lets us create groups for different organizations and ministries so you'll only get the messages that you want to receive and have signed up for (and you can manage your communication preferences anytime).
One of the first groups we are creating will deliver messages from Bishop Robert Barron's Word on Fire. Sign up and you'll receive one or two texts a week with great content on prayer and our Catholic faith.
The easiest way to sign up is to text the word StJudePeoria (with no spaces) to 84576. You'll get a link to click, and will be asked for your name and email address. You're in - it's that easy. Be sure to add yourself to the "Word on Fire Mini Course" group if you want to receive those messages.
Alternatively, you can also fill out the below form to sign up. Again, be sure you add yourself to the "Word on Fire Mini Course" group.
Fr. Bolek's Visit to the Holy Land
This morning, we left Netanya to head north. We drove along the Mediterranean coast to Caesarea, the capital of the ancient Roman Procurators of Judea (this is where Pilot often lived). Here, St. Peter preached and St. Paul was imprisoned for two years. We also visited the Roman Theater...
Notes from Fr. Bolek's Visit to the Holy Land, June 19 to 29
During the latter part of June, Fr. Bolek traveled on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land with some parishioners from an Indiana parish. Fr. Bolek offered Holy Mass every day at the different pilgrimage sights of Jesus.
He's written some comments on his travels and the significance of each location.
Read below...
Day 1 • June 19
Departed U.S.A. on a flight to Israel.
Day 2 • June 20
Arrive in Tel Aviv at the Ben Gurion Airport. The group had Mass at the church that marks the miracles in Jaffa: the visions of St. Peter about all food being clean and the relationship to the prophet Jonah. We were met by our local guide who arranged the schedule of our visits. We stayed overnight at the seaside of Netanya.
Just outside the Church in Jaffa
Beach on the Sea of Galilee
Day 3 • June 21
This morning, we left Netanya to head north. We drove along the Mediterranean coast to Caesarea, the capital of the ancient Roman Procurators of Judea (this is where Pilot often lived). Here, St. Peter preached and St. Paul was imprisoned for two years. We also visited the Roman Theater, Crusader’s Moat, and the Byzantine Churches. We than ascended Mt. Carmel, home of the prophets Elijah and Elisha. After Mass we continued on to Tiberias, which was our home for the next three nights.
Day 4 • June 22
Following breakfast, we drove to Cana of Galilee where Jesus, at the request of Mary, performed His first miracle... changing water into wine. It was here also that He blessed marriage and raised it to the dignity of a sacrament. Several couples on the trip renewed their wedding vows as a lasting remembrance of this holy site. From there, we went a short distance to Nazareth, the boyhood home of Jesus. At the Cave of the Annunciation, we saw the actual room in which Mary said “yes” to the angel Gabriel. From there we visited St. Joseph’s Carpentry Shop for Holy Mass. In the afternoon, we took an excursion to the summit of Mt. Tabor where Jesus transfigured himself and revealed his Divine Glory to the apostles (Matt 17:2).
Day 5 • June 23
This morning, we enjoyed a scenic boat ride across the Sea of Galilee and proceeded to the Church of Peter’s Primacy (John 21:16). Here on the shore of Galilee, Jesus appeared to the Apostles after His Resurrection and confirmed Peter in the role as Vicar of Christ with the words, “Feed My sheep.” The rock emerging from the center of the church is the actual table at which they ate breakfast. We proceeded onto Capernaum which for three years was the center of Jesus’ public ministry. Here our Lord met his first disciples – Peter, Andrew, James, John and Matthew – and worked many miracles. He healed Peter’s mother-in-law of a fever, brought a child back to life, cured a leper, healed the centurion’s servant, cast out a demon from a young boy and healed all that were sick (Matt 8:16). We celebrated Mass, visited the synagogue where Jesus taught, and then drove to Tabgha – the site where Jesus multiplied the Loaves and Fishes and fed over 5000 people (Luke 9:13). Next, we drove to the Mount of Beatitudes the site of the Sermon on the Mount.
Church built above the house of St. Peter's mother-in-law. You can see the edge of the Synagogue where the Bread of Life discourse happened.
Day 6 • June 24
After Mass at the Mount of the Beatitudes, we traveled around the Sea of Galilee and stopped at Kursi. Here Jesus met a possessed man and miraculously cast out a legion of demons into the herd of swine (Luke 8:26). In the afternoon, we headed south through the Judean wilderness to the site of the Baptism of the Lord and renewed our baptismal vows. The Bible tells us that the Children of Israel crossed the River Jordan opposite Jericho when they came into the Promised Land. The prophet Elijah divided its waters and crossed with Elisha on dry land. Naaman the Syrian dipped in the waters seven times and was cured of his leprosy. And Jesus was baptized by John in the Jordan (Mark 1:9). Each year, pilgrims from far and wide come to the Place of Baptism to immerse themselves in these holy waters. From here, we went a short drive to Jerusalem and check into our hotel.
Day 7 • June 25
This morning we celebrated an early morning Mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher (the church that has both the resurrection tomb and Mount Calvary). After Mass, we drove to the top of the Mt. of Olives for a spectacular view of Jerusalem. We visited the Church of Pater Noster where Jesus taught his disciples how to pray the Pater Noster (the Our Father), Ascension Chapel the site where Jesus ascended into Heaven, and then we walked the “Palm Sunday Road” to Dominus Flevit, where Our Lord wept over Jerusalem. Then we proceeded to the Garden of Gethsemane to visit the Church of All Nations for Mass on the Rock of Agony. In the afternoon, we drove through the New City of Jerusalem to Ein Karem, birthplace of St. John the Baptist, to see the Visitation Church where Mary proclaimed her famous “Magnificat”.
Mass at the rock of the Agony in the Garden
Day 8 • June 26
We drove to Bethlehem to have Mass at the Shepherd’s Fields. Above the traditional Grotto of Jesus’ birth, we visited the Nativity Church, built by the Emperor Constantine in the 4th century. We also toured the Manger, Grotto of St. Jerome, and the Church of St. Catherine. Then visited the Franciscan Family Center and the Milk Grotto Chapel followed by some free time before returning to Jerusalem.
Jesus' Tomb in the Holy Sepulcher
Day 9 • June 27
This morning entered the Old City of Jerusalem through St. Stephen’s Gate to visit the Church of St. Anne, where the Blessed Virgin Mary was born. Next to this site is the Pool of Bethesda, where Jesus healed the paralytic man. We then walked the Via Dolorosa finishing prayerfully in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher where we had Holy Mass. There we climbed Mt. Calvary and pray at the site of the crucifixion. We venerated the site where Jesus’ body was anointed, the tomb where he was buried and rose from the dead, and the Chapel of St. Helena where the true cross was found. While in the Old City, we also saw Pilate’s Judgment Hall, the Chapel of Flagellation, the Arch of Ecce Homo, the “Wailing Wall”, and we viewed the Temple Mount. Afterwards, we exited the city to visit the Pool of Siloam, where Jesus healed a man born blind. We then went to Mount Zion to visit the Upper Room, the site where Jesus celebrated the Last Supper. Lastly, we prayed the Rosary together in the Church of Dormition, where Mary was assumed into heaven.
Mass in the Latin Rite chapel at the Holy Sepulcher (last five Stations of the Cross)
Some of the group in the Dead Sea
Day 10 • June 28
We drove to Bethany to visit the site of the House of Mary, Martha & Lazarus and the Tomb of Lazarus. Then drove to ancient Jericho, the oldest known city in the Western world. In 1250 B.C., Joshua encircled the city and at the blast of the priests’ trumpets, the walls came tumbling down (I Kings 16). Next we made a stop at the Dead Sea where we took a swim. Then we returned to Jerusalem and enjoy a farewell Dinner.
Day 11 • June 29
This was the last day of our Holy Land pilgrimage. We were dropped off at the airport in Tel Aviv for our return fight home.
Part 4 with Nic Wilson
I think often of the words of St. John Paul II, and of Christ himself, “Do not be afraid.” Often when first hearing the call to priesthood or consecrated life, there can be fears of perpetual loneliness and dissatisfaction, but these are unfounded. There is nothing in life as wonderful as falling in love with God and following His will.
Nic Wilson
This is the final note in a 4 part series where we asked seminarian Nic Wilson (from St. Jude) about hearing the call of God and his path to priesthood.
If you missed the first, second, or third post be sure to go back and read them. This one talks about the freedom of truly giving yourself to God.
Nic, what is the next step in the process? Can you share an update?
Since I graduated from college seminary in May, next year I’ll be going out to major seminary at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland. This summer, I’ll spend a few weeks in Rockford, IL assisting with the training of the Totus Tuus teachers for the Diocese of Peoria. After that, I’ll be at Immaculate Conception Parish in Monmouth, IL with Monsignor Mack and Father Otto for the rest of the summer. I’ll also be helping out with the four sessions of Emmaus Days.
What message do you have for young people that may be hearing the call to priesthood/sisterhood?
I think often of the words of St. John Paul II, and of Christ himself, “Do not be afraid.” Often when first hearing the call to priesthood or consecrated life, there can be fears of perpetual loneliness and dissatisfaction, but these are unfounded. There is nothing in life as wonderful as falling in love with God and following His will. A commitment to daily prayer, Mass, the Rosary, and a virtuous life comes before committing to a vocation, but once prayer and virtue are integral parts of one’s life, God’s will becomes apparent. As well, books such as To Save a Thousand Souls by Father Brett Brannen and Discerning Religious Life by Sister Clare Matthiass are excellent guides to discernment.
Thanks to Nic for sharing all these great comments! Send him, and all our seminarians and priests, your prayers.
Perpetual Profession of Vows Mass for The Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist
The Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist invite you to join them for the Perpetual Profession of Vows Mass.
Perpetual Profession of Vows Mass
Sisters' Final Vows are happening again this year in Ann Harbor, MI. It is a truly beautiful event to see so many young women give their lives totally to Jesus Christ. Last year St. Jude had the largest showing of any parish or group. Of the 800 people present, 100 of them were from St. Jude! Please join us again this year. See the website listed below for all the necessary information including registration.
After the Mass, please share any pictures you have - we'll put them on our website.
Date: July 25, 2017
Time: 10:00am (eastern time)
Location: Christ the King Catholic Church
4000 Ave Maria Drive
Ann Arbor, MI 48105
Get Directions
Click here for event details and to register.
To learn more about the The Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist, visit their website. It's got great information including a page to meet them and see all the Missions they are involved in.
Part 3 with Nic Wilson
The most important, and the most challenging, thing I have learned in seminary is that truly loving Jesus, committing to knowing Him personally through daily prayer and good works, changes everything. It gives life to study, prayer, and service. It provides the strength and motivation necessary to overcome hardship.
Nic Wilson
This is part 3 of a 4 part series where we asked seminarian Nic Wilson (from St. Jude) about hearing the call of God and his path to priesthood.
If you missed the first or second post, you can go back and read it here.
This post talks about the freedom of truly giving yourself to God.
What is the most important or challenging thing you have learned in seminary?
The most important, and the most challenging, thing I have learned in seminary is that truly loving Jesus, committing to knowing Him personally through daily prayer and good works, changes everything. It gives life to study, prayer, and service. It provides the strength and motivation necessary to overcome hardship. It is the decisive element in the discernment of a vocation because vocation is above all a call for a specific work, and you can only hear the call if you are in a relationship with the caller. It is the most challenging because it demands that you let go of an identity that you create, your “false self,” in order to be who you truly are, a beloved son of a loving Father.
The idea of “freedom” as doing whatever you what and the feeling of comfort that might come from being good at a sport, or academics, or well-liked, must fade in the light of constant conversion, in the process of being conformed to Christ. Yet you find that that “freedom” and comfort was really nothing but dust, and I found that a great gift of seminary formation is the freedom to use the gifts that God has given to me in order to be the man, the seminarian, and one day, God willing, the priest that God wants me to be.
We'll be back next week with our fourth (and final) note from Nic Wilson.
Add the New St. Jude Calendar
St. Jude Catholic Church has a new online calendar on our website. The best part is your can also download a copy of the calendar to your favorite app via a .ics file, or if you're a Gmail user you can add the calendar to your profile and view it right next to your personal calendars.
Feeling in the dark about what's happening? St. Jude has a new online calendar.
St. Jude Catholic Church has a new online calendar on our website. The best part is your can also download a copy of the calendar to your favorite app via a .ics file, or if you're a Gmail user you can add the calendar to your profile and view it right next to your personal calendars.
There are simple instructions to download the .ics file or add the calendar to your Gmail account. Check out the calendar page for details.
Below you'll see what things will look like on an iPhone if you're a Gmail user and add this calendar. You can turn the parish calendar "on" or "off" as needed and view it next to your personal calendars also.
Part 2 with Nic Wilson
The process to become a priest depends on whether you enter seminary immediately after high school or after earning a bachelor’s degree. I entered immediately after high school, so I went to Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary, a college seminary in Winona, MN....
Nic Wilson
This is part 2 of a 4 part series where we asked seminarian Nic Wilson (from St. Jude) about hearing the call of God and his path to priesthood.
If you missed the first post, you can go back and read it here.
After prayer / discernment, what is the process to become a priest? (i.e. what type of school, what type of classes, what happens after seminary?)
The process to become a priest depends on whether you enter seminary immediately after high school or after earning a bachelor’s degree. I entered immediately after high school, so I went to Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary, a college seminary in Winona, MN. At college seminary, a seminarian studies philosophy for four years. My academic classes were held at St. Mary’s University of Minnesota, the university adjacent to the seminary. The seminarians all live and pray at the seminary, and the priests on the seminary faculty help seminarians develop in virtue and manners, commitment to prayer, and service to the community.
The other track, for those seminarians who already have bachelor’s degrees, is called pre-theology. Typically, a pre-theology program is connected to a major seminary. Pre-theologians study philosophy as well, but it is condensed into a two year period.
After completing pre-theology or college seminary, a seminarian goes on to major seminary. College seminary forms the man, and major seminary forms the priest. Thus, seminarians in theology school earn Master’s of Divinity degrees. Formation, while building on the lessons and habits fostered focuses more on the practical aspects of priestly life - giving homilies, celebrating sacraments, and offering pastoral guidance.
After three years of major seminary, the seminarian is ordained to the transitional diaconate. He is a deacon for his final year of major seminary, after which he is ordained a priest. From there, the bishop decides where to best send the newly ordained. He will spend a few years with an experienced pastor as he grows into priestly life.
CHECK BACK IN ABOUT A WEEK AS WE HEAR MORE FROM NIC IN POST 3 OF 4!
Corpus Christi Procession
Join for a Peoria area Corpus Christi Procession. It will be a wonderful event.
Corpus Christi Sunday
June 18, Corpus Christi Sunday, the Diocese of Peoria is hosting a Corpus Christi procession at the OSF Sisters Motherhouse at 2:00pm. See the attached flyer that has all the details.
Please note that all Altar Servers are welcome to vest and process, also all First Communicants are asked to dress in the suit or dress and process. It would be great to have a large showing from our parish and school present at this wonderful event. If you have any questions contact Fr. Bolek.
Date: Sunday June 18, 2017
Time: 2:00pm
Location: Sisters of Third Order of St. Francis Motherhouse
1175 St. Francis Lane
East Peoria, IL 61611
CLICK HERE FOR EVENT DETAILS.
Emmaus Days
Emmaus Days is a vocations awareness program sponsored by the Diocese of Peoria. By providing a spiritual, fun environment for young men, we help make them more aware of God’s presence in their lives and get them excited about living their faith.
Grow Closer to Christ at Emmaus Days
Emmaus Days is happening again this summer for all boys entering 7th grade through college. It is a wonderful time for the young men of our parish to enjoy. See the website listed below for all the information. Those in 7th to 10th grade will be here at Peoria Notre Dame this year. Last year 18 young men from our parish were present for Emmaus Days. It is always more fun to go to these types of events in groups so you know other people, so please feel free to invite your friends. There's already a group of about 10 guys signed up. If you have any questions or need help with rides, contact Fr. Bolek.
http://comeandfollowme.org/emmausdays/
Sessions 1 & 2 From Last Year
Sessions 3 & 4 From Last Year
Fr. Bolek looks like he's quite the card shark!
Part 1 of a 4-Part Series From Seminarian Nic Wilson
Entering seminary is no guarantee that God is calling one to the priesthood, but it is a time of more intentional discernment of the priesthood. At Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary (IHM), I was blessed to have challenging courses in philosophy, excellent priests to help form me in virtue...
Nic Wilson
We reached out to St. Jude Catholic Church’s very own Nic Wilson for an update on his path to priesthood. Nic provided some great comments on hearing the call of God, the seminary process, and some of the big challenges he’s faced so far.
We will share these in a series of four posts so be sure to be watching the parish website and our Facebook account. Below is the first one!
Let’s start here…
Nic, can you share how you knew God was calling you to be a priest?
My time at Peoria Notre Dame High School was essential to hearing God’s call to go to seminary. At PND, we had to complete 100 hours of service in order to graduate. I chose to serve at a nursing home in Peoria, and when residents would die who I had befriended, it caused me to think seriously about how I was living and what came after death. As a result, I started going to Eucharistic Adoration, praying the Rosary, regularly going to Confession, and attending daily Mass. I was also invited to start serving Mass at the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception in downtown Peoria, and there I was able to spend time with seminarians and priests and see the joy they had in following Christ.
While at PND, I was also a member of the robotics club, and though I enjoyed the designing and building the robot, I found that I was most concerned for the souls of my teammates. As I continued to grow in my prayer life and thought about how the priest cares for souls, my desire for priesthood grew. While attending Emmaus Days, the diocesan vocation retreat, after my junior year of high school, I talked to our vocation director at the time, Monsignor Brownsey, about becoming a seminarian. He told me to get to know St. Therese of Lisieux, and later that summer he gave me an application to seminary. During my senior year of high school, in addition to reading St. Therese’s Story of a Soul, I also read many books by Venerable Fulton Sheen and Father Michael Gaitley. This spiritual reading, in addition to regular prayer, solidified my commitment to entering seminary.
Entering seminary is no guarantee that God is calling one to the priesthood, but it is a time of more intentional discernment of the priesthood. At Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary (IHM), I was blessed to have challenging courses in philosophy, excellent priests to help form me in virtue, great opportunities for service at nursing homes, schools, prisons, and most importantly, a schedule of daily prayer consisting of Mass, the Rosary, the five hours of the Liturgy of the Hours, and an hour of mental prayer. Over the course of my four years in college seminary, I found myself growing in joy and peace as I lived the way of life provided by the seminary and as I worked during the summer in the archives of the diocese and teaching Totus Tuus. As a result, as I continue in formation, I feel confident that God is indeed calling me to be a priest.
Check back in about a week as we hear more from Nic in post 2 of 4! Leave some comments below and let us know what you think.
Altar Server Night at the Peoria Chiefs
The St. Jude Altar Servers had a special time at the Peoria Chiefs game yesterday. Guess who threw the first pitch! Find out here.
Take Me Out to the Ball Game
The St. Jude Altar Servers had a special night at the Peoria Chiefs game yesterday. It was a great game, and Fr. Henehan even got to throw the first pitch!
