Ministry Opportunities

Altar Guild

Members of the Parish see to it that altar linens are clean and available for all church liturgies. It involves washing and ironing the linens used at the altar during Mass. This is a special ministry which directly assists in making our altar ready for the Miracle which takes place at every Mass. If you are interested in joining those who do this, please call Helen Vincennie at 368-8823.

Altar Servers

Students who have completed the third grade are invited to become servers. Each year there is a training for new servers and for those who are more seasoned. Those who join are able to choose the Mass they wish to serve. They are called upon at times to serve at funeral and wedding liturgies. Those thinking about this ministry must know that it is a commitment to be aware of their scheduled time, remind parents to see that they are in church fifteen minutes before their assigned time, dress properly ( dress shoes - no shorts) and be attentive to the priest during Mass For more information on how to join this ministry, call Joann Koehler (561) 391-0919.

Boy Scouts

The Saint Jude Boy Scout troop # 326 is based here in our parish.

The teachings of Christ are reflected in the most fundamental guidelines of Scouting - the Scout Oath and the Scout Law - which the boys are required to memorize immediately upon joining the troop. By taking the Scout Oath, each boy pledges: On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; to help other people at all times; to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight. The Scout Law is a series of 12 values designed to guide each boy in his daily activities: A Scout is Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean, and Reverent. The Scout Oath and the Scout Law are recited by the adult leaders and the Scouts at every troop meeting. In addition, the adult leaders often remind the Scout of specific parts of the Oath and points of the Law when circumstances arise that suggest the need for such a reminder. In this manner, Christian values and objectives are practiced by the Scouts and, hopefully, incorporated into their daily lives. The primary work of the Boy Scouts is to develop in adolescent boys certain qualities and attributes that will assist them in becoming responsible, caring and productive adults. The principal objectives of Scouting are to develop an appreciation of the duties and privileges of citizenship, faithfulness, duty to God, service to community, leadership skills, respect for nature, and self esteem. Scouting attempts to develop these qualities through outdoor activities, service projects, advancement requirements, and interaction with other boys in a troop and patrol format. Troop #326 meets the last Tuesday of every month at 7:00 p.m. In addition, at least one weekend outing per month is planned, e.g. camping, hiking, boating, merit badge activities. Subject to the demands of their schoolwork, Scouts are required to attend all troop meetings in full Scout uniform and pay nominal weekly dues, and are strongly encouraged to pursue advancement and merit badge recognition.

For more information check out the troop's new web-site at:

www.stjudetroop326.com

The adult leaders of Troop #326 are:

Paul Bonomo Scoutmaster paul@stjudetroop326.com
Ron Garrett Assistant Scoutmaster ron@stjudetroop326.com	Scott Williams Treasurer 561.368.3715 scott@stjudetroop326.com
Bob Morrison Adult Quartermaster bob@stjudetroop326.com	Pam Sedgwick Secretary pam@stjudetroop326.com

Cub Scout Information

The adult leader of the Cub Scout's Pack #326 is:

Bruce Parker Cubmaster (561) 395-9449

Council of Catholic Women

The St. Jude Council of Catholic Women, as an affiliate of the National Council of Catholic Women, acts to support, empower, and educate Catholic women in spirituality, leadership, and service. Programs respond with Gospel values to the needs of the Church and society in the modern world. The St. Jude Council of Catholic Women promotes a variety of programs and projects enabling each member to lead or participate as she chooses. We promote fund raisers to assist the parish and community, while maintaining an atmosphere of service, education, and sociability. All women of the parish are invited to join.

The monthly meetings are the third Thursday of the month in the school atrium at 7PM. For more information, contact Joanne Valiante at (954) 480-6858.

Crossroads

Crossroads brings men together in an open forum to focus on spiritual direction, growth in faith, masculine spirituality, and contemporary issues which affect our relation with God and the Church. The simple gathering approach provides a relaxed atmosphere to focus on a monthly topic presented by one of the members, so that all may grow by the witness of each other, by the masculine bonding, and by the knowledge and wisdom of the group. Crossroads is the leaven in our spiritual food so that we may better live and understand the Gospel message of Jesus Christ. This group helps us to deepen our faith by traveling with the faith journeys of each of its members. Action or activity of the group is very limited. It is expected that members become active in other ministries of the parish or diocese. Most members of Crossroads are very active in ministries. Crossroads does provide one important service to the parish community by facilitating an annual retreat for men. This retreat is coordinated with Our Lady of Florida Spiritual Center. Crossroads gathers on the second Saturday of every month at 8:30 a.m., immediately following the 8:00 a.m. mass at St. Jude. Coffee and bagels are available at the meeting. There are no requirements of members other than being masculine. All presentations and participation in the meetings is truly voluntary.

For more information contact Bill Carducci at (561) 392-8356.

Eucharistic Ministers

We reflect Christ by distributing the Eucharist as Special Ministers at all of the weekend masses, on Holy Days of Obligation, and by visiting the sick in hospitals, nursing homes, and private homes. We believe we experience the fullness of Christ in the Eucharist, and we strive to share this fullness with all whom we encounter in our ministry. Our primary work is to help the priest at Communion and to make sure all our infirm members receive the Eucharist. Each week eight ministers are assigned to each Mass to aid in the distribution of the Eucharist. After Mass, the Special Ministers are asked to take Communion to the sick in the various nursing homes in the area. Our ministry does not have regularly scheduled meetings. The Diocese holds periodic training sessions for all ministers and all participate in these sessions. The coordinator of the ministry will explain to new ministers how Communion is to be distributed in the church. The coordinator of nursing homes will explain how that part of the ministry is organized. We ask all Eucharistic Ministers to have a love for the Eucharist and a strong desire to share it with others, especially the sick. We ask all Eucharistic Ministers to take their ministry seriously by ministering when scheduled or getting a substitute when they cannot attend.

For more information contact Tom Gallagher at (561) 483-3012.

Girl Scouts

Girl Scouts - Where Girls Grow Strong

Girls Scouts is the world's pre-eminent organization dedicated solely to girls everywhere. In an accepting and nurturing environment, girls build character and skills for success in the real world. In Girls Scouts, girls discover the fun, friendship and power of girls together. Through the many enriching experiences provided by Girl scouting, they grow courageous and strong.

Thanks to the generosity of the St.Jude Catholic School and Church, facilities for Girl Scouts to meet are provided to the girls in our community. Membership is available to girls from kindergarten to twelfth grade. The St. Jude troops operate under the guidance of the Girl Scout Palm Glades Council located in Lake Worth, Florida. Please call to check on membership availability in the troop currently meeting at St. Jude School. If there is not availability in a troop, every effort will be made to place her in another troop in our service area. The strength of the Girls Scout movement is derived from the voluntary leadership of our adult members. If you are interested in volunteering so that no girl gets left out, please call.

St Jude Church and School Girls Scout Organizer

Veronica Livia 561-218-9746

Hispano Misa en Español/Hispanic Mass Ministry

Bienvenidos a la Parroquia de San Judas. Los invitamos a participar con nosotros la alegria y el amor de nuestro Señor Jesucristo. Vengan y celebren con nosotros la Misa en Español cada Domingo a las 6:45 p.m. Para aquellos de espiritu joven, cada tercer Domingo del mes, celebramos una misa en especial para los Jovenes.  Confesiones se toman antes de cada misa.

Ademas actividades incluyen, rezar el Santo Rosario en la capilla todos los Jueves a las 7:00 p.m. Si tienen talento musical, los invitamos a participar en nuestro coro que practica cada Jueves a las 7:30 p.m. en la Iglesia. Tambien ofrecemos en Español clases de preparación para la Primera Comunion los Miercoles de 4:00 a 5:15 p.m. Tenemos varios ministerios que ofrecen servicios a nuestra comunidad Hispana como, Visita y Eucharstia a los Enfermos y Orientación a los Recíen Llegados.   Cada año organizamos un picnic con comidas tipicas, musica, y entretenimiento para toda la famlia. Los fondos recaudados son utilizados para proyectos al servicio de la parroquia de San Judas. El Ministerio Hispano, lo invita a ser parte de nuestra comunidad. Vengan y compartan con nosotros sus talentos, conocimientos, y costumbres. Celebremos como hermanos, la alegria, el amor, y la esperanza de nuestro Señor Jesus y toda su íglesia. Para mas informacion, llama  (561) 392-8172 .

Welcome to St. Jude’s Parish. We invite you to share with us the joy and love of our Lord Jesus Christ. Come and celebrate with us the Spanish Mass Sundays at 6:45 p.m. For the younger in spirit, we celebrate a special Youth Mass every third Sunday. Confessions are also held before each mass. Come and joins us and say the Rosary every Thursday at 7:00 p.m. If you are musically talented, we invite you to partake in our Spanish Choir, which practices every Thursday at 7:30 p.m in the church. We also offer preparatory classes in Spanish for First Communion every Wednesday from 4:00 to 5:15 p.m. We have several ministries that offer services to our Hispanic community such as Visitation and Eucharistic for the Sick, and Orientation to Newcomers in our Community. Every year we organize a picnic with Latin food, music, and entertainment for the entire family. Proceeds from this event are dedicated to projects that serve the St. Jude Parish. St. Jude’s Hispanic Ministry invites you to be part of our community. Come and share with us your talents, knowledge, and traditions. Celebrate with us as brothers and sisters, the joy, love, and hope of Jesus Christ and the Catholic Church.

For more information, please call (561) 392-8172.

Hunger Program

The St. Jude Hunger Program carries Christ's message of love and mercy to the poor and suffering. We support programs, locally and worldwide, aimed at meeting people's most basic needs. Our sustained commitment encourages change and hope. The poor, in turn, enrich us by their examples of faith, thankfulness, and deep trust in God. We are a bridge between the people of St. Jude Catholic Church and the poor who are all around us. Blessings flow over this bridge in both directions, uniting us in Christ's love. Meetings begin and end in prayer, for it is in Jesus' name that we minister. We meet on the first Monday of the month, at 7:30 p.m., in the conference room. Members attend meetings and communicate with the various projects we support. They help with food drives and parish functions that involve ministry participation. We welcome new members.

For more information, contact Dorothy Neubauer at  (561) 368-6653. 

Join the Handbell Choir

Rehearsals will be held in the church on Wednesday evenings from 6:30-7:30pm. Sight-reading skills are not necessary for adults. If you have a desire to learn, we will teach you to become a bell ringer. Students in grades 6 and up who have a skill in musical instrument are welcome join. For more information please call Rosemary Stone at 392-8172 ext. 18.

Join the Choir

This is a wonderful time to join the music ministry. We would like to add 15 people or more to the adult choir. Can you assist us in this very rewarding ministry? Rehearsals for the adult choir are held in the church on Wednesday evenings from 7:30--9:00 pm. The Junior Choir rehearses on either Tuesday or Wednesday evenings in the church from 5:15--5:45 pm. All students in grades 2 through 8 are invited to join our outstanding Junior Choir. For more information about the Music Ministry Family of St. Jude Parish, please call Rosemary Stone at 392-8172 ext. 18.

Journey to Justice

This ministry is a hands-on outreach ministry to a community of local farm workers, supported by regular meetings for prayer and sharing of the Gospel Meetings are on the first and third Mondays (excluding holidays) at 7pm in the Parish Conference Room.

For more information please call Pat and Hank Torres at (561) 368-6653..

Knights of Columbus

If you believe in the importance of investing your time in friendship, the Church and helping others, the Knights of Columbus organization is for you.  The Knights is an organization of Catholic Men and their families who derive a great sense of satisfaction from being able to develop lasting friendship with each other while helping the less fortunate.

Everyday the Knights of Columbus provides its members with the opportunity to discover the importance of charity, unity, fraternity and patriotism to our country and the world. Time is one of the most valuable commodities we have in life.  The amount of leisure and free time for the average person has decreased in recent years.  Many outside influences are vying for your precious time. Joining the Knights of Columbus will be a good use of your time and your will receive much satisfaction in return.

We urge all men in our Parish whose families are not already involved, to help a friend and his family discover the opportunities available in the Knights.

For more information on St. Jude Council # 13172 of the Knights of Columbus, please call Sunil Barboza at 561-392-8983.

Lectors

We reflect Christ by proclaiming the Word. Being a lector is a special gift from the Holy Spirit to us. It affects our lives by making us more aware of the Holy Spirit in bringing God's message to all who are present in the parish. We pray our enthusiasm for the reading will instill in at least one parishioner the desire to read the Word. Our primary work is to study and reflect on our assigned readings and to allow the Holy Spirit to speak through us. We meet twice a year: once prior to Advent, and again prior to Lent. To be a lector, a person needs to: Attend a training class in order to learn all the mechanics involved in the ministry; Practice all assigned readings by using the Lector Workbook; Attend all workshops and meetings; Invite new members through Time and Talent Weekend held by all the ministries; Be part of the team which coordinates Holy Week services

For more information contact George or Mary Sacks at (561) 989-0447.

Life Teen

The Life Teen Mass provides a real connection for the teens in our community, allowing them to take ownership of their faith so that going to Mass is not just their "parents' thing to do" anymore. The Life Teen Mass is geared toward reaching out to teens where they are, and helping them to develop a relationship with Jesus that is both personal and real. The Life Teen Mass is followed by Life Night in the Atrium of St. Jude School. During the Life Night, teens gather to learn about the Church and to explore their faith in challenging new ways. The Life Teen Mass and Late Night are designed to reach out, to deal with and to meet the real needs of today's teens. Please come join us for this new and exciting ministry each Sunday beginning at 5:00 p.m.!

For more information, please call  (561) 392-8172 x29 or visit our website at:  www.stjudelifeteen.net

Nursing-Retirement Homes

St. Jude Eucharistic ministers provide Communion and solace to Catholics who are no longer able to come to Church for Mass. Ministers visit these Catholics individually on Sundays and conduct Communion-Prayer services during the week. Priests from St. Jude offer Mass twice a month at most of these facilities. Presently St. Jude services ten Nursing-Retirement homes within in its boundaries. There is always a need for volunteers to assist in this compassionate ministry.

For more information contact Terry Leavitt at 362-4218

Parish Nurse

The St. Jude Parish Nursing program has lovingly served individuals and families in our community since 2001. The St. Jude Healthcare Committee supports the work of the Parish Nurse, which includes:

• Promoting the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of our community members using holistic health principles.
• Maintaining office hours every week to discuss health concerns, issues or teaching needs.
• Providing health screenings, blood pressure, and heart rate checks after Mass.
• Visiting local facilities to consult with hospitalized or long-term ill patients.
• Providing follow-up at home after an illness.
• Ensuring parishioners have community support.
• Coordinating classes for the community, such as our Safe Sitter babysitting courses.

Volunteer opportunities to assist the Parish Nurse with clerical, computer, and errands are available.

If you have a loved one who would benefit from the nursing ministry services please call the parish nurse, Connie Fahey RN, at 392-3719.

Respect Life

The Respect Life Ministry encourages volunteer service in pro-life organizations such as Birthline (a pro-life pregnancy center), Hospice (a home for the terminally ill), and the Children's Place South (a home for abused and neglected children) to name a few. Respect Life spells life from the moment of conception to natural death. This addresses abortion, euthanasia, the death penalty, teenage pregnancy, elderly people, disabled people, the needs of specific groups of individuals, the healing of individuals who have been involved with or have had an abortion. Respect Life members are involved politically to the extent that the law allows in trying to implement pro-life legislation. Praying for our mission is of the utmost importance in achieving our goals.

For more information, contact Lisa Oweis at (561) 750-8536.

Returning Catholics

This ministry focuses on missing and inactive Catholics. The purpose is to seek out Catholics who, for some reason, are no longer practicing their faith. Sometimes the reasons for being inactive are misconceptions which can be dealt with very easily. Divorce, abortions, marrying outside of the Church keep individuals from a community which needs them, and a Church which wants to be there for them. If you know of persons who might be interested in returning to the Church and would like to investigate this ministry, you can contact us at (561) 392-8172 x29. All meetings, which are held on a one-to-one basis, are held in strict confidentiality. Leaflets are available in the vestibule of the church for those who may be interested.

For more information, please call (561) 392-8172 x29

Senior Friendship

The St. Jude Senior Friendship Club is a ministry of men and women ages 55 and older. They meet at the Veranda Club located on N. Palmetto Circle East at 11:30. AM on the fourth Wednesday of the month. Lunch is served which generally consists of sandwiches, salad, fresh fruit, cake, coffee and soda for $5.00 per person.

This ministry is primarily a social club with some entertainment, speakers and outings. Our members are active volunteers at St. Jude and have donated funds for many causes.

Anyone wishing to join is welcome. For more information call Josephine Sampson at (561) 394-2848

The St. Joseph Carpentry Ministry

The St. Joseph Carpentry Ministry is composed of men and  women who donate their time and talents in doing small repair work in the homes of the elderly or the infirmed. There is no charge for this service. If you can spare a few hours each month in assisting in this project, please call Steve at (561) 852-7394.

Sunday Morning Coffee Service

Each Sunday morning, after the 7:30, 9:00 and 10:30 Masses coffee and bagels are provided in the Gathering Place and quite a gathering it is. Hundreds flock not only for the hot coffee and the delicious bagels that are served free of charge, but also for the assortment of fine breads and pastries that are given away, courtesy of Panera’s bakery.

To accommodate our parishioners we are in constant need of volunteers to assist with this service.  Pick a Mass that you perhaps attend and assist following that Mass. For more details call Elaine at (561) 392-8172 ext. 13.

Ushers

Also known as the "Ministers of Hospitality." Our ministry reflects Christ in our outreach to the parish community, in our meetings, and in the way we live out lives; by being faithful to the parish community; helping new people find their places in the worshiping community; being primary helpers in the role of Stewardship (collection). Each usher is required to attend all meetings; be present at your assigned Mass each week or contact the head minister if you are unable to be present or find someone to act as your substitute; be patient, tolerant, and charitable; participate fully in the Mass; be able to respond to emergencies.

For further information contact Dr. Vicente Chiong, MD at 561-392-1168.