St. Jude feast day, devotion planned

IC photo by Marie Mischel

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From left, Msgr. Bill Bonczewski, Richard Tabish and Ray Kaleel pose with the St. Jude icon at St. Jude Marionite Church.

MURRAY — Catholics pray to St. Jude when they’re in dire straits, but the parish that bears his name is planning a regular devotion to the saint of impossible causes.

The new tradition will start Sunday with a Mass, devotions and the first day of a tridium novena to the saint at St. Jude Maronite Catholic Church. A buffet of authentic Lebanese food also is planned.

The festival “was overdue,” said Richard Tabish, vice president of the parish council and chair of the St. Jude’s feast day committee. “St. Jude is the patron saint of our parish. He’s a great intercessor for those who pray to him, and we as his parish needed to honor his feast day.”

The idea for the feast came from Msgr. Bill Bonczewski, who became pastor last year. “The hope is that, as we promote the devotion to St. Jude, anyone in the whole area who would like to share in the devotion would be welcome,” he said. “We hope to build a devotion to St. Jude among our parishioners, and let it go out beyond that and anyone who has a devotion to St. Jude can come in and pray anytime.”

Ray Kaleel, chair of the parish council, complimented Msgr. Bonczewski for bringing new traditions to St. Jude’s. The feast day is one of several ideas that are coming forth, Kaleel said. “He is setting the seed for the growth of St. Jude and the future of St. Jude and if we take his lead and follow through with it, this could be a very thriving parish down the road, especially for our youth.”

Msgr. Bonczewski said he hopes to have an ongoing weekly devotion to St. Jude if there’s enough support.

The public is invited to the feast. “Those who have never experienced Lebanese food and hospitality would be in for a significant treat if they would come share lunch and dinner with us on Sunday,” Tabish said.

The feast opens with liturgy Sunday at 10:30 a.m. There will be devotions and prayers to St. Jude all afternoon. A buffet of Lebanese cuisine will be served from noon to 5 p.m. The first day of the tridiim novena to St. Jude will be at 7 p.m. Cost is $15 for adults, $8 for children 8 and under.

The second and third days of the novena will be 7 p.m. Monday and Tuesday. The event will end with a 7 p.m. Mass Wednesday, followed by a dessert reception.