St. Jude Church/School Nostalgia

[Campfire Girl]

Is there anyone better to take care of our 'kids' than the patron saint of all furry children?

[Campfire Girl]

For the "kids" born in the 50's - this is what was happening at St. Jude:
1950s

In 1950 the parish purchased the block bounded by Seven Mile Road, Crusade, Maddelein and Brock for a playground. St. Jude Credit Union was granted a charter and began business in the school one evening a week. All available classroom space had been utilized, thus necessitating the addition of one more classroom in 1951.

A goal of $250,000 was set in 1952 to finance a permanent church and rectory. In 1952, a chapter of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul was organized. In 1953, four classrooms were added to the school. The goal of $250,000 was surpassed and an additional $5,500 was raised in the "Soap Drive."

Groundbreaking ceremonies for the new church were held on October 17, 1954. The construction of the church and rectory progressed throughout 1955 and 1956.

On Easter Sunday, 1956, the lower church was used for the first time. The priests moved into the new rectory in July of the same year. On September 23, 1956, three bronze church bells were blessed along with the cornerstone of the new church. St. Jude Credit Union moved into a permanent location on Seven Mile Road that year.

On May 12, 1957, the upper church was used for the first time for first Communion celebrations. In 1959 the new altar, sanctuary flooring and communion rail were installed. St. Jude continued to thrive and grow larger each year.

[EMG]

I need some sympathy, guys. My dog just died. She was with me for almost 17 yrs.

You have my sympathy and prayers too. I too lost a pet - one of my cats - a few months ago. Pets ARE truly part of the family.

[jcole]

You have my sympathy and prayers too. I too lost a pet - one of my cats - a few months ago. Pets ARE truly part of the family.

Thanks, EMG. It's a lot harder that I had hoped it would be. She was quite old and kind of infirm, but that didn't make it any easier. I still look for her bed when I get up in the morning, but it's not there.

[Brock7]

I'm sorry to hear of your loss jcole, you have my sympathy as well. I lost my dog this month two years ago. She was also a few weeks away from her seventeenth birthday. It did take quite a while before I gradually adjusted to her absence from my life and the sadness of missing her diminished. It's funny that I even felt a loss of doing the things that I groused to myself about, like being interrupted to let her out, ear cleaning, or helping her up the stairs or getting on the bed with me.

Is there a story behind the name Neiscza? I can't imagine how to pronounce it - looks Polish. Google didn't produce any results.

[Magnatomicflux]

Sorry to hear of your loss jcole. I instantly started thinking of my dog Scout and the peepers welled up a bit. She was a very large Bouvier/Black Lab mix, who was my best freind for 16 wonderful years. A few years back she had suffered a stroke in the middle of the night, and couldn't even hold her butt off the ground to pee. The day we were forced to put her to sleep, I had to work, and then get some repairs done on my car. I told my mom to make sure it was done before I got home because I simply couldn't bear watching her be brought out to the car. It was a beautiful early summers day while I was at the repair shop, which coincidently was half a block from the vet she went to. At 3:30, the sky greyed over and it POURED cats and dogs. At 3:33 [[I looked at the clock on the wall), it stopped just as fast and the sun beamed once again. I finished up at the shop and headed home, dreading the fact that my best bud, with whom no conversation was necessary, wasn't going to meet me at the door. On my bed lay her collar and her bandana and I completly broke down [[wellin up again lol!) Next to that was her death certificate. Time of injection......3:30pm.
It's those little things that lets me know she's up there with my dad, and they'll be waiting when my time comes to pass. Her collar and bandana now adorne the steering column of every vehicle I've had since then......always will.
It'll get better, hang in there.

[jcole]

I'm sorry to hear of your loss jcole, you have my sympathy as well. I lost my dog this month two years ago. She was also a few weeks away from her seventeenth birthday. It did take quite a while before I gradually adjusted to her absence from my life and the sadness of missing her diminished. It's funny that I even felt a loss of doing the things that I groused to myself about, like being interrupted to let her out, ear cleaning, or helping her up the stairs or getting on the bed with me.

Is there a story behind the name Neiscza? I can't imagine how to pronounce it - looks Polish. Google didn't produce any results.

It's pronounced Nesha and it's the Polish diminutive of Agnes. I think I spelled it incorrectly which is probably why you can't find it on Google. I had a best friend in high school that went by Nesha<sic> so when I was trying to find a name that went with Stosh, our male Shih Tzu, Neiscza was a natural. Stosh passed about 3 years ago at age 14, so for many years I had a pair of Shit Tzus named Stanley and Agnes.

[jcole]

Magnatomicflux,
thanks for sharing that story with me; I welled up right along with you. Dogs are wonderful for a lot of reasons, not least among them their ability to know that something is wrong and to adapt themselves to your mood. My girl was with me through some very difficult things and never judged or disapproved. She just licked and wagged.I hope she and Stosh are waiting for me now like they used to wait for me to come home from work; at the door in full wag.

[kellyroad]

For the "kids" born in the 50's - this is what was happening at St. Jude:
1950s

In 1950 the parish purchased the block bounded by Seven Mile Road, Crusade, Maddelein and Brock for a playground. St. Jude Credit Union was granted a charter and began business in the school one evening a week. All available classroom space had been utilized, thus necessitating the addition of one more classroom in 1951.

A goal of $250,000 was set in 1952 to finance a permanent church and rectory. In 1952, a chapter of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul was organized. In 1953, four classrooms were added to the school. The goal of $250,000 was surpassed and an additional $5,500 was raised in the "Soap Drive."

Groundbreaking ceremonies for the new church were held on October 17, 1954. The construction of the church and rectory progressed throughout 1955 and 1956.

On Easter Sunday, 1956, the lower church was used for the first time. The priests moved into the new rectory in July of the same year. On September 23, 1956, three bronze church bells were blessed along with the cornerstone of the new church. St. Jude Credit Union moved into a permanent location on Seven Mile Road that year.

On May 12, 1957, the upper church was used for the first time for first Communion celebrations. In 1959 the new altar, sanctuary flooring and communion rail were installed. St. Jude continued to thrive and grow larger each year.

Yesterday I met my son at Supino's a pizzera in Detroit's Eastern Market. While we were waiting we took a stroll in the neighborhood, up Gratiot to St. Joseph. We could see Sweetest Heart of Mary, St. Mary's [[Greek town), St. Albertus, St. Josaphat in the distance...a lot of Detroit history in a concentrated area. All this got me thinking of St. Jude Parish in the far northeast section of Detroit with its own unique history. For those that aren't familiar with Detroit's far east side, St. Jude is located at the end of 7 Mile Rd East [[where 7 Mile continues south east as Moross). During Detroit's population max St. Jude was the largest school and parish in the Arch Diocese. It was the last church to be built in the "grand" style [[Romanesque, pillars, marble without a parking lot surrounding the church building). If one were to do a "church tour" of Detroit's finest, St. Jude should be on the list. It's Masses, church services, noted organ recitals, and community support are reinforced by a warm and welcoming parishioner base. It's been said that Detroit, with its depopulation and ruins, has become a city of islands. St. Jude and its surrounding community by that metaphor is such island. Check it out!

[Campfire Girl]

St, Jude parish is truly a beacon of light at Redmond and 7 Mile Road. The parish grounds are well maintained - with a beautiful garden along the west side of the church - in addition to the seasonally changed planters on the porch. All gardening is done by volunteers who donate time, flowers, mulch, soil - whatever is needed to beautify the grounds. A labor of love for a Parish that has given so much to the community - even as it changed - through these past decades. A welcoming congregation of faith-filled people - a testament to those who initially built our parish - both structurally and spiritually.

[Campfire Girl]

Saw some new faces this weekend both at the 4pm Mass and at 10am on Sunday! Wonderful treat to welcome new friends to St. Jude!

[Eastburn]

Saw some new faces this weekend both at the 4pm Mass and at 10am on Sunday! Wonderful treat to welcome new friends to St. Jude!

Now that's what I call a good Catholic [[remember that expression?). Mass on both Saturday AND Sunday.

[Campfire Girl]

Yes, actually, we were at both Masses. Went to Eastern Market on Saturday - so Sunday was fix up the big planters in front of church with huge Mums - and on the inside, sell Macy's "Shop for a Cause" passes to raise MUCH NEEDED funds for St. Jude. We get to keep the $5 for every card we sell - and have a chance to be the charity that gets to sell cards in the store on Shop for a Cause day, Sat 10/16 and do more fundraising. Hey, anything we can do to help our parish home - Friday was weeding, trimming evening around the grounds! It was great to see the Sunday folks, and attend another Fr. Jovita Mass, he's quite the inspiration!

[zitro]

I had an opportunity to hook up with a couple of fellow SJS DYes'ers at Wrigley Field over the weekend. It was a great treat and suprise we could arrange it at such late notice.

[Campfire Girl]

Ok, Z, just rub it in one more time! Any pictures you can send? we were thinking of you all on Sunday and remembering when ProAir used to fly out of Detroit City and we used to take in a Cubbies game and fly home same day! It was cheaper than driving. we went a few times - still have a "no good" ticket from when they went under.

[jcole]

I never could find the game on TV. Did you find it, CFG?

[zitro]

Ok, Z, just rub it in one more time! Any pictures you can send? we were thinking of you all on Sunday and remembering when ProAir used to fly out of Detroit City and we used to take in a Cubbies game and fly home same day! It was cheaper than driving. we went a few times - still have a "no good" ticket from when they went under.

I believe someone posted pics on FB. I wish I would have flown in for it, the drive home was brutal. I got in around 1:00am.

If I had enough tickets I would have opened it up to you all you know that

[Campfire Girl]

No, we never did find it on ANY channel! we were determined, but no luck......yeah, now that the game's over and everyone's home - NOW, the rest of us might have been invited had there been enough tickets. You buying that J, EB?

[jcole]

Hhhmmmm...

[Campfire Girl]

Saw the pics - looks like a great day and a great time - A big scoring game!

[zitro]

Saw the pics - looks like a great day and a great time - A big scoring game!

The game we went to was 5-4 CUBS WIN!!. Yesterday's game was a 16-5 blowout CUBS LOSE!

[Campfire Girl]

Ahhh,. darn that sister of mine who gave me bad intel to pass along- we're off to the Copa tonite for our 2nd game of the season! Who'd a thought someone would turn me around on bball in the D? Ummmmmmmmm....

[zitro]

Ahhh,. darn that sister of mine who gave me bad intel to pass along- we're off to the Copa tonite for our 2nd game of the season! Who'd a thought someone would turn me around on bball in the D? Ummmmmmmmm....

......................

[kellyroad]

Yes, actually, we were at both Masses. Went to Eastern Market on Saturday - so Sunday was fix up the big planters in front of church with huge Mums - and on the inside, sell Macy's "Shop for a Cause" passes to raise MUCH NEEDED funds for St. Jude. We get to keep the $5 for every card we sell - and have a chance to be the charity that gets to sell cards in the store on Shop for a Cause day, Sat 10/16 and do more fundraising. Hey, anything we can do to help our parish home - Friday was weeding, trimming evening around the grounds! It was great to see the Sunday folks, and attend another Fr. Jovita Mass, he's quite the inspiration!

CFG: Please detail the Shop for a Cause passes at Macy's. Is that at any Macy's?

Although this is not St. Jude news, this former SJ parishioner feels compelled to share good news that we learned Sunday. We have a young man for the first time ever from our parish entering the seminary. I know this young man and his parents... He was asked by Dominican nuns during a service trip if he had thought about discerning the priesthood. His first answer was "definitely not" rather thinking more of marriage and having a family. Several more service trips and inquires from the Dominicans brought tremendous growth to him. He was also involved in several ministries at his university parish. He stated that at the center of his dynamic relationship with God is the Church, He states he has a profound love of the Catholic Church, daily Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, Confession, the Holy Rosary, and Pope John Paul II's "Theology of the Body"....These all "humbled" him and allowed him him to be open to God's will. He knows the next 6 years will be a test and asks for prayers as he will pray for us.

Also, the 2nd good news. Our very own Fr. Bill Promesso [[from our neighbors to the north at St. Veronica and NDHS) is committed to our Parish till 2016.

[kellyroad]

How many priests were once St. Jude School students or Parishioners? Anyone have an idea? 1-10? 10-20?
How many girls from SJS/Parish entered the convent?

I don't recall any from the 60s.