It was September of 1957: Fr. Albert Henkel had just been assigned by Bishop Adrian to begin organizing a new parish in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Fr. Henkel proposed Saint Jude -- the Saint of desparate causes -- as the patron of the new parish. In January of 1958 the name became official, and in August of that year, the formal decree erecting the Parish of St. Jude was issued. Having completed his work here, Fr. Henkel moved on to an assignment at Holy Ghost Parish in Knoxville, and Fr. Albert Louis Siener was appointed the first pastor of St. Jude.

Our first masses and meetings were held on Sunday, October 12, 1958, in leased space over the Red Bank Pharmacy on Dayton Boulevard. Some 300 persons attended. By February, 1960, finishing touches were being put on the present school and gymnasium - auditorium. Seating as many as 500, the gym served as a "temporary" church for almost 19 years! The first Mass was celebrated in today's sanctuary on January 13, 1979, and the formal dedication of our beautiful sanctuary took place on August 27 of that same year under the Nashville Diocese's Bishop Niedergeses.

In 1999, with more than 1,100 families worshipping God here, nearly 2,000 parishioners attend Sunday Masses. By participation in more than 50 active ministries, St Jude Parish praises Jesus Christ through service to one-another and to the community . Our K-thru-8 school has been recognized as a National School of Excellence by the U.S. Dept of Education for more than 8 years. Some 400 children study under fully qualified and highly effective teachers, as proven by our students' high scores on state and national tests.

Today St. Jude parish is in the Knoxville Tennessee Diocese. We have grown in membership to the point at which a daughter parish is being formed in nearby Soddy Daisy, Tennessee.

We are happy to have you visit our virtual parish on the Internet. If you are moving to Chattanooga, go to our NEWCOMERS page. You may also be interested in learning how St. Jude parishioners have accepted the challenge of becoming a FULL STEWARDSHIP parish.