The Friends of St. Jude - Shrine of Saint Jude Thaddeus

The Friends of St. Jude
2390 Bush St. P.O. Box 15368, San Francisco, CA 94115-0368
(415) 931-5919 www.stjude-shrine.org
The mission of the Shrine of St. Jude is to further the devotion to St. Jude Thaddeus, "Patron of Difficult Cases,"
and to support the education and formation of worthy students for the Dominican Priesthood and Brotherhood.
St. Jude Thaddeus Novena, October 2009
Special Points
 Letter from our
Administrator,
Stedman Matthew
 St. Jude Novena,
October 20-28
 Novena Masses:
M-Sat: 8:00 am &
5:30 pm
Sun:
11:30 am
 Serious Fun
 Novena Preacher:
Fr. Mark Padrez,
O.P.
 St. Jude Pilgrimage
Sat., October 24
 Letters to St. Jude
 Novena Meditation
 Office & Gift Shop
 How To Put the
Shrine in Your Will
St. Jude Thaddeus Novena
Dear Friends of St. Jude,
“Were it not for hope, the
heart would break,” writes
Liz Trotta in her wonderful
book “Jude: A Pilgrimage to
the Saint of Last Resort” (Harper San Francisco,
1998).* Trotta is offering an
explanation for what she
calls “the universality” of St.
Jude, the devotion he inspires
in Catholics and nonCatholics alike.
In this issue of our newsletter we give voice to that hope
which inspires our devotion
by presenting excerpts from
some of the letters received
here at the Shrine.
We also introduce you to one
of our great fellow-travelers:
Fran de Maria of San Jose,
CA. Fran, assisted by his
wife Dorothy and family,
holds each year the Fran de
Maria St. Jude Classic golf
tournament in honor of our
patron. This was the 12th
year running of the event and
it was a smash.
As we come once again to
our Novena in honor of St.
Jude Thaddeus, October 2028, we are conscious of the
many stories that space does
not allow us here to share
with you. We warmly invite
you to join us and our Novena preacher Fr. Mark Padrez, O.P., Vicar Provincial
of the Western Dominican
Province, for these nine days
of grace.
The Novena, as usual, is
punctuated by the annual
All Souls Day
November 2
Christmas Novena
(Not Preached)
Dec. 25-Jan. 2, 2010
Fran, who lives in San Jose, CA, has been a St.
Jude devotee for some forty-five years. His wife of
fifty-one years, Dorothy, is similarly devoted. They,
Upcoming
Events
If you cannot join us for the
Novena, please pray with us.
We also encourage you to send
us your petitions so that we
can place them at the altar and
present your intention in a
special way to St. Jude, who
prays for us and for all who
honor and invoke his aid.
In Christ and St. Jude Thaddeus,
Stedman Matthew
Chief Administrative Officer
* “Jude: A Pilgrimage to the Saint of
Last Resort” is available at the Shrine
gift shop for $14.
Serious Fun: A Symmetry of Purpose and Reward
Fran de Maria is a no-nonsense sort of guy. “When
you promise something to St. Jude,” he says, “you
do it.” Twelve years ago, when St. Jude interceded
for him in a matter about which he’d prayed intensely, he vowed to raise funds to honor him. You
could just imagine him saying, “St. Jude, if you help
me, I will do this, whether I raise one dollar or a
thousand dollars.” St. Jude helped him, and thus
began Fran de Maria’s St. Jude Golf Classic, a golf
tournament that this year had its twelfth successful
outing.
 Spiritual Bouquet
Pilgrimage in honor of St.
Jude on Saturday, October 24,
followed by a bi-lingual Mass
celebrated by William J. Justice, Auxiliary Bishop of San
Francisco. We expect over
3,500 pilgrims to join us
(continued on next page)
Fran de Maria and his wife Dorothy with Stedman
Matthew and Fr. Thomas Hayes, O.P. at the tournament dinner, August 2, 2009.
Page 2
The Friends of St. Jude
2390 Bush St. P.O. Box 15368, San Francisco, CA 94115 -0368
Novena Preacher: Father Mark Christopher Padrez, O.P.
I was born and raised in Nogales, Arizona in October of
1963.
Fr. Mark Padrez,
O.P.
...a giving of self for the
"
benefit of others.”
At the University of Arizona
Newman Center I first met
the Dominicans and was introduced to their spirituality. I
was impressed with their
preaching, their availability,
prayer life, and community.
As the chaplains mentored
me through my college years
I gradually saw what service
and ministry meant: a giving
of self for the benefit of others. As I reflected on my own
life and my experiences of
Christ’s powerful redemptive
presence I felt drawn to share
that presence with others. I
entered the Order in August
of 1987.
I was ordained in May of
1995 and have been assigned
to our parish in Antioch,
California, Holy Rosary
Church and our Newman
Center at the University of
California of San Diego. I
have served the Province as
Director of Vocations, and
presently I am the Vicar Provincial. It has been a tremendous blessing to meet men so
eager and willing to give of
themselves to Christ and the
world.
Serious Fun: A Symmetry of Purpose and Reward (continued)
with their daughter and two sons, bring a seriousness of purpose and an imaginative flair to the
tournament’s planning and execution - even, we’ve heard, to the playing, about which all kinds
of stories abound. Suffice it to say that there are two first place winning categories: First Place
Scramble, for which the winner receives a trophy; and First Place Net, whose winner gets gift
certificates. The tournament is topped by a formal dinner where attendees win all kinds of interesting raffle prizes. At this year’s dinner, for example, our former Shrine director Fr. Thomas
Hayes won a spanking new golf club; perhaps we’ll see him on the course at next year’s tournament.
Fran de Maria’s St. Jude Classic is serious fun, spawned by a word honorably kept, a strong
devotion, and deep faith. As its main beneficiary, the Shrine of St. Jude Thaddeus is immensely
grateful to Fran, his family, his friends and colleagues who participate in the tournament for
helping us to further our ministry and support our future Dominican priests. When each year
Fran and Dorothy present a check for the proceeds of the tournament to the Shrine director , one
senses about the occasion a certain satisfaction and joy in the giving and receiving, a perfect
symmetry of noble purpose and grateful reward.
Fran de Maria presents
a check to Fr. Martin
Walsh, O.P.
6th Annual Pilgrimage in Honor of St. Jude, October 24, 2009
Put
on
your
walking shoes and
join us on our
annual pilgrimage
in honor of St.
Jude Thaddeus on
Saturday, October
24, 2009. We will
begin at 10:00
a.m. at St. Peter’s
Church,
1237
Alabama Street,
San Francisco, and end at St. Dominic’s Church, home of
the Shrine of St. Jude Thaddeus, at Bush and Steiner
Streets. Our four-mile walk through the streets of San
Francisco, highlighted, as
always, by singing of hymns,
praying of the rosary, and
other activity, will proclaim to
the city our devotion to Christ
and St. Jude – a powerful
statement of faith by over
3,500 pilgrims. Upon arrival
at St. Dominic’s, we will have
a bilingual solemn Mass,
beginning at 12:30 p.m.
We are delighted to welcome
this year Most Rev. William
Justice, Auxiliary Bishop of
San Francisco, who will
celebrate the Mass. Other
clergy and Dominican
seminarians will join us as
well. Buses will transport
pilgrims between 7:00 and
9 :30 a.m. fro m St.
Dominic’s Church to St.
Peter’s Church to begin the
pilgrimage.
We go on pilgrimage
because we are a pilgrim
people. Help us witness to
the faith in this unique way.
Page 3
Letters to Saint Jude
Dear Brothers and Fathers,
In March of this year I sent
a request for my son, daughter-in-law, and their unborn
child to be included in your
prayers and in a Novena.
Doctors had advised the
child might have a rare
genetic disorder and, if so,
he would not live but a few
hours after birth. [My
grandson] was born in May,
a perfectly healthy little
baby boy. His parents returned to church during the
pregnancy and know it was
divine intervention and the
miracle of prayer that resulted in my grandson’s
health. They knew of my
prayers and yours in the
Novena, and are so grateful.
Let me know if you would
like a picture of the baby!
Dear St. Jude,
I so desperately need your prayers.
My husband and his fishing buddy
died. They drowned and I’m having
such a hard time living without him.
Please help me get through this. I
feel lonely… and I feel that the
prayers from St. Jude and the Friars
will help me get through. Thank
you.
Dear Father,
By now, you all must wonder who this old lady is… Well,
let me tell you my story. Years ago, and I mean about 35
or so, my son finished college and moved to San Francisco
– no job. We visited him over Easter and stumbled on
your church for Sat. night Mass. After Mass, I saw the
statue of St. Jude with candles, and I said to my son: ―go
light a candle so you get a job.‖ He did; that was Sat., and
on Sunday, he had a call about a job. Sooooo, I have been
thanking St. Jude all these years – and also, since his
confirmation name was Jude.
(from Napa, CA – May 2009)
(from Atlanta, GA – July 2008)
Dear St. Jude,
My family and I came to thank you with all our heart and faith; to thank you for all our healing: my
daughter, my two sons, my son-in-law who just had open-heart surgery. Thank you for the healing
and for protecting all of us day and night. We all love and have lots of faith in you. St. Jude, thank
you for our healing when we have been so sick. We will try and come back to thank you in person
again.
(from Coalinga, CA - August 2009)
Dear Father,
My card of St. Jude is worn out from my
praying to him when my son was dying
in the hospital 21 years ago. My son
pulled through and is still alive and
healthy.
(from Norman, OK – August 2009)
Dear St. Jude Shrine,
This was my first Dominican Novena [the
2009 St. Anne Novena in honor of St. Anne
and St. Jude, July 18—26] and the best of
50 years of making them.
(from Reno, NV – March 2009)
(from San Francisco, CA – July 2009)
To the St. Jude Shrine,
I am presently incarcerated because, unfortunately, I committed a felony while under the influence of drugs. I have a drug addiction which I have been fighting for the past 22 years. I have
been a devout follower of St. Jude Thaddeus for many years, and always pray for his help. I will
be released soon and I pray to God and St. Jude that I will be in sobriety when I resume my
freedom again. I want another chance to be able to be a good citizen of society again; to change
my life around and put an end to my addiction for good, because that is the root of my problems. Please include me in your daily prayers to St. Jude so that I may be strong and always
stay positive and away from the drugs upon my release, because I do not want to be locked up
again. And please can you also include my mother, for her health and safety always. She has
cancer, and I want to go and live with her and take care of her because she lives alone. I hope
to visit the Shrine to give an offering when I am released because I truly appreciate what St.
Jude has always bestowed on me and my family. Please pray that my plans may become a
reality.
(from San Quentin, CA – August 2009)
Dear St. Jude Staff,
Please pray for my son and daughter to find their
true vocations. They are at a crossroad and I hope
the Holy Spirit, through the intercession of St. Jude,
will guide them for Jesus and what He wants them
to do. Thank you for your heartfelt prayers.
Dear Fathers, Shrine of St. Jude,
My granddaughter – a beautiful girl she
was—has become addicted to alcohol.
Nothing seems to help. Her family has
given up. But not myself. I have all my
faith in St. Jude. I’ve never lost faith.
Please, I’m a desperate grandma.
(from Ft. Collins, CO – 2006)
(from Vancouver, Canada – January 2009)
Dear Father,
My first communication and
request for support and help
began in 1976. I do not know the
name of the person who referred
my name to St. Jude’s Shrine,
but I responded and it has been
my one main source of hope, faith
and support… My first husband
and father of my 3 children filed
for divorce and left us. I was not
employed at the time. I prayed
every day to St. Jude to bless me
with good health (so I could work
and take care of my family) and
also for the blessing of love, patience, and understanding. I also
said it would be very much appreciated if I could meet a very
nice, loving and trustworthy
gentleman to share our lives
with. Believe it or not, it happened after 10 years of prayers.
(from Sunnyvale, CA – November 2007)
St. Jude Thaddeus Novena, October 2009
Page 4
Day Four: Hope
Keep yourselves within the love of God and wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to give you
eternal life. (Jude 21)
In all of our lives we face situations that can cause us to lose hope. When we focus on things of this
world alone, despair can become our closest companion. The specters of war, of disease, of earthquake
or natural disaster, the betrayal of friends, the loss of employment, the ending of a cherished relationship – all shake the foundation of our hope. What St. Jude learned in seeing the Risen Lord is that He
truly is the source of all hope, and in Him our hope is never confounded. God has a way of resolving
those situations that can cause us to despair – not necessarily in the manner we would wish, but always
to our benefit. Like St. Jude, place your trust in God, hope in the Lord, and be prepared for unexpected, and indescribable joy.
(The above is taken from St. Jude Novena Meditations, a publication of the Shrine. If you cannot
attend the Novena and would like one of these pamphlets to pray with us during the nine days,
please contact the Shrine office. Ph: 415-931-5919. www.stjude-shrine.org.)
Shrine of St. Jude Office and Gift Shop
The Shrine office and gift shop are located just a block away from the Shrine of St.
Jude. The address is 2510 Pine Street, between Pierce and Scott Streets. We are open
from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm Monday-Friday. St. Jude gift items include statues, rosaries,
medals, and jewelry items. Mass requests, enrollment into the Apostolate of St. Jude,
and blessed St. Jude oil may be ordered.
How To Put the Shrine of St. Jude Thaddeus in Your Will:
After providing for their families and loved ones, devotees may want to put the Shrine of St. Jude Thaddeus in
their wills. Bequests are free of estate tax, and can substantially reduce the amount of your estate claimed by the
government. You may insert in your will: I give, devise, and bequeath to the Shrine of St. Jude Thaddeus, 2510
Pine Street, San Francisco, CA 94115 (insert the $ amount being given). A bequest can also be stocks or bonds, a
specific piece of property, or all or part of an estate. We recommend that a lawyer helps you draft or amend
your will.
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St. Jude Thaddeus Spiritual Bouquet
Dear Father,
Please remember______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
so that they may share in the Novena of Masses at the Shrine of St. Jude in observance of the
St. Jude Thaddeus Novena, October 20-28, 2009.
Donation:________________
Please place this slip with your donation in an envelope and return it to the
Shrine of St. Jude either by mail or by depositing it into the black candle
collection box at the Shrine.