Standing at the parking lot of St. Jude, one can view far away mountain ridges. What a beautiful spot for praising God!
Catholicism arrived late in the valleys of Southwest Virginia. By 1923 a chapel existed in Blacksburg. In the 1930's the first Catholic family arrived in Radford and Father George Walter from Blacksburg sometimes said Mass in their home. Father Walter is also credited with considering the possibility of building a church in Radford. He chose the name St. Jude, the patron of hopeless cases, because at this time it seemed a rather hopeless undertaking. In 1939, Radford and Pulaski became missions of St. Mary’s in Blacksburg as part of the diocese of Wheeling, West Virginia. Mass was celebrated twice a month in Radford at various locations. For many years, St. Jude existed only on paper until the Bishop of Wheeling initiated a fund drive for a Radford church. Dr. Garrett Dalton, a convert to Catholicism, and his wife Madeline were a major force in making the dream become a reality. At this time, there were about 100 Catholics in our area. Father Leo Fohl, based at St. Mary’s in Blacksburg, served St. Jude for 20 years. Finally on August 3, 1952, the original church on Tyler Avenue was dedicated.
In 1966, Father Bill Gardner became the new pastor. St. Jude became a separate parish, no longer a mission of St. Mary’s in 1967, and a period of rapid growth followed. In 1974, Southwest Virginia became part of the Richmond diocese and with the arrival of Father Tom Magri in 1983, an era of continuity and stability began. The parish grew to 511 members, and a great number of activities and numerous projects to serve the disadvantaged were initiated.
St. Jude is not merely a building, but a living and growing organism and the church on Tyler Avenue, opposite Radford University, was bursting at its seams. There was the need for a new church and plans accelerated when a 17 acre site on Rt. 177 outside Radford was acquired. Committees and parishioners were mobilized to make a reality of this new dream, and in January of 1994, the shell and the lower level of the church were completed. On January 16 , the coldest th day of the year (minus 12), Bishop Walter Sullivan, Pastor Tom Magri and many priests who were formerly associated with St. Jude, participated in the concelebration of the dedication liturgy.
Five years later the upper level, the actual liturgical space, was dedicated on September 19, 1999 with Bishop Sullivan concelebrating with Pastor Robert Judge, S.J. At this point there were 260 families and it was wonderful to be able to use the downstairs as a social hall. In 2002 Father Patrick Golden became pastor at St. Jude which again saw a rapid growth in membership and community involvement. A columbarium was added inside the church and a new rectory was built nearby. St. Jude has continued to grow with Father Ken Shuping, Father Jaroslaw Nowacki, Father Charles Ssebalamu, and now under our Administrator Father Cassidy Stinson!
The Catholic Campus Ministry at Radford University has always been a focus of St. Jude parish, and we now have a strong prison ministry as well. Our parish continues to grow and be blessed with generous parishioners, giving of their time, talent, and resources as we continue to further the work of Christ in bringing his message of hospitality, peace, justice and reverence for God.
Pastors, 1947–present:
Catholicism arrived late in the valleys of Southwest Virginia. By 1923 a chapel existed in Blacksburg. In the 1930's the first Catholic family arrived in Radford and Father George Walter from Blacksburg sometimes said Mass in their home. Father Walter is also credited with considering the possibility of building a church in Radford. He chose the name St. Jude, the patron of hopeless cases, because at this time it seemed a rather hopeless undertaking. In 1939, Radford and Pulaski became missions of St. Mary’s in Blacksburg as part of the diocese of Wheeling, West Virginia. Mass was celebrated twice a month in Radford at various locations. For many years, St. Jude existed only on paper until the Bishop of Wheeling initiated a fund drive for a Radford church. Dr. Garrett Dalton, a convert to Catholicism, and his wife Madeline were a major force in making the dream become a reality. At this time, there were about 100 Catholics in our area. Father Leo Fohl, based at St. Mary’s in Blacksburg, served St. Jude for 20 years. Finally on August 3, 1952, the original church on Tyler Avenue was dedicated.
In 1966, Father Bill Gardner became the new pastor. St. Jude became a separate parish, no longer a mission of St. Mary’s in 1967, and a period of rapid growth followed. In 1974, Southwest Virginia became part of the Richmond diocese and with the arrival of Father Tom Magri in 1983, an era of continuity and stability began. The parish grew to 511 members, and a great number of activities and numerous projects to serve the disadvantaged were initiated.
St. Jude is not merely a building, but a living and growing organism and the church on Tyler Avenue, opposite Radford University, was bursting at its seams. There was the need for a new church and plans accelerated when a 17 acre site on Rt. 177 outside Radford was acquired. Committees and parishioners were mobilized to make a reality of this new dream, and in January of 1994, the shell and the lower level of the church were completed. On January 16 , the coldest th day of the year (minus 12), Bishop Walter Sullivan, Pastor Tom Magri and many priests who were formerly associated with St. Jude, participated in the concelebration of the dedication liturgy.
Five years later the upper level, the actual liturgical space, was dedicated on September 19, 1999 with Bishop Sullivan concelebrating with Pastor Robert Judge, S.J. At this point there were 260 families and it was wonderful to be able to use the downstairs as a social hall. In 2002 Father Patrick Golden became pastor at St. Jude which again saw a rapid growth in membership and community involvement. A columbarium was added inside the church and a new rectory was built nearby. St. Jude has continued to grow with Father Ken Shuping, Father Jaroslaw Nowacki, Father Charles Ssebalamu, and now under our Administrator Father Cassidy Stinson!
The Catholic Campus Ministry at Radford University has always been a focus of St. Jude parish, and we now have a strong prison ministry as well. Our parish continues to grow and be blessed with generous parishioners, giving of their time, talent, and resources as we continue to further the work of Christ in bringing his message of hospitality, peace, justice and reverence for God.
Pastors, 1947–present:
- The Reverend Leo R. Fohl, 1947–66
- The Reverend William Gardner, 1966–72
- The Reverend Samuel Sacus, 1971–72
- The Reverend Leonard Murray, 1972–73
- Right Reverend Sylvester Staud, 1973–74
- The Reverend James Disney, 1974–79
- The Reverend James Forwalk, 1979–83
- The Reverend Thomas Magri, 1983–95
- The Reverend James Grealish, 1995–98
- The Reverend Robert Judge, S.J., 1998–2002
- Reverend Msgr. Patrick Golden, 2002–2007
- The Reverend Kenneth Shuping, 2007–2012
- The Reverend Jaroslaw Nowacki, 2012–2016
- The Reverend Charles Ssebalamu 2016-2022
- The Reverend Cassidy Stinson 2022-present