Parish Mission Statement
Our Mission: We are a community united in faith in Jesus Christ and grounded in the traditions of the Catholic Church. We embrace the continuation of Christ’s mission on earth by proclaiming the Gospel and celebrating the sacraments.
About Our Mission Statement — We at St. Jude the Apostle parish are laying the foundations for a parish built in the image of Jesus. To accept who we are today is to accept a limited edition of who God intends us to be. We can not be satisfied with who we were yesterday when we know that Jesus promised us the Glory of God tomorrow.
Our commitment as a parish is to construct a culture that allows the freedom of all people to experience the fullness of God’s love. Through our reaching out as disciples, our healing sacraments, and our concern to serve others, we all grow in the love of Jesus. We call upon the Holy Spirit to give us the courage to grow our parish toward being a sign of God’s presence here in Oshkosh. We commit to not only change each individual soul within our community, but within the City of Oshkosh and beyond.
Join with our parish as we seek to change our hearts and souls. We strive to live ever closer to the model of love we find in Jesus. This is our mission as we reach out to the ends of the earth.
Our History
St. Jude Parish is located within the Diocese of Green Bay. In 2007, three Oshkosh Catholic parishes merged to form a new parish – St. Jude the Apostle. It was not an easy transition as loyalties to the three individual churches ran deep. But people joined together, made new friends, remained faith-filled, and forged ahead. The result is an active, thriving and growing Catholic community.
A common thread runs throughout the history of St. Vincent, St. John, Sacred Heart, and St. Jude Parishes. Time after time, the people of our parishes sacrificed to build and maintain our churches, buildings and properties. Many projects and the purchases of organs, stained-glass windows, bells, landscaping, and other special items were made possible by the hard work and generous donations of named and anonymous parishioners.
Following is a brief overview of the history of each parish.
St. Jude the Apostle
2007: St. Jude Parish was formed on July 14 with the merger of three south-side Oshkosh parishes – St. Vincent de Paul, St. John the Evangelist, and Sacred Heart. Members humbly accepted the opportunity to be challenged by the rich traditions of the three parishes formed throughout the previous 100+ years. The St. Vincent and Sacred Heart churches became the worship sites for weekend and weekday masses.
2008: The first annual St. Jude parish picnic was a successful event as the previous picnic committees from Sacred Heart and St. Vincent combined efforts.
2010: St. John church and school were sold. The church was deconsecrated, which is necessary when a church that has been consecrated by a bishop is sold to the public. Deconsecration removed the religious blessing from the building.
2013: Leannah Hall, the gym at Sacred Heart school, was remodeled into a gathering space with attached kitchen facilities.
2014-2015: Bastian Hall and the Heritage Room, both in the lower level of St. Vincent church, were remodeled. A meditation garden was added at the Sacred Heart site.
St. Vincent de Paul
1868: St. Vincent de Paul Parish was founded and served a large area with a diversity of languages. At one time, sermons were preached in English, French, and German.
1874: The first St. Vincent school was built.
1887: St. Vincent’s consecrated ground for a new Catholic cemetery.
1888: A steeple was added to the church, along with two bronze bells and a four-faced steeple clock.
1896: Hard feelings among parishioners caused a split. The Irish population purchased property three blocks away and built a new church – St. John the Evangelist.
1905: St. Vincent’s joined the newly formed Green Bay diocese after originally belonging to the Milwaukee diocese.
1914: Parishioners helped dig the excavation for a new church and rectory. The bells and clock from the old church were installed with the steeple tower rising 135 feet. The gilded cross on the top added another 10 feet. It is a noted landmark for travelers and Lake Winnebago boaters to this day. The larger bell tolls on the hour and on joyous occasions. The smaller bell tolls once at quarter past, twice at half past and three times at quarter to the hour. It is used at funerals and on somber occasions.
1925: A new convent was added and presented to the School Sisters of Notre Dame who had been living in the school building for 50 years.
1930: A new three-story school and gymnasium was completed.
1940’s: Stained glass windows were installed. The rose window in the choir loft is said to be a replica of one in the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris, France.
1956: The mechanism of the tower clock was motorized, eliminating the need for manual winding. For over 65 years, it was wound every 24 hours by vigilant priests, janitors, and volunteers.
1970’s: The Parish Council was formed along with various committees as a result of the Second Vatican Council.
1982: The inside of St. Vincent church was completely renovated.
1988: The church tower was lit for the first time and continues to be lit every night until midnight.
1992: St. Vincent’s joined other Oshkosh Catholic schools to form the consolidated Oshkosh Area Catholic Education System (OACES), later called Unified Catholic Schools, and now named Lourdes Academy.
Mid 1990’s: A new electronic organ was purchased to replace St. Vincent’s 100-year-old organ, and a fund was created to install an elevator, providing access for those unable to use the stairs.
1996: Due to priest shortages, St. Vincent’s and St. John’s became linked parishes and shared a pastor.
2007: St. Vincent’s joined with St. John’s and Sacred Heart to form the new St. Jude Parish.
St. John the Evangelist
1890’s: Dissension and division was building between the German-speaking and English-speaking members of St. Vincent parish, primarily because of language issues. The English-speaking members, the majority of whom were Irish, began to pursue a plan to break away and build their own church.
1893: A new parish – St. John the Evangelist – was established.
1894: A church rectory was built.
1897: The new St. John church building was dedicated. The main stained glass window represents the parish’s patron saint.
1905: St. John’s joined the newly formed Green Bay diocese after originally belonging to the Milwaukee diocese.
1909: St. John school was constructed and was staffed by the School Sisters of Notre Dame.
1916: The tower was removed from the top of the church due to its weight and having been hit by lightning.
1969: St. John school was closed.
1987-1988: The inside of St. John church underwent a major renovation and all of the stained-glass windows were re-glazed. A new door was added to accommodate a wheel-chair ramp at the rear of the church.
1990: Three houses located behind the church were purchased to make way for a much-needed parking lot.
1991-1998: A Carillon Bell system and a new electronic organ were purchased.
1996: 103 years after St. John’s split from St. Vincent’s, and because of priest shortages, the two parishes became linked and shared a pastor.
2007: St. John’s joined with St. Vincent’s and Sacred Heart to form the new St. Jude Parish.
Sacred Heart
Early 1900’s: St. Vincent Parish was becoming crowded and it was a long walk to church for those living west of Ohio Street. Planning began for a new church to be located in the 6th Ward.
1906: Sacred Heart church and school were built on the corner of 5th and Knapp Streets, with parishioners digging the basement by hand. The school was placed on the first floor and the church proper on the second.
1907: The first nuns arrived to serve in the school. They were Franciscan Sisters of Holy Family Convent near Manitowoc.
1907: Farmland south of Knapp Street was purchased for a church cemetery.
1913: Six classrooms were added to the school.
1924: A parsonage was built and made ready for occupancy by the pastor and assistant pastor.
1920’s and 30’s: Various church social groups were the mainstay of parish activity. As an example, free outdoor movies were shown on Sunday evenings during the Depression. Most were Westerns enjoyed by families sitting on the grass on the corner of 6th and Knapp Streets where the present church is located today.
1938: Work began on a new church building on the corner of 6th and Knapp Streets during the later years of the Depression. The bell tower rose 100 feet.
1940: The final fixtures and furnishings were installed in the new church. The marble altars and statues were sculpted by highly respected Italian artists. Oil paintings were by a Czechoslovakian artist and the Stations of the Cross were painted on copper plates.
1939: The first Mass in the new church was held and on the day of dedication, 145 people were confirmed.
1960’s: After Vatican II the church design was modernized with the removal of Communion rails and the addition of a separate altar so the priest could face the congregation. During this period, women were first allowed to be lectors.
1970’s: A new gymnasium, Leannah Hall, was built between the school and church.
1994: Sacred Heart joined other Oshkosh Catholic schools to form the consolidated Oshkosh Area Catholic Education System (OACES), later called Unified Catholic Schools, and now named Lourdes Academy.
2003: The interior of the church was again renovated with many of the old marble parts brought back into use in different ways.
2007: Sacred Heart joined with St. Vincent’s and St. John’s to form the new St. Jude the Apostle Parish.