About Our Parish

Humble Beginnings

By the early 1970's the rural community of Redmond began sprouting housing developments and retail shops.  Catholics, then traveling to Kirkland, Issaquah, Bellevue, and Bothell, began planning with the Archdiocese to create a new parish here.  The Archdiocese had previously purchased our present site waiting the day when the Catholic population would support a Redmond faith community.  In 1977 a group of four Redmond Catholics - Jim Daily, Florence Favollita, Gert Pitman, and Ed Cade - met with  Archdiocesan Building Commission and Archbishop Hunthausen to let him know that day had arrived, and he was very encouring.  Fr. Jerry Lovett was appointed the first pastor and remained pastor for 25 years.  A guild which had been attached to Holy Family parish in Kirkland was named St. Jude. When a vote was taken to suggest a name, this offering received the most support. 

The first Mass was celebrated in the cafeteria of Redmond Middle School on September 16, 1978, 5:00pm.  About 250 peopl attended that first liturgy and roughly 1000 people from just over 300 families came together for Eucharist at the three celebrations that first weekend. 

Ernest fundraising began in 1979 and groundbreaking in 1980.  On October 25, 1981, the new church and altar were dedicated to the service of the Lord for all time by Archbishop Hunthhausen and Abbot Adrian from St. Martin's Abbey.  1981 also saw the beginning of one of the customs that continues to mark the character of St. Jude Catholic Church.  In Advent a "Giving Tree" helped spread joy to many in the Greater Seattle area.