THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING IN A 

   WONDERFUL  NIGHT OF PAINTING !!!

Join us for Paint Night!

Saturday, November 9, 2024

7:00 – 9:00 p.m.

St. Jude Parish

Lower Church Hall (please note: stairs are required)

147 Main St., Waltham

will instruct us step by step!

Ticket Donation: $40.00/person

$30/ages 65+ and ages 21 and under

            Doors Open @ 6:15 PM ---- Painting Begins @ 7:00 PM

• Includes all supplies needed, Door Prizes and more!
• Tickets are available: after weekend Masses Oct. 12/13 through Nov.2/3 at the back of the church, or contact the Parish Office or use the sign-up sheet at the back of the church and we will contact you.

Light Refreshments and Non-alcoholic Beverages will be available for purchase.

Please note:  No tickets will be available at the door. Space is limited, so sign up early!  

Don't wish to drive after dark? Request transportation when you buy your ticket.

A History:

Celebrating and Sustaining our Partnership  

St. Jude Parish, Waltham

Fr. Joseph Domfe, SMA; Ghana

The SMA Fathers (Society of African Missions)

     The SMA Fathers are the Society of African Missions, an order of priests serving throughout Africa. Among many other ministries, they have started the first ministry in Ghana to serve the needs of the Deaf Catholic community.

     Our partnership started 20 years ago, when the SMA Fathers asked our pastor, Fr. Bill Leonard, to host Fr. Joe for the summer.  Although he is from Ghana, he was serving in Nigeria, where his ministry included a school and parish that were greatly in need of funds. Our parish began providing support through several collections each year and fundraisers, including involvement from our youth.

     Next, Fr. Joe was assigned to Winneba, Ghana, near the capital city of Accra. He oversaw a parish with 10 outposts--one of which they named St. Jude.  Our donations helped support the parish school with a daily meal for students and additional classrooms, and we helped purchase land to grow cocoa beans to provide self-sustaining funds, secured maize crops to provide food, repaired storm damage, and assisted with car repairs so Fr. Joe could reach the far-flung outposts.

     In 2019, Fr. Joe was transferred to Amamoley, Ghana to serve a new school and church. While the school was under construction, he was assigned to the US, in the Diocese of Peoria, Illinois, where he remains because they are short of priests, and in exchange they provide funding for the SMA Fathers.

     Prior to Covid, Fr. Joe visited St. Jude many times to provide ministerial support.   His most recent visit was in 2019 – and he deeply hopes that he can return this year to thank you all in person for your great generosity.  (When he speaks of visiting us, he calls it “visiting heaven” because of the wonderful St. Jude parishioners and the beauty of our area.) 

     We continue to support the Bresillac Catholic School in Amamoley, which is growing by leaps and bounds, with more than 300 children enrolled.  Last fall, our donations helped start a much-needed library, which they named St. Jude’s Library, in appreciation.

     Since 2015, approximately $125,000 has been raised. Thank you very much for your ongoing remarkable generosity, which has helped our parish be the hands of Christ in the world, as part of the universal church. 

     We invite you to join our committee that coordinates this ministry! We have a great time as we work with Fr. Shawn to plan events. Thank you for your support!

Fr. Joe has sent us the following note of thanks:

Dear Parishioners of St, Jude,

Greetings and best wishes from Macomb, Illinois. This message is meant first all, to find out how you are doing as a parish community. The message is also meant to express my sincere appreciation to you all for your generous contribution to my mission in Ghana.

As you may be aware, I took some time for my sabbatical leave to serve at St. Paul Parish in the diocese of Peoria, Illinois. I have almost come to the end of the sabbatical leave. Very soon I will leave Illinois for Ghana to continue my ministry there. I want to take this opportunity to let you know that I appreciate all that you have done and continue to do for me.

Let me also use this great opportunity to thank the two Fathers, Fr Shawn and Fr Jeremy, for their support and prayers. Honestly speaking, I have never met them in person, but their support for my mission is beyond telling. I thank all the good parishioners who always help me to reach out to you. Please permit me to say that if my connection with you has been very great, it is through the good work of the committee at St. Jude that works in support of my ministry. I thank them very much because reaching out to you is always possible because of them.

If I get any opportunity, I will like to see St. Jude, 'my heaven on earth' again, before going back to Ghana. Thank you once again for everything. I will continue to pray for you all.

Till we meet once again, Stay blessed and remain safe. Fr Joe Domfe

 This summer, we received word from Fr. Joe Domfe SMA (Society of African Missions) that the Bresillac Catholic School in Amamoley, Ghana was in need of a school library. St. Jude parishioners have generously supported this school since the beginning, including funds for the playground. (As noted, Fr. Joe is assigned to the school but has been on temporary assignment in Macomb, Illinois, working to provide funds for the SMA ministry in Ghana.) 

 Since June 2022, St. Jude parishioners have donated a total of $5,500 (through four second collections and our restaurant fundraisers) for the ministry of the SMA Fathers and Fr. Joe. In August, Fr. Shawn wired those funds in the amount of $5,516 to the SMA Fathers for the library project.  Thank you for your generosity in making this donation possible!

Last week, Fr. Joe sent photos of the early work underway, and he informed us that the library will be named the St. Jude Library in honor of our parish's support.  We will keep you informed as we receive additional photos and updates!

 Thank you for your ongoing support!

For those who are newer to the parish and may not know the history of St. Jude's support, you can read more on the boards at the back of the church and also find a recap of our 19-year partnership with Fr. Joe/the SMA Fathers on our parish website. Please consider joining this vital parish ministry and contact any member of our committee to learn more! Amy Logan ([email protected]), Arthur Cassidy, John Fabiano, Sheila King, Bill Mayer, Liz Taylor.  Thank you!