St Jude - Apostle and Martyr

St. Jude was the son of Cleophas. His Mother, Mary Cleophas was a relative of our Lady who stood at the foot of the cross. St. Jude was related to Jesus, therefore, through his father and mother as a cousin of our Lord and the brother of James.

After the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, St. Jude realised his vocation and began preaching the Good News of Christ in Judaea and Samaria, Syria, Mesopotamia and Libya.

He returned from these missions to Jerusalem in the year 62 AD and wrote an epistle to all the Churches of the East in which he urged those whom he had converted to strive for the faith. St. Jude was martyred in Persia or Armenia, the records are unclear and his feast day is on 28th October. (A whole school mass on the First Wednesday in February is celebrated as our community feast day). He is often referred to as the patron saint of difficult or hopeless cases and thousands daily pray to him when all else has failed.

The sailing vessel represents the Church, which St. Jude carried to many parts as he journeyed as a missionary. A gold ship with silver sails, on a red field.