Parish History
Following the dedication of Little Rock Air Force Base Chapel on September 20, 1957, the Jacksonville Catholic community was assigned as a mission of the recently-formed parish of Immaculate Conception in North Little Rock for canonical reasons. For several years thereafter, Air Base chaplains ministered to all the faithful living in the area and in nearby towns, until the Jacksonville parish was established some 10 years later.

A census in 1963 showed a sufficient number of Catholic residents to warrant the building of a mission church.

The pastor of Immaculate Conception parish negotiated for some property at 209 S. Oak Street in Jacksonville in 1966 as a possible church site. After that, plans soon got underway to provide for the spiritual need of some 170 Catholic families.

As assistant pastor of Immaculate Conception parish, Fr. Milton Lange was placed in charge of the Jacksonville property and construction of the church. His celebration of the first Mass in the new building on September 22, 1966 marked the opening of a new parish in Jacksonville. By November, Fr. Lange had been appointed as the first resident pastor of St. Jude the Apostle church, which Bishop Albert L. Fletcher dedicaged on January 22, 1967.

From the beginning, the "Men's Club" and "Ladies of St. Jude" (later be called the Altar & Rosary Society) played very active roles in promoting and developing their growing congregation, which was drawn from Jacksonville itself, base personnel, and Catholics from neighboring towns where there were no parishes established. At the end of November 1978, with savings from regular parish bingos, new property was purchsed from the diocese for the purpose of relocating the parish across Interstate Highway 67 near the air base entrance at some future date.

Before entering on such a building program at the beginning of the pastorate of 1978, Fr. John Kordsmeier restructured his Parish Councile, appointed a Building commitee and with the Men's Club and Altar Society met frequently over a 3-year planning period with their chosen architect.

A 6-week pledge drive, beginning in mid-January 1982, met with enthusiastic response from all parishioners; and construction on the new site began in March 1982. Bishope Andrew J. McDonald dedicated the present St. Jude the Apostle Chuch on May 29, 1983.

By the end of Rev. Kordsmeier's 11-year pastorate in June 1989, Jacksonville's progressive parish consisted of a new church and rectory, a parish hall, and an education center.

The parish education hall was renamed the Connie Harbert Education Center in honor Connie Harbert on May 7, 1995.