The Early Years, the Promoters:
If you build it, they will come

The Shrine was originally placed at the entrance to the Lady Chapel and later moved to the Chapel of the Pieta.  In 1953, Fr. Thomas McElhatton, O.P. moved the Shrine, then consisting of the statue of St. Jude, to its present site in the north nave of the church, near the transept which houses the beautiful Rosary Altar, and which is crowned by a spectacular 30-foot stained glass window featuring figures of Dominican Martyrs.
 

Fr. Thomas Aquinas McElhatton, O.P. Fr. McElhatton was born  in Moline, Il and attended Northeastern University, St. Thomas College, Ross, CA and the Dominican House of Studies, Benicia, CA.  He was ordained a priest on June 6, 1939 and went on to a stellar ministry in the Province.  He was vocation Director and Secretary to the Provincial.  He was assistant pastor in Berkeley, San Francisco, and Eagle Rock (Los Angeles), CA, becoming pastor at this latter parish for two terms.  He was later Prior of St. Dominic's, San Francisco.  Fr. McElhatton is largely responsible for the design and construction of the Dominican Treat Center at McKenzie Bridge, OR., which has been over  the decades a haven of tranquility and spiritual refreshment for Dominican clergy and laity alike.  He spent several years there before returning to Eagle Rock for two more terms.  He succumbed to poor health, and died in thousand Oaks, CA.