A Parish Founded in 1919 on Tenth Avenue NE
Sacred Heart Parish has anchored Catholic worship on the east side of Sauk Rapids since 1919. From its home at 2875 10th Avenue NE, the parish has built a century of faith formation, Catholic schooling, and community service, and today it belongs to the Diocese of St. Cloud's One in Christ Area Catholic Community. Its mission is to be a grateful parish following Christ by loving God, and loving neighbors as themselves through words, deeds, and thoughts. Its vision is to be a people nourished at the table of Word and Sacrament and conformed to the image of Christ, sharing in prayer, faith, love, and service.
The Week at Mass and Reconciliation
Mass is celebrated at Sacred Heart five days a week. Saturday Mass at 5:00 PM is interpreted in American Sign Language for the deaf community. Sunday Mass at 9:00 AM is livestreamed on the parish YouTube channel, allowing homebound parishioners and those traveling to participate remotely. Weekday Masses complete the rhythm: Tuesday at 5:30 PM, Wednesday at 8:00 AM, and Friday at 8:00 AM. The bulletin and online calendar carry any updates to the times.
Reconciliation is offered at 3:30 PM on Saturday afternoons at Sacred Heart, with additional opportunities at the partner parishes: 3:00 PM at St. Francis Xavier in Sartell, 6:15 PM at St. Stephen, and 7:50 AM on Sundays at Annunciation in Mayhew Lake. The Anointing of the Sick is available by appointment through the parish office and is also administered once or twice a year at the weekend liturgies for those whose health is threatened by aging, injury, serious chronic illness, or impending surgery.
Choirs, Cantors, and Instrumentalists
Music carries a central place in Sacred Heart's liturgical life. Director of Music and Liturgy Jill Kiffmeyer and Music and Liturgy Associate Laurie Kremer oversee six ensembles that sing or ring at Mass throughout the year.
The Adult Choir is a four-part ensemble for teens and adults. It rehearses weekly and sings for the 5:00 PM and 9:00 AM Masses on a rotating basis, drawing on a variety of musical styles. The Teen Choir, open to high school students and their friends, sings about four Sundays a year with a single rehearsal before each appearance. The Kid's Choir welcomes children in second grade and older for singing and handbells, rehearsing Wednesdays from 5:30 to 6:25 PM. The Bells of the Heart is the parish handbell choir for teens and adults; rehearsals are on Mondays from 6:00 to 7:30 PM. The Men's Schola sings two- to four-part men's choral literature in addition to Mass music, and the Resurrection Choir provides music for Funeral Masses, rehearsing thirty minutes before each service.
Cantors proclaim the Psalms and lead the assembly in sung responses, while instrumentalists are regularly invited to bring additional instruments into worship.
Liturgical Ministries at the Altar and Beyond
Parishioners serve Mass in many quiet ways. Liturgical ministry descriptions include Altar Server (fourth grade and older, plus adults who assist the priest at the altar), Art and Environment, Audio/Visual Operator, Camera Operator, Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist, Lector, Linen Care, Sacristan, Sanctuary Care, Seamstress, Usher, Greeter, and Children's Liturgy of the Word. ASL interpreters minister to the deaf community at the Saturday evening Mass, and Homebound Eucharistic Ministers bring Communion to parishioners in their homes and in area care facilities. The Mobile Saint Paul app, with organization ID sacredheartsaukrapids, lets ministers sign up, request substitutes, and manage their schedules.
Faith Formation on Wednesday Nights
The Faith Formation program, under Director Scott Frieler and Elementary Coordinator Maria Dombrovski, walks with parishioners of every age. Its stated goal is to equip parishioners to recognize, claim, know, and live out their faith in the church and the world. Children grow curious about Christ, deepen their belonging to the Christian community, learn the foundational elements of the faith, participate more fully in liturgy, and serve as missionary disciples.
Wednesday sessions run from 6:30 to 7:30 PM for preschool through eighth grade. A shared meal is served from 5:30 to 6:30 PM in the parish hall, and the Kid's Choir rehearses during the same window. Ninth-grade students meet Sundays from 7:00 to 8:30 PM, September through December. Volunteers are the backbone of the program: catechists, assistant catechists, small group leaders, meal prep volunteers, and Vacation Bible School helpers fill the ranks each year.
Becoming Catholic Through OCIA
Adults who wish to become Catholic enter the parish through the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA). OCIA is the normative way adults become full, active, and participating members of the Catholic Church. The process involves the whole parish: in prayer as the rites are celebrated, in hospitality as new members are welcomed, and in specific ministries as sponsor or catechist. The journey moves through the Precatechumenate (a period of inquiry), the Catechumenate (continued catechesis), Enlightenment (intense preparation for the sacraments of initiation at the Easter Vigil), and Mystagogy (reflection during the Easter season). Inquiries begin with a call to the parish office.
Baptism, First Sacraments, and Confirmation
Infant Baptism is celebrated at weekend liturgies, generally on the first and third Sundays and the second and fourth Saturdays. Preparation sessions are offered on the first Monday of each month from 6:30 to 8:00 PM, and parents are encouraged to complete preparation before the birth of their child when possible.
First Reconciliation and First Eucharist are usually celebrated in second grade. Reconciliation preparation runs from October through December, with the First Eucharist retreat in April and the celebration during the Easter Season. Both sacraments require a parent or guardian to attend an orientation meeting. Students enrolled in Catholic school study the material at their school; others attend the Wednesday evening program.
Confirmation is a two-year preparation beginning in tenth grade, with the sacrament celebrated in the fall of eleventh grade. Candidates attend a family orientation in August, gather for sessions beginning in January, work with a sponsor, visit an interactive learning center with a parent or guardian, and attend a Confirmation retreat. They are expected to participate in faith formation or Catholic school prior to tenth grade.
Marriage and the Order of Christian Burial
Couples preparing for marriage contact the parish office soon after engagement to book a wedding date. All couples attend a diocesan-approved engaged couples program, either through the Diocese of St. Cloud course schedule or Minnesota Engaged Encounter. The parish provides a deep library of suggested psalms, communion songs, vocal solos, and gathering hymns, and parish musicians meet with couples several months in advance to choose music and hear it played on the church's instruments.
At the death of a parishioner, the parish gathers to celebrate the Order of Christian Funerals, offering worship, praise, and thanksgiving for the gift of a life now returned to God, commending the soul to God's merciful love, and consoling the mourning with the Word of God and the sacrament of the Eucharist. A funeral planner worksheet, a selection of readings, and a list of suggested music help families shape the liturgy.
Grounded: Youth Ministry with a Verse from 2 Corinthians
The parish youth ministry, named Grounded in 2023, draws its identity from 2 Corinthians 1:7: "Our hope for you is firmly grounded knowing that as you are partners in our sufferings, so also you are in our comfort." After a season of discernment among peer ministers, the team selected the name together, walked into church to pray over a guiding scripture, and reconvened to choose that verse by unanimous consent.
Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry Jason Prigge leads the program with a Peer Ministry Team and the One in Christ Young Adult Team. Junior high students meet on the second and fourth Wednesdays and on the second Sunday of each month. Senior high students meet on the second Sunday and fourth Wednesday. Nights typically include a meal, music, games, youth testimonies, a speaker, small group discussions, and large group activities. The program reaches outward through diocesan gatherings such as Senior High Youth Day, the National Catholic Youth Conference in Indianapolis, a Junior High Lock-In, and the Castaway retreat at a Young Life camp in Detroit Lakes.
Pastoral Care, Health, and Wellness
The Health and Wellness Committee, with Deacon Joe Kresky as parish liaison, supports parishioners' physical, emotional, spiritual, and social well-being. A Hospital Visitation Ministry sends a visitor to St. Cloud Hospital Monday through Friday. The committee also offers monthly blood pressure screening, a Card and Calling Ministry, AED and first-aid oversight, and Advance Care Directives guidance through the Light the Legacy program. The committee meets on the third Tuesday of every other month, from 6:30 to 8:00 PM, in the Gathering Space.
The Homebound Communion Ministry sends Extraordinary Ministers from the parish out to parishioners who can no longer attend Mass, whether at home or in facilities such as Good Shepherd Apartments, Shepherd Court, Shepherd Oaks, Alterra Sterling House, and Good Shepherd Nursing Home. Ministers are commissioned as Eucharistic Ministers, drive to their assigned homes, and create a prayerful environment during visits. The Social Concerns Committee, meanwhile, inspires the parish to understand and live out the Gospel values of social justice and service.
A Sister Parish in Maracay, Venezuela
Sacred Heart is building a sister-parish relationship with Cristo Rey Parish in Maracay, Venezuela. The committee's objectives are to create awareness of Cristo Rey, foster interaction between parishioners of both communities, develop an ongoing relationship with the Diocesan Partnership Committee, and advocate on behalf of the suffering Church of Maracay. Annual celebrations occur on the Christ the King / Cristo Rey weekend, with monthly or bi-monthly Mass intercessions, prayer cards, photo and video sharing, and bulletin and social media updates. A 2016 mission trip to Haiti is also part of the parish's global outreach.
Pastoral Leadership
Father Tom Knoblach serves as pastor of Sacred Heart Parish and Annunciation Church. Father Patrick Hoeft is the pastor of St. Francis Xavier and St. Stephen. Two deacons assist: Deacon Terry Jancik and Deacon Joe Kresky, who also serves as Director of Pastoral Ministry.
Parish staff include Scott Frieler as Director of Faith Formation, Maria Dombrovski as Elementary Faith Formation Coordinator (K-4), Jill Kiffmeyer as Director of Music and Liturgy, Laurie Kremer as Music and Liturgy Associate, and Jason Prigge as Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry. The parish is guided by a Pastoral Council, whose members consult with the pastor on the life of the parish, and a Finance Council that establishes financial policy, develops the annual budget, and oversees financial communications.
One in Christ Area Catholic Community
Sacred Heart belongs to the One in Christ Area Catholic Community with Annunciation, St. Francis Xavier, and St. Stephen. Together they share sacramental preparation, youth ministry, and pastoral planning. One in Christ Vacation Bible School is held jointly at St. Francis Xavier in Sartell, with sessions for children ages 4 through entering fifth grade. The community is currently engaged in the All Things New planning process.
Joining the Parish
Those interested in becoming parishioners are invited to contact the parish office or Stewardship Director Vicki Sanborn at extension 129. Online registration is available, and new members are welcome at any time. Online giving is available through the parish's secure giving portal, with ACH automatic giving, credit or debit card, and text-to-give options. The Sunday 9:00 AM Mass is livestreamed on YouTube, and a deep archive of Father Tom's homilies is published online. The parish bulletin is posted weekly, and the parish calendar lists upcoming Masses, formation events, and ministry gatherings.
Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM, or by appointment. The parish office number is (320) 251-8115. Sacred Heart has supported Catholic school education since 1923, and parishioners are encouraged to consider St. Katharine Drexel School and Cathedral High School as the local Catholic options.
The parish has been a grateful community following Christ for more than a century, and it remains a place where worship, formation, and service gather on a single street in Sauk Rapids.