On East Eighth Street in Jeffersonville, Indiana, Most Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church is one of two campuses of the Catholic Community of Jeffersonville, sharing pastoral life with St. Augustine on East Chestnut Street. Sacred Heart is known for its 1952 founding, its 2001 worship space, a full rhythm of Mass and Eucharistic adoration, Sacred Heart Catholic School, and a continuing relationship with St. Raphael Parish in Haiti.
A New Parish Takes Root on East Eighth Street
The Catholic Community of Jeffersonville began with an 8-acre parcel on East Eighth Street. On April 30, 1952, the Archdiocese of Indianapolis bought the land from John Roederer to establish a parish in Jeffersonville's expanding eastern section. Rev. Robert J. Walpole became the founding pastor in March 1953 and directed the building program. Ground was broken on August 7 that year, and the cornerstone was laid on October 4. The new church and school represented a $240,000 project.
Father Walpole celebrated the first Mass in the completed church on May 16, 1954. That September, 285 students enrolled in grades one through eight at Sacred Heart School, staffed by the Dominican Sisters of St. Catharine, Kentucky. Sister John Francis was the first principal, and Archbishop Paul C. Schulte formally dedicated the church and school on September 19. The parish was dedicated to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus as the Font of Divine Love and Inexhaustible Source of All Graces. Father Walpole chose the Sacred Heart name because of his special devotion. A convent was completed by the opening of the 1955 school year, and rapidly increasing enrollment soon brought the addition of eight classrooms.
The first plans called for the original worship space to become a gym, with a new church near Eighth Street. As other needs pressed in, the archbishop suggested a site near Martha Avenue and Walpole Drive because of parking space. A parish poll instead chose to renovate and air-condition the present church and construct a community building. The 1974 renovation followed Vatican guidelines for liturgical celebration and replaced the confessionals with a reconciliation room. Plans for a recreational building honoring Father Walpole were approved in 1977, and it was dedicated during the parish's 25th anniversary celebration.
The present worship space grew from the sacrificial giving of parishioners through the Legacy of Hope campaign. Groundbreaking took place on November 5, 2000, and the new Sacred Heart church was dedicated on December 16, 2001. Archbishop Daniel Buechlein and 18 diocesan and order priests concelebrated the dedication Mass, attended by more than 700 worshipers. The parish's original furnishings included a Crucifix, Stations of the Cross, altar, and picture of the Sacred Heart made by Father Donald Walpole, a sculptor and liturgical artist.
Two Campuses, One Worship Rhythm
The Catholic Community calls itself Two Campuses, One Community. Its weekly rhythm lets people worship at either church while sharing a pastoral team, parish registration, and common ministries.
- At Sacred Heart: Sunday Mass is celebrated at 10:00 a.m., followed by weekday Mass at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday and 8:15 a.m. Friday.
- At St. Augustine: Mass is celebrated Saturday at 4:00 p.m., Sunday at 8:00 a.m., Tuesday at 5:30 p.m., and Thursday at 8:00 a.m.
- Reconciliation: At Sacred Heart it is offered Wednesday from 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. At St. Augustine it is offered Tuesday from 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. and Saturday from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. Appointments with Fr. Adam Ahern are also available.
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is held at Sacred Heart on Monday from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. and throughout Wednesday from 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. in the chapel. The first Wednesday of each month includes Family Holy Hour at 6:30 p.m. Thursday prayer from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. in the Sacred Heart Chapel includes the Rosary. St. Augustine offers adoration on Tuesday from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. and again from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., and Thursday from 7:00 to 8:00 a.m.
A Rosary group also gathers at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Sacred Heart Cry Room, and the Rosary is prayed 30 minutes before each weekend Mass. The parish office at 1840 E. Eighth Street is open Monday through Friday from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
The Seven Sacraments at the Center
Faith at Sacred Heart is sacramental. The parish recognizes seven sacraments instituted by the Lord and teaches that, through them, God shares his holiness with the Church so that it can make the world holier.
- Sacraments of Initiation: Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist.
- Sacraments of Healing: Reconciliation and the Anointing of the Sick.
- Sacraments at the Service of Communion: Marriage and Holy Orders.
A Family Process for Infant Baptism
Infant Baptism is prepared with the family. For a child under seven, at least one parent must have been an active, registered member for three months before the baptism. Active membership includes registration, regular Sunday Mass attendance, and financial and volunteer support according to one's means. Preparation includes an initial parent meeting lasting about an hour, the Belonging: Baptism in the Family of God online certification, and a Christian Parenting session held every other month on the second Saturday. Baptisms take place at Mass on the fourth weekend of each month, with a family blessing the preceding weekend and a brief rehearsal afterward. The child must have at least one godparent. If two godparents are chosen, one must be a man and one a woman; each must be a practicing Catholic in good standing, at least 16 years old, and have received Baptism, Communion, and Confirmation.
Reconciliation, Eucharist, and Care
Reconciliation includes four actions that contribute to healing: confessing sin, expressing contrition, doing penance, and receiving absolution. Through the Eucharist, Jesus Christ gives his Body and Blood so that people may unite themselves with him in love and become members of one Body, the Church. Sacred Heart expects children to receive the Eucharist for the first time in second grade, while older children and baptized adults who have not received it can enter an instruction program.
The Anointing of the Sick strengthens those whose health is seriously impaired by illness or old age. Elderly people who have become notably weakened may also receive it, as can children who have sufficient use of reason, generally from age seven. It is offered immediately after each weekend Mass on the second Sunday of the month. Marriage preparation requires a six-month window and a priest or deacon as witness. Holy Orders includes the priesthood, permanent and transitional deaconate, and religious life.
Children Grow Within the Parish School and Faith Formation
Many parish children attend Sacred Heart Catholic School, where faith formation is offered at every grade level. Second-grade students receive the Sacraments of Initiation, Reconciliation and Eucharist. For families whose children attend public school, Sacred Heart and St. Augustine partner with St. Michael Catholic Church in Charlestown, where all Religious Education classes for public-school grades one through six are held. The two-year First Communion preparation begins in first grade. Parents or guardians are required to attend the Sunday morning classes for children preparing for their First Sacraments.
Youth Ministry seeks to help young people understand and own their faith, prepare for lifelong discipleship, and build a community that can discuss following the Lord. Sacred Heart and St. Augustine offer High School Bible Study on Sundays, retreats, mission trips, monthly middle-school events, Summer Daze, Catalyst Catholic events, the NCYC Conference, and service or volunteer opportunities. Confirmation preparation is offered to youth in grades eight through ten on Wednesday evenings. The Athletic Committee also administers year-round sports for students in grades three through eight, with the goal of developing young people as Catholic Christians, teammates, leaders, and athletes.
Adult Faith, Group Study, and Prayer
Each year, the parish invites people considering the Catholic Church into the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults, or OCIA. The annual initiation process welcomes both unbaptized people and baptized Christians from Protestant or Evangelical backgrounds. Sessions meet Wednesday evenings from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. at Sacred Heart in the PAC and begin in August. Participants learn the Church's teaching, bring their questions, and grow within the parish community.
Faith Groups give adults of all ages and stages of life intentional opportunities to connect and grow in relationship with Jesus Christ and one another. The ongoing Wednesday Night Prayer Group meets after the 5:30 p.m. Mass, except on the first Wednesday when Family Holy Hour takes its place. Its sessions explore prayer forms, devotions, and prayer for the parish, community, and world. Teen Bible Study follows the 10:00 a.m. Sunday Mass on the first, third, and fifth Sundays of the month.
Formation resources support prayer beyond parish gatherings. These include daily morning and afternoon prayer through Honor Your Inner Monk, Catholic study through Formed, daily Mass readings from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, and the 3-Minute Retreat's short periods of online prayer and reflection. A weekly parish newsletter is distributed on Wednesdays by email or text message, with additional notices as needed.
Electronic giving allows parishioners to contribute from any location, select the parish fund they wish to support, choose an amount, and choose the date on which it will be given through online giving. The parish also participates in the Eucharistic Missionary movement through weekday adoration, all-day Wednesday adoration, Eucharist-focused Faith Groups, and Walk with One. That program encourages parishioners to accompany someone who has stopped attending Church or has never belonged to a faith community.
A Continuing Bond with St. Raphael in Haiti
St. Raphael Parish in Saint Raphael, Haiti, is the sister parish of the Catholic Community of Jeffersonville. The relationship has grown through prayer, sacrifice, encouragement, donations, and acts of care. The people of St. Raphael offer their gratitude and prayers to the Catholic Community, while parish members seek to understand and respond to the needs of their sisters and brothers in Haiti.
The Haiti Committee oversees financial assistance and collects food, clothing, medical supplies, and school supplies for shipment. Mission trips are offered each year. Its mission statement commits the committee to addressing the spiritual concerns of St. Raphael, helping the community become more self-sufficient, and improving the quality of life for families there. Father Raymond Schaffer, a former Sacred Heart pastor, and two early parish members helped establish the committee, and Ward Weber serves as its contact. Sacred Heart School students and parishioners also contribute to this continuing relationship.
Pastoral and Ministry Leadership
Fr. Adam Ahern is the pastor of Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and St. Augustine. A native of Cincinnati and an Army veteran, he was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis on June 6, 2015. After serving as an associate pastor and in several archdiocesan ministries, he was appointed pastor of the two Jeffersonville churches in July 2022. He also continues his service as a Catholic chaplain in the Indiana Army National Guard.
Jesse Schuler directs music and liturgy for the Catholic Community. His background includes a degree in music education, a master's degree in teaching, work as a general music teacher and choir and theatre director, and several years directing worship in Louisville and Sellersburg before joining the Archdiocese of Indianapolis in 2018.
Kyle Naugle directs youth and sacramental ministry. Trained in social work, he previously served as a full-time missionary with FOCUS at the University of South Dakota and Western Michigan University. He now works with young people and families across both Sacred Heart and St. Augustine, including Bible study, retreats, Confirmation, baptismal preparation, and youth retreats.
Christa Hoyland serves as communications director. A longtime Sacred Heart member, she has participated as lector and sacristan and served on committees for evangelization, faith formation, marketing, and other parish work. Her background includes English and secondary education, teaching, journalism, communications, and small-business ownership.
Buildings and Ministries Serving the Community
Ministry life at Sacred Heart extends through the parish PAC, St. Catharine Hall, the gym, field, chapel, school kitchen, and school cafeteria. At St. Augustine, ministries can use the church, parish hall and kitchen, and parking lot. Parish groups may also propose new ministries, programs, and activities shaped around fellowship, spiritual life, education, service, and community needs.
Queen of Heaven Cemetery, at 5507 New Chapel Road in Jeffersonville, provides a place for prayer, remembrance, and commemoration. The parish also maintains an alumni association for former Sacred Heart Catholic School students and former St. Augustine School students, with occasional alumni gatherings.
Across both campuses, parish members are invited to share their time, talent, and treasure. Sacred Heart understands every gift as something God has given for the building up of the Church and the creation of a better world. At 1840 E. Eighth Street, Most Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church carries forward the work begun in 1952: a parish centered on the seven sacraments, attentive to children and youth, served by a dedicated pastoral and music team, and connected in fellowship and mission with St. Augustine and St. Raphael.