About Divine Mercy Parish - Sacred Heart of Jesus · Schnellville, Indiana
Divine Mercy Parish is a Roman Catholic parish of the Diocese of Evansville that serves rural Dubois County, Indiana, from two historic campuses: Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in Schnellville and St. Anthony of Padua Church in nearby St. Anthony. The parish was formed on July 1, 2016, by the merger of the long-standing Sacred Heart Parish (founded 1876) and St. Anthony of Padua Parish (founded 1864). It is led by an Administrator, Fr. Jose Thomas, with Deacon Charlie Johnson assisting, and offers daily and weekend Masses in both churches, year-round Eucharistic Adoration at Sacred Heart, religious education for grades K–12, a youth ministry called the G2 Youth Group, and a network of parish commissions focused on worship, faith formation, outreach, finances, buildings, and communications.
- Established
- 1876
- Patron
- Sacred Heart of Jesus (Schnellville campus) and St. Anthony of Padua (St. Anthony campus)
- Rector
- Rev. Jose Thomas (Administrator)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Evansville (East Deanery)
Why belong here
Divine Mercy Parish welcomes anyone looking for a faithful, family-sized Catholic community in rural Dubois County. Members can worship at either of two historic church campuses—Sacred Heart in Schnellville (built 1916, with year-round Eucharistic Adoration) or St. Anthony of Padua in St. Anthony—and children can grow in faith through K–12 religious education, a Sunday Liturgy of the Word for ages 3–6, and the G2 Youth Group (grades 9–12). Parishioners are invited to share their gifts through seven working commissions (Parish Council, Catechesis, Liturgy, Communications, Finance, Buildings & Grounds, and Evangelization Outreach) that make the parish run. A weekly 52-Week Raffle, an annual Divine Mercy Auction, and a Prayer Line led by volunteer parishioners knit the two campuses together as one family of faith.
Mass times at Divine Mercy Parish - Sacred Heart of Jesus
Weekly Mass schedule
Adoration times
- Mondays 12:00 noon – 9:00 PM, Sacred Heart Adoration Chapel
- Tuesdays 12:00 noon – 9:00 PM, Sacred Heart Adoration Chapel
About Divine Mercy Parish
Divine Mercy Parish is a Catholic community of the Diocese of Evansville serving Dubois County, Indiana, from two historic church campuses — Sacred Heart of Jesus in Schnellville and St. Anthony of Padua in St. Anthony. The parishes were formally merged on July 1, 2016, and today the combined parish is administered by Fr. Jose Thomas with the assistance of Deacon Charlie Johnson. The parish office sits at 4444 S. Ohio Street, St. Anthony, IN 47575, and can be reached at 812-326-2777.
- Administrator: Rev. Jose Thomas
- Deacon: Charles (Charlie) Johnson
- Parish Catechetical Leader: Janie Kempf
- Secretary: Wilma Wendholt
- Bookkeeper: Karen Wendholt
- Parish Office Hours: Mon 8–Noon; Tue–Thu 8–4; Fri closed
History of Sacred Heart of Jesus (Schnellville)
Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish was authorized by Bishop St. Palais on November 10, 1873, after local men petitioned him while he was in Dubois County conferring the sacrament of Confirmation. A 40-by-60-foot frame church with a 65-foot cupola was built for $1,600 and dedicated on November 1, 1874; its first Mass was offered on May 4, 1876. The building was destroyed by fire on April 24, 1898 — the cause was suspected to be lightning, and only the parish records survived in a safe. Under pastor Father John Schueth, the parishioners pooled their labor, hauled bricks from Huntingburg, and built the present brick-and-limestone church, which was completed in October 1916. Three hand-carved angels and six stained-glass windows from the original church were preserved and can still be seen in the current building.
- 1873 — parish authorized by Bishop St. Palais
- 1874 — first frame church completed ($1,600)
- May 4, 1876 — first Mass celebrated
- April 24, 1898 — fire destroys original church
- June 21, 1914 — cornerstone of present church laid
- October 1916 — present brick-and-limestone church completed
- Easter Sunday 1916 — first Mass in the new church
- 1955 — interior redecorated
Sacred Heart of Jesus Church — Building & Architecture
The present Sacred Heart Church is a brick-and-limestone building measuring 60 feet wide by 126 feet long, with seating for 750. Architect Louis Wessbecher and contractor Bernard Tonnies (of eastern St. Louis) designed and built it; the bricks came from Huntingburg, Indiana. The bell tower rises 125 feet and is crowned with a 17-foot gilded cross, making the church visible across the rural countryside and audible by its hourly bells.
- Architect: Louis Wessbecher
- Contractor: Bernard Tonnies
- Dimensions: 60 ft wide × 126 ft long
- Tower height: 125 ft with 17-ft gilded cross
- Capacity: 750 people
History of St. Anthony of Padua Parish
St. Anthony of Padua Parish in St. Anthony, Indiana, was founded in 1864 in honor of St. Anthony of Padua. It is the older of the two predecessor parishes that joined on July 1, 2016, to form Divine Mercy Parish.
- Founded 1864
- Named for St. Anthony of Padua
- Merged into Divine Mercy Parish on July 1, 2016
2016 Merger into Divine Mercy Parish
On July 1, 2016, the Diocese of Evansville merged Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish (Schnellville) and St. Anthony of Padua Parish (St. Anthony) into a single canonical entity: Divine Mercy Parish, part of the East Deanery of the Diocese of Evansville. The new parish continues to operate both historic church buildings while running a unified parish office, staff, and set of commissions.
- Date of merger: July 1, 2016
- Diocese: Evansville
- Deanery: East Deanery
- Merged parishes: Sacred Heart of Jesus (Schnellville) + St. Anthony of Padua (St. Anthony)
Devotions & Prayer Line
Each Tuesday at 5:15 PM (before the 6:00 PM Mass at St. Anthony) and each Wednesday at 5:15 PM (before the 6:00 PM Mass at Sacred Heart), the parish prays Adoration, the Rosary, the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, and Benediction together. A standing Prayer Line, coordinated by Pat Fleck (812-482-5480) and Sara Betz (812-630-9720), accepts prayer requests for parishioners in need.
- Tuesday 5:15 PM devotions at St. Anthony
- Wednesday 5:15 PM devotions at Sacred Heart
- Prayer Line contacts: Pat Fleck, Sara Betz
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The parish Catechesis & Religious Formation Commission, led by Parish Catechetical Leader Janie Kempf, oversees K–12 religious education classes during the school year. Children's Liturgy of the Word is offered during the Sunday 8:00 AM Mass at Sacred Heart and the 10:00 AM Mass at St. Anthony for children ages 3–6. Older youth are invited into the G2 Youth Group, formed in 2013.
- Religious Education (K–12)
- Children's Liturgy of the Word (ages 3–6)
- G2 Youth Group (grades 9–12)
- Contact: Janie Kempf, 812-326-2777 ext. 2
G2 Youth Group
The G2 Youth Group serves students in grades 9 through 12. It was formed in 2013 when the separate Sacred Heart and St. Anthony youth ministries merged. The name "G2" honors St. Maria Goretti (patroness of young women) and St. Aloysius Gonzaga (patron of young men).
- Grades 9–12
- Formed 2013 by merger of the two campus youth groups
- Patron saints: St. Maria Goretti and St. Aloysius Gonzaga
Parish Life & Commissions
Day-to-day parish life is carried out through the Parish Council and seven commissions. Any parishioner interested in serving is encouraged to contact the Parish Office.
- Parish Council — Chair Tom Brames; meets 3rd Tuesday, 6:30 PM, Parish Center at St. Anthony campus
- Catechesis & Religious Formation — Chair Janie Kempf
- Liturgy & House of Prayer — Chair Matt Mehling
- Communications — Chair Steve Hauser (bulletin, newsletter, directory, website, Facebook)
- Finance — annual budget, monthly review, annual report
- Buildings & Grounds — St. Anthony: Jon Hurst; Sacred Heart: Mark Fischer
- Evangelization Outreach
Fundraisers & Community Events
The parish supports its mission through community events including the annual Divine Mercy Parish Auction and the ongoing 52-Week Raffle, which gives parishioners a weekly chance to win $500 throughout the calendar year.
- Divine Mercy Parish Auction
- 52-Week Raffle — weekly $500 drawings
- Prayer Line — Pat Fleck 812-482-5480, Sara Betz 812-630-9720
Clergy & Staff
The parish is led by an Administrator rather than a resident pastor and is assisted by a permanent deacon. Office staff and faith-formation staff round out the team.
- Fr. Jose Thomas — Administrator ([email protected])
- Deacon Charlie Johnson ([email protected])
- Janie Kempf — Parish Catechetical Leader ([email protected])
- Wilma Wendholt — Secretary ([email protected])
- Karen Wendholt — Bookkeeper ([email protected])
Locations & Contact
Divine Mercy Parish operates from a single parish office with two worship sites — the 1916 Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in Schnellville and the historic St. Anthony of Padua Church in St. Anthony. Both are located in rural Dubois County along the Indiana countryside.
- Parish Office: 4444 S. Ohio Street, PO Box 98, St. Anthony, IN 47575
- Sacred Heart of Jesus Church: 2504 Walnut Street, Schnellville, IN 47580
- St. Anthony of Padua Church: 4100 E. Indiana St., St. Anthony, IN 47575
- Phone: 812-326-2777
- Website: www.divinemercyduco.org
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father John Schuetharound 1898–1916
Visiting pastor who, after the 1898 fire, personally visited every parish family and solicited donations for the new brick church; secured bishop's permission to rebuild.
- Rev. Lawrence Moll1950–1952
Beloved by the youth of the parish during his tenure.
- Rev. Francis Mellen1952–1953
Ordained June 10, 1919; succeeded Fr. Moll directly upon his retirement.
- Rev. Jose Thomascurrent (Administrator)
Current parish Administrator following the 2016 merger of Sacred Heart and St. Anthony of Padua parishes.