About Iglesia Sagrado Corazon De Jesus · Nashville, Tennessee
Iglesia Sagrado Corazón de Jesús is a Spanish-language Catholic parish located at 2800 McGavock Pike in Nashville, Tennessee, inside the Catholic Pastoral Center. On June 7, 2024 — the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus — Bishop J. Mark Spalding of Nashville signed the decree elevating it from a diocesan Hispanic ministry to a personal parish of the Diocese of Nashville, with Father David Ramírez installed as its first pastor and Father Alejandro Godínez as associate pastor. With more than 5,000 registered families it is the largest parish in the 60-parish Diocese of Nashville and the second fully Spanish-speaking parish in Middle Tennessee (after Our Lady of Guadalupe). Its mission is to serve Hispanic Catholics across the entire diocese — without territorial boundaries — through vibrant liturgy, faith formation, youth and family ministry, and a battery of parish movements including the Renovación Carismática and the Nocturnal Adoration Society.
- Established
- 2015
- Patron
- Sacred Heart of Jesus (Sagrado Corazón de Jesús)
- Rector
- Father David Ramírez
- Diocese
- Diocese of Nashville
Why belong here
Sagrado Corazón is the spiritual home of Middle Tennessee's Spanish-speaking Catholic community and the largest parish in the Diocese of Nashville, with five Sunday Masses, a packed calendar of formation and fellowship, and a pastorate installed specifically to serve Latino families from across the diocese. Belonging here means joining a parish where faith is lived bilingually and biculturally — eight choirs, three shifts of Saturday/Sunday catechesis for about 300 children, a youth and young-adult group of more than 100, a charismatic prayer community, monthly overnight Eucharistic adoration vigils, a marriage ministry for more than 50 couples, and dedicated Central American and engaged-couple ministries. The newly opened Unity Hall gives the community a true campus for celebrations, retreats and parish life, and the parish welcomes anyone — regardless of where they live in the diocese — to call Sagrado Corazón their parish.
Mass times at Iglesia Sagrado Corazon De Jesus
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday: 6:30 PM – 6:50 PM
- Thursday: 6:30 PM – 6:50 PM
- Friday: 6:30 PM – 6:50 PM
- Saturday: 6:30 PM – 6:50 PM
- Sunday: 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM (during the 10 AM Mass)
Adoration times
- Wednesday: 6:00 PM Holy Hour (Hora Santa)
- Thursday: Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament following the 7:00 PM Charismatic Mass
- First Saturday and monthly: overnight vigil before the Blessed Sacrament organized by the Sociedad de Adoración Nocturna
History: From the Basement to the Palace
Sagrado Corazón began as the Diocese of Nashville's Hispanic Ministry more than two decades ago, when priests like Father David Ramírez traveled across Middle Tennessee — Columbia, Smyrna, Shelbyville, Murfreesboro, Antioch — to celebrate Mass, hear confessions, and care for the fast-growing Spanish-speaking Catholic population. The first stable worshipping community gathered in Mount Juliet (capacity ~200), then moved to a Lebanon Road location with room for 900, where it stayed for ten years. From there the community relocated to a tucked-away corner of the old Castner-Knott department store in Donelson Plaza — affectionately nicknamed 'el sótano' (the basement) — before, on Easter Sunday 2015, dedicating its current home inside the Catholic Pastoral Center, the former Fellowship at Two Rivers campus on McGavock Pike. On June 7, 2024 — the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus — Bishop J. Mark Spalding signed the decree elevating the community to a personal parish of the Diocese of Nashville, with Father Ramírez installed as first pastor. A year later, on June 29, 2025, the parish celebrated its first anniversary with mariachi, folklórico dancers, and a community potluck in the new Unity Hall.
- Mount Juliet worshipping community (~200 people) — earliest stable gathering
- Lebanon Road location (~900 seats) — ten-year home
- Castner-Knott department store in Donelson Plaza — nicknamed 'el sótano' / 'the basement'
- Easter Sunday, April 2015 — inaugurated worship space at the Catholic Pastoral Center
- June 7, 2024 — elevated to parish by Bishop J. Mark Spalding on the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
- June 29, 2025 — first parish anniversary celebrated in Unity Hall
Worship & Liturgy
All Masses at Sagrado Corazón are celebrated in Spanish, with a full weekly schedule designed to serve working families across the diocese. The Sunday schedule features four Masses (7 AM, 10 AM, 1 PM, 6 PM), with a fifth Saturday evening Mass (7 PM) added as the community grew. Weekday Masses run Wednesday through Saturday at 7 PM, with Tuesday Mass at 7 PM (at St. Ignatius of Antioch on some schedules). The Thursday Mass is celebrated as a Misa Carismática — a Charismatic Mass preceded by praise music at 6:30 PM and followed by Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.
- Sunday Masses: 7 AM, 10 AM, 1 PM, 6 PM (Spanish)
- Saturday Vigil Mass: 7 PM (Spanish)
- Wednesday–Friday Masses: 7 PM
- Thursday Charismatic Mass with praise beginning at 6:30 PM
- Eight parish choirs supporting the liturgy
Faith Formation & Catechesis
Sagrado Corazón runs three full catechist shifts — Saturday morning, Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning — each serving roughly 100 children, for a total of about 300 young people in sacramental preparation. The Director of Religious Education is Deacon Anelmo Ambriz, with Anabell Trevino serving as Assistant Director. The parish also hosts the diocesan Hispanic youth leadership program 'Empowered by Easter,' run in partnership with the Southeast Pastoral Institute for Hispanic Ministry (SEPI).
- Three catechist shifts: Saturday morning, Saturday afternoon, Sunday morning — ~100 children each
- Deacon Anelmo Ambriz — Director of Religious Education
- Anabell Trevino — Assistant Director
- Diocesan Hispanic youth leadership program (Empowered by Easter, with SEPI)
- Annual Rite of Election hosted at Sagrado Corazón for 180+ diocesan catechumens
Youth & Young Adult Ministry
The parish youth group — known simply as the Grupo Juvenil — serves more than 100 teenagers and young adults with sports events, fundraisers, retreats, and other activities. Coordinator José Arias has noted that 'variety is important to us because everyone has different interests, so it gives the youth a special place to call home.' The opening of Unity Hall in 2024 dramatically expanded the youth program's capacity for retreats and events.
- More than 100 teenagers and young adults
- Sports, fundraisers, retreats
- José Arias and team of youth coordinators
- Expanded programming in Unity Hall
Movements & Prayer Groups
Sagrado Corazón is home to several of the most popular Catholic movements in the Spanish-speaking world, including the Renovación Carismática Católica (Catholic Charismatic Renewal), which gathers more than 100 faithful, and the Sociedad de Adoración Nocturna (Nocturnal Adoration Society), which leads monthly overnight Eucharistic vigils. There is also a dedicated marriage ministry that meets weekly with more than 50 couples and a ministry for engaged couples preparing for the sacrament of Matrimony.
- Renovación Carismática Católica — 100+ members
- Sociedad de Adoración Nocturna — monthly overnight vigils
- Marriage Ministry — 50+ couples weekly
- Engaged Couples ministry
- Central American ministry — ~100 faithful served weekly in their own dialect
Clergy & Staff
The parish is led by its first canonical pastor, Father David Ramírez, who was installed by Bishop J. Mark Spalding at the June 7, 2024 elevation Mass and has shepherded the community for about 24 years in total. Father Alejandro Godínez serves as associate pastor and has ministered at Sagrado Corazón for more than 12 years — from the Lebanon Road days, through the 'basement' years, and into the Catholic Pastoral Center. Deacon Anelmo Ambriz is Director of Religious Education and Anabell Trevino serves as Assistant Director.
- Rev. David Ramírez — Pastor
- Rev. Alejandro Godínez — Associate Pastor
- Deacon Anelmo Ambriz — Director of Religious Education
- Deacon David Herrera
- Anabell Trevino — Assistant Director
Unity Hall & Catholic Pastoral Center Campus
Since 2015 Sagrado Corazón has shared the 220,000-square-foot Catholic Pastoral Center with the Office of the Bishop, the Chancery, Catholic Charities, and other diocesan offices. The newest addition is Unity Hall, a 23,000-square-foot indoor/outdoor event center that opened in March 2024 with seating for more than 1,000 people, an indoor prep kitchen, cooking areas, a courtyard and grassed picnic areas. Bishop Spalding broke ground on April 16, 2023, calling Unity Hall 'a symbol of oneness, not only for Sagrado Corazón but for the whole Nashville Catholic community.'
- 220,000-square-foot Catholic Pastoral Center (former Fellowship at Two Rivers campus)
- 37.5-acre Donelson campus purchased by the diocese in 2014
- Unity Hall — 23,000 sq ft, 1,000+ seats, indoor kitchen, courtyard
- Groundbreaking: April 16, 2023; opened March 2024
- Shared with diocesan offices: Bishop, Chancery, Catholic Charities
Outreach & Diocesan Role
As a personal parish, Sagrado Corazón exists to serve the Hispanic Catholic faithful of the entire Diocese of Nashville — Bishop Spalding has been explicit that 'people from across the diocese could come and claim Sagrado Corazón as their parish.' The parish also hosts diocesan-wide events such as the annual Rite of Election for 180–200+ catechumens, the SEPI-sponsored youth leadership program, the Safe Environment Conference for Hispanic ministers, and major feasts and novenas that draw visitors from across Middle Tennessee.
- Personal parish without territorial boundaries
- Hosts annual diocesan Rite of Election
- Hosts Safe Environment Conference for Hispanics
- Hosts SEPI Empowered-by-Easter youth leadership program
- Marquee Hispanic ministry hub for the Diocese of Nashville
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. David Ramírez2024–present
First canonical pastor of Sagrado Corazón; installed by Bishop J. Mark Spalding on June 7, 2024 when the community was elevated to parish status. Had led the diocesan Hispanic Ministry that became Sagrado Corazón for many years prior, together with Father Godínez.
- Rev. Alejandro GodínezAssociate Pastor, 2024–present
Joined the Sagrado Corazón community while it was still on Lebanon Road (about 12 years before the 2025 anniversary article), accompanied the ministry through the Castner-Knott 'basement' years and the 2015 move into the Catholic Pastoral Center. Appointed associate pastor at the June 7, 2024 elevation Mass.
- Rev. Richard Gagnon, SDSPre-2024
Late; member of the Salvatorian order; one of the diocesan Hispanic Ministry priests who, with Fathers Ramirez, Ayala, Lopez and Rivera, planted and shepherded the Spanish-speaking communities across the 14 parishes served by the Hispanic Ministry before Sagrado Corazón became a parish.
- Rev. Ramon AyalaPre-2024
Associate Pastor of Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe; one of the priests of the diocesan Hispanic Ministry team that fed Sagrado Corazón and the other Spanish-speaking communities.
- Rev. Fernando LopezPre-2024
Former Pastor of Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe; served on the diocesan Hispanic Ministry team alongside Father Ramirez before Sagrado Corazón's elevation.
- Rev. Rodolfo RiveraPre-2024
Listed among the diocesan Hispanic Ministry priests who, with Ramirez and Godínez, served the 14 parishes that the Hispanic Ministry supported before Sagrado Corazón's elevation to parish status.
- Rev. Diuver Martínez2025
Presided at a recent Hispanic youth ministry Mass at Sagrado Corazón; appears to be associated with the parish's youth/young-adult formation work.