About Sacred Heart · Bluefield, West Virginia
Sacred Heart Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Bluefield, West Virginia, part of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston. Founded by Irish, Italian, and Hungarian Catholic immigrants in 1889 — the same year the City of Bluefield was incorporated — the parish today worships in a striking 1924 sandstone church built in the medieval Spanish Gothic style. It is pastored by Very Rev. Fr. Sebastian E. Devasya, V.F., who also shepherds the neighboring Sacred Heart Parish in Princeton, and is supported by a pastoral associate, parish staff, and a deep bench of lay ministries. The parish is known for its stone twin-bell-tower church on Wyoming Street, its Wednesday food pantry serving Mercer County (WV) and Tazewell County (VA), its silent Eucharistic Adoration, and its active campus ministry at nearby Concord University.
- Established
- 1889
- Patron
- Sacred Heart of Jesus
- Rector
- Very Rev. Fr. Sebastian E. Devasya, V.F.
- Diocese
- Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston
Why belong here
Sacred Heart is a welcoming, family-sized parish with deep roots in Bluefield's immigrant Catholic heritage and a genuinely active lay life. Weekday and Sunday Masses, weekly silent Eucharistic Adoration on Wednesdays, and a Saturday-evening vigil make the sacraments easy to access, while a Wednesday food pantry and Angel Tree outreach extend the parish's care to neighbors in need in both Mercer County, WV and Tazewell County, VA. With ministries spanning faith formation (preschool through grade 10), RCIA, Centering Prayer, the Knights of Columbus, music, lectors, bereavement support, and campus ministry at Concord University, newcomers can find a real place to belong and serve.
Mass times at Sacred Heart
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday – beginning at 5:00 PM (during Silent Eucharistic Adoration)
- Saturday – beginning at 5:30 PM
- Sunday – beginning at 8:30 AM
- By appointment
Adoration times
- Silent Eucharistic Adoration – Wednesday at 5:00 PM
History of Sacred Heart Parish
Sacred Heart was organized in 1889, the same year Bluefield was incorporated, by Irish, Italian, and Hungarian Catholic immigrants. The first resident pastor, Rev. Emil Olivier, was appointed in 1894, and the first frame church was dedicated in 1895 on North Mercer Street. As the town grew with the railroads and coal industry, that building was quickly outgrown; Father Olivier spearheaded a far larger church on Wyoming Street, whose cornerstone was laid in 1924. Built of Stony Ridge sandstone in a medieval Spanish Gothic design with an altar replicating the Church of St. Vincent Ferrer in New York, the present church celebrated its centennial in November 2024 with Bishop Mark Brennan celebrating a special Mass.
- 1889 – Parish organized in Bluefield
- 1894 – First resident pastor, Rev. Emil Olivier, appointed
- 1895 – First church dedicated on North Mercer Street
- 1924 – Cornerstone laid for present Wyoming Street church
- 2024 – Centennial of the cornerstone celebrated with Bishop Mark Brennan
Architecture & Building
The Sacred Heart church building at 1003 Wyoming Street was constructed in 1924 of native sandstone quarried from Stony Ridge and designed in a medieval Spanish Gothic style. According to the West Virginia Division of Culture's historic preservation survey, the bell tower is Mission Revival in style, while a historical marker outside the church labels the overall style Spanish Gothic. The interior altar design follows the Church of St. Vincent Ferrer in New York City. The adjoining parish school building remains on the campus and was opened for tours during the 2024 centennial.
- Sandstone construction from Stony Ridge
- Spanish Gothic design (per historical marker)
- Mission Revival bell tower (per WV Division of Culture survey)
- Altar modeled on Church of St. Vincent Ferrer, NYC
Clergy & Staff
The parish is led by Very Rev. Fr. Sebastian E. Devasya, V.F., who also pastors the sister Sacred Heart Parish in Princeton and serves the diocese as Vicar Forane of the Beckley Vicariate and Episcopal Vicar for Clergy. Day-to-day parish life is supported by Pastoral Associate Julia Harrison, M.A.A.T., Parish Secretary Lucy Brinegar, Bookkeeper Kim Hickman, and a permanent deacon. Long-serving permanent deacon Don Hammond and his wife Loretta retired in 2024 after 17 years of ministry.
- Very Rev. Fr. Sebastian E. Devasya, V.F. – Pastor
- Julia Harrison, M.A.A.T. – Pastoral Associate
- Lucy Brinegar – Parish Secretary
- Kim Hickman – Bookkeeper
- Deacon Mike – Communion Services
- Deacon Don Hammond (retired 2024 after 17 years)
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The parish runs a Pre-school through Grade 10 faith formation program on Sundays from 10:15–11:15 AM, September through May, with dedicated sacramental preparation tracks for First Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation. Adult formation includes Vacation Bible School the last week of June, a Parish Mission, Scripture Study, and Book Study.
- Faith Formation: Sundays 10:15–11:15 AM, Sept–May
- First Reconciliation, First Communion, Confirmation prep
- Vacation Bible School (last week of June)
- Parish Mission, Scripture Study, Book Study
RCIA
The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults welcomes adults seeking to enter the Catholic Church — whether from another denomination, unbaptized, or baptized Catholics preparing for Confirmation. A team of parish volunteers and staff leads weekly sessions that typically run from mid-September through late April or early May; meeting times are set around participants' schedules.
Parish Youth Ministry
The parish maintains an active teen youth ministry program with a service-and-youth focus, complementing the Sunday faith formation classes.
Campus Ministry – Concord University Newman Center
Sacred Heart extends its ministry to students at nearby Concord University in Athens, WV, through a Newman Center with a long history of service — former deacon Don Hammond coordinated Holy Spirit seminars and campus outreach there for many years.
Sacraments
The parish prepares the faithful for and celebrates the full suite of Catholic sacraments: Baptism (by appointment, with required pre-baptismal instruction for parents), First Reconciliation, First Communion, Confirmation, Marriage (preparation required), Anointing of the Sick, and the Eucharist brought to the hospitalized and homebound through the Prayer Request Line.
- Baptism – by appointment; parent instruction required
- Marriage – preparation required; contact church office
- Anointing of the Sick / home visits via Prayer Request Line
Prayer & Devotional Life
Beyond Mass and weekly Adoration, Sacred Heart nurtures a rich devotional life including a Sunday-evening Centering Prayer group in the Day Chapel, a Monday evening Men's Bible Study & Prayer Group, the annual Sacred Heart of Jesus Novena (June 4–12 with daily Mass), the Corpus Christi Eucharistic Procession, and a Prayer Request Line that prays for the sick, those facing surgery, and other needs and adds names to the bulletin prayer list on request.
- Centering Prayer – Sundays 5:00 PM, Day Chapel
- Men's Bible Study & Prayer Group – Mondays 6:30 PM
- Sacred Heart of Jesus Novena – June 4–12
- Corpus Christi Eucharistic Procession
- Prayer Request Line – Joan Monaco, Lucy Brinegar, Donna Kelly, Annette Morgan
Music & Liturgical Ministries
A Music Ministry supports sung worship at Sacred Heart, complemented by a team of Lectors. The parish is also supported by the Knights of Columbus Council # in liturgical and parish life.
- Music Ministry
- Lectors (contact: Deacon / Julia Harrison)
- Knights of Columbus Council
Outreach & Charity
Outreach is central to Sacred Heart's identity. The parish Food Pantry, open Wednesdays 10:00 AM–2:00 PM, distributes food to low-income residents of both Mercer County, WV and Tazewell County, VA. Volunteers are needed for stocking shelves and unloading deliveries, and on-site training is provided. The parish also runs the Angel Tree Christmas outreach and a Bereavement Committee that ministers to grieving families.
- Food Pantry – Wednesdays 10:00 AM–2:00 PM (Mercer Co. WV & Tazewell Co. VA)
- Angel Tree – Christmas giving
- Bereavement Committee
- Visits to the sick and homebound via Prayer Request Line
Parish Councils
Two councils help govern the parish. The Parish Pastoral Council meets monthly and assists the pastor with visionary planning for the parish's spiritual and physical needs (a 3-year commitment). The Parish Finance Council meets quarterly to review finances and advise the pastor on financial decisions (a 1–2 year commitment for members with business or financial backgrounds).
- Parish Pastoral Council (Chair: Mary Malamisura; meets monthly)
- Parish Finance Council (Chair: Bob Buzzo; meets quarterly)
Office & Visiting
The parish office at 1003 Wyoming Street is open Monday–Thursday 9:00 AM–4:00 PM and Friday 9:00 AM–12:00 PM, closed on holidays. The historic church and adjoining school building sit on the same Wyoming Street campus and were opened for community tours during the November 2024 centennial celebration.
- Office Hours: Mon–Thu 9 AM–4 PM; Fri 9 AM–12 PM
- Phone: (304) 327-5623
- Email: [email protected]
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Emil Olivier1894 – c. 1920s
First resident pastor of Sacred Heart Parish (appointed 1894); spearheaded construction of the present 1924 Wyoming Street church.
- Very Rev. Fr. Sebastian E. Devasya, V.F.2016 – present
Pastor of Sacred Heart Bluefield and Sacred Heart Princeton since 2016; native of the Diocese of Thamarassery, Kerala, India; holds a licentiate and doctorate from the Gregorian University in Rome.