About Sacred Heart · Boone, Iowa
Sacred Heart Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish located at 915 12th Street in Boone, Iowa, and one of three worship sites that together form Ascension Catholic Parish, the Catholic community of Boone County in central Iowa (alongside St. Malachy in Madrid and St. John's in Ogden). The parish belongs to the Diocese of Sioux City and is currently led by Fr. Tim Johnson, pastor of the combined Ascension parish. Sacred Heart hosts the principal weekend Mass in Boone, a full weekday Mass schedule, Thursday Eucharistic Adoration, the parish school (Sacred Heart School, K–8), faith-formation programs from kindergarten through twelfth grade, and ministries such as the Knights of Columbus, the Altar Society, OCIA, and a parish choir. The present church, a large Romanesque stone structure, was dedicated in December 1894 and today serves roughly 2,100 parishioners across Boone County.
- Established
- 1880 (parish named Sacred Heart); 1894 (present church dedicated)
- Patron
- Sacred Heart of Jesus
- Rector
- Rev. Timothy A. Johnson (Fr. Tim Johnson)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Sioux City
Why belong here
Sacred Heart is the principal Catholic worship site in Boone and the heart of Ascension Catholic Parish, the Catholic community of all of Boone County. It offers Mass every day of the week (including a Saturday vigil and Sunday morning Mass), weekly Thursday Eucharistic Adoration from 8:30 AM to 7:00 PM, regular confession on Saturdays and Sundays, and a robust parish school (Sacred Heart School, K–8) right next door at 1111 Marshall Street. Active parishioners can join the Knights of Columbus, the Altar Society, the choir, OCIA, adult Bible study and faith-sharing groups, Grief Share, Vacation Bible School, and a graded faith-formation program running from kindergarten through twelfth grade (CGS, EDGE, Life Teen).
Mass times at Sacred Heart
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 5:00 PM – 5:20 PM (before the 5:30 PM Vigil Mass at Sacred Heart, Boone)
- Saturday 3:30 PM at Sacred Heart, Boone (also reported)
- Sunday 11:00 AM – 11:30 AM (after the 10:00 AM Mass at Sacred Heart, Boone)
Adoration times
- Thursday 8:30 AM – 7:00 PM at Sacred Heart, Boone
History of Sacred Heart, Boone
Catholic life in Boone County began in 1860, when the first Mass was celebrated for two Catholic families. A frame church was dedicated in West Boone in 1865 under the patronage of St. Joseph, and was later renamed St. Patrick after a parish cemetery was acquired. By 1880 the Catholic community had grown enough to build a new, larger frame church on the corner of 12th and Marshall Streets, which took the name Church of the Sacred Heart. The current Romanesque stone church was begun with a cornerstone-laying in 1894 and dedicated that December. The church was decorated in 1937 by the Chicago artist John A. Mallin, who added cherubs in the sanctuary archway, a mural, and stenciled walls — work that was largely removed during a 1989 redecoration with gold-leaf stenciling. The 100th anniversary of the church was marked in 1994.
- 1860 — first Catholic Mass in Boone
- 1865 — frame church in West Boone dedicated to St. Joseph (later St. Patrick)
- 1880 — second frame church built at 12th & Marshall; renamed Sacred Heart
- 1891 — parsonage burns; rebuilt in brick the same year
- 1894 — present Romanesque stone church dedicated
- 1937 — interior decorated by John A. Mallin for Fr. John J. Ryan
- 1989 — church redecorated; Mallin's decorations removed
- 1994 — 100th anniversary celebrated
- 2023 — Sacred Heart, St. Malachy and St. John's formally united as Ascension Catholic Parish
Worship Schedule (Sacred Heart, Boone)
Sacred Heart offers a daily Mass schedule together with a Saturday Vigil and Sunday morning Mass, plus weekly Thursday Eucharistic Adoration and regular times for the Sacrament of Reconciliation. The parish calendar also includes a Saturday evening Rosary before Mass, a monthly Children's Rosary, and the REC (Reaching Every Child) Rosary.
- Saturday Vigil Mass: 5:30 PM
- Sunday Mass: 10:00 AM
- Tuesday Mass: 8:00 AM
- Wednesday Mass: 8:00 AM (summer) / 12:00 PM (school year)
- Thursday Mass: 8:00 AM
- Friday Mass: 8:00 AM
- Confession: Saturday 5:00–5:20 PM; Sunday 11:00–11:30 AM
- Eucharistic Adoration: Thursday 8:30 AM – 7:00 PM
- Rosary before Mass: Saturday 5:00 PM
- Children's Rosary: 6:45 PM on the 2nd Wednesday of the month
Parish Staff and Clergy
Ascension Catholic Parish of Boone County, which includes Sacred Heart, is led by Fr. Tim Johnson (Rev. Timothy A. Johnson), who also serves as the parish's registered agent in its State of Iowa non-profit filing. The parish communicates with members through a regular pastor's message posted on the website, a Flocknote email list, and active Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram channels.
- Pastor: Rev. Timothy A. Johnson (Fr. Tim Johnson)
- Parish office: 915 12th Street, Boone, IA 50036
- Phone: (515) 432-1971
- Email: [email protected]
- Communication: weekly pastor's message, Flocknote emails, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram
Sacred Heart School
Sacred Heart School is a parish Catholic school serving preschool through 8th grade at 1111 Marshall Street, right next to the church on the same block. The school is supported by the parish, parents, and community, and is staffed by Iowa Department of Education–licensed teachers. It holds membership in the National Catholic Educational Association and operates on the social-justice philosophy of the Diocese of Sioux City's Catholic schools.
- Address: 1111 Marshall Street, Boone, IA 50036
- Phone: (515) 432-4124
- Website: shboone.org / siouxshsb.ss13.sharpschool.com
- Grades: Pre-K through 8
- Enrollment: ~82 students; 8:1 student-teacher ratio
- Dismissal: 3:15 PM (1:15 PM on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday)
- Accreditation/affiliation: Diocese of Sioux City; NCEA member
- Open to students of any religious conviction; tuition assistance available
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The parish runs a graded faith-formation program for children and youth on Wednesdays at Sacred Heart, alongside adult formation opportunities. Programs run concurrently with the school year.
- Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) — K through 5th grade, Wednesdays 5:15–6:15 PM
- EDGE middle-school program — 6th through 8th grade, Wednesdays 6:45–7:45 PM
- Life Teen high-school program — 9th through 12th grade, Wednesdays 7:45–8:45 PM
- St. John faith-formation site for 6th–12th grade in Ogden
- First Class Mass & BBQ — annual kick-off for the formation year
- Vacation Bible School (VBS) — summer program
- OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) Team and Sponsors
Adult Faith, Prayer & Study Groups
Adult parishioners have several ongoing small-group opportunities for prayer, Scripture, and mutual support. Many of these groups meet at Sacred Heart in Boone or at St. Malachy in Madrid.
- Adult Faith Sharing
- Adult Bible Study
- Grief Share — 13-week program with classes in Boone and Madrid
- OCIA (RCIA) — preparation for adults entering the Catholic Church
- Reaching Every Child (REC) Rosary — praying for the parish's children
Parish Organizations & Outreach
Lay organizations and service groups give parishioners ways to live out the faith beyond Sunday Mass, both inside the church building and out in the Boone community.
- Knights of Columbus — Catholic men's fraternity; meets monthly at both Boone and Madrid locations
- Altar Society — women's group that supports the mission and upkeep of the church (meets at Sacred Heart)
- Social Justice Committee — meets at St. Malachy, Madrid
- Westhaven Mass — parish outreach to the Westhaven senior/community living center
Liturgical Music
Sacred Heart maintains a parish music ministry to support weekend Masses, holy days, and special celebrations, drawing on vocalists and instrumentalists from the parish.
- Choir and Cantor ministry for weekend liturgies, holy days, and special gatherings
- Organist, Pianist, and Instrumentalist opportunities
- Choir sings at the principal Sunday 10:00 AM Mass and major feasts
Ascension Catholic Parish of Boone County
Sacred Heart is now one of three worship sites that together form a single combined Catholic parish for all of Boone County. The non-profit entity Ascension Catholic Parish was registered with the Iowa Secretary of State on March 9, 2023, with Rev. Timothy A. Johnson as registered agent and 915 12th Street, Boone as its home office.
- Sacred Heart — Boone (the principal church at 915 12th Street)
- St. Malachy — Madrid
- St. John's — Ogden
- Pastoral leadership: Fr. Tim Johnson
Diocese of Sioux City
Sacred Heart belongs to the Diocese of Sioux City, the Latin-Church diocese covering the 24 counties of northwestern Iowa. The diocese was erected on July 24, 1900 by Pope Leo XIII, separating its territory from the Archdiocese of Dubuque; its cathedral is the Cathedral of the Epiphany in Sioux City, and it is a suffragan see of Dubuque.
- Established 1900 by Pope Leo XIII
- Territory: 24 counties of northwestern Iowa (~14,500 sq mi)
- Cathedral: Cathedral of the Epiphany, Sioux City
- Suffragan of the Archdiocese of Dubuque
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. John J. Ryan1931–1964
Long-serving pastor for whom John A. Mallin redecorated Sacred Heart in 1937.