About Sacred Heart · Canton, Mississippi
Sacred Heart Catholic Church is a historic parish of the Diocese of Jackson located at 238 East Center Street in Canton, Mississippi, and is the oldest Catholic church in Madison County. The current sanctuary, an outstanding example of Romanesque Revival architecture built in 1928, stands on a site the parish has occupied since a small brick church was first erected and consecrated in 1859. Today the parish is a bilingual (English/Spanish) community of roughly 450 registered families — historically rooted in German, Italian, Irish, and Lebanese immigrant families, and now largely sustained by Hispanic Catholics from Guatemala and Honduras — known for its stained glass, devotion to the Sacred Heart, and an annual Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe procession through Canton.
- Established
- 1859
- Patron
- Sacred Heart of Jesus
- Rector
- Reverend Juan Chavajay (placed on administrative leave May 1, 2024; status to be verified)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Jackson (Roman-Latin Rite)
Why belong here
Sacred Heart offers a rare combination in central Mississippi: a 168-year-old historic sanctuary with stained glass etched with the names of pioneer families, set beside a living, bilingual Catholic community. The parish welcomes English-speakers and a large Spanish-speaking congregation from Guatemala and Honduras with a weekly Spanish Mass, an annual street procession for the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and ministries that grew directly out of the 2019 Peco Foods immigration crisis. It is also a place with deep historical significance — the launching point of the first U.S. seminary for African-American priests — that continues to balance reverence with fellowship and outreach.
Mass times at Sacred Heart
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:30 PM or by appointment
History of Sacred Heart Parish
Sacred Heart's story begins in the Sulphur Springs area of Madison County, where Catholic families first gathered for Mass in one another's homes. In 1859 the community erected and consecrated a small brick church, the first permanent home of the parish. By the early twentieth century the original structure was outgrown, and in 1928 Fr. Anthony Jacobs led the congregation in building the present Romanesque Revival sanctuary on the same East Center Street location. The new church was raised during the Great Depression through the sacrifices of German, Italian, Irish, and — by the early 1900s — Lebanese Catholic families who had settled in Canton. The Mississippi Department of Archives and History erected a historical marker at the church in 1992 commemorating both the parish and its role in African-American Catholic history: the Divine Word Missionaries began a school for Black youth at Sacred Heart in 1913, and in 1920 Fr. Matthew Christmann and the parish founded St. Augustine Seminary, the first seminary in the United States for the training of African-American priests.
- 1859 — First brick church erected and consecrated in Madison County
- 1913 — Divine Word Missionaries begin school for Black youth at Sacred Heart
- 1920 — Fr. Matthew Christmann co-founds St. Augustine Seminary (first U.S. seminary for African-American priests)
- 1928 — Fr. Anthony Jacobs leads construction of the current Romanesque Revival church
- 1992 — Mississippi historical marker erected by the Mississippi Department of Archives and History
Architecture and Sanctuary
The present sanctuary is an outstanding local example of Romanesque Revival architecture, embellished with brightly colored terra cotta tile, rounded arched windows, brick corbelling, and a gabled parapet. The interior is intentionally symbolic: the rings on the front doors represent the waters of baptism, human hearts are painted throughout the church to symbolize Christ's love, and the stained glass windows memorialize the founding families of the parish by name. After Vatican II, the altar was moved from the back wall so the priest could face the assembly, and the sanctuary was reconfigured to support the new rite. The church is a contributing structure of the East Canton Historic District, a National Register of Historic Places district noted for architecture spanning 1835 to 1940.
- Romanesque Revival style, c. 1928
- Brightly colored terra cotta tile, rounded arched windows, brick corbelling, gabled parapet
- Stained glass windows inscribed with names of parish families
- Heart and baptism-water symbolism throughout the sanctuary
- Contributing structure of the East Canton Historic District (NRHP)
Hispanic Ministry and the Peco Foods Response
Over the past three decades, Sacred Heart has been transformed from a small English-speaking parish into a bilingual community where the great majority of the approximately 450 registered families are from Guatemala and Honduras. The parish sustains a Spanish-language Mass every Sunday, an annual street procession for the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe in December, and dedicated outreach to immigrant workers. On August 7, 2019, federal agents arrested 680 undocumented workers at the Peco Foods poultry plant near Canton; roughly 120 of those workers were Sacred Heart parishioners. Under Fr. Mike O'Brien's leadership, the parish mobilized to support the affected families — a response that, together with Fr. O'Brien himself, drew national attention and was honored with the 2020 Klingler Award from the Dehonian community for social justice.
- Parish has grown to roughly 450 registered families, mostly from Guatemala and Honduras
- Weekly Spanish Mass and annual Virgen de Guadalupe procession
- 2019 Peco Foods immigration raid — 120 parishioners among 680 arrested
- 2020 Klingler Award to Fr. O'Brien and Sacred Heart for social justice
Faith Formation and Religious Education
Sacred Heart runs a parish-based Religious Education program that serves school-age children as well as adults preparing for full initiation into the Catholic Church. The published bulletin lists RCIA sessions on Wednesday evenings, Religious Education classes for 6th through 12th graders on Wednesdays at 6:00 PM, and an Activity Night for K-5th graders from 6:00 to 7:30 PM. The parish website also links visitors to information on how to become Catholic, suggesting that the RCIA process is regularly offered.
- RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) — Wednesday evenings
- Religious Education for 6th–12th graders — Wednesdays at 6:00 PM
- K-5th Activity Night — 6:00 to 7:30 PM
Communications, Stewardship and Online Giving
Sacred Heart publishes a parish newspaper called Heart of the Matter, records and uploads Masses to a parish YouTube channel, and offers a weekly stewardship podcast on its website. Parishioners and visitors can register with the parish via a downloadable PDF form, support the church through WeShare online giving, and follow updates via Facebook Live (used in 2022 for the Mass of Thanksgiving for Fr. O'Brien). The parish website also features 'Reflections on Parts of the Mass' and a 'Promise to Protect / Pledge to Heal' statement on the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults.
- Parish newspaper: Heart of the Matter
- WeShare online giving
- Mass videos on parish YouTube
- Stewardship podcast
- Promise to Protect / Pledge to Heal safeguarding statement
Visiting Canton and the Historic Context
Sacred Heart sits in the East Canton Historic District, just east of the Canton Courthouse Square Historic District (NRHP, 1982). The streets of the district preserve a wealth of 1835–1940 architecture, and the church stands alongside the First Presbyterian Church (Neoclassical Revival, c. 1922) as one of the district's two designated religious structures. The 1992 Mississippi historical marker in front of Sacred Heart describes the parish's role in African-American Catholic history and makes the church a regular stop for visitors interested in Mississippi's religious heritage.
- Located in the East Canton Historic District (NRHP)
- Adjacent to the Canton Courthouse Square Historic District
- 1992 Mississippi Department of Archives and History marker on site
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Matthew Christmannearly 1900s – 1920s
Founded St. Augustine Seminary, the first seminary in the U.S. for the training of African-American priests, in 1920 (later moved to Bay St. Louis); Divine Word Missionaries began a school for Black youth at Sacred Heart in 1913 during his tenure.
- Fr. Anthony Jacobs1928
Led the parish in building the current Romanesque Revival sanctuary completed in 1928.
- Fr. Mike O'Brien (Michael O'Brien)1983 – c.1990s (first stint); returned as final assignment; retired 2022
Irish priest ordained in 1972; Sacred Heart was his first U.S. parish assignment in 1983. Returned as his last assignment before retirement; celebrated his 50th ordination anniversary at the parish on June 20, 2022. With the parish, received the 2020 Klingler Award for social justice following the 2019 Peco Foods immigration raid in Canton.
- Fr. Juan Chavajayappointed April 2023; on administrative leave from May 1, 2024
Guatemalan-born priest; previously served St. Therese, Jackson. Placed on administrative leave by Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz on May 1, 2024 pending investigation of allegations of sexual misconduct with an adult.
- Fr. Jofin George2024 – present (interim)
Listed by the Diocese of Jackson parish finder as Sacramental Minister during the pastoral vacancy.