About Sacred Heart Chapel · Lorain, Ohio
Sacred Heart Chapel is a Catholic parish in South Lorain, Ohio, established in 1952 by the Diocese of Cleveland to serve the spiritual needs of Hispanic Catholics in the area. Today it is a bilingual, multicultural community rooted in Hispanic traditions while welcoming people of every background, with Mass celebrated in Spanish, English, and a weekly bilingual liturgy. The chapel describes its mission as 'to live as an engaging Catholic community, formed by the Gospel, nourished by the sacraments and centered in the Eucharist.' It is home to an estimated 1,400 families and is widely known across Lorain County for its annual Fiestas Patronales festival.
- Established
- 1952
- Patron
- Sacred Heart of Jesus
- Rector
- Rev. Alexander C. Spenik (Administrator)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Cleveland
Why belong here
Sacred Heart Chapel is one of Northeast Ohio's most distinctive multicultural parishes: a Hispanic-rooted Catholic community that celebrates Mass in Spanish, English, and a weekly bilingual liturgy, and that welcomes everyone regardless of where they come from. Parishioners can join a Small Church Community, bring their children to the parish's Faith Formation program, attend OCIA for adults, or join Scripture Study on Zoom. The chapel's mission — to be 'engaging Catholic, formed by the Gospel, nourished by the sacraments and centered in the Eucharist' — comes alive in its daily Mass schedule, Eucharistic Adoration, the annual Fiestas Patronales, and a parish team that includes multiple permanent deacons and a pastoral associate.
Mass times at Sacred Heart Chapel
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday: 10:30 AM – 11:45 AM (during Eucharistic Adoration)
- Wednesday: 6:30 PM – 7:15 PM (after evening Mass during Adoration)
- Saturday: 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM (in the chapel, privacy screen available)
- Other times by appointment — call 440-277-7231
Adoration times
- Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM (following the 9:30 AM Mass)
- Wednesday: 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM (after the 6:00 PM bilingual Mass)
About Sacred Heart Chapel
Sacred Heart Chapel is a Catholic parish of the Diocese of Cleveland located at 4301 Pearl Avenue in South Lorain, Ohio. Founded in 1952, it was the Diocese's deliberate response to the spiritual needs of Hispanic Catholics who had made South Lorain their home — first Mexican and Mexican-American workers from as early as World War I, and then Puerto Rican veterans and their families who settled in Lorain after World War II. Today the parish describes itself as 'an engaging Catholic community, formed by the Gospel, nourished by the sacraments and centered in the Eucharist' and as 'rooted in Hispanic cultures' while embracing 'diversity and welcoming all.' It is the spiritual heart of Lorain's Hispanic community and is widely known across the city for the annual Fiestas Patronales.
- Diocese of Cleveland parish, est. 1952
- Located in South Lorain, Lorain County
- Approximately 1,400 families
- Mission: to live as an engaging Catholic community formed by the Gospel, nourished by the sacraments and centered in the Eucharist
Parish History
Sacred Heart of Jesus Chapel began in July 1952 when the Cleveland Diocese appointed Father Gerard Fredericks, a Missionary Servant of the Most Holy Trinity, to serve the growing Hispanic community of South Lorain. The first chapel was the former Rebman Meat Market on Vine Avenue. Over the decades the parish moved to a new ten-acre site on Pearl Avenue — dedicated in 1975 by Bishop James A. Hickey — and transitioned from being staffed by the Missionary Servants of the Most Holy Trinity to being administered directly by the Diocese of Cleveland in 1982. Through waves of new immigration from Puerto Rico, Mexico, El Salvador, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Cuba, and Guatemala, the parish has continued to be a 'landing pad' for newcomers seeking community in Lorain.
- 1952 — Parish founded; Father Gerard Fredericks, ST, named first pastor
- 1953 — Three Missionary Servant sisters join the parish staff
- 1959 — Parish becomes center of the Diocese's Spanish-language Cursillo movement
- 1974 — Original Vine Avenue chapel demolished
- April 20, 1975 — Bishop James A. Hickey dedicates the new Pearl Avenue chapel
- June 30, 1982 — Diocese of Cleveland assumes direct responsibility for the parish
Pastoral Staff
Sacred Heart Chapel is led today by an Administrator/Pastor with the support of three permanent deacons (including two retired), a sister pastoral associate, a director of Whole Parish Faith Formation, a finance manager, an office manager/secretary, and an engagement office coordinator.
- Rev. Alexander C. Spenik — Administrator/Pastor
- Deacon Juan (Rocky) Ortiz
- Deacon Luis (Lou) Maldonado — Permanent Deacon (retired)
- Deacon José (Tony) DeGracia — Permanent Deacon (retired)
- Sr. Cathy McConnell, H.M. — Pastoral Associate
- Mrs. Monica Swift — Director of Whole Parish Faith Formation
- Mrs. Nancy Garcia — Office Manager / Secretary
- Mrs. Evelyn Reyes — Finance Manager
- Carmen Melendez — Engagement Office Coordinator
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Children's Faith Formation meets twice monthly in person and on Saturdays on Zoom, with classes running 10:00–11:30 AM from September through May. Catechists are recruited and trained from among active parish members, with background checks and fingerprinting required.
- Director: Monica Swift
- Classes: Saturdays 10:00–11:30 AM, September through May
- Twice monthly in-person sessions plus Zoom sessions
- Volunteer catechists welcomed and trained
OCIA (Adult Initiation)
The parish's OCIA Catechumenate (formerly RCIA) meets on Tuesday evenings in the Guadalupe Room at 7:00 PM. It prepares adults for the sacraments of initiation — Baptism, Confirmation, and First Eucharist — and welcomes inquirers at every stage of the journey.
- OCIA Catechumenate — Tuesdays, 7:00 PM, Guadalupe Room
Small Church Communities & Scripture Study
Small Church Communities are groups of 8–12 fellow parishioners who commit to praying daily, reflecting on where God is present in their lives, praying with the Sunday Scriptures (especially the Gospel), and worshipping attentively at Sunday Mass. The parish also offers an adult Scripture Study on Zoom, currently working its way through the Gospels.
- Small Church Communities — recently meeting on Zoom
- Adult Scripture Study — on Zoom
Fiestas Patronales (Annual Parish Festival)
The Fiestas Patronales or 'Patronage Festival' is Sacred Heart's signature community event, celebrated every July on the parish grounds. Originally held in June on the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the festival moved to July because of unpredictable June weather. It features authentic Mexican and Puerto Rican food, dancing and music, a parade beginning at East 31st Street and Vine Avenue, and a bilingual Mass celebrated in the shade of the Sacred Heart gazebo. Proceeds support the parish's general fund, and parishioners describe the weekend as a 'homecoming week' that draws generations of families back to Lorain.
- Held annually since the early years of the parish
- Mexican and Puerto Rican food, music and dance
- Annual Fiestas Patronales parade — East 31st Street and Vine Avenue to the church
- Bilingual outdoor Mass celebrated in the Sacred Heart gazebo (indoors if it rains)
- 2019 theme: 'Celebrating Diversity and Inclusion'
Parish Pastoral Council
The Pastoral Council works with the pastor and staff to discern and support the mission of the parish. Rachel Velez currently serves as Pastoral Council President.
- Pastoral Council President: Rachel Velez
Getting in Touch
Parishioners and visitors can reach Sacred Heart Chapel by phone, email, or through the parish's social channels. The parish uses Flocknote to send updates via email and text, and Sunday Masses are livestreamed on Facebook.
- Phone: (440) 277-7231
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: sacredheartchapel.org
- Address: 4301 Pearl Avenue, Lorain, OH 44055
- Facebook (Sunday Mass livestream)
- YouTube
- Flocknote (parish email/text updates)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Gerard Fredericks, ST (Missionary Servants of the Most Holy Trinity)1952–1958
Founding pastor appointed by the Diocese of Cleveland; served as interpreter and advocate for Hispanic newcomers in courts and local businesses.
- Father Martin Van Trieste, ST1958–1963
Attended Cursillo in San Antonio in 1959 with nine parishioners; launched the Diocese's Spanish-language Cursillo program.
- Father Kevin Nugent, ST1963–
Reached out to the wider Spanish-speaking community through La Capilla del Cristo Rey and La Capilla de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe.
- Father Albert Koklowsky, ST
Continued Hispanic outreach ministry; previously served in Cleveland's Hough neighborhood.
- Father Robert Ward, ST1972–
Installed November 1972; oversaw transition to the current Pearl Avenue site.
- Father Edward Molumby, ST1980–1982
Missionary Servant pastor during final years at the old Vine Avenue chapel.
- Father Timothy Lynch, ST1982
Missionary Servant pastor bridging the transition to diocesan administration.
- Father Michael J. Schneid1982–1990
First diocesan pastor after the Diocese assumed direct responsibility on June 30, 1982.
- Father Robert Reidy1990–
Long-tenured pastor credited with growing multicultural community life.
- Rev. William A. Thaden
Hungarian-born pastor described as 'a landing pad' for new immigrants, including post-Hurricane Maria arrivals from Puerto Rico.
- Rev. Alexander C. Spenikcurrent
Current Administrator/Pastor per the Diocese of Cleveland directory.