About Sacred Heart Chapel/Clarke University · Dubuque, Iowa
Sacred Heart Chapel is the campus chapel of Clarke University, a Catholic university founded in 1843 by the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (BVM) in Dubuque, Iowa. The chapel sits inside the R.C. and Celeste Wahlert Atrium complex — the 56-foot glass hub rebuilt after the devastating 1984 campus fire and dedicated in October 1986. It functions as the spiritual heart of the university, hosting Mass, ecumenical and spiritual events, and individual prayer and contemplation for the campus community. The Office of Campus Ministry, rooted in Clarke's BVM Catholic identity and core values of Freedom, Education, Charity, and Justice, oversees its worship, faith-formation and service programming.
- Established
- 1986
- Patron
- Sacred Heart of Jesus
- Rector
- Rick Rupprecht (Director of Campus Ministry / Chaplain)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Dubuque
Why belong here
Sacred Heart Chapel offers the Clarke campus community a true Catholic liturgical home in the heart of Dubuque, with Sunday and weekday Mass, adoration, scripture study, retreats and seasonal liturgies — all animated by students as liturgical ministers and musicians. Worship is paired with a robust service culture: the signature 'Into the Streets' half-day of service, spring break mission trips, a winter retreat, and student-led Bible studies and faith-sharing groups. Campus Ministry welcomes students of all faiths to deepen their faith lives alongside the BVM core values of Freedom, Education, Charity and Justice.
Mass times at Sacred Heart Chapel/Clarke University
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday and Thursday 12:00–12:15 pm
Adoration times
- Adoration is offered on campus; check the Campus Ministry site for current schedule
About Sacred Heart Chapel
Sacred Heart Chapel is the campus chapel of Clarke University in Dubuque, Iowa, dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. It is located inside the R.C. and Celeste Wahlert Atrium complex, next to the Atrium and across from the Art Gallery, and is the venue for liturgy, ecumenical and spiritual events, and individual prayer and contemplation. Mass is celebrated here on Sundays at 5:00 pm and on Thursdays at 12:25 pm during the academic year, and the chapel is open for silent prayer and meditation whenever the Atrium is open.
History of Clarke and the Chapel
Clarke University traces its roots to St. Mary's Academy, established in 1843 by the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, three years after Iowa became a state. The institution became Mount St. Joseph Academy, moved to its present campus in 1881, was chartered as St. Joseph College in 1901, accredited in 1918, renamed Clarke College in 1928, and renamed Clarke University on August 1, 2010. On May 17, 1984 a fire destroyed four historic buildings; the campus was rebuilt and in October 1986 a new library, music performance hall, chapel, campus store, administrative offices and the central Atrium were dedicated — together the heart of today's Clarke. Sacred Heart Chapel has served the university community from that 1986 dedication onward.
- 1843: St. Mary's Academy founded by BVMs
- 1881: Moved to current Dubuque campus
- 1901: Renamed St. Joseph College
- 1928: Renamed Clarke College
- 1984: Devastating campus fire
- 1986: New chapel and Atrium dedicated
- 2010: Renamed Clarke University
Catholic & BVM Identity
Clarke is a BVM Catholic academic community and the only university in the United States founded by the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Its four core values — Freedom, Education, Charity and Justice — flow directly from founder Mary Frances Clarke and the BVM tradition. The Office of Campus Ministry's mission is to embody the school's Catholic faith and BVM core values by walking with students, faculty and staff on their personal faith journeys, while welcoming people of all beliefs to deepen their faith experiences through programs and activities.
- Founded by the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (BVMs)
- Core values: Freedom, Education, Charity, Justice
- The only BVM-founded university in the United States
Campus Ministry & Programs
Campus Ministry at Clarke is rooted in the university's Catholic identity and its BVM Core Values, while also welcoming and supporting people of all faith and spiritual beliefs. The office is located in the Wellness Wing of Mary Josita Hall, alongside Health Services and Counseling, so that mind, body and spirit are cared for together.
- Director of Campus Ministry: Rick Rupprecht
- Office hours: Monday–Thursday and Sunday afternoons; by appointment
- Contact: [email protected]
- Chaplain's office located in the back of Sacred Heart Chapel
Worship, Formation & Retreats
Beyond the chapel's regular Mass schedule, Campus Ministry offers a rhythm of faith-formation experiences — student-led Bible studies, morning prayer, small-group faith sharing, seasonal prayer celebrations, a Winter Retreat for personal reflection, and a Spring service trip that has taken students to volunteer at homeless shelters, food pantries and immigration centers in cities such as St. Louis, Tennessee, and Wisconsin. Students also serve as liturgical ministers and musicians for Mass.
- Student-led faith-sharing and Bible study groups (weekly)
- Winter Retreat
- Spring service / mission trips
- Liturgical minister and student musician opportunities
- Scripture study
Service & Outreach
Service is a hallmark of Clarke's BVM Catholic identity. 'Into the Streets' — the signature annual fall event — sends dozens of Clarke students out for a half-day of volunteering at area non-profits, with recent partner sites including the Dubuque Regional Humane Society, Hospice of Dubuque, the Dubuque Rescue Mission Kitchen and Thrift Store, Area Residential Care, Mary's Inn, Dubuque County Conservation and the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium.
- 'Into the Streets' half-day of service (annual)
- Mission trip over spring break (e.g., St. Louis, Tennessee, Wisconsin)
- Partnerships with Dubuque-area non-profits
Sacred Spaces on Campus
Clarke offers multiple dedicated spaces for prayer, reflection and faith community life beyond the chapel itself, all supported by Campus Ministry.
- Sacred Heart Chapel — liturgy, ecumenical events, individual prayer
- Foley Lounge (Mary Josita Hall) — faith-centered lounge for programs, meetings, Bible studies
- Silent Prayer and Meditation Room (Mary Josita Hall) — open 7:00 am – 9:00 pm, technology-free, capacity 4
- Wellness Center — co-locates Campus Ministry with Counseling and Health Services
Visiting Sacred Heart Chapel
The chapel is inside the R.C. and Celeste Wahlert Atrium, the 56-foot-high glass main entrance to Clarke University. Visitors enter via the Atrium and find the chapel next to it, across from the Art Gallery. The chapel is open whenever the Atrium is open; check Clarke's Campus Ministry page (ministry.clarke.edu) and Source for the latest Mass, confession, adoration and event schedules, especially during academic breaks.
- Address: 1550 Clarke Drive, Dubuque, IA 52001
- Located inside the Wahlert Atrium complex
- Campus Ministry contact: [email protected]
Notable Facts & Heritage
Clarke carries a striking heritage: founded by Irish-born Mary Frances Clarke and the BVMs in frontier Dubuque, it is the only BVM-founded university in the United States. Its 1924 Mary Frances Hall was designed by a student of Frank Lloyd Wright, and BVM Sister Mary Kenneth Keller launched Clarke's computer science program in 1965. The current chapel and atrium rose from the ashes of the 1984 fire that destroyed four historic buildings — a disaster met with the defiant banner 'Clarke Lives!'