About Sacred Heart · Chariton, Iowa
Sacred Heart Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish serving the rural community of Chariton, Iowa, in the Diocese of Des Moines. The parish is led by Rev. Remi Okere, C.S.Sp., a Holy Ghost Spiritan priest from Nigeria, who also pastors nearby St. Francis in Corydon and St. Brendan in Leon. Worship is offered at a 1915 church built on North Main Street, with weekend Masses on Saturday evening and Sunday morning plus weekday Masses on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday. The parish runs a religious education program for K-8, youth ministry for grades 9-12, an OCIA (RCIA) program, a Council of Catholic Women, and shares in community outreach like the local Share Program.
- Established
- 1869
- Patron
- Sacred Heart of Jesus (the parish's earlier predecessors were dedicated to St. Anne and then St. Mary)
- Rector
- Rev. Remi Okere, C.S.Sp.
- Diocese
- Diocese of Des Moines
Why belong here
Sacred Heart is a small, multi-generational Catholic community in south-central Iowa where the same families have worshipped for 150 years and where the heritage of Irish, German, and Italian immigrant founders is still honored in the sanctuary statues. The parish offers the full rhythm of Catholic life — daily and weekend Mass, Saturday and Sunday confession, monthly Eucharistic adoration, OCIA for adults, K-8 catechesis, a 9-12 youth ministry, and a Council of Catholic Women — all under the care of a Spiritan priest who also serves the neighboring mission parishes in Corydon and Leon, so there is a real sense of belonging and shared mission across the cluster.
Mass times at Sacred Heart
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:45–4:15 p.m.
- Sunday following 10:30 a.m. Mass
Adoration times
- Thursday 7:00–8:00 p.m. (First Thursdays of the month)
Mass & Worship Schedule
Sacred Heart offers weekend Masses on Saturday evening and Sunday morning, with weekday Masses on Tuesday evening and Wednesday and Friday mornings. The parish shares its priest with the mission churches in Corydon and Leon, which is why those parishes' schedules are coordinated out of Chariton.
- Saturday Vigil: 4:30 p.m.
- Sunday: 10:30 a.m.
- Tuesday: 5:30 p.m.
- Wednesday: 8:30 a.m.
- Friday: 8:30 a.m.
Parish History
Catholic worship in Chariton dates to the 1850s, when the local community met in homes under the patronage of St. Anne. A permanent church — St. Mary's Catholic Church — was built on Brookdale Avenue in 1869 under the leadership of the Rev. Bernard P. McMenomy of Georgetown. In 1915 the parish laid the cornerstone of the present Sacred Heart church on Main Street, and the 1915 building still incorporates stained glass and statuary salvaged from the original 1869 structure.
- 1850s — Catholic community gathers as 'St. Anne' parish, Mass in private homes
- 1869 — St. Mary's Catholic Church built on Brookdale Avenue (Rev. B. P. McMenomy)
- 1878 — Rev. Edmund Hayes becomes first resident Catholic pastor in Chariton
- 1881 — St. Mary's church jacked up and moved by horses to a lot beside the rectory
- 1910 — Herman J. Steinbach purchases Main/Auburn land for a new church
- 1914 — Steinbach donates land on condition the parish raise $10,000
- September 9, 1915 — cornerstone of Sacred Heart laid; Bishop Dowling dedicates the new church
- 2019–2021 — 150th anniversary celebrated (extended because of COVID-19); Bishop William Joensen celebrates Mass and leads Corpus Christi procession on June 13, 2021
Architecture & Sacred Art
The present church was built by Chariton contractor Eric Johnson for $13,000 as an 80-by-50-foot, 35-foot-tall structure. Salvaged from St. Mary's were eight stained-glass windows (three installed in the belfry and five on the west and north walls), the bell, the St. Anthony statue (now at the rear of the church), and the Sacred Heart of Jesus statue (now in the parish center).
- Original construction cost: $13,000 (excluding fixtures and windows)
- St. Patrick and St. Boniface statues flanking the main altar — Irish and German heritage
- St. Anthony statue at the rear — Italian heritage
- Stained-glass windows salvaged from the 1869 St. Mary's church
Clergy & Staff
Sacred Heart is pastored by Rev. Remi Okere, C.S.Sp., a Holy Ghost Spiritan priest from Nigeria who also serves as pastor of St. Francis Parish, Corydon, and St. Brendan Parish, Leon. He is assisted by Deacon Eric Bertrand and a small lay staff.
- Pastor: Rev. Remi Okere, C.S.Sp. — [email protected]
- Deacon: Rev. Mr. Eric Bertrand — [email protected] / 515-689-7122
- Business Manager: Jennifer Fehrer — [email protected]
Faith Formation & Youth
Faith formation is provided for children (K-8) by parish catechetical leaders and for high-schoolers (grades 9-12) by a youth-ministry team. Adults preparing for full communion with the Catholic Church go through the OCIA program.
- Catechetical Leaders (K-8): Jennifer Fehrer and Tiffany Johnston — [email protected]
- Youth Ministers (grades 9-12): Christian Bengtson and Abbie Bengtson
- OCIA (adult initiation) contact: Pat Thompson — 641-774-4978
- First Communion preparation — annual spring
- Confirmation preparation — annual spring, with the Bishop of Des Moines conferring the sacrament
Parish Organizations & Outreach
The parish's lay organizations include the Council of Catholic Women (CCW) and the Women of Sacred Heart (WOSH) fellowship. The parish is also active in the Chariton Inter-Church Council, helping to staff the local Share Program food-distribution pickups.
- Council of Catholic Women (CCW) — contact: Pat Thompson, 641-774-2734
- Women of Sacred Heart (WOSH) — monthly meetings
- Share Program pickup — last Saturday of each month (collection from Southgate, Autumn Park, Williamson, Russell, and Lucas)
Parish Cluster: Chariton, Corydon & Leon
Sacred Heart is the hub of a three-parish cluster served from Chariton. Fr. Remi Okere, C.S.Sp., is pastor of all three communities, which together cover a wide swath of south-central Iowa.
- Sacred Heart, Chariton — Sunday 10:30 a.m.
- St. Francis, Corydon — Saturday 6:30 p.m. (services held at the Methodist Church, 213 W. Jackson)
- St. Brendan, Leon — Sunday 8:00 a.m.
Contact & Visit
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office by phone, email, or in person at the church on North Main Street. The parish also maintains an active Facebook page and a historical blog used to share news, history, and announcements.
- Address: 407 N. Main St., Chariton, IA 50049
- Phone: (641) 774-4978
- Email: [email protected] / [email protected]
- Website: www.sacredheartchariton.com
- Facebook: facebook.com/SacredHeartChariton/
- Historical blog: sacredheartchariton.blogspot.com
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Bernard P. McMenomy1869–1870
Pastor of Georgetown who organized construction of the original St. Mary's Catholic Church in Chariton (built 1869–1870).
- Rev. Edmund Hayesfrom 1878
First Catholic pastor to reside in Chariton; purchased house and three lots on Orchard Avenue for the rectory and oversaw the 1881 move of the church building.
- Rev. James H. McGillinaround 1915
Guided construction of the present Sacred Heart church; cornerstone laid September 9, 1915; assisted Bishop Dowling at the dedication.
- Fr. Christopher Pisutprior pastorate
Earlier pastor of the Chariton / Corydon / Leon cluster; named on a historic parish bulletin/mass schedule.
- Rev. Samuel Dansopredecessor to current assignment
Predecessor pastor of Sacred Heart Chariton, St. Francis Corydon, and St. Brendan Leon before reassignment by Bishop William Joensen.
- Rev. Remi Okere, C.S.Sp.from July 11, 2024 (six-year term)
Holy Ghost Spiritan priest from Nigeria; previously pastor of St. John Parish, Adel; currently serves Chariton, Corydon, and Leon.