About Sacred Heart /Christ the Good Shepherd Parish/ · Vineland, New Jersey
Christ The Good Shepherd Parish is a Catholic community in Vineland, New Jersey, formed by the union of two historic churches: Sacred Heart Church (founded 1874) on East Landis Avenue and Saint Isidore the Farmer Church on Magnolia Road. The parish belongs to the Diocese of Camden, with St. Isidore's serving as the rectory address and worship site for daily Mass, confessions, adoration, and the Saturday Vigil. Sacred Heart Church, completed and dedicated in 1927, remains the Sunday 11:00 am (live-streamed) worship site and is a landmark stone church with a 140-foot tower. The parish family maintains a preschool, partners with Bishop Schad Regional School, runs a Religious Education program, and is served by Father Junior (Amadito) Flores as pastor.
- Established
- 1874
- Patron
- Sacred Heart of Jesus (Sacred Heart Church); Saint Isidore the Farmer (partner church)
- Rector
- Father Junior (Amadito) Flores
- Diocese
- Diocese of Camden (formerly part of the Diocese of Newark at founding in 1874)
Why belong here
Christ The Good Shepherd Parish is one of the oldest Catholic communities in Vineland, founded in 1874 by Italian Catholic settlers, and it continues today with two worship sites — the landmark Sacred Heart Church on Landis Avenue (with its 140-foot stone tower) and Saint Isidore the Farmer Church on Magnolia Road. Parishioners enjoy a rich liturgical life that includes a live-streamed Sunday 11:00 am Mass, a daily 9:00 am Mass rotating among three chapels, Saturday confession, 24-hour Eucharistic Adoration on Thursdays, a daily Rosary, the Miraculous Medal Novena, and a monthly Polish Mass. The parish runs the Christ the Good Shepherd Preschool (ages 2½–6), partners with Bishop Schad Regional School, supports a Religious Education program, and welcomes parishioners and visitors through ministries such as Music, Altar Linens, Family Life, Healthcare, Boy Scouts, Seven Sisters Apostolate and Pastoral Council. A warm welcome is extended to all who come to worship in praise of Almighty God.
Mass times at Sacred Heart /Christ the Good Shepherd Parish/
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday following 9:00 am Mass (St. Isidore the Farmer Church)
- Saturday 3:00 pm (St. Isidore the Farmer Church)
- By appointment anytime — call 856-691-9077
Adoration times
- Begins after the 9:00 am Mass on Thursday and continues until 8:45 am Friday before the 9:00 am Mass — held at St. Isidore the Farmer Church Chapel (24-hour Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament)
About Christ The Good Shepherd Parish
Christ The Good Shepherd Parish is the Catholic faith community serving Vineland, New Jersey, made up of two historic worship sites: Sacred Heart Church (founded 1874) on East Landis Avenue and Saint Isidore the Farmer Church on Magnolia Road. The parish belongs to the Diocese of Camden and shares a campus tradition with Bishop Schad Regional School. The rectory office, located at St. Isidore, is open Monday through Thursday 9 am – 4 pm and Friday 9 am – 1 pm. The parish welcomes all neighbors, travelers and visitors to join them in worship.
- Parish Mission: 'As we nurture Lifelong Faith Formation Centered in the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Eucharist, we welcome all to our parish family. Unified in Faith, Love and Charity, in service to all, we share our gifts of Time, Talent, and Treasure.'
- Parish combines Sacred Heart Church (1010 E. Landis Ave) and Saint Isidore the Farmer Church (1655 Magnolia Rd).
- Office: 856-691-9077 · Fax 856-692-3305 · [email protected]
History of Sacred Heart Church and Parish
The Catholic roots of Vineland go back to the city's founding in 1861 by Charles K. Landis, who recruited settlers including many Italian Catholic farmers. After years of being visited from St. Mary Magdalen in Millville, the Catholics of Vineland petitioned Bishop Michael A. Corrigan and were granted their own parish on June 19, 1874 under Father Peter Vivet. The first stone church at Eighth and Quince Streets was completed just in time for Christmas Day Mass in 1874. The present stone church with its 140-foot tower was dedicated September 2, 1927 under Monsignor James Bulfin, who also founded Sacred Heart High School. The parish expanded continuously through the 20th century and undertook major repairs — including a 2009 roof replacement under Monsignor John H. Burton and a fire restoration — while continuing Catholic education that now lives on in Bishop Schad Regional School.
- 1874 — Parish of Sacred Heart declared by Bishop Michael A. Corrigan (Diocese of Newark); Father Peter Vivet first pastor.
- 1874 Christmas Day — First Mass in unfinished stone church on Eighth and Quince Streets.
- 1879 — Original church debt fully paid; total cost $2,947.80.
- 1919 — Rev. James Bulfin assigned as pastor.
- 1921 — Five Sisters of St. Joseph arrive: Mother Albertino, Sister Mary Edmond, Sister Grace Stanislaus, Sister Theresa Carmel, Sister M. Barnabas.
- 1921 — Sacred Heart School opens with 235 pupils.
- September 2, 1927 — Present Sacred Heart Church dedicated by Bishop Thomas J. Walsh.
- 1927 (eight days after dedication) — Sacred Heart High School opens with 25 freshmen.
- 1934 — Monsignor Bulfin retires in failing health; succeeded by Father Francis Jackson (d. 1937).
- 2009 — Monsignor John H. Burton authorizes replacement of 82-year-old slate roof.
- Grammer school regionalized as Sacred Heart / St. Isidore's Regional Grammar School.
- Polish Mass started on second Sunday of each month by Associate Pastor Father Pawl Kryszkiewicz.
- November 18, 2023 — Father Junior (Amadito) Flores installed as pastor by Bishop Dennis Sullivan.
Parish Staff & Clergy
Christ The Good Shepherd Parish is served by clergy and a dedicated lay staff in support of worship, faith formation, administration, and facilities.
- Father Junior (Amadito) Flores — Pastor (installed November 18, 2023)
- Father John Wasilewski — Part-time Parochial Vicar / Hospital Chaplain
- Father Arockia Britto Prabhu Arul Ananthu — Parochial Vicar (per 2025 bulletin)
- Mrs. Lillian Simpkins — Executive Assistant to the Pastor
- Ms. Kathy Beckett / Ms. Christina Martinez — Administrative Assistant
- Mr. Ricardo Camacho — Bookkeeping
- Mr. Paul Spinelli — Parish Liaison
- Mr. William Rivera & Mr. Angel Sanchez — Maintenance
- Mrs. Mary Watson — CTGS Preschool Director
- Mrs. Cathy DiAntonio — Religious Education Coordinator
Parish Ministries
Parishioners serve the community through more than a dozen ministries and apostolates, ranging from liturgical to charitable work. Each ministry has a coordinator and is open to new members.
- Altar Linens — Sacred Heart & St. Isidore
- Arts and Environment
- Bereavement Committee
- Boy Scouts / Cub Scouts
- Counters (financial counters)
- Family Life
- Finance Council — Chair Joe Repice
- Fundraising — Co-chairs Sam Tedesco & Christina Martinez
- Lectors / Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- Christ the Good Shepherd Parish Music Ministry — Coordinator AJ Santos
- Parish Healthcare Ministry — led by Sami Abate
- Pastoral Council — Chair Sami Abate; VP Paula Thibodeau-Hirsch
- Safe Environment — Coordinator Joanne Koehler
- Seven Sisters Apostolate — Anchoress Rosalie Martinelli, with Carol Bassetti and Pam Levari
- Social Media — Coordinator Lillian Simpkins
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith formation across the lifespan is a parish priority. Religious Education is coordinated through the parish office; Lifelong Faith Formation is directed by Mrs. Felicia Navarro-Morris for the Vineland Catholic Collaborative, which serves families preparing children for sacraments and adults walking the RCIA journey. Bishop Schad Regional School carries the parish's K-8 Catholic-school tradition begun by the Sisters of St. Joseph in 1921.
- Religious Education Coordinator: Mrs. Cathy DiAntonio ([email protected], 856-500-6566)
- Vineland Catholic Collaborative — Lifelong Faith Formation: Felicia Navarro-Morris ([email protected], 856-500-6566, vinelandcatholic.org)
- First Holy Communion preparation — celebrated annually
- Confirmation — a sacrament of Christian initiation completed by the bishop's anointing with chrism
- RCIA for adults seeking full initiation
- BISHOP SCHAD REGIONAL SCHOOL — 922 E. Landis Avenue, Vineland, NJ 08360 · 856-691-4490 · bsrschool.org · Principal Sr. Olga Cano
Christ the Good Shepherd Preschool
The parish operates the Christ the Good Shepherd Preschool, formerly known as St. Isidore's Daycare, for young children of parish families and the surrounding community.
- Ages served: 2½ years – 6 years
- Hours: Monday – Friday, 6:45 am – 5:30 pm
- Sessions: Fall (September – June) and 8-week Summer Session
- Director: Mary Watson · Assistant Director: Lauren Perna
- Phone 856-696-0506 · Fax 856-696-1087 · [email protected]
- Website: ChristtheGoodShepherdPreschool.org · Facebook: CTGSpreschool
Sacred Heart School and Bishop Schad Regional School
Catholic education in Vineland has been part of Sacred Heart since the Sisters of St. Joseph arrived in September 1921. Sacred Heart High School, opened in 1927, served generations of students from pre-school through twelfth grade in a single gray-stone building taught by the Sisters of St. Joseph for twenty-six years. Sacred Heart Grammar School was later regionalized as Sacred Heart / St. Isidore's Regional Grammar School. Today the legacy continues at Bishop Schad Regional School, a diocesan regional K-8 school on East Landis Avenue.
- Bishop Schad Regional School — 922 E. Landis Avenue, Vineland, NJ 08360 · 856-691-4490 · bsrschool.org
- Principal: Sr. Olga Cano
- Business Manager: Mr. Ricardo Camacho
- Administrative Assistant: Ms. Iveth De La Cruz
- Rooted in 95+ years of parish Catholic schooling (per parish history)
Sacred Heart Church — Architecture & Heritage
The current Sacred Heart Church, completed in 1927, remains an iconic Vineland landmark. Its 140-foot stone tower rises above tree-lined Landis Avenue and Myrtle Street, and the church seats about 900 worshippers. The 17th-century paintings donated by city founder Charles K. Landis, the slate roof (replaced in 2009) and the stained glass, organ and Tudor-style rectory together form a heritage actively maintained through parish capital campaigns.
- Dedicated September 2, 1927 by Bishop Thomas J. Walsh
- Seats nine hundred people
- Tower rises 140 feet above Landis Avenue
- Constructed of stone matching the earlier parish buildings
- Donated artworks by Charles K. Landis: 'Christ at the Pillar,' 'The Flight into Egypt,' 'The Crucifixion'
- Statues of the Blessed Mother, St. Joseph, St. Anthony (original locations now lost)
- 2009 slate roof replaced
- Tudor-style rectory on adjacent property
Buildings, Repairs & Capital Campaigns
Parishioners have funded decades of major repairs to the Sacred Heart campus through capital campaigns, raffles (approximately 35), weekly bingos, chicken barbecues, pasta dinners, the famous Sacred Heart Smorgasbord, and the Centennial Cook Book.
- Church slate roof replaced (2009) under Monsignor John H. Burton
- Church tower repaired for structural damage
- Front steps replaced to correct water leakage into the church basement
- Tudor-style rectory interior and exterior work
- Elevator installed in the rear of the church
- Restrooms added in the foyer and church hall for accessibility
- Lavatory fire (unknown cause) cleaned of smoke and soot; HVAC vents scrubbed
- Church organ repairs ongoing
Reaching the Parish
Sacred Heart Church is on East Landis Avenue at Myrtle Street, with its tower visible for miles. The rectory, daily Masses, confessions and Adoration are at Saint Isidore the Farmer Church on Magnolia Road. Both sites are accessible.
- Sacred Heart Church: 1010 E. Landis Avenue, Vineland, NJ 08360
- Saint Isidore the Farmer Church / Rectory: 1655 Magnolia Road, Vineland, NJ 08361-6598
- Phone: 856-691-9077 · Fax: 856-692-3305
- Office Hours: Mon–Thu 9 am – 4 pm (closed 12–1 pm) · Fri 9 am – 1 pm
- Email: [email protected]
- Accessibility: elevator and accessible restrooms installed at Sacred Heart
Stay Connected
Parishioners can stay up to date through the parish website, official Facebook page, weekly bulletin and email communications. A new Ministry Spotlight video program is being developed with tech-savvy volunteers to showcase ministries.
- Website: ChristTheShepherdVineland.org
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/ctgsparishvineland
- Parish bulletin published weekly (John Patrick Publishing)
- 'Ministry Spotlight' video program in development — contact Sami Abate at 609-247-1444 / [email protected]
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Peter Vivet1874–after 1879
Young French priest appointed by Bishop Michael A. Corrigan; led the building of the first Sacred Heart Church on Eighth and Quince Streets and opened the parish school. Kept an itemized ledger showing total original church cost of $2,947.80 paid in full by May 1, 1879.
- Rev. James Bulfin (later Monsignor)1919–1934
Pastor who oversaw construction of the present stone church dedicated in 1927 by Bishop Thomas J. Walsh, opened Sacred Heart High School, and brought the Sisters of St. Joseph to staff the schools. Retired in 1934 in failing health due to crushing parish debt from the Depression.
- Father Francis Jackson1934–1937
Succeeded Monsignor Bulfin and died in 1937; his death was widely attributed in part to the strain of guiding the parish through the Depression.
- Monsignor John H. Burton21st century (2009)
Authorized replacement of the long-leaking slate church roofs in 2009; his pastorate emphasized family-oriented programs and the introduction of Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament on Sunday afternoons and Mondays 8:30 am–3:00 pm.
- Father Anthony Infanti2023 (parish administrator)
Listed as Parochial Vicar / Administrator in May 2023 parish bulletin during transition period.
- Father Junior (Amadito) Flores2023–present
Installed as pastor by Bishop Dennis Sullivan at the Vigil Mass at Saint Isidore the Farmer Church on November 18, 2023.