About Sacred Heart Church · Owatonna, Minnesota
The Church of the Sacred Heart is a Catholic parish in Owatonna, Minnesota, founded in 1866 by Czech immigrants (along with German and Irish Catholics) and now part of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester. After more than 150 years, the parish serves the Owatonna community with daily and Sunday Masses, including a weekly Spanish Mass, Eucharistic Adoration on Thursdays, and faith formation for youth in collaboration with neighboring St. Joseph Parish. Sacred Heart is led by Pastor Msgr. Thomas Cook with Parochial Vicar Fr. Miguel Proaños and shares St. Mary's Catholic School with the wider local Catholic community.
- Established
- 1866
- Patron
- Sacred Heart of Jesus
- Rector
- Msgr. Thomas Cook
- Diocese
- Diocese of Winona-Rochester
Why belong here
Sacred Heart is a long-established Catholic community rooted in Owatonna since 1866, with a beautiful history of rebuilding and renewal — a parish that has weathered fire and change and kept its faith intact. Worshippers find a full sacramental life here: daily Mass, Saturday Vigil, three Sunday Masses including one in Spanish, weekly Eucharistic Adoration on Thursdays with Benediction, and regular confession. Families are supported by shared Catholic schooling at St. Mary's and a youth Faith Formation program that prepares children from Grade 1 through Confirmation, while the parish's mission statement calls the community to live the mission of Jesus Christ through prayer, faith formation, and service.
Mass times at Sacred Heart Church
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday–Friday: 6:45 a.m. (before daily Mass)
- Saturday: 4:00 p.m. (before the 5:00 p.m. Vigil Mass)
Adoration times
- Thursday: 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. (Eucharistic Adoration; Benediction at 6:40 p.m.)
Our Parish
Sacred Heart is the historic Catholic parish of Owatonna, founded in 1866 by Czech immigrants who joined with German and Irish Catholic families already in the area. The parish has been served by more than twenty pastors across nearly 160 years and remains an active center of worship, faith formation, and community life in southern Minnesota.
- Founded 1866 on the same site where the present church stands
- First church dedicated Christmas Day, 1868
- Member of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester
- Mission: 'Living the Mission of Jesus Christ' through prayer, faith formation, and service
Parish History
The parish's history is one of remarkable endurance. The first church was built in 1866 under Rev. George Keller at a cost of $2,600 and dedicated on Christmas Day 1868. Destroyed by fire in 1901, it was rebuilt in 1902 under Msgr. John Pivo. The 1922 fire brought another rebuilding on the original 1902 foundation — the cornerstone still reads '1902' as a testament to continuity of faith.
- 1866 — First church built (Rev. George Keller)
- 1868 — Christmas Day dedication
- 1901 — First fire; rebuilt 1902 (Msgr. John Pivo)
- 1922 — Second fire; rebuilt on same foundation
- 1968 — Narthex added (Rev. Leonard Clasen)
- 1983 — Air conditioning installed
- 1985 — Parish Center and expanded Narthex built
- 2015 — Parish Office relocated to new building
- 2019–2020 — Major interior refurbishment
Parish Leadership & Staff
Sacred Heart is pastored by Msgr. Thomas Cook, who began as pastor in 2023, and is assisted by Parochial Vicar Fr. Miguel Proaños and Deacon Scot Berkley (OCI). The parish staff and lay councils carry out the day-to-day ministry and stewardship of the community.
- Pastor: Msgr. Thomas Cook
- Parochial Vicar: Fr. Miguel Proaños
- Deacon: Dcn. Scot Berkley (OCI)
- Administrative Assistant: Tiffany Klecker (bulletin editor, scheduling, sacramental records)
- Music & Liturgy Coordinators: Caroline and Gabriel Bauer
- Youth Faith Formation Coordinator: Brittany Boubin
- Custodian/Maintenance: Dennis Paulson
- Pastoral Council (monthly meetings, quarterly on third Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.)
- Finance Council (annual budget, fundraising, fiscal stewardship)
Office Hours & Contact
The Parish Office is open Monday through Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and on Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to noon. The office is closed on Saturdays and Sundays. The parish can be reached by phone at (507) 451-1588, and the mailing address is 810 South Cedar Avenue, Owatonna, MN 55060.
- Address: 810 S Cedar Ave, Owatonna, MN 55060
- Phone: (507) 451-1588
- Office Hours: Mon–Thu 8:30 a.m.–2:00 p.m.; Fri 8:30 a.m.–Noon
- Office closed Saturday and Sunday
Faith Formation & Youth Ministry
Sacred Heart's Faith Formation program is a shared ministry with St. Joseph Parish in Owatonna, based out of St. Mary's School. The program serves students from Grade 1 through Confirmation (typically 9th and 10th grade) and offers summer enrichment opportunities including Totus Tuus, the Steubenville Conference, and Camp Summit.
- Faith Formation Director: Brittany Boubin (507-686-5184; [email protected])
- Faith Formation Office located at St. Mary's School
- Registration opens in early summer; classes begin mid-September
- Catechists welcomed from both Sacred Heart and St. Joseph
- Confirmation preparation in 9th and 10th grade
- Summer programs: Totus Tuus, Steubenville Conference, Camp Summit
St. Mary's Catholic School
St. Mary's Catholic School has been linked to Sacred Heart since 1877, when it was founded by Rev. Francis Pribyl, then pastor of the parish. Originally serving grades 1–12 for girls only, it eventually admitted boys in 1916 and has continued as the shared Catholic school serving the families of Sacred Heart, St. Joseph, and the wider Owatonna community.
- Founded 1877 by Rev. Francis Pribyl (Sacred Heart pastor at the time)
- Originally for girls only; boys admitted from 1916
- Shared school serving Sacred Heart, St. Joseph, and surrounding parishes
- Contact: 507-446-2300
Music & Liturgy
Liturgical music at Sacred Heart is coordinated by Music and Liturgy Directors Caroline and Gabriel Bauer, who lead worship planning, recruit liturgical ministry volunteers, and oversee Virtus safe-environment compliance. The parish replaced its old pipe organ with a new electric organ during the 2019–2020 refurbishment.
- Music and Liturgy Coordinators: Caroline and Gabriel Bauer
- Liturgy planning and ministry volunteer coordination
- New electric organ installed during 2019–2020 renovation
Parish Mission, Vision & Pastoral Council
Sacred Heart's Mission Statement reads: 'Called forth from the table of His Body as a faith community, we shall create a future where all rejoice in God's gifts.' Its Vision Statement says: 'Drawing our life from the Eucharist, our parish family will live the mission of Jesus Christ through prayer, faith formation, and service.' The parish describes itself as a community of hope centered in Christ, devoted to the gospel handed on by generations past and committed to handing on a living faith to the generation to come.
- Rooted in the fields and residential community of Owatonna
- Respect for the sanctity of life, the family, and all creation
- Pastoral Council meets quarterly on the third Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.
- Finance Council supports the pastor in budget, fundraising, and stewardship
Bulletin, Publications & Reports
Sacred Heart publishes a weekly bulletin and a 150th Anniversary Newsletter commemorating the parish's sesquicentennial. Parishioners may submit bulletin items via the parish website (due by noon on Tuesdays). The parish also makes its annual meeting presentations, budget documents, and financial updates publicly available online.
- Weekly parish bulletin
- Bulletin submissions due by noon Tuesdays
- 150th Anniversary Newsletter
- 2019 Annual Meeting Presentation
- Parish Finance Reports and budgets published online
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. George Keller1866–1870
Founded and built the first church
- Fr. Clement Scheve1870–1873
- Fr. Laurence Wieseler1873–1875
- Fr. Francis Pribyl1875–1880
Founded St. Mary's School in 1877
- Fr. Walter Raleigh1880–1885
- Fr. Maurice Joy1885
- Fr. John Solnce1885–1889
- Fr. Sigismund Singer1889–1891
- Fr. Patrick Kiernan1890–1891
- Msgr. John Pivo1891–1936
Rebuilt the church after the 1901 fire
- Fr. Francis Paukert1937
- Msgr. Edward Kasal1938–1965
- Fr. Leonard Clasen1965–1969
Added the Narthex in 1968
- Fr. John Cody1969–1977
- Fr. Edward Mountain1977–1985
- Fr. Harry Jewison1985–1994
- Fr. Thomas Jennings1994–1998
- Fr. Peter Klein1998–2008
- Fr. John Sauer2008–2020
- Fr. Swaminatha Pothireddy2020–2023
- Msgr. Thomas Cook2023–present
Current pastor