About Sacred Heart · Conway, Missouri
Sacred Heart Parish is a small Roman Catholic community in Conway, Missouri, belonging to the Diocese of Springfield–Cape Girardeau. Though formally established as a parish only in 1908, Catholic roots in the area reach back to 1837, and the parish has served its rural Laclede County community for more than a century through weekly Mass, the sacraments, faith formation (PSR), and beloved parish traditions such as its annual ice cream social. Today the parish is led by Parochial Administrator Rev. Jobimon Joseph, MCBS, with the assistance of Deacon James Soptick and a small lay staff.
- Established
- 1908
- Patron
- Sacred Heart of Jesus
- Rector
- Rev. Jobimon Joseph, MCBS (Parochial Administrator; also serves Holy Trinity Parish in Marshfield and is chaplain to Ozark Correctional Center in Fordland, effective July 1, 2025)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Springfield–Cape Girardeau
Why belong here
Sacred Heart Conway offers a warm, small-town Catholic home in the heart of the Ozarks, with a Sunday Mass, Saturday Vigil, and weekly weekday Mass celebrated by a priest who also serves neighboring Holy Trinity in Marshfield. Families can grow in faith through the parish's PSR (Parish School of Religion) program, Scripture study, and parish-hall gatherings, while parishioners come together for devotions like weekly Adoration and regular Confession. The parish's century-old ice cream social each July is a beloved tradition that draws Catholic families from across the region and reflects the deep, multigenerational roots of this rural faith community.
Mass times at Sacred Heart
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:15 – 3:45 p.m.
- Sunday 8:00 – 8:15 a.m.
- Wednesday 5:45 – 6:15 p.m.
Adoration times
- Wednesday 5:30 – 6:30 p.m.
- First Saturday 3:00 – 3:45 p.m.
- First Sunday following Mass
History of Sacred Heart Parish
Sacred Heart's roots go back to 1837, when the first Catholic settlers arrived in the Conway area of the Missouri Ozarks. The arrival of the Frisco Railroad in 1869 brought more Catholic families and railroad workers, and by 1876 the community was ready to build. The original church was constructed in 1876–1877 and was served, at best about once a month, by Benedictine priests from Springfield and by the pastors of Lebanon and Marshfield.
- 1837 — First Catholic settlers arrive in the Conway area.
- 1869 — Frisco Railroad line brings new Catholic settlers and railroad workers.
- 1876–1877 — Original church constructed.
- 1908 — Sacred Heart formally declared a parish.
- 1917 — Church relocated and rebuilt roughly two miles from its original site (cornerstone dated 1917).
- 1958 — Major renovation and rededication of the church.
- 2000 — A 40' x 90' parish hall built for PSR classrooms, Scripture study, parish meetings, and gatherings.
Parish Staff & Clergy
Sacred Heart is currently shepherded by a Parochial Administrator who also serves neighboring Holy Trinity Parish in Marshfield and is chaplain to Ozark Correctional Center in Fordland. A deacon, parish secretary, bookkeeper, and volunteer youth coordinators round out the team that keeps the small rural parish running.
- Rev. Jobimon Joseph, MCBS — Parochial Administrator (appointed July 1, 2025)
- Deacon James Soptick
- Carlene Jensen — Parish Secretary
- Joni Cunningham — Bookkeeper and Youth Coordinator
- Joie Dame — Youth Coordinator
Faith Formation & Youth Ministry
Sacred Heart runs a Parish School of Religion (PSR) program out of the 2000 parish hall, where classrooms support faith formation for the parish's children. Adult Scripture study is also offered, and two lay Youth Coordinators help organize programming for the parish's young people.
- Parish School of Religion (PSR)
- Adult Scripture study
- Youth ministry coordinated by Joni Cunningham and Joie Dame
Parish Life & the Annual Ice Cream Social
Beyond the sacraments, Sacred Heart's parish life centers on its 40' x 90' parish hall, built in 2000 for parish meetings, Scripture study, PSR, and community gatherings. The parish's most celebrated tradition is the annual ice cream social, held on the Saturday closest to July 15. Members churn homemade ice cream gallon by gallon and bake cakes, pies, burgers, and hotdogs for the biggest fundraiser of the year — a tradition honored as a centennial in 2017 and one that draws families from across the Ozarks.
- Parish hall built in 2000 for meetings, classes, and gatherings
- Annual ice cream social on the Saturday closest to July 15 (recognized as a 100-year tradition in 2017)
- Family-friendly games including ring toss for kids and Bingo for all ages
- Freewill-offering fundraiser supporting the parish
Diocese & Wider Pastoral Family
Sacred Heart is part of the Diocese of Springfield–Cape Girardeau and sits within its Deanery 3, alongside parishes in Bolivar, Buffalo, Lebanon, Marshfield, Stockton, El Dorado Springs, and Humansville. Because of the rural makeup of the area, the parish shares its Parochial Administrator with Holy Trinity Parish in Marshfield, MO.
- Diocese of Springfield–Cape Girardeau
- Deanery 3 of the diocese
- Shares clergy with Holy Trinity Parish, Marshfield, MO
Visit & Contact
Parishioners and visitors can find Sacred Heart at 310 S. Spruce Street in Conway, Missouri, with a mailing address of PO Box 8, Conway, MO 65632-0008. The parish office can be reached by phone at (417) 589-6782 or by email at [email protected], and the official website is sacredheartconway.org.
- Address: 310 S. Spruce St., Conway, MO 65632
- Mailing: PO Box 8, Conway, MO 65632-0008
- Phone: (417) 589-6782
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: sacredheartconway.org
- GPS: N37° 29.923', W092° 49.345'
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Jobimon Joseph, MCBSJuly 1, 2025 – present
Parochial Administrator; also appointed Administrator of Holy Trinity Parish in Marshfield and Chaplain to Ozark Correctional Center in Fordland, effective June 16, 2025. He came from St. Agnes Cathedral in Springfield.
- Rev. Simon Enudu
Listed among Parochial Administrators in the 2025 pastoral assignments; concluded his assignment as Pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Conway (and St. William Parish in Buffalo) to take a new appointment as Pastor of Sacred Heart in Willow Springs and St. Michael Mission in Cabool.