About Sacred Heart · Crystal City, Missouri
Sacred Heart Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in Crystal City, Missouri, part of the Archdiocese of St. Louis. Founded in 1877, it now shares pastoral ministry with two neighboring parishes — Good Shepherd in Hillsboro and Our Lady in Festus — forming an interparish collaboration with rotating Mass and confession schedules across the three churches. The parish operates from a church building dedicated in 1918 (renovated in 1988 and updated in 2016), runs perpetual Eucharistic Adoration in its convent chapel, maintains its own Catholic cemetery, and offers a wide range of lay ministries in liturgy, faith formation, Christian service, and parish administration.
- Established
- 1877
- Patron
- Sacred Heart of Jesus
- Rector
- Rev. Zachary (Zac) Povis (Parochial Administrator)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of St. Louis
Why belong here
Sacred Heart is a historic parish with deep roots in Crystal City since 1877, anchored by nearly a century-old church and round-the-clock Eucharistic Adoration. It is also part of a close-knit tri-parish collaboration with Good Shepherd (Hillsboro) and Our Lady (Festus), giving parishioners access to multiple Mass locations, a parish school, and a full sacramental schedule. Robust lay ministries — choir, lectors, extraordinary ministers of holy Communion, ushers, altar servers, Christian formation, Christian service, and finance/administration committees — make it easy for newcomers to plug in, serve, and grow in faith.
Mass times at Sacred Heart
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday 7:30 AM at Sacred Heart
- 1st Saturday of each month 8:30 AM at Sacred Heart
- Saturday 3:00 PM at Good Shepherd (Hillsboro)
- Saturday 4:00 PM at Our Lady (Festus)
- Lenten Reconciliation Services scheduled seasonally
Adoration times
- Perpetual (24 hours / 7 days a week) Eucharistic Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in the convent chapel — contact Terri Wolk at (314) 620-7527. Special intention: prayer for priestly and religious vocations.
Parish History & Heritage
Sacred Heart Parish traces its origins to 1877, when Rev. McNamee organized the Catholic community of Crystal City. The first church was a small frame building at the corner of Second and Church Streets, dedicated in 1881. Under Rev. Adolph Holtschneider (1904–1944), the parish built its present church, dedicated November 24, 1918. That same century-old building — renovated in 1988 and updated in 2016 — continues to serve the parish today. A detailed list of pastors from Rev. J. H. May (1881) through Rev. Zac Povis (2025–present) is published on the parish's 'About Our Church' page.
- Founded 1877 by Rev. McNamee
- First pastor: Rev. J. H. May (1881–1900)
- Present church dedicated November 24, 1918
- Renovated 1988; updated 2016
- 15 pastors on the published succession list
Tri-Parish Collaboration: Sacred Heart, Good Shepherd & Our Lady
Sacred Heart partners with two neighboring parishes — Good Shepherd (Hillsboro) and Our Lady (Festus) — to share pastoral ministry and coordinate Mass, confession, and formation. An interparish committee of representatives from each parish developed the current coordinated schedule, which is reviewed every six months. Sacred Heart is the host site for several key sacraments including perpetual Adoration and the Wednesday morning Mass with confessions.
- Good Shepherd Catholic Church, Hillsboro, MO
- Our Lady Catholic Church, Festus, MO
- Sacred Heart serves as the home of perpetual Adoration
- Schedule reviewed every six months by the interparish committee
Liturgy & Worship Ministries
The parish offers a full complement of lay liturgical ministries for anyone who wishes to serve. Opportunities exist in music (Sunday Choir, Festival Choir for Christmas and Holy Week/Easter, Funeral Choir, Cantors/Song Leaders, Musicians), reading and serving (Lectors, Gift Bearers, Altar Servers ages 4th grade and up, Adult Funeral Servers), hospitality (Ushers, led by president Rick Smock), distribution (Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion), bringing Communion to the homebound, and beautification of the worship space (Art and Environment Committee). Father Zac Povis and Bob Graf serve as contacts for lector and EM formation.
- Sunday Choir (7:30 and 11 AM Masses)
- Festival Choir — Christmas Midnight Mass and Holy Week/Easter
- Cantors / Musicians — contact Chris Auchly, (314) 306-0323
- Altar Servers (4th grade and up, training by Fr. Zac Povis)
- Ushers — president Rick Smock, (314) 406-2145
- Art and Environment — contact Velda Burdin, (636) 937-8545
- Communion to the Homebound — call the parish office
Christian Formation & Christian Service
Beyond the worship life of the parish, Sacred Heart maintains formation and outreach councils. Christian Formation oversees faith formation (including the Parish School of Religion across the tri-parish collaboration). Christian Service coordinates works of mercy and outreach to those in need. The Administration and Finance Council/Committee oversees the temporal affairs of the parish, the cemetery, the school support and the parish facilities.
- Administration and Finance
- Christian Formation (PSR)
- Christian Service / Outreach
Sacred Heart Cemetery
Sacred Heart Parish operates Sacred Heart Cemetery at 1204 Missouri Ave., Crystal City, MO (mailing address 555 Bailey Road, Crystal City, MO). The cemetery serves the needs of registered Catholic parishioners in the area. Sacred Heart also serves as administrator for Assumption Catholic Cemetery in Herculaneum; the same Rules and Regulations apply to both cemeteries. A grave space costs $700 and includes perpetual care, with a $100 interment fee per burial and a $100 new monument setting fee. Double-deep burials are encouraged. Memorial gifts in support of cemetery care are welcomed.
- Address: 1204 Missouri Ave., Crystal City, MO 63019
- Grave space: $700 (includes perpetual care)
- Interment fee: $100 per burial; monument setting: $100
- Also administers Assumption Catholic Cemetery, Herculaneum
- Contact: Parish Office, (636) 937-4662
Parish Staff & Contacts
Sacred Heart is led by its pastor and supported by an experienced parish staff handling facilities, business, secretarial, and bookkeeping duties. The parish office is open Monday–Friday 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM (closed 12:00–12:30 for lunch). Notices of special and emergency closings are posted on the parish website and Facebook page and sent via Flocknote. The parish can be reached at (636) 937-4662.
- Rev. Zac Povis — Pastor / Parochial Administrator
- Rev. Stephen En Suan Lian — Associate Pastor
- Mr. Chris Auchly — Facilities Director & Business Manager
- Ms. Judith Bailey — Parish Secretary
- Mrs. Jill Witte — Parish Secretary
- Mrs. Barb Halter — Bookkeeper
- Office hours: Mon–Fri 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM (closed 12:00–12:30)
Contact, Location & Visiting
The main parish campus is at 555 Bailey Road, Crystal City, MO 63019-1798. The Gym/Annex Building is at 200 Brierton Lane, Crystal City, MO. The mailing address for Sacred Heart Cemetery is also 555 Bailey Road. The parish uses its website, Facebook page, and Flocknote email list for announcements.
- Main address: 555 Bailey Road, Crystal City, MO 63019-1798
- Phone: (636) 937-4662
- Gym/Annex: 200 Brierton Lane, Crystal City, MO
- Cemetery: 1204 Missouri Ave., Crystal City, MO
- Website: http://www.shccparish.org/
- Facebook: Sacred Heart Catholic Church of Crystal City
- Flocknote email announcements
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. J. H. May1881–1900
First pastor; oversaw dedication of the original frame church in 1881.
- Rev. Victor Stepka1900–1904
- Rev. Adolph Holtschneider1904–1944
Guided construction of the present church, dedicated November 24, 1918.
- Rev. Edward J. Meier1944–1962
- Rev. Aloysius J. Marschner1962–1966
- Rev. Aloysius F. Wilmes1966–1971
- Rev. Joseph B. Winter1971–1983
- Rev. Robert P. Jovanovic1983–1991
- Rev. Michael L. Donald1991–2004
- Rev. Peter M. Blake2004–2008
- Rev. Joseph E. Wormek2008–2013
- Rev. Clark B. Maes2013–2019
- Rev. Mathew Cheruparambil2019–2023
- Rev. Michael P. Boehm2023–2025
- Rev. Zachary (Zac) Povis2025–present
Current parochial administrator.