About Sacred Heart · D'Iberville, Mississippi
Sacred Heart Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in D'Iberville, Mississippi, a small city on the Back Bay of Biloxi in Harrison County. It belongs to the Diocese of Biloxi and serves the Catholic community of D'Iberville and the surrounding Gulf Coast with weekend and daily Mass, religious education for children and youth, and a parish school. The parish traces its roots to an 1859 mission community and was formally established with its first resident pastor on October 6, 1921. Worship is celebrated in the Roman (Latin) Rite, with Mass offered in English, and the parish is closely identified with Sacred Heart Catholic Elementary, which has been part of its mission since 1927.
- Established
- 1921
- Patron
- Sacred Heart of Jesus
- Rector
- Rev. Dominic Vu Xuan Pham
- Diocese
- Diocese of Biloxi
Why belong here
Sacred Heart offers the full rhythm of a traditional Gulf Coast Catholic parish — three Sunday Masses (with a 5 PM student Mass during the school year), a daily 8:30 AM Mass Tuesday through Friday, Eucharistic Adoration on the third Thursday of the month, and Confession before every weekend Mass. The parish actively forms young disciples through its K–5 CCD program and a thriving EDGE / Life Teen middle- and high-school ministry, both running on Sundays, and continues to partner with Sacred Heart Catholic Elementary to pass on the faith to the next generation. With a history stretching back to 1859, the Sisters of Mercy serving the parish since 1927, and a pastor and staff dedicated to welcoming new families, Sacred Heart is a stable, family-oriented Catholic home on the Back Bay of Biloxi.
Mass times at Sacred Heart
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM (30 minutes before weekend Masses)
- Sunday 7:30 AM – 7:45 AM (before 8:00 AM Mass)
- Sunday 10:30 AM – 10:45 AM (before 11:00 AM Mass)
- Or by appointment
Adoration times
- Holy Hour: third Thursday of the month, 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Parish History
Sacred Heart Parish traces its origin to an 1859 mission community established for the roughly 300 Catholics living around Biloxi's Back Bay. For more than sixty years it was served by priests traveling from Nativity B.V.M. (Biloxi), St. Alphonsus (Ocean Springs) and St. Michael (Biloxi). On October 6, 1921 Bishop John Gunn appointed Father Patrick Carey as the first resident pastor, formally creating Sacred Heart Parish. The 1884 wood-frame church served the parish into the 1960s before being replaced by the current church, dedicated November 23, 1970 by Bishop Joseph Brunini.
- 1859 – Mission parish established by Bishop William Elder
- 1884 – Original wood-frame church dedicated (capacity ~300)
- October 6, 1921 – Father Patrick Carey becomes first resident pastor under Bishop John Gunn
- 1927 – St. Therese school opens, staffed by Vicksburg Sisters of Mercy
- November 23, 1970 – New Sacred Heart church dedicated by Bishop Joseph Brunini
- February 10, 1974 – Sacred Heart Elementary/Parish Hall dedicated
- 1980 – Parish gym/recreation center built
- 2005 – Hurricane Katrina damages the parish and school
- January 2007 – Sacred Heart Catholic Elementary reopens after renovation
- December 24, 2017 – Bell tower rededicated after Katrina repairs
Religious Education & Youth Ministry
Sacred Heart forms young disciples through a CCD program for elementary children and an EDGE / Life Teen track for middle- and high-schoolers. The mission is to educate and empower young parishioners to live as disciples of Jesus Christ, fully participating in the Catholic faith community and confident in God's love.
- CCD (Grades K–5): Sundays 9:15–10:45 AM — Coordinator: Mary Alexander
- EDGE (Grades 6–8): Sundays 6:00–7:30 PM
- Life Teen (Grades 9–12): Sundays 6:00–7:30 PM — Coordinator: Christa Hedman
- Sacramental preparation: Penance, First Eucharist, and Confirmation
- EDGE / Life Teen social events: Family Movie Nights, lock-ins, retreats, service projects
Sacred Heart Catholic Elementary School
Catholic education has been part of Sacred Heart's mission since 1927, when the parish opened St. Therese school under the Vicksburg Sisters of Mercy. The current Sacred Heart Elementary building, dedicated February 10, 1974, continues that legacy and was restored and reopened in January 2007 after severe damage from Hurricane Katrina.
- Founded in 1927 as St. Therese (the Little Flower of Jesus)
- Staffed by the Sisters of Mercy since 1927
- Current school building dedicated February 10, 1974
- Damaged in Hurricane Katrina (2005); renovated and reopened January 2007
- Website: shceschool.com
Music & Liturgy
Sacred Heart maintains a parish choir and music ministry that supports weekend Masses, school-year weekday Masses, and additional liturgies throughout the year. The parish has actively recruited a pianist (organ/cantor experience a plus) to accompany the liturgy and choir rehearsals.
- Parish choir with weekly rehearsals
- Pianist / organist accompanying weekend and school-year weekday Masses
- Cantors for sung liturgy
Parish Staff & Religious Sisters
The parish is led pastorally by Father Dominic Vu Xuan Pham, supported by parish staff and the Sisters of Mercy. Sister Kim Lajoie has served as Pastoral Assistant at Sacred Heart for over fifty years, an extraordinary witness of religious life and continuity on the Gulf Coast.
- Pastor: Rev. Dominic Vu Xuan Pham
- Pastoral Assistant: Sister Kim Lajoie, S.F.M. (50+ years at Sacred Heart)
- Coordinator of CCD (K–5): Mary Alexander
- Coordinator of EDGE / Life Teen (Grades 6–12): Christa Hedman
Sacraments
The parish prepares parishioners for and celebrates the seven Catholic sacraments, with preparation for First Reconciliation, First Eucharist and Confirmation woven into the CCD and EDGE / Life Teen programs. Couples should contact the parish office for marriage preparation, and families may request Baptism, Anointing of the Sick, and funeral rites through the rectory at (228) 392-4526.
- Baptism — preparation through parish CCD for school-age children
- First Reconciliation & First Eucharist — CCD Grades K–5
- Confirmation — EDGE / Life Teen Grades 6–12
- Marriage — contact the parish office
- Anointing of the Sick, Funerals, RCIA — by request through the parish office
Facilities & Campus
The Sacred Heart campus on LeMoyne Boulevard includes the current church (dedicated 1970, bell tower rededicated 2017), the parish hall, Sacred Heart Elementary School (1974), and a parish gym/recreation center (1980). The gym continues to host youth lock-ins, EDGE / Life Teen events, and parish family gatherings.
- Church (dedicated 1970) with bell tower (1971, rededicated 2017)
- Sacred Heart Elementary / Parish Hall (dedicated 1974)
- Parish gym / recreation center (built 1980)
- Ample on-site parking
Diocese of Biloxi
Sacred Heart Parish is one of the parishes of the Catholic Diocese of Biloxi, which covers the southern third of Mississippi along the Gulf Coast. The parish cooperates with diocesan programs including annual parish appeals, faith-formation initiatives, Gulf Pine Catholic communications, and diocesan youth events such as the 'Year of Revival' celebrating 50 years of youth ministry.
- Diocese of Biloxi — headquartered in Biloxi, MS
- Bishop: Louis F. Kihneman III (as of 2025)
- Diocesan newspaper: Gulf Pine Catholic
- Diocesan priests directory: biloxidiocese.org/priests
Visiting & Getting Involved
Visitors and newcomers are welcomed at Sacred Heart. Families are encouraged to register as parishioners, enroll children in CCD or Sacred Heart Catholic Elementary, and join youth ministry (EDGE / Life Teen). Adults interested in adult faith formation or RCIA should contact the parish office.
- Parish registration — contact the parish office
- Children's faith formation — CCD (K–5) and EDGE / Life Teen (6–12)
- School enrollment — Sacred Heart Catholic Elementary (shceschool.com)
- Music ministry — choir and instrumentalists welcome
- Office phone: (228) 392-4526 — Email: [email protected]
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Mission community (no resident pastor)1859–1921
Served by priests from Nativity B.V.M. (Biloxi), St. Alphonsus (Ocean Springs) and St. Michael (Biloxi).
- Rev. Patrick Carey1921–1931
First resident pastor, appointed Oct. 6, 1921 by Bishop John Gunn; opened St. Therese school in 1927 staffed by Vicksburg Sisters of Mercy.
- Rev. Dennis O'Sullivan1931–1938
- Rev. Isidore Fussnecker1938–1939
- Rev. Patrick McAlpine1939–1967
Led the parish through WWII-era growth tied to Keesler Air Force Base expansion.
- Msgr. Francis Farrellapprox. 1967–1980
Dedicated the new church (Nov. 23, 1970), the Sacred Heart Elementary/Parish Hall (Feb. 10, 1974), and the parish gym (1980).
- Rev. Gerald Clearysince 1980
- Rev. Patrick McDermott
- Rev. Robert (Bob) Higginbotham
- Rev. Dominic Vu Xuan PhamMarch 2017–present
Current pastor; confirmed leading Sacred Heart in April 2025.