About Sacred Heart · Dos Palos, California
Sacred Heart Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in the small agricultural community of Dos Palos, California, in Merced County, in California's San Joaquin Valley. Founded in 1924, the parish belongs to the Diocese of Fresno and serves a bilingual (English and Spanish) community with daily and Sunday Masses. The current church building, dedicated in 1947, sits at the corner of Palo Alto Street and Lucerne Avenue and is known for its Carl Huneke stained-glass windows installed in 1965. Father Anthony Iromenu, V.F. (Vicar Forane), serves as the current pastor; the parish celebrated its 100th anniversary in November 2024 with a Mass celebrated by Bishop Brennan.
- Established
- 1924
- Patron
- The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
- Rector
- Rev. Anthony Iromenu, V.F.
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Fresno (Merced–Mariposa Vicariate; Dos Palos cluster)
Why belong here
Sacred Heart is a welcoming, bilingual parish that offers daily Mass, a Saturday Vigil, and three Sunday Masses (including Spanish and bilingual celebrations), making it easy for working farm families and youth to find a time that fits. A small but active community rooted in 100 years of faith in Dos Palos, the parish gathers for the Sacrament of Reconciliation on Friday evenings and stays connected through parish-hall events. It is one of the few Catholic parishes serving the rural Dos Palos area of western Merced County.
Mass times at Sacred Heart
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Friday 5:30 PM (some sources also list Saturday 5:00–5:30 PM before the Vigil Mass)
Parish History
Sacred Heart was established as a parish in 1924 after Dos Palos had been served for years as a mission of Los Banos. The first Catholic worship site in town was a small wooden building originally put up by Presbyterians in 1903; it was moved to the current parish-hall lot and used until the late 1940s. In 1947 the present church was built next to the rectory on land that had once been the bed of the Fresno Slough, requiring extensive pilings to support the foundation. A parish school opened in 1959 and ran for a decade before closing in 1969 due to a shortage of teaching sisters, declining enrollment, and rising costs. The 1965 installation of Carl Huneke stained-glass windows remains one of the parish's most distinctive artistic features. In 1986 the Rev. Flood Parish Hall was constructed on the site of the old wooden church. The parish marked its centennial on November 9, 2024, with Bishop Brennan presiding at a special anniversary Mass followed by brunch.
- 1924 – Parish established (previously a mission of Los Banos)
- 1903 – Original wooden church (built by Presbyterians) moved to current hall site
- 1947 – Current church built; pilings driven into former Fresno Slough bed
- 1959 – Parish school opens
- 1965 – Carl Huneke stained-glass windows installed
- 1969 – Parish school closes
- 1986 – Rev. Flood Parish Hall built on the site of the 1903 church
- November 9, 2024 – 100th anniversary Mass celebrated by Bishop Brennan
Mass & Worship Schedule
Sacred Heart offers a rich weekly schedule with one of the most generous daily-Mass offerings in the rural western Merced County area. The Saturday Vigil Mass is followed by three Sunday celebrations, including two in Spanish and one bilingual. Weekday Masses are celebrated Tuesday through Friday mornings, with several offered in Spanish for the parish's Hispanic community. A Friday evening confession time precedes a regular Reconciliation schedule that visitors and parishioners can rely on each week.
- Saturday Vigil: 5:00 PM (English)
- Sunday: 9:00 AM (English), 10:30 AM (Spanish), 12:00 PM (Spanish/Bilingual)
- Tuesday: 8:00 AM (Spanish)
- Wednesday: 8:00 AM (English)
- Thursday: 8:00 AM (Spanish)
- Friday: 8:00 AM (English)
- Confession: Friday 5:30 PM (Saturday 5:00–5:30 PM also reported by some sources)
Parish Staff & Leadership
The parish is served by Rev. Anthony Iromenu, V.F., who serves both as pastor of Sacred Heart and as Vicar Forane of the Merced–Mariposa Vicariate of the Diocese of Fresno. Father Iromenu has written regularly for the diocesan press, including Lenten reflections published in The Westside Express. The parish office can be reached at (209) 392-2724 and by email at [email protected].
- Rev. Anthony Iromenu, V.F. – Pastor / Vicar Forane, Merced–Mariposa Vicariate
- Parish office – 1650–1655 Lucerne Ave., Dos Palos, CA 93620
Building & Grounds
The Sacred Heart campus is centered on the corner of Palo Alto Street and Lucerne Avenue. The 1947 church, with its Carl Huneke stained-glass windows, anchors the worship site, while the Rev. Flood Parish Hall (1986)—built on the location of the original 1903 wooden church—provides space for parish meals, faith formation, and community gatherings such as the 100th anniversary brunch. The parish center and mailing address at 1650–1655 Lucerne Avenue is directly across the street from the church.
- 1947 church with Carl Huneke stained glass (installed 1965)
- Rev. Flood Parish Hall (1986) on the site of the 1903 church
- Parish Center at 1650–1655 Lucerne Ave. (across from the church)
Sacraments
Sacred Heart celebrates the Eucharist daily in both English and Spanish, and offers the Sacrament of Reconciliation on Friday evenings. Families preparing for Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, or Marriage, and those seeking Anointing of the Sick, are encouraged to contact the parish office at (209) 392-2724 to begin preparation.
- Eucharist (daily and Sunday, bilingual)
- Reconciliation – Friday 5:30 PM
- Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick – by appointment through the parish office
Community & Diocesan Life
As one of the Catholic parishes of the Diocese of Fresno serving rural western Merced County, Sacred Heart participates in the wider diocesan life, including youth and confirmation programming coordinated through the Merced–Mariposa Vicariate. The parish's bilingual Mass schedule and hall events reflect its role as a gathering place for the multigenerational, farm-community population of Dos Palos. The November 2024 centennial Mass, with Bishop Brennan presiding and a parish-hall brunch to follow, illustrated the community's strong identity and continued vitality a century after its 1924 founding.
- Merced–Mariposa Vicariate, Diocese of Fresno
- 100th Anniversary Mass, November 9, 2024 (presider: Bishop Brennan)
- Bilingual (English / Spanish) parish life
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Flood
Honored by the parish through the naming of the Rev. Flood Parish Hall (built 1986).