About Sacred Heart · Eldon, Missouri
Sacred Heart Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Eldon, Missouri, established in 1910 as a small frame church and now home to approximately 200 families in the rolling lake-country of Miller County. It belongs to the Diocese of Jefferson City (Southwest Deanery) and shares a pastoral partnership with nearby Our Lady of the Snows parish in Mary's Home. The parish is served by Father Simon Jude Kanyike as pastor and Deacon Chet Zuck, with weekly Masses, Saturday confessions, First Friday Eucharistic Adoration, a Parish School of Religion (PSR), RCIA, youth ministry, and a beloved annual parish picnic that draws over a thousand guests to the church grounds each August.
- Established
- 1910
- Patron
- Sacred Heart of Jesus
- Rector
- Reverend Simon Jude Kanyike
- Diocese
- Diocese of Jefferson City
Why belong here
Sacred Heart offers the warmth of a small, established rural parish — about 200 families in the Eldon community — combined with a full sacramental life and active lay ministry. Newcomers and lifelong Catholics alike can encounter Christ through daily and weekend Mass, Saturday confession, First Friday Eucharistic Adoration (8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.), a Rosary prayed before each Mass, RCIA, PSR (Parish School of Religion), youth ministry, and a thriving stewardship program organized around the four pillars of Hospitality, Prayer, Formation, and Service. The parish also shares a vibrant partnership with nearby Our Lady of the Snows in Mary's Home, giving families access to a wider community of faith, faith formation, service opportunities, and the much-loved annual parish picnic each August.
Mass times at Sacred Heart
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:30 p.m.
- By appointment
Adoration times
- First Friday – 8:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. (sign up for hours the week prior)
About Sacred Heart Parish
Sacred Heart Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish serving the faithful in Eldon, Missouri, and the surrounding Miller County area. Established in 1910 with a small frame church, the parish is now home to approximately 200 families and forms part of the Southwest Deanery of the Diocese of Jefferson City. The parish shares a close pastoral partnership with Our Lady of the Snows parish in Mary's Home, and the two communities jointly publish a Stewardship Guide organized around the four pillars of Hospitality, Prayer, Formation and Service. Visitors and newcomers are warmly welcomed to weekend and daily Mass, Saturday confession, First Friday Adoration, and the parish's many ministries and social events.
- Founded 1910 as a small frame church
- Approximately 200 parish families
- Member parish of the Diocese of Jefferson City (Southwest Deanery)
- Associated parish: Our Lady of the Snows, Mary's Home
History of Sacred Heart
The Catholic presence in Eldon dates to the 1880s, when the Missouri Pacific Bagnell Branch Railroad opened up the area. Catholic railroad workers and their families settled in town, and visiting priests celebrated Mass in private homes (Maccarath's rented house on west 2nd Street, the Walter Roash house on Aurora Street), then in the Presbyterian/Congational Church at 1st and Aurora, and finally in the old City Hall. Among the early visiting priests were Fathers Peter Rosch, Theo Reitz (1906), Rudolf Stolz (1908) and Joseph Kremer (1909); Bishop Lillis confirmed Eldon Catholics at St. Thomas Church in Versailles on September 19, 1907.
- June 14, 1910: Warranty Deed filed for church property in Tuscumbia (Deed Book 29, page 157)
- Father Thomas F. Prendergast arrives from Cole Camp as founding pastor
- Small frame church built on North Mill Street and North Street
- May 8, 1911: First baptism in the new church — Frederick Patke
- Father Prendergast serves until November 1917; dies Kansas City, November 1942
Later Growth and the First Resident Pastor
Through the early decades of the 20th century the parish was served by priests commuting in from elsewhere in the diocese. The first resident pastor was Father William J. Conrad, a Kansas City native remembered as a dynamic man with a quick laugh. Arriving in September 1939, Father Conrad lived first on Maple Street and then in Mussers Cottage on Highway 54 south until a rectory could be built; in just over three years he oversaw the construction of the rectory (plans by Carroll & Dean Architects), purchased land and built Our Lady of the Lake Chapel. Parish historian Msgr. John Dreisoerner compiled the parish history in 1974, documenting this era and the many donated-labor records Father Conrad kept, listing prevailing wages that ran from 30 cents to $1.75 an hour.
- September 1939: Father William J. Conrad arrives as first resident pastor
- Rectory built; plans by Carroll & Dean Architects
- Our Lady of the Lake Chapel constructed
- Father Conrad kept detailed records of donated labor and finances
- Msgr. John Dreisoerner compiles parish history, 1974
Clergy and Staff
Sacred Heart is led by Reverend Simon Jude Kanyike, Pastor, and is assisted by Deacon Chet Zuck, who also serves as the retired deacon for associated parish Our Lady of the Snows in Mary's Home. The parish office team includes Erin Koerner (Secretary and Director of Religious Education) and Kevin Holtmeyer (Bookkeeper). Father Simon keeps office hours at the parish on Tuesdays from 9:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
- Reverend Simon Jude Kanyike — Pastor
- Deacon Chet Zuck
- Erin Koerner — Secretary & Director of Religious Education
- Kevin Holtmeyer — Bookkeeper
Sacraments
Sacred Heart prepares parishioners for the full sacramental life of the Church. Parents are asked to contact the Parish Office to begin Baptism preparation. Couples preparing for Marriage must begin classes at least six months before the wedding date. The parish offers the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) for adults seeking full communion with the Catholic Church, and the Rite of Christian Initiation of Children (RCIC) for catechetical-age children who have not yet been baptized. Confirmation preparation is provided through catechists, and Reconciliation is offered every Saturday afternoon or by appointment.
- Baptism — contact Parish Office
- Marriage Preparation — classes begin 6+ months before wedding
- Confirmation — catechists and preparation available
- RCIA — adults entering full communion
- RCIC — catechetical-age children not yet baptized
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith formation at Sacred Heart is built on the Parish School of Religion (PSR), a weekly program for elementary and middle school age parishioners, with teachers and substitute teachers recruited from the parish. The Director of Religious Education (Erin Koerner) coordinates programs for children and youth, including Confirmation preparation. Adult Study Groups are organized within the parish for ongoing faith formation, and RCIA team members help facilitate weekly sessions, lead small group discussions and provide support to candidates and sponsors. The parish also partners with Our Lady of the Snows to host the Totus Tuus summer program for children and teens.
- PSR (Parish School of Religion) — weekly for elementary and middle school
- RCIA Team — greeters, small group leaders, support for candidates
- Adult Study Groups
- Confirmation catechists
- Totus Tuus summer program (joint with Mary's Home)
- Youth Ministry
Liturgical Ministries
Parishioners at Sacred Heart serve the liturgy in a variety of roles that enhance the spiritual life of the parish according to Roman Catholic liturgical norms. Servers assist the priest at the altar from the time they have made First Communion, arriving 15 minutes before Mass for the processional. Lectors proclaim the readings and the Prayers of the Faithful, preparing in advance using the parish lector workbook. Greeters/Ushers are stationed near the entry door to welcome and assist with the collection, the Mass count and handing out bulletins. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion assist with the distribution of Communion, and Sacristans prepare the altar and supplies before and after Mass.
- Altar Servers
- Lectors
- Greeters/Ushers
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- Sacristans
- Music Ministry
Stewardship & Service
Sacred Heart organizes parish life around the four pillars of stewardship: Hospitality, Prayer, Formation, and Service. The Stewardship Council works with the pastor, staff and ministry leaders to educate and involve parishioners in these four pillars. Hospitality includes Greeters/Ushers and the Picnic Planning Committee. Prayer is expressed through Rosary Leaders and a Prayer Line that phones members with prayer intentions. Formation covers PSR, RCIA, RCIC, Adult Study Groups and Youth Ministry. Service extends beyond the parish to the Eldon Ministerial Alliance and the Eldon Food Pantry, where parishioners unload food-bank trucks and fill orders on distribution days, along with Maintenance volunteers who handle carpentry, electrical, grounds, masonry, painting and plumbing work.
- Stewardship Council
- Hospitality pillar: Greeters/Ushers, Picnic Planning Committee
- Prayer pillar: Rosary Leaders, Prayer Line
- Formation pillar: PSR, RCIA, RCIC, Adult Study Groups, Youth Ministry
- Service pillar: Eldon Food Pantry, Ministerial Alliance liaison, Maintenance
Parish Picnic & Community Life
The annual Sacred Heart Parish Picnic is one of the highlights of the parish year and a major event on the Eldon community calendar. Held on the church grounds at 540 N. Mill Street, the picnic features a fried chicken and ham dinner available as Dine-In, Carry Out or Drive-Thru, along with live music, games, bingo, a rummage sale, an auction, a beer garden and a cruise-in car show. In recent years the picnic has served well over a thousand meals in a single Sunday (1,426 meals served at one event, according to The Eldon Advertiser), and wraps up with a raffle drawing in the early evening. The Picnic Planning Committee, which begins meeting in late spring, coordinates the many volunteer roles that make the day possible.
- Held annually in August at 540 N. Mill Street
- Fried chicken and ham dinner (Dine-In, Carry Out, Drive-Thru)
- Live music, games, bingo, rummage sale, auction, beer garden
- Cruise-in car show and raffle drawing
- Picnic Planning Committee begins meeting in late spring
Visiting & Contact
Parishioners and visitors can reach Sacred Heart at the parish office at 540 N. Mill Street, Eldon, MO 65026, by phone at (573) 392-5334, or by email at [email protected]. The office is open Tuesday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.; Father Simon's office hours are Tuesdays 9:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Any changes to the schedule are published in the parish bulletin. The Chancery Offices of the Diocese of Jefferson City can be reached at (573) 635-9127.
- Address: 540 N. Mill Street, Eldon, MO 65026
- Phone: (573) 392-5334
- Email: [email protected]
- Office Hours: Tuesday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
- Father Simon's Hours: Tuesday 9:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
- Diocese of Jefferson City: (573) 635-9127
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Thomas F. Prendergast1910 – November 1917
Founding pastor from Cole Camp, MO; oversaw construction of the first frame church on N. Mill Street; first baptism May 8, 1911; died Kansas City, November 1942.
- Father William J. ConradSeptember 1939 – c. 1943
First resident pastor; built the rectory and Our Lady of the Lake Chapel in just over three years; remembered as a dynamic man with a quick laugh.