About Sacred Heart · Fleming Island, Florida
Sacred Heart Catholic Church is a Latin-rite parish of the Diocese of St. Augustine located at 7190 U.S. Highway 17 South in Fleming Island, Florida. Its roots stretch back to 1874, when Bishop Augustin Vérot established a Catholic mission in nearby Green Cove Springs for the families of Rafael Canova — making it one of the oldest Catholic communities in northeast Florida. The mission was raised to parish status on June 17, 1954, and in 2001 it moved ten miles north into a new church on Fleming Island, dedicated by Bishop John J. Snyder. Today the parish serves about 1,500 families under Pastor Rev. Marek Dzien, with a Spanish-language mission still operating out of the old Green Cove Springs church at 207 Palmetto Avenue. Sacred Heart marked its 150th anniversary in 2024 with Bishop Erik Pohlmeier presiding.
- Established
- 1874 (mission); 1954 (parish)
- Patron
- Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
- Rector
- Rev. Marek Dzien
- Diocese
- Diocese of St. Augustine
Why belong here
Sacred Heart is one of northeast Florida's oldest Catholic communities — a 150-year-old faith family that has grown from a 100-seat wooden mission in Green Cove Springs to a Fleming Island parish of roughly 1,500 families, with a thriving Spanish-language mission still using the original site. Parishioners today can attend daily Mass, a Saturday vigil, two Sunday Masses, weekly Confession in English and Spanish, three days of Eucharistic Adoration, and a full OCIA (formerly RCIA) process. The parish supports Religious Education, youth ministry, a Director of Music program, OCIA, hospitality, and gives more than $100,000 a year to Clay County social ministries and agencies — making it a long-standing hub of Catholic life in Fleming Island and Green Cove Springs.
Mass times at Sacred Heart
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:30–5:15 p.m. (English, Fleming Island church)
- Saturday 7:00–7:30 p.m. (Spanish, Mission Church in Green Cove Springs)
- Earlier diocesan directory also lists 6:30–7:15 p.m. (Spanish) at the Mission
Adoration times
- Monday 8:30 a.m.–6:00 p.m. (Fleming Island church)
- Wednesday 8:30 a.m.–6:00 p.m. (Fleming Island church)
- First Friday 9:00 a.m.–noon (Fleming Island church); expanded 8:30 a.m.–7:30 p.m. on First Fridays per recent directory
- First Friday 7:30–8:30 p.m. (Spanish, Mission Church in Green Cove Springs)
- Third Friday 5:30–7:30 p.m. (Fleming Island church)
History of Sacred Heart
Sacred Heart traces its roots to 1872, when the first Bishop of St. Augustine, Augustin Vérot, visited Catholic families in Green Cove Springs and met Rafael Canova, a former mayor and sheriff of St. Augustine. In 1874 a wooden mission church seating 100 was built, with Canova personally funding construction. The mission was formally erected as a parish on June 17, 1954, and in 2001 moved into a new Fleming Island church dedicated by Bishop John J. Snyder. The parish celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2024.
- 1874: Mission established in Green Cove Springs under Bishop Vérot
- 1941: Father Thomas McDonough named first resident pastor (later auxiliary bishop)
- 1946: New mission-style church dedicated October 13
- 1954: Parish status formally erected, June 17
- 2001: New Fleming Island church dedicated by Bishop John J. Snyder, May 13
- 2024: 150th anniversary Mass with Bishop Erik Pohlmeier, June 7
Faith Formation & OCIA
Religious Education for children and OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) for adults seeking full initiation into the Catholic Church are led by Director of Religious Education Kristin Michler-Belleza and OCIA Coordinator Sandra Curtis.
- Director of Religious Education: Kristin Michler-Belleza
- OCIA Coordinator: Sandra Curtis
- Children's faith formation and sacramental preparation
- Adult OCIA process (formerly RCIA)
Youth, Music and Hispanic Ministry
Youth Ministry under Nancy Valdes and Music Ministry under Director of Music Ann Barta animate parish life. The Hispanic Ministry — long a part of Sacred Heart's identity — is anchored by the Saturday 7:30 p.m. Spanish Mass and the Mission Church at 207 Palmetto Avenue in Green Cove Springs.
- Youth Minister: Nancy Valdes
- Director of Music: Ann Barta
- Hispanic Ministry with Spanish Mass at the Mission Church
- Bilingual confession schedule
Parish Organizations and Outreach
Sacred Heart's lay organizations have shaped parish life for generations, and the parish now gives over $100,000 annually to Clay County social ministries and agencies — making outreach a defining feature of parish identity.
- Knights of Columbus
- Council of Catholic Women (CCW)
- Bereavement Ministry
- Hospitality / Hall Director: Arlene Manalo
- Outreach to Clay County agencies and ministries
Parish Staff
Parish operations are supported by a pastor, parochial vicar, deacon, business manager, receptionist, facilities manager, and ministry leaders in faith formation, OCIA, music, youth and hospitality.
- Pastor: Rev. Marek Dzien
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Ramón Obregon
- Deacon: Deacon Richard Hay
- Business Manager: Suzanne Vecerkovic
- Receptionist: Jessica Tillman
- Facilities Manager: Jonathan Thornton
- Director of Religious Education: Kristin Michler-Belleza
- OCIA Coordinator: Sandra Curtis
- Director of Music: Ann Barta
- Youth Minister: Nancy Valdes
- Hall Director & Hospitality: Arlene Manalo
The Mission Church in Green Cove Springs
The original 1946 mission-style church at 207 Palmetto Avenue, Green Cove Springs, remains active as Sacred Heart Mission. It hosts the Saturday 7:30 p.m. Spanish Mass, weekly Spanish Reconciliation, and First Friday Spanish Eucharistic Adoration. The mission's mailing address remains Sacred Heart Parish, 7190 Highway 17 South, Fleming Island, FL 32003.
- Address: 207 Palmetto Avenue, Green Cove Springs, FL 32043
- Saturday 7:30 p.m. Spanish Mass
- Saturday 7:00–7:30 p.m. Spanish Confession
- First Friday 7:30–8:30 p.m. Spanish Adoration
- Built 1946 in mission style; retains original bell from the 1874 church
Visiting Sacred Heart
The parish sits on U.S. Highway 17 South in Fleming Island, with the older Mission Church about ten miles south in Green Cove Springs. Visitors are welcomed at any Mass; English and Spanish Confession, and three days a week of Eucharistic Adoration, are open to all.
- Main church: 7190 U.S. Highway 17 S., Fleming Island, FL 32003
- Mission church: 207 Palmetto Ave., Green Cove Springs, FL 32043
- Phone: (904) 284-3811
- Fax: (904) 529-8845
- Office email: [email protected]
- Diocese: Diocese of St. Augustine (Bishop Erik Pohlmeier)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Thomas McDonough1941–
First resident pastor of the Green Cove Springs mission; later auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of St. Augustine.
- Father Charles Spellman
Pastored the newly erected parish in the 1950s–60s era.
- Father William DuBois
Parish pastor.
- Father John Hosinski
Parish pastor.
- Father Michael Reynolds
Parish pastor.
- Father John Fitzpatrick
Succeeded Father Love; oversaw growth.
- Father John Love
Added Masses, celebrated outdoors when overflow demanded, used a local theater to double attendance.
- Father Donal Sullivan
Built and dedicated the new Fleming Island church on May 13, 2001 with Bishop John J. Snyder; 460 registered families at dedication.
- Father Joseph Corde
Parish pastor.
- Father Diego Conesa
Parish pastor.
- Father Edward Rooney
Parish pastor.
- Father Joseph Barry
Parish pastor.
- Father Patrick Foley
Parish pastor.
- Father Luke McLoughlin
Parish pastor; still acknowledged at 2024 anniversary.
- Msgr. James Boddie Jr.
Parish pastor; present at 150th anniversary Mass.
- Father Michael Pendergraft, V.F.2015–2023
Served eight years; granted senior priest status effective July 1, 2023.
- Rev. Marek Dzien2023–present
Appointed pastor effective July 1, 2023; oversees ~1,500 families.