About Sacred Heart · Greenville, Mississippi
Sacred Heart Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Greenville, Mississippi, located in the Mississippi Delta at 560 East Gloster Street. It belongs to the Diocese of Jackson and has been served for generations by priests of the Society of the Divine Word (SVD). The parish is historically significant as the birthplace of St. Augustine Seminary—the first seminary in the United States dedicated to training African-American priests—founded on this site in 1920. The current Romanesque Revival church building, completed in 1928, is a Mississippi landmark and remains an active, predominantly African-American parish offering Mass in English and Spanish.
- Established
- 1910
- Patron
- Sacred Heart of Jesus
- Rector
- Rev. Sebastian Myladiyil, SVD
- Diocese
- Diocese of Jackson, Mississippi
Why belong here
Sacred Heart is a historically Black Catholic parish in the heart of the Mississippi Delta with deep roots in African-American Catholic history—it is the very site where the first U.S. seminary for African-American priests (St. Augustine Seminary) was founded in 1920. Worshippers can join a parish that maintains a warm bilingual liturgical life (English and Spanish Masses on Sunday), is pastored by a long-tenured Society of the Divine Word priest community, and continues the educational and outreach mission that has defined the congregation since the Divine Word Missionaries arrived in 1910. For anyone seeking an active, heritage-rich Catholic community with both Delta roots and a contemporary Latino ministry, Sacred Heart offers a distinctive place to belong.
Mass times at Sacred Heart
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- By appointment (per Diocese of Jackson parish listing)
History of Sacred Heart Parish
The Society of the Divine Word (SVD) missionaries arrived in Greenville in 1910 and, by 1913, had established a parochial school for African-American youth on the site that became Sacred Heart. In 1920 Father Matthew Christmann, SVD, founded St. Augustine Seminary here—the first seminary in the United States dedicated to training African-American priests. The seminary operated on these grounds until 1923, when it was moved to Bay St. Louis. The present Romanesque Revival church was built in 1928 under Father Anthony Jacobs. A Mississippi historical marker was placed on the property in 1992 to commemorate both the parish and the founding of St. Augustine Seminary.
- 1910 — Divine Word Missionaries arrive in Greenville
- 1913 — Parochial school for Black youth opened on site
- 1920 — St. Augustine Seminary founded by Fr. Matthew Christmann, SVD
- 1923 — Seminary relocated to Bay St. Louis
- 1928 — Present Romanesque Revival church built under Fr. Anthony Jacobs
- 1992 — Mississippi Department of Archives and History marker erected
Architecture and Landmark Status
Sacred Heart Church is documented by the National Park Service as a locally distinguished example of late Neo-Romanesque architecture. The reddish-brown brick, apsidal, gable-roofed building features identical twin towers, an oversized rose window, and a multiplicity of round-arched openings. Perched on a bluff overlooking central Greenville, it remains a prominent visual feature of the city's commercial and residential core.
- Style: Romanesque Revival (late Neo-Romanesque)
- Year built: 1928
- Materials: reddish-brown brick
- Features: twin towers, oversized rose window, round-arched openings
- Setting: bluff overlooking central Greenville
Pastoral Staff and Clergy
Sacred Heart has been served by Society of the Divine Word (SVD) priests for generations. The current pastor is Rev. Sebastian Myladiyil, SVD, who was assigned in January 2021 and formally installed by Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz on March 14, 2021. Rev. Thomas (Tom) Mullally, SVD—who served the parish for approximately fifty years—retired in January 2021 and was named Pastor Emeritus.
- Rev. Sebastian Myladiyil, SVD — Pastor (since January 2021; installed March 14, 2021)
- Rev. Thomas Mullally, SVD — Pastor Emeritus (since January 2021; ~50 years of service)
Worship Schedule and Sacraments
The parish celebrates Sunday Mass in English at 9:00 AM and in Spanish at 11:30 AM, plus weekday Masses on Monday and Tuesday at 9:00 AM. Holy Day Mass is celebrated at 6:00 PM. Confessions are scheduled by appointment. The parish office (662-332-0891) coordinates baptisms, weddings, funerals, and anointing of the sick.
- Sunday 9:00 AM — English
- Sunday 11:30 AM — Spanish
- Monday 9:00 AM
- Tuesday 9:00 AM
- Holy Days 6:00 PM
- Confession: by appointment
St. Augustine Seminary Legacy
Sacred Heart's grounds were the founding site of St. Augustine Seminary in 1920—the first seminary in the United States intended to educate African Americans for the priesthood. Founded by Father Matthew Christmann, SVD, during the Jim Crow era, the seminary trained and ordained several of the first Black priests in the United States before relocating to Bay St. Louis in 1923 to escape Klan harassment and to be nearer to a major city. The parish continues to honor this pioneering legacy, and the 1992 Mississippi historical marker on the property commemorates both the parish and the seminary's founding.
- Founded 1920 by Fr. Matthew Christmann, SVD
- First U.S. seminary for African-American priests
- Relocated to Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, in 1923
- Honored by 1992 Mississippi Department of Archives and History marker
Parish Ministries and Community Life
For more than a century, the Sacred Heart congregation has been dedicated to educating area youth, beginning with the 1913 parochial school. Today the parish maintains a bilingual liturgical life—offering Sunday Mass in both English and Spanish—and continues its outreach to the surrounding Washington County community. As one of the few historically Black Catholic parishes in the Mississippi Delta, Sacred Heart is also a touchstone of African-American Catholic heritage in the region.
- Bilingual Hispanic ministry (Spanish Sunday Mass)
- Parochial school / education ministry since 1913
- Black Catholic heritage and St. Augustine Seminary legacy
- Sacramental preparation (baptism, marriage, etc.)
Visiting and Contact Information
Sacred Heart Catholic Church is located at 560 East Gloster Street, Greenville, MS 38701 (mailing ZIP 38701-3836). The parish office can be reached at (662) 332-0891 or by email at [email protected]. The parish is listed in the Diocese of Jackson's parish finder at jacksondiocese.org. Visitors are welcome at any of the scheduled Masses, and the 1928 Romanesque Revival church and the 1992 historical marker on its grounds are open during parish hours.
- Address: 560 East Gloster Street, Greenville, MS 38701-3836
- Phone: (662) 332-0891
- Email: [email protected]
- Diocesan listing: https://jacksondiocese.org/parish/greenville-sacred-heart/
- Mass times: Sunday 9:00 AM (English) and 11:30 AM (Spanish); Mon & Tue 9:00 AM
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Matthew Christmann, SVDc. 1910–1923
Divine Word missionary who established the parish mission and school for Black youth (1913) and founded St. Augustine Seminary at the parish (1920), the first U.S. seminary for African-American priests.
- Fr. Anthony Jacobsc. 1928
Led the parish in building the present Romanesque Revival church (dedicated 1928).
- Rev. Thomas (Tom) Mullally, SVDserved until retirement in 2021 (approx. 50 years of ministry)
Long-serving pastor; named Pastor Emeritus of Sacred Heart effective January 1, 2021.
- Rev. Sebastian Myladiyil, SVDJanuary 1, 2021 – present
Assigned pastor by Bishop Joseph Kopacz effective January 1, 2021; formally installed March 14, 2021.