About Sacred Heart - Holy Family Parish · Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin
Sacred Heart Church is one of six worship sites that make up Holy Family Catholic Community, a vibrant, multi-cultural parish of approximately 5,700 families in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, and one of the northernmost parishes in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. Originally established in 1957 as an independent parish on Fond du Lac's west side, Sacred Heart was founded to serve the post-World War II Catholic baby boom and merged into Holy Family Catholic Community on July 1, 2000, alongside St. Joseph, St. Louis, St. Mary, St. Patrick, and St. Peter parishes. Today the parish campus at 200 S. Peters Avenue houses the church (dedicated 1978), the former school/chapel building (1958), the rectory, and the convent, and also serves as the home of the parish's Christian Formation and Youth Center. Sacred Heart hosts English and Spanish weekend Masses, a daily noon weekday Mass, weekday Eucharistic Adoration, the parish's largest confession block before Saturday Vigil Masses, and ministry outreach through the St. Vincent de Paul Holy Family Conference.
- Established
- 1957
- Patron
- Sacred Heart of Jesus
- Rector
- Very Rev. Ryan J. Pruess
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Milwaukee
Why belong here
Sacred Heart sits on Fond du Lac's west side as part of Holy Family Catholic Community, one of the largest parishes in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, with weekly Mass in both English and Spanish, weekday adoration in a dedicated chapel from early morning to 10 pm, and a full K-12 parish school partner in St. Mary's Springs Academy. It is also the home of the parish's Christian Formation and Youth Center, where elementary, middle, and high-school faith formation classes meet, and where the St. Vincent de Paul Holy Family Conference carries out its outreach to neighbors in need. With no steps into the church, a hearing loop, and a side-chapel reconciliation room, Sacred Heart is set up to welcome anyone seeking daily Mass, the Eucharist, confession, or simply a quiet hour in adoration.
Mass times at Sacred Heart - Holy Family Parish
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturdays before the 4:00 pm Vigil Mass at Sacred Heart: begins one hour before Mass and ends 15 minutes prior to the start
- Also available by appointment; weekday Reconciliation opportunities listed on the parish website
Adoration times
- Sacred Heart Eucharistic Adoration Chapel (200 S. Peters Avenue): Sunday through Saturday, 5:00 am to 10:00 pm — additional scheduled adorers are being recruited
About Holy Family Catholic Community and Sacred Heart
Holy Family Catholic Community is a vibrant, multi-cultural parish of approximately 5,700 families and one of the northernmost parishes in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. Fond du Lac sits on the south shore of Lake Winnebago, the largest inland lake in Wisconsin. The parish is led by a pastor and associate pastors/priests advised by a Pastoral Council and a Finance Council of elected and ex-officio parishioners; its work is organized into four Commissions — Worship, Formation, Human and Pastoral Concerns, and Stewardship — each managed by an employee-director with support staff and volunteers. Sacred Heart Church, on the west side of the city, is one of six worship sites that make up the community.
- Holy Family Catholic Community, ~5,700 families
- Six worship sites: Holy Family, Sacred Heart, St. Mary, St. Peter, Our Risen Savior, Presentation of the BVM
- Pastoral Council + Finance Council governance
- Four Commissions: Worship, Formation, Human and Pastoral Concerns, Stewardship
- Member of the Fond du Lac Area Ministerial Association
History of Sacred Heart Parish
Sacred Heart was established in 1957 on the west side of Fond du Lac to accommodate the post-World War II Catholic baby boom. Investigations into forming a new parish began in 1956 under Father Raymond L. Fox, and ten acres at S. Peters and Western Avenues were purchased on January 31, 1956. After first celebrating Mass at Evans School and then in the former Memorial Baptist Church, the parish broke ground on a church-school in June 1958; the school opened in September 1959 with the Sisters of St. Agnes as teachers. A separate church building was not constructed until 1978 — twenty years after the parish's founding — and was dedicated by Archbishop Rembert Weakland on August 27, 1978. Decreasing enrollments led to the closing of Sacred Heart School in 1987, and in 2000 Sacred Heart became one of six parishes consolidated into Holy Family Catholic Community.
- 1956 – investigations and land purchase begin under Fr. Raymond L. Fox
- 1957 – parish canonically established on the Feast of the Sacred Heart
- 1958 – groundbreaking for church-school; temporary chapel in former Memorial Baptist Church
- 1959 – school opens with six grades and 233 students (Sisters of St. Agnes)
- 1961 – rectory completed (architect: Sylvester Stepnoski)
- 1966 – convent added (architects: Stepnoski & Peterson)
- 1974 – church-building fund established
- 1978 – first Mass in new church July 22; dedicated by Archbishop Weakland August 27
- 1987 – Sacred Heart School closes
- 2000 – merges into Holy Family Catholic Community (July 1)
Worship Sites of Holy Family Catholic Community
Sacred Heart is one of six worship sites that together serve the city and surrounding townships. Together they host nearly 20 Masses every week, 12 of them on weekends.
- Holy Family Church — east side of town; largest church; houses parish offices (271 Fourth Street Way)
- Sacred Heart Church — west side; houses Christian Formation and Youth Center (200 S. Peters Ave.)
- St. Mary Church — downtown Fond du Lac (59 E. Merrill Ave.)
- St. Peter Church — 'country church' in the township of St. Peter / Malone (N8079 Church Rd.)
- Our Risen Savior Church — west of town in Eldorado/Woodhull (N6499 Co. Rd. Y)
- Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church — North Fond du Lac (705 Michigan Ave.)
Architecture and the Sacred Heart Campus
The Sacred Heart campus is a small complex of mid-century Contemporary buildings. The 1978 church is a one-story, elliptically-shaped structure faced with dark brown brick, designed by Jim Gabriel of Stubenrauch Associates of Sheboygan and built by Hutter Construction; a brick cross rises from the center of its roof and faceted-glass windows line the outer walls. The nave seats 650, and a side chapel houses the tabernacle, the Stations of the Cross, and two reconciliation rooms. The 1958 school/chapel (678 Western Ave.), the 1961 rectory (232 S. Peters Ave.), and the 1966 convent (231 Evans Drive) remain on the grounds; the school building now hosts the parish's Christian Formation and Youth Center.
- 1978 church — dark brown brick, elliptical plan, seating for 650
- Architect: Jim Gabriel, Stubenrauch Associates (Sheboygan)
- Builder: Hutter Construction
- Side chapel with tabernacle, Stations of the Cross, two reconciliation rooms
- 1958 school/chapel (one-story brick) — now Christian Formation and Youth Center
- 1961 rectory and 1966 convent still standing on the campus
Accessibility at Sacred Heart
Sacred Heart is designed to be accessible. The church has no steps at the entrance, the parish provides hearing assistive devices through its ushers and greeters, and there is a hearing loop installed in the church — those with hearing aids need only switch to the 'T' setting to tune directly into the sound system. Headphone receivers are also available on request.
- No-step entrance at Sacred Heart Church
- Hearing loop (also at Holy Family and St. Mary)
- Headphone receivers available from ushers
- Ushers and greeters on hand to assist
Clergy of Holy Family Catholic Community
Holy Family Catholic Community uses a pastor-and-associate-pastor model, with deacons assisting. Very Rev. Ryan J. Pruess has served as Pastor since June 19, 2012, and was ordained by Archbishop Jerome E. Listecki on May 19, 2012, at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Milwaukee. He also serves as an executive on the Board of Directors of St. Mary's Springs Academy. In June 2025 the parish bade farewell to Fr. Patrick Behling, Fr. Matthew Kirk, Fr. Kevin Tanel, and Fr. Fernando Torres (moving to parishes in Mequon, Port Washington, Greendale, and Waukesha respectively) and welcomed Fr. Craig Richter alongside Transitional Deacons Alex Becker and Nick Waddell.
- Pastor: Very Rev. Ryan J. Pruess (since June 19, 2012)
- Parochial Vicars: Fr. Michael Malucha, Fr. Kevin Tanel, Fr. Pedro Ruiz, Fr. Fernando Torres (Hispanic Ministry)
- Fr. Kevin Durand — ordained May 18, 2024, joined Holy Family June 2024
- Fr. Craig Richter — joining June 16, 2025 (formerly Associate Pastor, Catholic Community in Central Racine)
- Transitional Deacons Alex Becker and Nick Waddell — joining June 2025 (ordained for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee)
- Permanent Deacons: Ricardo Muñoz, Marty Ryan, Dale R. Paczkowski
- Fr. Pat Heppe — moderator of the priest team at the 2000 merger (former pastor of St. Joseph, Fond du Lac)
Christian Formation and Youth Ministry
The Christian Formation team helps parishioners of all ages become disciples in Christ. Most elementary and middle-school programs meet at Sacred Heart School Hall (678 Western Avenue, 920-921-0580 ext. 507). Elementary formation (grades 1-8) is delivered through a two-week Summer Faith Formation Program in June (AM session 8:30-11:30 am and PM session 12:30-3:30 pm), Continuing Formation Events during the school year, and the Building Your Domestic Church parent sessions held on Wednesday evenings. High-school formation and Confirmation Preparation are coordinated separately.
- Elementary/Middle School Summer Program at Sacred Heart School, June 8-19 typical dates
- Curricula: 'Be My Disciples' (elementary), 'Encounter' (6th grade), 'Altaration' (7th grade), 'Theology of the Body' (8th grade)
- Building Your Domestic Church — parent formation Wednesdays in Sacred Heart School Hall
- First Reconciliation / First Communion prep — contact Trisha Zimmerman ([email protected])
- High School / Confirmation prep — contact Angie Bestul ([email protected])
- Vacation Bible School (4K-3rd grade; 4th-6th grade Junior Explorers)
- Young Adult Ministry and Adult Ministry / RCIA
- Special Needs Faith Formation available
St. Mary's Springs Academy (Parish School)
Holy Family Catholic Community collaborates closely with St. Mary's Springs Academy, a regional Catholic school system serving K3 (3-year-old kindergarten) through 12th grade. The school moved into a new facility at the start of the 2016-17 school year on the 'ledge' at the corner of Hwy 23 (Johnson Street) and County Highway K. Pastor Fr. Ryan Pruess serves as an executive on the Academy's Board of Directors.
- St. Mary's Springs Academy — regional K3-12 Catholic school
- New facility opened for the 2016-17 school year at Hwy 23 (Johnson St.) and County Hwy K
- Affiliated with Holy Family Catholic Community
Outreach: St. Vincent de Paul and Taycheedah
Holy Family Catholic Community carries the parish's outreach into the wider Fond du Lac community through the St. Vincent de Paul Holy Family Conference and through its ministry to prisoners at Taycheedah Correctional Institution. The St. Vincent de Paul Conference meets for Spiritual Reflection on the second Tuesday of each month at 8:00 am in the Fireside Room at Holy Family Church, and is a visible, ongoing expression of the parish's service to the suffering poor. The parish also provides Catholic Masses and faith formation services for inmates at Taycheedah.
- St. Vincent de Paul Holy Family Conference — second Tuesday of the month, 8:00 am, Fireside Room at Holy Family Church
- Visits, prayers, and material assistance to neighbors in need
- Outreach to inmates at Taycheedah Correctional Institution (Masses and formation)
- Loaves and Fishes food program
- Bereavement ministry and Outreach Center (Human Concerns)
- Active member of the Fond du Lac Area Ministerial Association
Sacraments
Holy Family Catholic Community celebrates all seven sacraments across its six worship sites. First Reconciliation and First Communion preparation, as well as Confirmation preparation, are coordinated through the Christian Formation office. Couples seeking marriage are encouraged to contact the parish office well in advance, and Anointing of the Sick is available to the homebound and hospitalized on request.
- Baptism
- First Reconciliation and First Communion (prep during elementary years)
- Confirmation (typically 10th-11th grade)
- Anointing of the Sick
- Marriage
- Funerals
- Reconciliation (Confession) — Saturday before Vigil Mass, by appointment, and on request
Communication and Online Presence
The parish keeps in touch through a weekly bulletin called The Good News, livestreamed Sunday Masses, a YouTube channel, and a Facebook page. Permission to podcast the music in the streamed services is obtained from OneLicense.net.
- Weekly bulletin: 'The Good News' — submissions to [email protected]
- Livestream: 8:00 am Sunday Mass on Facebook and YouTube
- Mailing address: 271 Fourth Street Way, Fond du Lac, WI 54937-7508
- Office hours: Monday–Thursday 7:30 am-4:15 pm, Friday 7:30 am-12:00 pm
- Phone: (920) 921-0580
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Raymond L. Fox1957 – c. 1982
Founding pastor; led parish from 1956 investigations through groundbreaking, school opening (1959), and dedication of the new church (1978); retired on grounds around 1982 and died around 1984.