About Sacred Heart · Mcallen, Texas
Sacred Heart Catholic Church is a historic Roman Catholic parish in downtown McAllen, Texas, in the Diocese of Brownsville. Founded in 1917 from a mission that began in 1911, it is the 'Mother Church' of many Catholic communities in central Hidalgo County. The parish is staffed by Franciscan friars (Order of Friars Minor / OFM) and offers a bilingual schedule of Masses in English and Spanish, a Religious Education program, and a range of parish ministries including choirs, the Knights of Columbus, a Young Adult Ministry, and a Ministry of the Sick that brings the Eucharist to the homebound and to a local veterans' nursing home.
- Established
- 1917
- Patron
- The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
- Rector
- Rev. Thomas Luczak, OFM
- Diocese
- Diocese of Brownsville
Why belong here
Sacred Heart is one of the oldest Catholic communities in the Rio Grande Valley — a downtown McAllen parish that has served as the 'Mother Church' of central Hidalgo County for more than a century. It welcomes both English- and Spanish-speaking families with a full bilingual Mass schedule, an active Religious Education program led by a DRE, and a strong Franciscan (OFM) presence. Whether you are drawn to its historic roots, its choirs and Young Adult Ministry, its Knights of Columbus council, or its outreach to the sick and homebound, Sacred Heart offers a real way to put faith into service in the McAllen community.
Mass times at Sacred Heart
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Thursday 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM
Adoration times
- Thursday 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM
Parish History & Heritage
Catholic life in McAllen began in 1908 when Oblate priests from the La Lomita Chapel in Mission rode north to serve the new community. A mission was formally begun in McAllen in 1911 with a wood-frame chapel, and the parish grew steadily under the Oblates until Sacred Heart was established as an independent parish in 1917, the same year a school and rectory were added. A Texas Historical Commission marker at the church, erected in 1986 as part of the Texas Sesquicentennial, calls Sacred Heart the 'Mother Church' to many missions in central Hidalgo County. The Diocese of Brownsville also lists 1917 — Sacred Heart's founding year — on its official institutional timeline.
- 1908: Oblate priests from La Lomita Chapel, Mission, begin ministering in McAllen.
- 1911: A mission is begun in McAllen and a wood-frame chapel is built.
- 1911–1915: Rev. J.M.F. Guenneugues, O.M.I., based in Mission, oversees the McAllen mission.
- 1915: Rev. Francis A. Dupassieux, O.M.I., is assigned to the McAllen chapel.
- 1917: A school and rectory are added; Sacred Heart becomes an independent parish.
- 1986: Texas Historical Commission marker erected (No. 4429) for the Texas Sesquicentennial.
Clergy & Staff
Sacred Heart is served by Franciscan friars of the Order of Friars Minor (OFM). The current pastor is Rev. Thomas Luczak, OFM. Bro. Mario Nagy, OFM coordinates the Ministry of the Sick from the rectory. The parish's Director of Religious Education (DRE) is Sandra Lee Kent, who can be reached through the parish office or the Religious Education office.
- Rev. Thomas Luczak, OFM — Pastor
- Bro. Mario Nagy, OFM — Ministry of the Sick
- Sandra Lee Kent — Director of Religious Education (DRE)
Parish Ministries
Parishioners of Sacred Heart are involved in a wide range of ministries, both liturgical and pastoral. The Music Ministry leads congregational singing at every Mass, supported by a youth Orchestra that plays for the Christmas Children's Mass. The Young Adult Ministry supports single and married adults ages 18–39, and the Ministry of the Sick brings the Eucharist to those who cannot attend Mass — including a quarterly Mass at the Alfredo Gonzalez Veterans Nursing Home. Other ministries include Lectors (proclaiming Scripture in English and Spanish) and the parish's Knights of Columbus council.
- Choirs: 5 PM Saturday (English, Lupita Garza); 8 AM Sunday (Spanish, Lupita Cruz); 11 AM Sunday (English, Danny Alamia and Ernesto Gutierrez); 7 PM Sunday (Spanish, Maye Martinez) — with a Children's Choir and youth Orchestra.
- Young Adult Ministry: ages 18–39, single and married; contacts Moises Rivera (956-686-3694) and Michael Kent (956-566-7075).
- Ministry of the Sick: home visits and quarterly Mass at Alfredo Gonzalez Veterans Nursing Home; contact Bro. Mario Nagy, OFM.
- Lectors: scheduled at every Mass in Spanish or English; instruction classes offered during the year; contact Tina Lanfranco.
- Knights of Columbus: fraternal charity, unity, and service; McAllen council.
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The Sacred Heart Religious Education Program supports catechesis for parish children, coordinated by the Director of Religious Education. The program operates out of the parish at 306 South 15th Street, with its own office line and email so families can reach the DRE directly. In addition, the parish website offers catechetical reflections on the sacraments — for example, a page on Holy Orders explaining the role of bishops, priests, and deacons in the life of the Church.
- Director of Religious Education: Sandra Lee Kent (Mrs. Sandra Lee Kent)
- Religious Education Office: (956) 686-3694 — Fax (956) 686-2028
- Email: [email protected]
- Address: 306 South 15th Street, McAllen, TX 78501 (Mailing: PO Box 360, McAllen, TX 78505)
Sacraments
The parish website carries catechetical information for those preparing to receive the sacraments. A dedicated page on Holy Orders explains the three degrees — bishop, priest, and deacon — and the role of the priesthood of all believers. Families preparing for Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, or Matrimony are invited to contact the rectory at 956-686-7711 for guidance on parish preparation programs.
- Holy Orders: catechetical page describing the sacrament and the three degrees.
- Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, Matrimony: contact the rectory at 956-686-7711 for preparation details.
Music & Liturgy
Music is central to Sacred Heart's liturgical life. The Music Ministry selects and practices music appropriate to each liturgical season and leads the assembly in song at every Mass. Four scheduled choirs serve the parish's bilingual weekend and Saturday schedule, and a youth Orchestra supports the Christmas Children's Mass. Choir leaders are parishioners who can be reached before or after Mass, or at choir practice.
- Saturday 5:00 PM (English) — Lupita Garza
- Sunday 8:00 AM (Spanish) — Lupita Cruz
- Sunday 11:00 AM (English) — Danny Alamia and Ernesto Gutierrez
- Sunday 7:00 PM (Spanish) — Maye Martinez, with a Children's Choir
- Youth Orchestra — plays for the Christmas Children's Mass; contact Sandra Kent, DRE, at 956-686-7711.
Outreach to the Sick & Homebound
The Ministry of the Sick carries the parish's pastoral care beyond the church walls. Volunteers bring Holy Communion to anyone unable to attend Mass because of illness, hospitalization, disability, or placement in long-term care. The ministry also coordinates a Mass offered four times a year at the Alfredo Gonzalez Veterans Nursing Home. Special instruction is provided to anyone interested in serving in this ministry.
- Coordinator: Bro. Mario Nagy, OFM
- Contact: 956-686-7711 (Rectory)
- Site: Alfredo Gonzalez Veterans Nursing Home (quarterly Mass)
Knights of Columbus
The parish hosts a local council of the Knights of Columbus, the Catholic fraternal benefit society founded in 1882. The council at Sacred Heart is part of the parish's charity and outreach efforts in the McAllen community, in keeping with the order's founding principles of charity, unity, and fraternity, and its work in education, religious, social welfare, and public relief.
- Fraternal benefit society rooted in charity, unity, and fraternity.
- Contact: Guadalupe ('Lupe') through the rectory at 956-686-7711.
Visit, Contact & Directions
Sacred Heart Catholic Church is located in historic downtown McAllen at 306 South 15th Street (corner of South 15th and Chicago Avenue). The parish mailing address is P.O. Box 370, McAllen, TX 78505. The rectory can be reached at (956) 686-7711 (fax 956-686-2028), and general parish email is [email protected] as listed on the parish's own site. The parish posts weekly bulletins online and maintains a Facebook page under the name 'Sacred Heart Church – McAllen, TX'.
- Address: 306 South 15th Street, McAllen, TX 78501
- Mailing: P.O. Box 370, McAllen, TX 78505
- Phone: (956) 686-7711 — Fax: (956) 686-2028
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://sacredheartchurch-mcallen.org
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sacred-Heart-Church-McAllen-TX/139610739388532
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. J.M.F. Guenneugues, O.M.I.1911–1915
Missionary Oblate based in Mission who oversaw the McAllen mission/chapel until 1915.
- Rev. Francis A. Dupassieux, O.M.I.1915–
Assigned to the McAllen chapel in 1915; a school and rectory were added under his watch and Sacred Heart became an independent parish in 1917.