About Sacred Heart · Mountain Grove, Missouri
Sacred Heart Parish is a small Catholic parish serving the rural community of Mountain Grove in the Ozarks region of south-central Missouri. It belongs to the Diocese of Springfield–Cape Girardeau and is the historic 'mother church' for nearby St. Michael Mission in Cabool. Currently without a resident pastor due to the priest shortage, the parish is served by Fr. Simon Enudu and run day-to-day by a Parish Life Coordinator, an administrative assistant, and dedicated lay volunteers.
- Established
- 1894
- Patron
- Sacred Heart of Jesus
- Rector
- Rev. Simon Enudu
- Diocese
- Diocese of Springfield–Cape Girardeau
Why belong here
Sacred Heart offers the small-town warmth of a tight-knit rural Catholic community in the Missouri Ozarks, where multi-generational families have worshipped for more than 130 years. Visitors and parishioners appreciate its simple, faithful liturgy, weekly Wednesday evening Mass with adoration and confessions, a Sunday Mass, and the visible stewardship of laypeople who keep the parish running between priestly visits. It's an ideal parish for those seeking a quiet, traditional Catholic life grounded in prayer, family, and service.
Mass times at Sacred Heart
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday 5:00–6:00 p.m. (1 hour prior to evening Mass)
Adoration times
- Wednesday 5:00–6:00 p.m. (concurrent with confessions, prior to 6 p.m. Mass)
Parish Identity and Location
Sacred Heart Parish serves the small Ozark town of Mountain Grove, Missouri, in Wright County. It is one of the oldest Catholic parishes in the area and a fixture of the local Catholic community for more than 130 years. The parish sits on East State Street in the heart of town.
- Address: 302 E State St., Mountain Grove, MO 65711-1759
- Phone: (417) 413-3743
- Email: [email protected]
- Diocese: Springfield–Cape Girardeau
Mass and Liturgical Schedule
All Masses are celebrated in English. The weekly Sunday Mass is the spiritual center of parish life, supplemented by a Wednesday evening Mass, a First Friday Mass, and a First Saturday Mass.
- Sunday — 9:00 a.m.
- Wednesday — 6:00 p.m. (with adoration and confessions beginning one hour prior)
- First Friday — 6:00 p.m.
- First Saturday — 9:00 a.m.
Sacramental Life
Because the parish currently has no resident priest, sacraments are celebrated during scheduled visit times or by appointment. Reconciliation and Eucharistic Adoration are offered together each Wednesday evening.
- Confessions: Wednesday, 5:00–6:00 p.m.
- Adoration: Wednesday, 5:00–6:00 p.m.
- Baptism, Marriage, and Anointing of the Sick: contact the parish office
History of the Parish
Catholic life in Mountain Grove dates to the late 19th century. From a community that received the sacraments only a few times a year, the parish grew steadily, built its first church in 1894, expanded under Benedictine care from Conception Abbey, and built its current church in the 1950s after receiving its first resident priest in 1940. Renovation came in 1997.
- 1894 — first church built
- 1899 — Elm Street house purchased as a church
- 1940 — first resident priest appointed by Bishop Edwin V. O'Hara
- 1952 — current church approved; $5,000 from the Extension Society; parishioners donated 500 hours each
- 1956 — transferred to the new Diocese of Springfield–Cape Girardeau
- 1997 — church renovated
Clergy and Pastoral Leadership
The parish has not had a resident pastor in recent years. Bishop Edward Rice has entrusted its care to a series of traveling priests and parochial administrators supported by a Parish Life Coordinator and lay staff.
- Current Pastor: Rev. Simon Enudu (since 2025)
- Former Parochial Administrator: Rev. Charles Peirano (2024–2025)
- Former pastor: Fr. Clarence, OMI (Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, 1980s)
- Administrative Assistant: Andrea Ferguson
- Bookkeeper: Sharon Long
Diocesan and Mission Connections
Sacred Heart Mountain Grove has historically served as a mother church for surrounding Catholic missions and parishes in the Ozarks, including St. Michael in Cabool and Immaculate Heart of Mary in Mansfield.
- Mother Church of St. Michael Mission, Cabool (since 1956)
- Helped found Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, Mansfield
- Member parish of the Diocese of Springfield–Cape Girardeau
Getting Involved
Because the parish operates largely without a resident priest, lay involvement is essential. Parishioners take on the everyday running of the parish and support the visiting clergy through hospitality, music, and liturgical ministry.
- Parish Life Coordinator program
- Lay-led hospitality and operations
- Volunteer opportunities available by contacting the parish office
Visiting the Parish
Visitors are warmly welcomed at the modest East State Street church. Most visitors attend the Sunday morning Mass, with weekday and First Friday/Saturday devotions providing additional opportunities for prayer.
- Arrive a few minutes before Mass to be greeted
- Street-level parking available
- Call (417) 413-3743 for current schedule or to arrange a sacrament
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Benedictine priests from Conception Abbey1894–c.1939
Traveled from Conception Abbey to celebrate Mass about once a month after the first church was built in 1894.
- Visiting priests (Kansas City Diocese)pre-1940
The remote rural community had no resident pastor; Mass was offered only two or three times a year in the late 19th century.
- First resident pastor (appointed by Bishop Edwin V. O'Hara)1940–
First resident priest appointed by Bishop Edwin V. O'Hara of the Diocese of Kansas City.
- Fr. Clarence, OMI (Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate)1980s
Former military chaplain (Lt. Col., U.S. Army), served as pastor of Sacred Heart Mountain Grove after his military service ended in 1981; later moved to Our Lady of the Snows in 1989.
- Rev. Charles Peirano2024–2025
Appointed Parochial Administrator by Bishop Edward Rice in 2024, also overseeing St. Leo the Great (Ava), St. William (Gainesville), Immaculate Heart of Mary (Mansfield), and St. Michael (Cabool); reassigned in 2025.
- Rev. Simon Enudu2025–present
Appointed Pastor in 2025, also serving Sacred Heart Parish in Willow Springs and St. Michael Mission in Cabool.