About Sacred Heart · Muenster, Texas
Sacred Heart Catholic Church is a German-Catholic parish in Muenster, Texas, in the Diocese of Fort Worth. Founded December 8, 1889 — the same date considered the official founding of the town itself — it serves the western half of Cooke County. The parish runs Sacred Heart Catholic School, the only PreK–12 Catholic school in the Fort Worth Diocese, and is led today by Fr. Austin Hoodenpyle with two deacons and a full parish staff.
- Established
- 1889
- Patron
- Sacred Heart of Jesus
- Rector
- Rev. Austin Hoodenpyle
- Diocese
- Diocese of Fort Worth
Why belong here
Sacred Heart is a close-knit, multigenerational Catholic community where the parish church and the parish school — the only PreK–12 Catholic school in the Diocese of Fort Worth — grow side by side. Weekly Masses are complemented by Eucharistic Adoration multiple days a week, a perpetual-help novena, a rosary for the unborn, Vespers, a Cenacle of Men, Vacation Bible School, and youth trips such as the Steubenville Lone Star conference. A live-streamed Sunday Mass, online giving, Flocknote parish messaging, and a parish-wide FORMED subscription make it easy to stay connected even from a distance.
Mass times at Sacred Heart
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday: 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm in Church
- Saturday: 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm in Church
- Also by appointment
Adoration times
- Wednesday: 9:00 am – 6:00 pm in Chapel
- Friday: 9:00 am – 6:00 pm in Chapel
- First Friday: 9:00 am – 6:00 pm in Church
Parish History
Sacred Heart Parish and the town of Muenster were both born on December 8, 1889, when Rev. H. Brickley of Gainesville celebrated the first Catholic Mass at an altar in the Flusche land office. German Catholic settlers had been drawn to the new colony by letters and German-language newspaper ads placed by Emil and August Flusche, land agents who had earlier founded similar communities in Iowa and Kansas. Twenty-five men, seven women, and six children were present at that first Mass.
- 1889 (Dec 8): First Mass celebrated; considered founding date of parish and town.
- 1890: Settlers resolve to build a school first; a 14 × 24 wooden structure is finished in the spring.
- 1891: First church begun; destroyed by a December storm before use.
- 1892–93: Gothic-frame second church completed; destroyed by tornado, July 31, 1893.
- 1893: First Benedictine priest, Rev. Bonaventure Binzeger, O.S.B., arrives from Subiaco Abbey.
- 1895: Benedictine Sisters of Jonesboro, Arkansas, invited to teach at the parish school.
- 1897–98: Third church (brick Gothic) built; serves until 1948.
- 1919–1926: Fr. Frowin Koerdt, O.S.B., raises funds for a new school; the red-brick building opens for the 1925–26 school year.
- 1949–1954: Present church built on a foundation sunk more than 20 feet into rock.
- 1990s: Diocesan/lay clergy take over from the Benedictine priests of Subiaco.
Clergy and Staff
Sacred Heart is led by Fr. Austin Hoodenpyle, pastor and school chaplain, assisted by two permanent deacons and a full parish staff handling music, religious education, communications, development, facilities, and office operations.
- Rev. Austin Hoodenpyle — Pastor ([email protected], ext. 3)
- Rev. Mr. Gary Endres — Deacon ([email protected])
- Rev. Mr. Marty Robertson — Deacon ([email protected])
- Lori Bowman — Director of Music ([email protected], ext. 6)
- Cathy Dangelmayr — Pastoral Secretary & Safe Environment Coordinator (ext. 1)
- Catherine Elliott — Receptionist ([email protected], ext. 0)
- Stacie Forshee — Office / Business Manager ([email protected], ext. 8)
- Andre Fortin — Facility Manager ([email protected], ext. 9)
- Shannon Hartman — Director of Communications (ext. 7)
- Lydia Springer — Director of Development
- Carmen Villa — Director of Religious Education ([email protected], ext. 5)
- Danny Walterscheid — Facility Assistant
Sacred Heart Catholic School
Founded in 1890 and still located on parish grounds, Sacred Heart Catholic School is the only remaining PreK–12 Catholic school in the Diocese of Fort Worth. The school offers a Montessori program (PreK3–K), Elementary (1–5), Junior High (6–8), and High School (9–12), and is accredited through the Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops Education Department.
- Coeducational, open-admission Catholic school; ministry of Sacred Heart Parish.
- Programs: Montessori (PreK3–K), Elementary 1–5, Junior High 6–8, High School 9–12.
- Address: 153 E. 6th Street, Muenster, TX 76252; Mailing: PO Box 588, Muenster, TX 76252-0588.
- Phone: 940-759-2511.
- Principal: Andrew Folsom (Religion IV taught by Fr. Hoodenpyle).
- Benedictine Sisters have served as teachers and support staff since 1895.
- Daily religious formation classes; students in grades 1–12 attend weekly Adoration.
- Daily bus route from Denton for out-of-town families.
- Athletics include a full athletic complex; long-running tradition of school sports.
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Religious Education is directed by Carmen Villa. The parish prepares children and adults for the sacraments, supports school-age faith formation through Sacred Heart Catholic School, and runs Vacation Bible School each summer. Parish teens are sent to the Steubenville Lone Star Catholic Youth Conference in Irving, TX.
- Director of Religious Education: Carmen Villa ([email protected], ext. 5).
- Baptism, Confirmation, and other sacrament preparation — contact the parish office.
- Vacation Bible School held annually at the SH Community Center.
- Steubenville Lone Star Catholic Youth Conference for parish teens (June 19–21, 2026).
- Safe Environment Training for adult volunteers working with minors.
Sacraments
The parish celebrates all seven sacraments. Sacramental preparation for Baptism and Confirmation is required; couples should contact the parish office for marriage preparation; the Anointing of the Sick is available on request.
- Baptism — preparation required; contact parish office.
- Confirmation — parish preparation program.
- Eucharist — daily and Sunday Masses; Sunday 8 am livestreamed.
- Confession — Wed & Sat 3:30–4:30 pm and by appointment.
- Matrimony — contact the parish office.
- Anointing of the Sick — contact the parish office.
Music & Liturgy
Music ministry is led by Director of Music Lori Bowman. Parish musicians support the regular Mass schedule and the school's worship life, and SHCS students serve as lectors, cantors, altar servers, and extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion.
- Director of Music: Lori Bowman ([email protected], ext. 6).
- Sunday Masses enhanced with congregational and choral music.
- SHCS students regularly serve as lectors, cantors, altar servers, and extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion.
Community, Outreach & Giving
Sacred Heart parishioners support the parish through online giving, the Annual Diocesan Appeal, and an ongoing Capital Campaign. The Knights of Columbus council livestreams the Sunday 8 am Mass, and the parish provides a free parish-wide subscription to FORMED ("Catholic Faith on Demand"). Flocknote keeps parishioners connected via text or email.
- Online Giving available through the parish website.
- Annual Diocesan Appeal — yearly fundraising for the Diocese of Fort Worth.
- Capital Campaign — supports parish facility needs.
- FORMED — Catholic Faith on Demand subscription, free for parishioners.
- Flocknote — text SHM1889 to 84576 or sign up at sacredheartmuenster.flocknote.com.
- Knights of Columbus livestreams the Sunday 8:00 am Mass.
Contact, Campus & Visit
The church sits at 714 N. Main Street in Muenster, with the Pastoral Office and school across town at 212 East 6th Street / 153 East 6th Street. Pastoral Office hours are Monday–Friday, 8 am to 4 pm. From I-35, take Hwy 82 west about 13 miles into Muenster, turn right onto Main Street, and continue about seven blocks; the church is on the right.
- Church address: 714 N. Main Street, Muenster, TX 76252.
- Pastoral Office / mailing: 212 East 6th Street, Muenster, TX 76252.
- School address: 153 E. 6th Street, Muenster, TX 76252.
- Phone: 940-759-2500 (parish) / 940-759-2511 (school).
- Pastoral Office Hours: Mon–Fri 8 am – 4 pm.
- Directions: I-35 → Hwy 82 W ~13 miles → right on Main St. → 7 blocks on the right.
Notable Parish Identity
Sacred Heart's identity is rooted in its German Catholic heritage, its long Benedictine connection, and a community-wide devotion to St. Joseph as protector against severe weather. The parish is the spiritual and civic heart of Muenster — a town whose official founding date is the date of the parish's first Mass.
- German Catholic heritage dating to the 1889 Flusche colony.
- Benedictine pastoral and teaching presence spanning more than a century.
- Community-wide devotion to St. Joseph for protection from storms.
- Parish and town share a single founding date: December 8, 1889.
- Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus celebrated annually (June 12, 2026).
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. H. Brickley1889
Pastor of Gainesville; celebrated the first Mass in Muenster on December 8, 1889 at an altar in the Flusche land office.
- Rev. Bonaventure Binzeger, O.S.B.1893–
First Benedictine priest at Sacred Heart, sent from Subiaco Abbey; later invited the Benedictine Sisters of Jonesboro, AR, to teach in the parish school.
- Rev. Frowin Koerdt, O.S.B.from 1919
Began the drive to replace the original wooden school; the red-brick school building first held classes in 1925–26 under his pastorate.