About Sacred Heart · Oak Grove, Louisiana
Sacred Heart Church is a small Catholic parish located at 201 Purvis Street in Oak Grove, Louisiana, the seat of West Carroll Parish in the rural northeastern part of the state. Established in 1947, it is part of the Diocese of Shreveport's Eastern Deanery and has historically been twinned with St. Patrick Parish in Lake Providence, sharing clergy and pastoral staff. The parish welcomes both English-speaking and Spanish-speaking faithful, offering weekly Mass in each language along with Friday Eucharistic Adoration and regular opportunities for the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
- Established
- 1947
- Patron
- Sacred Heart of Jesus
- Rector
- Reverend Joseph Maddala (effective August 15, 2026)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Shreveport (Bishop Francis I. Malone)
Why belong here
Sacred Heart offers a faithful, bilingual Catholic home in rural northeast Louisiana: weekly Sunday Mass in English plus a recurring Spanish Mass for the wider Hispanic community, Wednesday and weekday Masses, Eucharistic Adoration on Fridays, and regular Confession. The parish shares a robust Parish School of Religion (elementary and high school), an active Hispanic Ministry, Our Lady of Guadalupe celebrations, community fellowship meals with neighboring churches, and seasonal retreats — all under the personal care of a resident pastor dedicated to both Sacred Heart and its sister parish of St. Patrick in Lake Providence.
Mass times at Sacred Heart
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday: 11:00 am – 11:45 am
- Friday: 11:15 am – 11:45 am
- Or by appointment
Adoration times
- Friday: 8:00 am – 12:00 pm
Welcome to Sacred Heart Parish
Sacred Heart is a small, welcoming Catholic community serving Oak Grove and the wider West Carroll Parish area of rural northeast Louisiana. The parish belongs to the Eastern Deanery of the Diocese of Shreveport and has shared a pastor with neighboring St. Patrick Parish in Lake Providence for many years, giving both faith communities a stable, full-time resident priest and a rich calendar of Masses, formation, and fellowship.
- Address: 201 Purvis Street, Oak Grove, LA 71263
- Phone: (318) 428-2683
- Diocese: Shreveport (Eastern Deanery)
- Established: 1947
- Mailing address: PO Box 419, Oak Grove, LA 71263-0419
Parish School of Religion (PSR)
Sacred Heart runs a Parish School of Religion program for both elementary and high-school-aged students, meeting on Wednesdays during the school year. The program supplements weekday faith formation for children attending public schools in West Carroll Parish.
- Elementary PSR: Wednesdays, 6:00 pm (in the Rectory)
- High School PSR: Wednesdays, 5:30 pm (in the Rectory)
- PSR classes typically begin in early November and run through the spring
Hispanic Ministry (Ministerio Hispano)
The parish maintains an active Hispanic ministry that includes a recurring Spanish Mass as well as social gatherings and shared meals. The annual Our Lady of Guadalupe celebration in December is one of the highlights of the parish calendar.
- Sunday Spanish Mass (currently 1:00 pm)
- Ministerio Hispano shared meals in Germain Hall
- Our Lady of Guadalupe Mass and Meal — Friday, December 12, at 5:00 pm, followed by dinner in Germain Hall
- All Souls Day Blessing of the Graves at Oak Grove Cemetery (in Spanish and English)
Faith Formation & Special Programs
Beyond the PSR, Sacred Heart has offered formation for adults and youth through retreats, missions, and devotional programs — many of them held in Germain Hall on the parish grounds.
- Advent Retreat — 'What St. Nicholas Can Teach Us About Advent' (annual, Germain Hall)
- Pre-Lenten Mission — multi-day mission with a visiting priest
- Total Consecration to Jesus Through Mary — multi-week preparation series
- Choir practice (combined with St. Patrick)
Fellowship & Community Outreach
Sacred Heart has long taken part in inter-church fellowship with other Christian congregations in West Carroll Parish, including a Community Fellowship Meal hosted on a rotating basis and joint Thanksgiving services.
- Community Fellowship Meal — monthly, hosted with other area churches (Barker Hall / Germain Hall)
- East Carroll Ministerial Alliance Thanksgiving Service
- Christmas Pot Luck and Party — annual parish social after Sunday Mass
- Pro-Life Mass and other seasonal observances
Parish Facilities
The parish campus centers on the church at 201 Purvis Street, with adjacent parish buildings that host formation and fellowship.
- Church building — corner of Purvis Street, one block off Hwy. 2
- Germain Hall — used for retreats, ministry meals, and formation gatherings
- Rectory — houses PSR classrooms and the parish office
- Joint mailing via PO Box 419, Oak Grove, LA 71263-0419
Directions & Visiting
Sacred Heart is easy to find in the small town of Oak Grove. From the junction of US Hwy. 2 and LA Hwy. 17, head west on Hwy. 2, then turn right onto Purvis Street and continue one block to the church on the corner.
- From Hwys. 2 & 17, go west on Hwy. 2
- Turn right onto Purvis Street
- Continue one block — church is on the corner
- Address: 201 Purvis Street, Oak Grove, LA 71263
Diocesan & Administrative Notes
Sacred Heart is a registered 501(c)(3) religious organization (EIN 72-1026332) under the Diocese of Shreveport and falls within its Eastern Deanery. All clergy assignments are made by the diocesan bishop and published in periodic clergy announcements.
- Diocese of Shreveport — Bishop Francis I. Malone
- Deanery: Eastern Deanery
- Rite: Roman-Latin
- GCatholic Church ID: 36280
- Parish status: Active parish church; joint administration with St. Patrick, Lake Providence
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Mark Watsonmid-2010s (as of 2014 records)
Led joint Sacred Heart (Oak Grove) / St. Patrick (Lake Providence) parishes; oversaw PSR, Spanish ministry, Our Lady of Guadalupe Mass, and Community Fellowship Meal.
- Reverend Kelby R. Tinglethrough mid-2026
Served as pastor/administrator of St. Patrick (Lake Providence) and Sacred Heart (Oak Grove); briefly also administrator of St. Joseph, Bastrop, in March 2026. Reassigned June 22, 2026 to Loyola College Prep chaplain and associate pastor of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Shreveport.
- Reverend Joseph Maddalaeffective August 15, 2026
Relieved as administrator of St. Joseph, Zwolle, and its mission St. Ann, Ebarb; appointed pastor of St. Patrick Parish, Lake Providence, and Sacred Heart Parish, Oak Grove. Resides at St. Patrick Rectory.