About Sacred Heart · Oberlin, Ohio
Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church (SHOJ) is a Catholic parish in the Diocese of Cleveland, located at 410 West Lorain Street in Oberlin, Ohio, in Lorain County. Established in 1880, the parish has served the small college town of Oberlin (home of Oberlin College) for more than 140 years, growing from a mission served by traveling priests into a thriving parish with its own church, education building, and a roster of liturgical, educational, charitable, and social ministries. Today it is pastored by Fr. David R. Trask, the parish's 35th pastor, who also serves as pastor of nearby St. Patrick Parish in Wellington. The parish offers weekend and weekday Mass, Eucharistic Adoration with Confession, a Parish School of Religion (PSR), OCIA (formerly RCIA), and a wide range of parish organizations and outreach efforts.
- Established
- 1880
- Patron
- Sacred Heart of Jesus
- Rector
- Rev. David R. Trask (35th Pastor; assigned 2018)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Cleveland
Why belong here
Sacred Heart of Jesus is a long-established, mission-sized Catholic parish that prides itself on gracious hospitality, thought-provoking homilies, and enriching liturgical music. It offers a full sacramental life — daily and weekend Mass, Friday-morning Eucharistic Adoration with Confession, First Communion, Confirmation, Marriage prep, OCIA, and a Parish School of Religion — alongside a remarkable range of ministries (choir, lectors, altar servers, EMHCs, a Spiritual Life Committee, the LIFT women's fellowship, a Social Events Committee, a Sunshine Committee, food collection, Giving Tree, Peace & Justice work, and the Sacred Heart Concert Series at Oberlin). For those seeking a faithful, welcoming community in Lorain County, it is a parish where parishioners are deeply involved in both worship and outreach.
Mass times at Sacred Heart
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Friday mornings during Eucharistic Adoration (7:00–8:30 AM)
- By appointment — call Fr. David Trask at 440.987.9873
Adoration times
- Friday 7:00–8:30 AM (Eucharistic Adoration, followed by 8:45 AM Mass)
Parish History
Sacred Heart Parish traces its official founding to June 1, 1880, when Rev. John T. Schaffield celebrated Mass at the home of John and Rosanna Welch, though Catholic families had been served by traveling priests from Grafton and Elyria since the early 1860s. Over the next decade Fr. Schaffield served as mission pastor while Oberlin's Catholic families organized to purchase property and, in 1887, acquired two lots at South Pleasant and Groveland Streets.
- Cornerstone laid September 4, 1890 (≈1,500 attendees)
- First Mass in the original brick church: Christmas Day, 1890
- Church officially dedicated May 13, 1900 by Bishop Ignatius F. Hortsmann
- First resident priest, Fr. Peter E. Dietz, arrives January 1906
- 1909: Fr. Dietz organizes the first Social Service Institute in the U.S. under Catholic auspices
- 1950s: Fr. Thomas A. Kirby acquires 10 acres on West Lorain Street
- June 28, 1959: First Mass in the new church, celebrated by Fr. Anthony J. Winters
- September 17, 1967: Bishop Clarence G. Issenmann dedicates the new church and education building
- November 1995: New pipe organ dedicated during an all-community Thanksgiving Service
- 2018: Fr. David R. Trask assigned as the parish's 35th pastor
Pastoral Staff
Sacred Heart is pastored by Fr. David R. Trask, the parish's 35th pastor, who was ordained for the Diocese of Cleveland in June 1986 and assigned to Sacred Heart in 2018 following Fr. Robert Cole's retirement. He is assisted on weekends by Fr. Robert J. Kraig (ordained May 27, 1972; retired as pastor of St. John Neumann, Strongsville in 2018). The parish also counts two Pastors Emeriti — Fr. Robert Cole and Fr. William B. Padavick — and retired Deacon Tom Daw among its clergy. The Diocese of Cleveland lists Fr. David R. Trask as Pastor and Fr. William B. Padavick as Pastor Emeritus.
- Fr. David R. Trask — Pastor (also pastor of St. Patrick, Wellington; chaplain at Lorain Correctional Institution since 2021)
- Rev. Robert J. Kraig — Weekend Presider
- Fr. Robert Cole — Pastor Emeritus
- Fr. William B. Padavick — Pastor Emeritus
- Deacon Tom Daw — Retired
Parish Staff & Office Hours
A small staff keeps the parish running day to day. The parish office is open Monday and Thursday 9 AM–2 PM, and Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday 9 AM–Noon; it is closed on weekends and major national holidays. The office can be reached at 440.707.6707 x0, Fr. Trask's direct line is 440.987.9873, and Mass/Confession information is at extension x1.
- Christine Toth — Secretary, Bulletin Editor (Mon & Thu)
- Joe McCormick — Secretary (Tue & Fri)
- Jan Mitchell — Secretary (Wed)
- Joanne Wagner — PSR Coordinator (x6)
- Carl Lee — Music Director (x5)
- David Johnston — Custodian (x4)
Mass & Sacraments
Sacred Heart celebrates Mass on Saturday afternoon (Sunday Vigil) and Sunday morning, plus two weekday Masses on Thursday and Friday mornings. The Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation is offered Friday mornings during Eucharistic Adoration (7:00–8:30 AM), and at any other time by appointment with Fr. Trask. Mass schedule exceptions for 2026 include no weekday Masses July 6–10, September 13–25, and October 7–9.
- Saturday Vigil: 4:00 PM
- Sunday: 10:30 AM
- Thursday: 8:45 AM
- Friday: 8:45 AM
- Confession: Friday during Adoration 7:00–8:30 AM, or by appointment
- Eucharistic Adoration: Friday 7:00–8:30 AM
- Live-streamed Mass available
- Stations of the Cross in Lent; Holy Week/Easter 2026 liturgies posted on the website
Sacraments Offered
The parish website lists dedicated pages for each sacrament, with information for parents, couples, the sick, and those discerning vocations.
- Baptism — general info
- Reconciliation (First Reconciliation and ongoing)
- First Communion
- Confirmation (with Confirmation Makeup resources)
- Marriage
- Holy Orders
- Anointing of the Sick
Liturgical Ministries
Parishioners serve in every aspect of the Sacred Heart liturgy. The Music Ministry, under Music Director Carl Lee, includes both a regular Choir (rehearsing weekly, with attendance not mandatory except before holidays) and a Funeral Choir that sings at weekday funeral Masses, plus instrumentalists who accompany the congregation. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion are trained by the pastor and certified by the Diocesan Office for Worship, and they bring Communion to the home-bound, hospitalized, and residents of nursing homes.
- Altar Servers
- Art and Environment Committee
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (Joe McCormick coordinates nursing-home visits at 440.775.7811)
- Lectors
- Music Ministers — Choir, Funeral Choir, Instrumentalists (contact Carl Lee at 440.320.9138)
- Sacristans
- Ushers
- Ministry Schedules published on the website (Lector/EMHC, Servers)
Spiritual Life & Adult Formation
The Spiritual Life Committee assists the pastor in planning and implementing parish programs of spiritual development and adult religious education — including retreats, missions, and special liturgies. In the spring of 2023 the committee offered Bishop Barron's 'The Sacraments' series to the parish; in fall 2022 it sponsored a three-part series on the Eucharist by Bishop Barron. Members meet on the fourth Thursday of each month during the academic year; contact Sue Palmieri at 440.774.1191.
- May Crowning of Mary
- Novena to the Holy Spirit
- Prayer Requests & Petition Book (also online)
- Spiritual Life Committee
- ChristLife series at Sacred Heart
Parish School of Religion & OCIA
The Parish School of Religion (PSR) is the parish's religious education program for children, coordinated by Joanne Wagner. Sacramental preparation (Reconciliation, First Communion, Confirmation) is offered, with a Confirmation Makeup resource available for missed sessions. Adults seeking full initiation into the Catholic Church are welcomed through OCIA (the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults, formerly referred to as RCIA).
- Parish School of Religion (PSR) — Joanne Wagner, coordinator (x6)
- Register for PSR
- Reconciliation prep
- First Communion prep
- Confirmation Makeup Questions
- OCIA (formerly RCIA)
Community Concerns & Outreach
Sacred Heart supports neighbors in need through ongoing community-outreach ministries and a Peace & Justice effort. The parish also posts a Community Resource List for those seeking assistance with abuse, addiction, bullying, counseling, and mental health.
- Food Collection
- Giving Tree
- Peace & Justice
- Community Resource List
Parish Life & Fellowship
Sacred Heart fosters community through a number of lay-led groups and activities. LIFT (Ladies In Fellowship Together) gathers the women of the parish, while the Social Events Committee and Sunshine Committee coordinate hospitality, celebrations, and outreach to those who are sick or grieving. The parish also hosts the Sacred Heart Concert Series at Oberlin, maintains a Parish Lending Library, and offers a parish mailing list (Prayer Chain, Weekly Bulletin, etc.).
- LIFT — Ladies In Fellowship Together
- Majority of One
- Social Events Committee
- Sunshine Committee
- Sacred Heart Concert Series at Oberlin
- Parish Lending Library
- Parish Mailing Lists (Prayer Chain, Weekly Bulletin)
- Online Petition Book / Blog
Parish Pastoral Council (PPC)
The Parish Pastoral Council is a consultative and advisory (not deliberative) body that assists the pastor in discerning the pastoral direction of the parish in light of the Bishop's and the wider Church's vision. The council normally consists of eight to fourteen members chosen by the pastor for two- or three-year terms, renewable once. PPC meets the third Thursday of the month during the academic year (with the exception of December).
- Ana Badillo
- Daniel Clark
- Julie Dispenza
- Jackie Findish
- Sebastian Mejia
- Mary Jo Ockenga (Secretary)
- Rebecca Schlather
- Joanne Wagner
Funerals
The parish supports families through the funeral liturgy with a Funeral Planning Booklet, guidance on the funeral homily, and a dedicated Funeral Choir of singers available on weekday mornings.
- Funerals at Sacred Heart — overview
- The Funeral Homily
- Funeral Planning Booklet
- Funeral Choir (volunteer singers, weekday availability)
Giving & Stewardship
Sacred Heart offers multiple ways to give, including electronic giving, legacy giving, and traditional weekly collection envelopes. The website also includes a scam-alert note: neither the parish nor Fr. Trask will ever request money (gift cards, cash, etc.) via personal emails or texts — parishioners are urged to call the office if in doubt.
- Electronic Giving
- Legacy Giving
- Weekly Collection Envelopes
- Online petition book / blog
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. John T. Schaffield1880–c.1890
Celebrated the first official Mass on June 1, 1880 at the home of John and Rosanna Welch; served as mission pastor for the next decade; celebrated first Mass in the original brick church on Christmas Day 1890.
- Bishop Ignatius F. Hortsmann1900 (dedication)
Dedicated the first Sacred Heart church on May 13, 1900; assigned the parish's first resident priest, Fr. Peter E. Dietz.
- Rev. Peter E. Dietz1906–
First resident Catholic priest of Oberlin; built the first rectory on South Pleasant Street; organized the first Social Service Institute in the U.S. under Catholic auspices in Oberlin in 1909.
- Rev. Thomas A. Kirbyearly 1950s
Acquired ten acres on West Lorain Street and began planning the move to the parish's present site.
- Rev. Martin T. Engelhardt
Arrived after Fr. Kirby's transfer; broke ground for a new education and general-purpose building.
- Rev. Anthony J. Winters
Celebrated the first Mass in the new West Lorain Street church on June 28, 1959.
- Rev. Robert Coleuntil 2018
Retired in 2018; now Pastor Emeritus.
- Rev. William B. Padavick
Past predecessor; now Pastor Emeritus.
- Rev. David R. Trask2018–present
35th Pastor of Sacred Heart; also pastor of St. Patrick, Wellington; Catholic Contract Chaplain at Lorain Correctional Institution since 2021.