About Sacred Heart · Oconee, Illinois
Sacred Heart Church is a small Roman Catholic parish in the rural village of Oconee, Illinois, in Shelby County. Founded in 1872 by German-settler families who worked to secure a German-speaking priest, it has served the same community for over 150 years and is one of the smallest parishes in the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois, with roughly 142 parishioners in 59 families. The parish shares pastoral leadership with nearby St. Patrick in Pana and is known for its warm intergenerational congregation, deep Marian devotion, and beloved annual Family Fall Festival.
- Established
- 1872
- Patron
- Sacred Heart of Jesus
- Rector
- Rev. T. Joseph Havrilka
- Diocese
- Diocese of Springfield in Illinois
Why belong here
Sacred Heart is a small, close-knit parish where many pews are still filled by descendants of the German-settler families who founded it in 1872, giving the community a rare generational continuity. The parish nourishes a strong Marian and Eucharistic spirituality through weekly Tuesday Adoration, the Rosary, and beautifully crafted stained-glass windows depicting its devotion. Its annual Family Fall Festival (running for over 30 years) and Trap Shoot bring together parishioners, neighbors, and visitors of all ages in genuine country-parish hospitality.
Mass times at Sacred Heart
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday: 5:00 – 5:30 p.m. (during Adoration)
Adoration times
- Tuesday: 5:00 – 5:55 p.m. (Diocesan directory lists 5:00 – 6:00 p.m.)
About Sacred Heart Parish
Sacred Heart Church is a small Roman Catholic parish in the village of Oconee, Shelby County, Illinois, within the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois. With about 142 parishioners across 59 families, it is one of the most intimate rural parishes in the diocese, sharing pastoral leadership with nearby St. Patrick in Pana. The community is rooted in the German-Catholic heritage of 1860s settlers and continues to be served by generations of their descendants.
- Parish name: Sacred Heart (Church of the Sacred Heart)
- Established: May 9, 1872
- Parish size: about 142 parishioners in 59 families
- Pastor: Rev. T. Joseph Havrilka (resides at St. Patrick, Pana)
- Diocese: Springfield in Illinois
Parish History & Heritage
The faith community that became Sacred Heart began in the 1860s, when German-settler families in Oconee worked hard to secure a German-speaking priest for their town. The parish was officially established on May 9, 1872, with the celebration of the first Mass in a small wooden church (18 by 36 feet). That structure was soon outgrown and replaced by a brick church, which was struck by lightning and destroyed by fire in 1911. The present church was built and dedicated in 1913.
- 1860s: German-settler families begin gathering for the faith
- May 9, 1872: First Mass celebrated; parish officially established
- 1911: Second (brick) church destroyed by lightning and fire
- 1913: Present church built and dedicated
- 1940s: Hand-painted dome image of the Sacred Heart added by a teenage parishioner
- June 2022: 150th Parish Anniversary celebrated
Architecture & Sacred Art
The current church, dedicated in 1913, is marked by the handiwork of the parishioners themselves. The signature feature is the Sacred Heart image painted on the dome of the sanctuary, completed in the 1940s by a teenage girl from the parish while her father and uncle worked on repairs to the building. The parish's deep Marian devotion is reflected in stained-glass windows depicting the Mysteries of the Rosary and in a Rose window in the choir loft.
- Built and dedicated in 1913
- Hand-painted dome image of the Sacred Heart (1940s)
- Stained-glass windows of the Mysteries of the Rosary
- Rose window in the choir loft
Clergy & Staff
The parish is staffed by a pastor who also serves St. Patrick in Pana, along with a secretary/bookkeeper and a liturgy director. According to the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois pastoral directory, the pastor resides at St. Patrick in Pana.
- Rev. T. Joseph Havrilka — Pastor (resides at St. Patrick, Pana)
- Zetta Wolf — Secretary, Bookkeeper
- John Berns — Liturgy Director
Parish Life & Annual Events
Sacred Heart's small size makes its annual gatherings feel like family reunions. Two long-running fundraisers bring the wider community to the parish grounds each fall.
Family Fall Festival
Held annually on the last Sunday in September and the first two Sundays in October, from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The festival began in 1994 with a 2,000-bale straw maze, pumpkins in the field, and school field trips to teach children about farming. Today it features great food, homemade desserts, kettle corn, pumpkin painting, face painting, hayrides, and cart rides. The layout allows adults to visit with family and old friends while the children play.
- In its 30th year as of recent celebrations
- Last Sunday in September plus first two Sundays in October
- Hours: 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
- Food, kettle corn, hayrides, cart rides, pumpkin and face painting
Trap Shoot
Held the first Sunday of November, 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., the Trap Shoot offers chili or vegetable soup, homemade pie, and a spinning wheel for a chance to win a Thanksgiving turkey and other prizes. Three trap houses run continually for shooters and hunters to practice their aim.
- First Sunday of November, 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
- Chili, vegetable soup, and homemade pie
- Turkey and prize wheel
- Three trap houses for shooters
Sacred Heart Cemetery
The parish maintains a cemetery with its own listing in the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois pastoral directory, managed by the pastor. The cemetery office uses the parish phone line at (217) 539-4325.
- Sacred Heart Cemetery, P.O. Box 45, Oconee, IL 62553
- Office: (217) 539-4325
- Cemetery Manager: Rev. T. Joseph Havrilka
Visit, Contact & Directions
Visitors are warmly welcomed. The parish office can be reached by phone during regular hours, and the parish's own directions describe the church as located at the northwest corner of town, reached via US 51 to Drover. Holy Day and special event schedules are posted on the parish website.
- Address: 201 North Walnut, P.O. Box 45, Oconee, IL 62553
- Phone: (217) 539-4325
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://www.shspana.com/sacred-heart-church
- Directions: US 51 to Drover, church at the northwest corner of town