About Sacred Heart of Jesus · Anna, Ohio
Sacred Heart of Jesus is a Roman Catholic parish in the village of McCartyville, Shelby County, Ohio (mailing address Anna, OH 45302), founded in 1882 by Father Dominic Shunk, CPPS of Minster with twenty Irish families. It is one of four parishes that since July 1, 2022 form the St. Joseph, Pillar of Families Parishes within the Archdiocese of Cincinnati under the Beacons of Light reorganization, sharing a pastor and three parochial vicars with Holy Angels (Sidney), St. Michael (Fort Loramie), and Ss. Peter and Paul (Newport). The parish serves approximately 750 registered families, runs a robust CCD religious education program, and operates St. Philomena Catholic Montessori School on its grounds.
- Established
- 1882
- Patron
- Sacred Heart of Jesus
- Rector
- Rev. Jarred Kohn
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Cincinnati
Why belong here
Sacred Heart is a more than 140-year-old rural Catholic community with deep Irish-Catholic roots and a strong family identity centered in the village of McCartyville. It offers daily Mass four days a week plus a full Saturday Vigil and two Sunday Masses, weekly Eucharistic Adoration on Thursdays, an active choir and cantor music program, on-site St. Philomena Catholic Montessori School, a thriving CCD program for hundreds of students, and a bevy of lay ministries — ushers, lectors, greeters, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, altar servers, an Altar Rosary Sodality with its own podcast, a parish prayer line, Vacation Bible School, and youth ministry including the Steubenville youth trip. Joining the parish means becoming part of the new St. Joseph, Pillar of Families family alongside Holy Angels, St. Michael, and Ss. Peter and Paul under the Beacons of Light initiative of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.
Mass times at Sacred Heart of Jesus
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Thursday 6:00 – 7:00 pm
- Friday 7:05 – 7:30 am
- Saturday 3:30 – 4:30 pm
- Sunday 7:15 – 7:30 am (before 8:00 Mass)
- Sunday 9:15 – 9:30 am (before 10:00 Mass)
Adoration times
- Thursday 8:30 am Exposition, with Benediction at 7:15 pm
- Eucharistic Adoration Chapel open since 1998 (perpetual adoration chapel)
Parish History: From Twenty Irish Families to a Modern Family of Parishes
Sacred Heart was established on June 4, 1882 when Father Dominic Shunk, CPPS of Minster organized twenty Irish families into a new congregation — the last parish formed from the original St. Augustine parish in Minster. A modest church and parish house were built that same year. By 1890 the small community had paid off the original $1,230 building debt; in 1894 the bell tower, vestibule, and three named bells (Christina, Joseph, and Maria) were added. A sanctuary and sacristy followed in 1906, the present rectory was built 1910–1913, and electricity was installed in 1920. The parish grew steadily through the twentieth century, weathering the loss of its school during the Great Depression and the destruction of its church by an 80-mph windstorm in 1948. A new limestone church was dedicated in 1953, the Eucharistic Adoration Chapel opened in 1998, and the current worship facility was dedicated on Father's Day, June 17, 2007. On July 1, 2022 Sacred Heart became one of four parishes of the St. Joseph, Pillar of Families family under the Archdiocese of Cincinnati's Beacons of Light initiative.
- 1882 — Church founded by Fr. Dominic Shunk, CPPS with 20 Irish families
- 1894 — Bell tower, vestibule and three bells (Christina, Joseph, Maria) added
- 1906 — Sanctuary and sacristy added
- 1910–1913 — Present rectory built
- 1928 — Sacred Heart School built (Fr. Lawrence Meyer, pastor)
- 1937 — School sold to McCartyville School District for $31,900 during the Depression
- 1948 — 80-mph windstorm destroyed the church on March 19
- 1952–53 — New limestone church with Caracas marble altar dedicated
- 1994 — Parish bought back the McCartyville School at public auction
- 1998 — Eucharistic Adoration Chapel opened
- 2007 — New worship facility dedicated on Father's Day, June 17
- 2015 — Parish Activity Center (PAC) constructed and dedicated in December
- 2020 — New church rectory construction completed
- 2022 — Joined St. Joseph, Pillar of Families Parishes (Beacons of Light)
St. Joseph, Pillar of Families Parishes
Since July 1, 2022, Sacred Heart of Jesus has been one of four parishes in the St. Joseph, Pillar of Families family formed by the Archdiocese of Cincinnati's Beacons of Light program (the Northwest 7 family of parishes). The unified family is led by Pastor Rev. Jarred Kohn and three Parochial Vicars — Rev. Stephen Mondiek, Rev. Aaron Hess, and Rev. Andrew Reckers — who rotate through and serve the four parishes together. A Family Pastoral Council with representatives from each parish meets regularly to guide the life of the family of parishes.
- Sacred Heart of Jesus — McCartyville / Anna, OH
- Holy Angels — Sidney, OH
- St. Michael — Fort Loramie, OH
- Ss. Peter and Paul — Newport, OH
- Pastor: Rev. Jarred Kohn
- Parochial Vicars: Rev. Stephen Mondiek, Rev. Aaron Hess, Rev. Andrew Reckers
Faith Formation & Religious Education (CCD)
The parish runs a substantial religious education program. By 2015 there were 460 students enrolled in CCD classes; by 2007 enrollment had reached 487 students for the school year. CCD has long been the backbone of youth faith formation at Sacred Heart, supplementing the public-school education students receive in the Anna Local School District.
- Approximately 460 students in CCD (2015)
- 487 CCD students enrolled for 2006–2007
- Religious Education contact line: (937) 394-2723
St. Philomena Catholic Montessori School
On the parish grounds, Sacred Heart operates St. Philomena's Catholic Montessori School. The school is an integral part of the parish's ministry to families and shares the religious education phone line at (937) 394-2723. The parish website links directly to the school's website and provides a dedicated donate-to-St. Philomena button.
- St. Philomena's Catholic Montessori School (on-site)
- Donations accepted via dedicated link on parish homepage
- Shared contact line: (937) 394-2723
Music & Liturgical Ministries
Sacred Heart's music ministry is led by a Music Ministry Director / Organist / Pianist working with separate Adult and Youth Choirs and a Cantor Ministry. The Adult Choir typically sings at the 10:00 am Mass; the Youth Choir sings twice a month; cantors lead the 8:00 am Mass and one or two Saturday Vigil Masses a month. Both choirs practice from August through May. The parish also maintains a robust corps of lay liturgical ministers — ushers, lectors, greeters, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, and altar servers — with schedules published quarterly on the parish website.
- Music Ministry Director / Organist / Pianist
- Adult Choir (10:00 am Mass; Aug–May)
- Youth Choir (twice a month; Aug–May)
- Cantor Ministry (8:00 am Mass; 1–2 Saturdays/month)
- Ushers, Lectors, Greeters, EMHC, Altar Servers
Sacraments
The parish celebrates all seven Catholic sacraments. Baptism and marriage preparation begin with forms available on the parish website, including a Baptism Registration Form and a Baptism Sponsor Eligibility Form. The Anointing of the Sick is available for the seriously ill, and a Sacramental Emergency line is staffed around the clock by one of the four priests of the St. Joseph, Pillar of Families family.
- Baptism — registration & sponsor eligibility forms online
- Reconciliation — see confession schedule
- Eucharist / First Communion
- Confirmation
- Marriage — preparation through parish office
- Anointing of the Sick
- Holy Orders — encouragement of vocations is a frequent theme in pastor/vicar columns
- Sacramental Emergency line: (937) 947-0204
Outreach, Devotions and Parish Life
Beyond Mass and sacraments, Sacred Heart runs an active Altar Rosary Sodality (which also publishes the Parish Rosary Podcast at anchor.fm/altarrosarysodality), a parish Prayer Line staffed by three lay ministers, and various youth activities including Vacation Bible School and a Steubenville Youth Trip. The parish maintains a Rachel Shrine in front of the church, erected in 1999 to remember the unborn, and a Holy Hour and Benediction is observed on the first Sunday of every month. Online giving is available via WeShare.
- Altar Rosary Sodality — with podcast at anchor.fm/altarrosarysodality
- Prayer Line — Molly Buehler (937-726-6711), Judy Thaman (937-622-1919), Diane Reiss (937-726-1366)
- Vacation Bible School
- Steubenville Youth Trip
- Rachel Shrine (erected 1999) — for the unborn
- First Sunday Holy Hour & Benediction
- St. Philomena Novena
- Divine Mercy Novena
- Online giving via WeShare
Parish Facilities & Rentals
Sacred Heart's campus includes the church (dedicated 2007), an undercroft with 11 classrooms (finished 2011), a rectory (completed 2020), the Parish Activity Center (PAC, dedicated December 2015), the parish office (completed 2012), a baseball diamond and shelter house east of the cemetery, and St. Philomena's Catholic Montessori School. The parish rents meeting rooms, the basement/kitchen, the ball diamond/shelter house, and the PAC to community groups and families; rentals are coordinated through George Sholtis.
- Parish Activity Center (PAC) — dedicated December 2015
- Undercroft with 11 classrooms — finished 2011
- New rectory — completed 2020
- Parish office — completed 2012
- Baseball diamond and shelter house east of cemetery
- St. Philomena Montessori School
- Rentals: contact George Sholtis, [email protected] or 937-498-2307
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Dominic Shunk, CPPS1882
Founder; gathered 20 Irish families to establish Sacred Heart Church on June 4, 1882
- Rev. Lawrence Meyerby 1928
Oversaw building of Sacred Heart School in 1928
- Rev. Edward Summed. 1954
Died in office; parish debt over $250,000 at his death
- Rev. Leo Herlihyfrom 1954
Began parish socials and homecomings
- Rev. Michael Husseyd. ~1990/91
Died in office
- Rev. Gerald Bensman1991–1999
A parish son; became pastor after Fr. Hussey's death
- Rev. Patrick P. Duffy1999–2003
Rachel Shrine erected in front of church during his pastorate
- Rev. Patrick Welshfrom 2002
New plaza steps, traveling statues, monthly holy hour and benediction started
- Rev. John W. Tonkinfrom 2009
Baseball diamond built east of cemetery; sanctuary lamp from original church installed in current sanctuary
- Rev. Stephen Mondiekfrom 2016
Rectory construction completed in 2020; became Parochial Vicar in 2022 under Beacons of Light
- Rev. Jarred Kohnfrom 2022
First pastor of the unified St. Joseph, Pillar of Families Parishes