About Sacred Heart of Jesus · Anniston, Alabama
Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Anniston, Alabama, belonging to the Diocese of Birmingham. The faith community traces its roots to the late 1880s, when Catholic families gathered around Jesuit missionaries from Selma, and today numbers roughly 980 registered families spread across Calhoun County. The parish is bilingual (English and Spanish), with Hispanic Catholics making up about forty percent of the community, and it is known for its liturgical beauty, strong sacramental life, and outreach through the Knights of Columbus, St. Vincent de Paul Society, Catholic Marriage and Family Movement, and Evangelization Ministries. The current pastor, Rev. John G. McDonald, leads the parish from its campus at 1301 Golden Springs Road.
- Established
- 1883
- Patron
- Sacred Heart of Jesus
- Rector
- Rev. John G. McDonald
- Diocese
- Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama
Why belong here
Sacred Heart of Jesus offers a warmly bilingual Catholic home in Anniston, with about 980 registered families, Mass celebrated in both English and Spanish, and a congregation in which roughly 40% are Hispanic and 75% are under the age of 21. It pairs a strong sacramental and devotional life — daily Mass, First Friday Adoration, First Saturday Mass with Anointing, a weekly OCIA process, and seasonal devotions — with active lay apostolates such as the Knights of Columbus, the parish conference of the St. Vincent de Paul Society, the Catholic Marriage and Family Movement, and Evangelization Ministries. Three Missionary Guadalupan Sisters of the Holy Spirit live on campus and serve the Hispanic community, making it an unusually rich place for families seeking both traditional liturgical beauty and a vibrant multicultural Catholic life.
Mass times at Sacred Heart of Jesus
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 2:30 PM (also reported as 3:30–4:30 PM in earlier bulletins)
- By appointment (call 256-237-3011 or email [email protected])
Adoration times
- First Friday of the month, 7:30 AM – 6:00 PM
Identity and Mission
Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church is a bilingual Roman Catholic parish of the Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama, serving roughly 980 registered families in and around Anniston. Its published mission statement reads: 'We, the faith community of Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church, in striving to be like Christ, are committed to living the Gospel by participating in the Sacraments, promoting spiritual growth and religious education, and being an example of His Eucharistic love to all.'
- Patron: Sacred Heart of Jesus
- Feast: Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus (Friday after Corpus Christi, June in most years)
- Parish Mission Statement on the website
- Mailing address: PO Box 5010, Anniston, AL 36205
History of the Parish
Founded by Jesuits from Selma in the 1880s around an iron-foundry boomtown, the parish built its first little frame church at Third and Spruce Streets in 1883, then moved to a handsome brick church consecrated by Bishop Edward Allen on November 19, 1899, at 11th Street and Quintard Avenue. That church burned in 1922 amid the anti-Catholic violence of the era, was rebuilt smaller in 1923, gutted again by an arsonist in 1950, and finally gave way to the present Golden Springs Road campus whose groundbreaking was December 14, 1997. A parish K-12 school operated for decades (St. Mary's on McCall Drive, expanded under Father Donohoe to include a high school at Fort McClellan) and closed in May 2022.
- 1883: First frame church built at Third and Spruce Streets in Glen Addie
- 1899: Bishop Edward Allen consecrates the brick church at 11th & Quintard, on land bought from Grace Episcopal
- 1922 Palm Sunday: Fire of 'mysterious origin' destroys the church
- 1923: New, smaller church built on the same Quintard Avenue site
- 1950 Jan 11: Arson at the side altar of the Blessed Virgin Mary ruins the interior
- 1955: St. Mary's School opens on McCall Drive under Father Frank Giri
- 1997 Dec 14: Groundbreaking for the present Golden Springs Road church
- 2020: Missionary Guadalupan Sisters of the Holy Spirit arrive
- 2022 May: Parish school closes
Parish Staff and Clergy
Parish leadership includes the pastor, a permanent deacon, a pastoral associate from the Missionary Guadalupan Sisters of the Holy Spirit, the Hispanic Ministry coordinator, the Director of Religious Education, and the Parish Office Manager. The pastor's biography — born in Citronelle, AL, Loyola New Orleans '97, ordained 2007, former Director of Catholic Education for the Diocese of Birmingham, former Carl J. Peter Chair of Homiletics at the Pontifical North American College — is published in full on the parish website.
- Rev. John G. McDonald — Pastor (assigned 2019)
- Deacon Michael Cova ('Deacon Mike')
- Sr. Manuela De Jesus Gutierrez, M.G.Sp.S. — Pastoral Associate (Missionary Guadalupan Sisters of the Holy Spirit)
- Keila Sevgi — Hispanic Ministry Coordinator (16+ years on staff; native of Puerto Rico)
- Kristy Cofield — Director of Religious Education
- Laura Pratt — Parish Office Manager (Extension 101)
- Carla Keith — staff (Extension 104)
Faith Formation and OCIA
Adults interested in becoming Catholic or completing their sacraments are invited to OCIA — the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (formerly the RCIA). Sessions meet on Wednesday evenings at 6:00 PM and are open to the unbaptized, Christians baptized in another tradition, and baptized Catholics who have not yet received First Communion or Confirmation. The parish describes OCIA as 'a warm, supportive environment' with no commitment required to begin.
- OCIA sessions: Wednesday evenings, 6:00 PM
- Contact: church office, 256-237-3011
- Director of Religious Education: Kristy Cofield ([email protected])
- Open to unbaptized adults, other Christians, and uncatechized Catholics
Hispanic Ministry and the Guadalupan Mission
Hispanic Catholics make up roughly forty percent of the parish, and Sacred Heart has long maintained a dedicated Hispanic Ministry under coordinator Keila Sevgi, supported by the Missionary Guadalupan Sisters of the Holy Spirit (M.G.Sp.S.). The Sunday 1:00 PM Mass is celebrated in Spanish, the parish operates a separate 'Guadalupan Mission' phone line (256-419-5013) and email ([email protected]), and the Sisters maintain a convent on the parish campus, arriving in 2020.
- Sunday Misa en Español at 1:00 PM
- Hispanic Ministry Coordinator: Keila Sevgi ([email protected])
- Guadalupan Mission phone: 256-419-5013
- Missionary Guadalupan Sisters of the Holy Spirit (M.G.Sp.S.) on campus since 2020
- Sacramental records and Sacramental prep coordinated through the Hispanic Ministry office
Parish Ministries and Organizations
The parish supports a wide network of lay apostolates and works of charity. The Sacred Heart Conference of the St. Vincent de Paul Society (SVdP) is a parish-based group of 'Vincentians' who assist neighbors in need — including, at the time of writing, families affected by cuts to SNAP benefits. The Knights of Columbus, the Catholic Marriage and Family Movement, and Evangelization Ministries round out the parish's outreach, and the parish has functioning Pastoral and Finance Councils.
- St. Vincent de Paul Society — Sacred Heart Conference
- Knights of Columbus (council historically hosted Spanish Masses before the new church)
- Catholic Marriage and Family Movement
- Evangelization Ministries
- Pastoral Council
- Finance Council
Sacraments
Sacred Heart celebrates the full sacramental life of the Church. Preparation for Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, and Matrimony is offered through the Religious Education office and OCIA, while Anointing of the Sick is conferred following the First Saturday Mass each month. Confessions are heard Saturdays at 2:30 PM and by appointment with Deacon Mike.
- Baptism — through Religious Education
- First Communion & Confirmation — through OCIA and Religious Education
- Matrimony — contact the parish office
- Anointing of the Sick — after the First Saturday 8:00 AM Mass
- Confession — Saturday 2:30 PM and by appointment
Parish School (Historical)
From 1955 until May 2022 Sacred Heart operated a parish school. It opened as St. Mary's School on McCall Drive under Father Frank Giri and was originally staffed by the Benedictine Sisters of Cullman, who lived in a convent on the campus. Under Father Richard Donohoe the school expanded from its long-standing K-8 model to include a high school, made possible by the purchase of the former post school at Fort McClellan with the approval of Bishop David Foley. The school closed in May 2022 because the financial and organizational circumstances of running a K-12 program had become untenable; the McCall Drive campus had been sold earlier, in 1999, and was converted into a violin manufacturing center.
- Founded 1955 by Father Frank Giri and parish parents
- Originally K-8 on McCall Drive, staffed by Benedictine Sisters of Cullman
- Expanded to K-12 in the Donohoe era with the former Fort McClellan post school
- Closed May 2022; assets redirected to the church campus
Getting Involved and Membership
Parishioners and newcomers can register online through the ParishSoft Family Suite — selecting 'new user' and following the on-screen steps — or by dropping a paper registration form in the completed-forms box in the narthex. The parish staff will create an account for those not comfortable registering online. Existing parishioners can also use ParishSoft to update their records. Questions about registration, ministries, OCIA, or the Guadalupan Mission can be directed to the parish office at 256-237-3011.
- Online registration via ParishSoft Family Suite
- Paper registration forms in the narthex
- Office hours: Mon–Fri 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM, or by appointment
- Email: [email protected]
Contact and Location
The parish church and offices are located at 1301 Golden Springs Road, Anniston, AL 36207. From I-20, take exit 188 and head north about a mile to the traffic light; the church is on the right. The mailing address is PO Box 5010, Anniston, AL 36205. The main office line is 256-237-3011; the Guadalupan Mission line is 256-419-5013.
- Address: 1301 Golden Springs Road, Anniston, AL 36207
- Mailing: PO Box 5010, Anniston, AL 36205
- Phone: 256-237-3011
- Guadalupan Mission Phone: 256-419-5013
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://sacredheartanniston.org/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Jesuit priests from Selma (visiting missionaries)1880s
Served the founding Catholic community of Anniston from their base in Selma; the parish built its first small frame church in the Glen Addie area (Third and Spruce Streets) in 1883.
- Bishop Edward Allen1899
Fifth Bishop of Mobile; purchased the land at 11th Street and Quintard Avenue from Grace Episcopal Church and consecrated the brick church on Nov. 19, 1899. Not a resident pastor — acts recorded in the parish history.
- Rev. Frank Girimid-1950s
Parish priest who worked with parents to open St. Mary's School on McCall Drive in 1955.
- Rev. Richard (Richard) Donohoe1989–c.2000
Arrived as pastor in 1989; organized the building of the new church, oversaw the 1997 groundbreaking, sale of the Quintard church, sale of the McCall Drive school (1999), and the purchase of the former Fort McClellan post school to add a high school.
- Rev. Robert Sullivan2000–2006
Moved the regular Sunday Spanish Mass from the Knights of Columbus Hall into the new Golden Springs church building.
- Rev. Bryan Lowe2006–2017
Long-tenured pastor.
- Rev. Charley Alookaran2017–2019
Succeeded Father Lowe and preceded Father McDonald.
- Rev. John G. McDonald2019–present
Born in Citronelle, AL; graduate of Loyola University New Orleans (1997); ordained in 2007 for the Diocese of Birmingham; former Director of Catholic Education and Lifelong Formation, pastor of St. Aloysius Bessemer, and Carl J. Peter Chair of Homiletics at the Pontifical North American College in Rome.