About Sacred Heart of Jesus (Historic Place) · Tombstone, Arizona
Sacred Heart of Jesus Roman Catholic Church is a historic parish in Tombstone, Arizona, often called the "Mother Church" of Cochise County because it planted the surrounding Catholic parishes of Benson, Willcox, Fort Grant, and Pierce/Sunsites. The parish was founded when pioneer missionary Fr. Antonio Jouvenceau was sent to Tombstone in 1880, and the first church building — a one-and-a-half-story adobe structure — was dedicated on January 1, 1881, becoming the first church of any denomination in the silver-mining boomtown. The parish is part of the Diocese of Tucson and its three buildings (1881, 1882, and 1947), together with the famous Rose Tree Garden behind the church, have been on the National Register of Historic Places since February 2002.
- Established
- 1881
- Patron
- Sacred Heart of Jesus
- Rector
- Fr. Gregory Adolf & Fr. Robert Neske
- Diocese
- Diocese of Tucson
Why belong here
Sacred Heart of Jesus offers the rare experience of joining a faith community whose buildings are themselves on the National Register of Historic Places — worshipping in a 1947 Mission Revival church, an 1882 wooden-frame church-hall that is the oldest of its kind still standing in Arizona, and an 1881 adobe rectory turned parish office. As the "Mother Church" of Cochise County, Sacred Heart is the spiritual origin of the area's Catholic parishes and a warm, long-standing community shaped by ministries such as the Knights of Columbus, the Altar Rosary Society, the St. Vincent de Paul Society, and the parish Thrift Store. With daily Mass Monday through Friday, a Saturday Vigil, two Sunday Masses, Friday Eucharistic Adoration with Benediction, and easy confession times, the parish welcomes both longtime area families and visitors to historic Tombstone.
Mass times at Sacred Heart of Jesus (Historic Place)
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- 30 minutes before each Mass
- By appointment (call the parish office at 520-457-3364)
- Saturday 4:00 PM – 4:30 PM
- Friday 4:00 PM – 4:30 PM
Adoration times
- Friday 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM (Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, followed by Benediction)
About Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish
Sacred Heart of Jesus Roman Catholic Church is a historic Roman Catholic parish in Tombstone, Arizona, proudly calling itself the "Mother Church" of Cochise County. The parish traces its origins to 1880, when pioneer missionary Fr. Antonio Jouvenceau was sent by Bishop John Baptist Salpointe to the booming silver-mining camp, and it has been part of the global mission of the Church ever since — now in its third century of life and ministry. Sacred Heart belongs to the Diocese of Tucson and continues to be instrumental in planting new parishes throughout the surrounding area, including the Churches of Benson, Willcox, Fort Grant, and Pierce/Sunsites, whose architecture is said to resemble that of the mother parish.
- Parish name: Sacred Heart of Jesus Roman Catholic Church
- Location: 592 E. Safford Street, Tombstone, AZ 85638
- Diocese: Diocese of Tucson
- Founded: 1880/1881
- Pastors over the history: 42
Church History
Tombstone's Sacred Heart parish began in 1879 when Bishop Salpointe sent Fr. Antonio Jouvenceau to survey the spiritual needs of the silver-mining boomtown, where Mass had been celebrated in vacant rooms and closed bars. With the help of Nellie Cashman, the citizens of Tombstone raised money to build a one-and-a-half-story adobe structure that combined church and rectory — dedicated on January 1, 1881, as the first church building in Tombstone. A larger 1882 wooden-frame church followed (now the parish hall and the oldest surviving frame church in Arizona), and in 1947 Fr. Thomas Doyle guided construction of the current Mission Revival church facing Safford Street, designed by architect Terry Atkinson. In 1946 the 1882 church was moved to its present location, the Rose Tree Garden property was donated to the parish, and later a classroom building (1965, now the Thrift Store) and new rectory (1972) completed the campus.
- 1879: Fr. Antonio Jouvenceau sent by Bishop Salpointe
- 1881: First adobe church-rectory dedicated January 1 — first church in Tombstone
- 1882: Larger wooden frame church built; Nellie Cashman hauled lumber from the Chiricahua Mountains
- 1946: 1882 church moved to current site
- 1947: Current Mission Revival church built under Fr. Thomas Doyle
- 1965: Classroom building constructed (now the Thrift Store)
- 1972: New rectory built
- 1999–2003: Fr. John Fahey begins restoration of all buildings
- September 2000: 1883 Rumsey bell moved onto the church tower
- February 22, 2002: Three buildings + Rose Tree Garden placed on the National Register of Historic Places
Historic Architecture & Campus
The Sacred Heart complex is a rare collection of three historic church buildings gathered on a single property at the corner of 6th and Safford Streets. The 1881 adobe church-rectory now serves as the parish office; the 1882 wooden frame church serves as the parish hall; and the current church, built in 1947 by Tucson architect Terry Atkinson, is a Mission Revival/Spanish Colonial Revival concrete-block structure with heavy ceiling beams, stained-glass memorial windows, and tile trim. The Rumsey Mfg. Co. (St. Louis, 1883) bronze bell sits on top of the church tower and is rung before each weekend Mass.
- 1881 adobe building — now parish office; rare two-story adobe in Tombstone
- 1882 wooden frame church — oldest surviving frame church in Arizona; now parish hall
- 1947 Mission Revival church by Terry Atkinson — current worship space
- 1965 classroom building — now Sacred Heart Thrift Store
- 1972 new rectory
- 1883 Rumsey Mfg. Co. bell on tower
Rose Tree Garden (Rose Tree Courtyard)
Behind the church, the parish maintains the Rose Tree Garden, a courtyard famous for two enormous Lady Banksia rose "trees" planted in the 1880s by the Giacoma-Costella family on their Sixth Street property, which was later donated to the parish. By 2001 each tree had grown to about 5 feet (1.5 m) in circumference at the base and provided a canopy over roughly 2,500 square feet. The garden also includes a stone altar and a memorial wall naming deceased members of the parish, and — together with the three buildings — is part of the 2002 National Register listing.
- Two Lady Banksia rose trees planted c. 1880s by the Giacoma-Costella family
- Canopy covers ~2,500 square feet
- Stone altar and memorial wall of the deceased
- Listed as a contributing site of the Sacred Heart NRHP complex
Ministries & Organizations
The parish supports four main lay organizations, each serving the broader Tombstone and Cochise County community. Together they cover fellowship, faith formation in the home, charity, and outreach — fitting for a parish that is itself the "Mother Church" of its county.
- Knights of Columbus
- Altar Rosary Society
- St. Vincent de Paul Society
- Sacred Heart Thrift Store
Sacraments
All sacramental preparation at Sacred Heart is arranged through the pastor at the parish office. First Confession has set Friday and Saturday times in addition to being available after daily Mass or by appointment; First Communion, Confirmation, Baptism, Marriage, and Anointing of the Sick are scheduled with the pastor on a case-by-case basis.
- First Confession — Friday 4:00–4:30 PM, Saturday 4:00–4:30 PM, after daily Mass, or by appointment
- First Communion — by appointment with the pastor
- Confirmation — by appointment with the pastor
- Baptism — by appointment with the pastor
- Marriage — by appointment with the pastor
- Anointing of the Sick — by appointment with the pastor
Contact & Visiting
The parish office is located at 592 E. Safford Street in Tombstone (mailing address P.O. Box 547, Tombstone, AZ 85638), and is staffed during regular office hours. Phone (520) 457-3364 and email ([email protected]) reach the office, while the priests can be reached directly at [email protected] and [email protected]. Visitors are warmly welcomed — Tombstone's Sacred Heart is a short walk from the town's historic Allen Street and a meaningful stop for anyone exploring the Old West's most famous silver-mining town.
- Address: P.O. Box 547, 592 E. Safford St., Tombstone, AZ 85638
- Phone: (520) 457-3364
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.shctombstone.org
- Office Hours: Tuesday–Friday 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
- Priest emails: [email protected], [email protected]
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Antonio Jouvenceau1880-1881
Pioneer missionary sent by Bishop Salpointe; first pastor
- Emanuel Paul Schneider1881
- Joseph Bloise1881-1882
- Patrick J. Gallagher1882-1884
- Augustine Morin1884-1886
- John J. Dolje1886-1890
- Father Wastruzel1888-1889
- Joseph Freri1890-1893
Later became a Bishop
- Henry R. Granjon1892-1895
Later became a Bishop
- Felix Dilly1893-1896
- J. Beyamet1896-1897
- Michael Vandermaessen1897-1899
- J. B. Schmitt1899-1900
- Thomas A. Doyle1942-1948
Guided construction of the 1947 church building
- Francis J. O'Reilly1950-1955
- Norman M. Whalen1956-1962
- Paul J. Ranft1962-1963
- Thomas J. Lambert1963-1964
- Thomas A. Doyle1964-1985
Served twice; tended the Rose Tree Garden
- Colum Casey1985-1989
- Donald Jackson1989
- Michael Stallings1989-1991
- William J. Parenteau, Jr.1991-1999
- John Fahey1999-2003
Pastor Emeritus; began full restoration of the historic buildings
- Sylvester Nwaogu2003-2013
Administrator
- William L. Gyure2013-2017
Administrator; continued restoration, installed new church floor
- Matthias J. Crehan, O.F.M.2017-2019
Franciscan; installed new interior lighting
- Gregory Adolf & Robert Neske2019-2023
Co-pastors; continued restoration, plan sanctuary/confessional renovation