About Sacred Heart · Oxford, Pennsylvania
Sacred Heart Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in Oxford, Chester County, Pennsylvania, serving the rural southern end of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia just a few miles from the Maryland border. The parish celebrates Mass in both English and Spanish (a Spanish Mass has been offered weekly for well over a decade) and supports about 1,500 registered families with roughly 1,100 worshippers at Sunday Masses. Beyond the church at 203 Church Road, Sacred Heart operates a K-8 parish school, a parish pantry, a Caring for Friends meal ministry, Eucharistic adoration, a vibrant youth ministry, and PREP religious education — all rooted in the parish's mission to worship God, evangelize, and serve those in need.
- Established
- 1915
- Patron
- Sacred Heart of Jesus
- Rector
- Rev. Anthony M. Raymundo
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Philadelphia (Deanery: Chester County West Parishes with Hispanic Apostolate)
Why belong here
Sacred Heart is a family-oriented parish that welcomes Catholics across generations and language communities. With English Masses on Saturday evening and four times Sunday — including a Solemn Mass at 10:00 AM and a 2:00 PM Spanish Mass — plus a daily Mass schedule, weekly Eucharistic adoration, a rosary and novena tradition, and a full sacramental and Confession calendar, regulars find it easy to plant deep spiritual roots. The parish also runs a K-8 school, a robust PREP religious-education program, a youth group for grades 6–12, the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA), Knights of Columbus and Ladies Auxiliary councils, ministries to the homebound at Ware Presbyterian Village, and a Parish Pantry and Caring for Friends meal program for neighbors facing food insecurity — giving new parishioners many ways to plug into parish life.
Mass times at Sacred Heart
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday: 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
- Thursday: 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
- Saturday: 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM
- Sunday: 8:45 AM – 9:00 AM and 9:30 AM – 9:45 AM
- By appointment — call 610-932-5040 or email [email protected]
Adoration times
- Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM (concludes with 6:15 PM Mass)
- Thursday: 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM (concludes with 6:15 PM Mass)
- Private Prayer (Blessed Sacrament reserved, not exposed): Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Our Story & Centennial Heritage
Sacred Heart's roots in rural southern Chester County go back further than its 1915 founding. Catholic families worshipped privately from around 1840, an 1852 local newspaper described their gatherings, and in 1877 the Timoney family donated land for a chapel under the encouragement of Father James Kelly of Assumption BVM in West Grove. Those 32 pioneer families became an official parish in October 1915 under Father John McCarthy. The parish moved from its original Broad Street location to the present Route 10 campus in 1982 and marked its centennial with Archbishop Charles Chaput celebrating Mass on June 4, 2016. Today Sacred Heart serves about 1,500 families and roughly 1,100 Sunday worshippers.
- 1840 – first Catholic worship gatherings, in an upstairs Murphy-family apartment
- 1852 – local newspaper describes the Catholic community
- 1877 – chapel built on land donated by the Timoney family
- October 1915 – Sacred Heart erected as a parish; Rev. John McCarthy founding pastor
- 1982 – parish relocates to current 203 Church Road campus
- 2015–2016 – centennial celebrations conclude with Archbishop Chaput, June 4, 2016
Sacramental Preparation
Sacred Heart prepares parishioners for every sacrament of initiation and healing. First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion are typically celebrated in the PREP program, while Confirmation is prepared over two years (Confirmation I and II). Adults preparing to enter or complete their sacraments journey through OCIA, the new name for the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA).
- Baptism – arranged with the parish office
- First Holy Communion – via PREP
- Confirmation – Confirmation I and II PREP
- Marriage – contact at least six months in advance; in-person meeting with Father Raymundo required
- Anointing of the Sick – for the seriously ill; please call the parish office
- Holy Communion for the homebound – by request
- OCIA (RCIA) – contact Deacon Justin Watkins (215-801-3544) or the parish office
Religious Education & School
Faith formation is offered both at the parish school and through PREP (Parish Religious Education Program) for children attending public schools. The PREP program uses the Faith and Life series from Ignatius Press, approved by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, and each grade level is taught by an assigned catechist.
- Sacred Heart School (K-8) – 205 Church Road, Oxford (adjoining the parish)
- PREP levels: Kindergarten, Level 1, Level 2A, Level 2B, Level 3, Level 4, Level 5, Confirmation I, Confirmation II
- Curriculum: Faith and Life series by Ignatius Press / St. Mary’s Press
- Director of Religious Education: Alexis Witiak
- Safe Environment KidTalk required annually by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia
Youth & CYO
The parish's Youth Ministry reaches teens in grades 6 through 12, meeting Sundays to deepen faith through discussion, prayer, service, the sacraments and community. CYO athletics are run regionally in partnership with nearby Assumption BVM in West Grove.
- Youth Group meets Sundays; open to teens of any background
- Run by young-adult ministers from the parish
- Coordinator of Youth Ministry: Clare Sceski ([email protected])
- CYO sports integrate faith, teamwork and sportsmanship
Music Ministry
The Music Ministry serves all Sunday Masses and special liturgies with a combined ensemble of instrumentalists, cantors, an adult choir and a seasonal bell choir. Director Amy Murphy welcomes new musicians to share their talents.
- Adult choir
- Seasonal bell choir
- Instrumentalists and cantors
- Music Director: Amy Murphy ([email protected])
Community Outreach & Social Ministries
Sacred Heart's outreach focuses on neighbors experiencing food insecurity, the homebound, and parishioners in nursing care. The Parish Pantry continues to assist local families, and the Caring for Friends ministry prepares frozen meals for homebound residents.
- Parish Pantry – food assistance (call 610-932-5040)
- Caring for Friends Ministry – needs donated meals and soups; freezer and containers in the Parish Hall
- Extraordinary Ministers bring Communion to homebound parishioners and to residents of Ware Presbyterian Village
- Monthly Mass and weekly Wednesday rosary at Ware Presbyterian Village
- Knights of Columbus – service and fundraising (Grand Knight Ed Allen)
- Ladies Auxiliary – service and fundraising (President Maria Pini)
Parish Staff
Pastoral and administrative staff are listed in the parish directory and serve the liturgical, educational and operational needs of the parish.
- Rev. Anthony M. Raymundo – Pastor ([email protected])
- Rev. Victor J. Eschbach – Weekend Assistant
- Deacon Justin J. Watkins – Permanent Deacon
- Alexis Witiak – Coordinator of Religious Education
- Amy Murphy – Music Director
- Lisa Brown – Director of Parish Services / Safe Environment Coordinator
- Susan Casavant – Bulletin Coordinator
- Doug Singo – Business Manager
Becoming a Parishioner & Visiting
Anyone interested in joining Sacred Heart may fill out the parish registration form (available in the narthex or online) and personally hand it to Father Raymundo after any Mass he celebrates; he then walks new members through the rest of registration. Visitors are welcomed at all Masses, and the bulletin and parish office are available for any questions.
- Registration form in the narthex or online via sacredheart.us
- Meet the pastor after Mass to complete registration
- Confession times also serve as a friendly on-ramp for returning Catholics
- Office hours: Mon–Thu 9 AM–3 PM; Fri 9 AM–12 Noon
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. John McCarthy1915–
Founding pastor when the mission was raised to parish status in October 1915.
- Rev. William Lange
Pastor at the 100th anniversary (2015–2016); established weekly Spanish Mass with support from Msgr. Francis Depman of St. Rocco, Avondale.
- Rev. Joseph Maloney
Native son of the parish; ordained at Sacred Heart in 1991.
- Rev. Anthony M. Raymundo
Current pastor; shepherd who hosts marriage meetings and oversees OCIA inquiries.