About Sacred Heart · Philip, South Dakota
Sacred Heart Catholic Church is a small Roman-Latin rite parish serving the rural community of Philip, South Dakota — the county seat of Haakon County on the windswept plains of western South Dakota. The parish is part of the Diocese of Rapid City and, like most of the diocese's country parishes, is currently shepherded by a priest who also serves neighboring mission communities in Milesville, Martin, and Kadoka. Sacred Heart welcomes visitors to its weekly Mass schedule and Saturday confessions, and it remains a spiritual anchor for Catholic ranching and farming families across Haakon County.
- Patron
- Sacred Heart of Jesus
- Rector
- Fr. Grant Gerlock (also pastor of St. Mary, Milesville; residing in Philip)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Rapid City
Why belong here
Sacred Heart offers the gift of a faithful Catholic community in the heart of ranch country, with daily and weekend Mass, regular Saturday confessions, and a fellowship life that includes a local guild group (the Evening Philip Guild) that hosts parish events such as estate-planning seminars for parishioners and neighbors. Travelers passing through Philip on Highway 14 or families living across Haakon County are warmly welcomed to worship with this small but active prairie parish.
Mass times at Sacred Heart
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM
Clergy & Pastoral Team
Sacred Heart is currently pastored by Fr. Grant Gerlock, who also serves as pastor of St. Mary in Milesville and resides in Philip. Beginning July 1, 2026, Fr. Francis Nsubuga will serve as Parochial Vicar for Sacred Heart, St. Mary Milesville, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (Martin), and Our Lady of Victory (Kadoka), residing in Martin. The arrangement reflects the diocese's pattern of clustering rural parishes under shared priestly leadership so that every community can continue to receive regular Mass and sacraments.
- Fr. Grant Gerlock — Pastor (Sacred Heart, Philip; St. Mary, Milesville)
- Fr. Francis Nsubuga — Parochial Vicar (effective 2026)
Parish Life & Guild Activities
The parish's social and service life is anchored in part by the Evening Philip Guild, a parish women's/service organization that provides food and hospitality for parish-hosted events. The guild partnered with the Western South Dakota Catholic Foundation to host a free Estate Planning Seminar at Sacred Heart, with opening prayer led by Fr. Grant Gerlock and dinner served at 5:30 PM.
- Evening Philip Guild – hosts parish dinners and events
- Parish hall used for faith-and-finance seminars, social gatherings, and funeral luncheons
Diocesan Devotional Life
Sacred Heart takes part in major devotions promoted by the Diocese of Rapid City. The parish hosted a Eucharistic Procession as part of the diocesan celebration, and during the National Eucharistic Revival the parish received the relics of St. Manuel and Bl. Carlo Acutis as they toured the diocese.
- Parish Eucharistic Procession (diocesan program)
- Relic visit of St. Manuel and Bl. Carlo Acutis (National Eucharistic Revival)
Visiting Sacred Heart in Philip
Philip is a small ranching town on the edge of the Badlands and the Cheyenne River region. The parish sits on West Elm Street in the heart of town, just off the main highway. Whether you're passing through on Highway 14, attending a funeral or wedding for a local family, or are a year-round resident of Haakon County, Sacred Heart keeps a published schedule and a working rectory phone line for inquiries.
- Address: 305 W Elm St., Philip, SD 57567
- Mailing: PO Box 309, Philip, SD 57567
- Rectory phone: (605) 859-2664
- Listing on the City of Philip's business directory
About the Diocese of Rapid City
Sacred Heart belongs to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rapid City, which covers the western two-thirds of South Dakota. The current bishop is Most Rev. Scott Bullock. The diocese coordinates the cluster of small parishes that Sacred Heart is part of (Philip, Milesville, Martin, and Kadoka) so that priests can rotate among communities while still keeping a pastor resident in each region's anchor town.
- Diocese: Diocese of Rapid City
- Bishop: Most Rev. Scott Bullock
- Sister parishes in the cluster: St. Mary (Milesville), Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (Martin), Our Lady of Victory (Kadoka)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Kevin Achbach
Previously served as pastor of Sacred Heart in Philip and its mission; later appointed Vicar General of the Diocese of Rapid City in 2025; currently pastor of St. Joseph, Spearfish, and St. Paul, Belle Fourche.