About Sacred Heart · Prosser, Washington
Sacred Heart Parish is a Roman Catholic Christian community in Prosser, Washington, part of the Diocese of Yakima. Established in 1899 by Italian missionary Father Edward Maria Griva, the parish today serves a bilingual English-and-Spanish flock from its 18.5-acre campus at 1905 Highland Drive. The parish describes itself as a Faith, Prophetic, and Eucharistic community committed to proclaiming the Gospel values of love and justice, embracing the wider community — especially the marginalized, neglected, poor, and all those who have been hurt by society or the Church — and inviting full, conscious, and active participation in worship and parish life.
- Established
- 1899
- Patron
- Sacred Heart of Jesus
- Rector
- Rev. Francisco Gutierrez
- Diocese
- Diocese of Yakima
Why belong here
Sacred Heart has ministered to the Catholics of Prosser since 1899 and today welcomes them in two languages. With four Sunday Masses (one in English, two in Spanish, plus a Saturday Vigil in English and Spanish), daily Mass Tuesday through Friday in both languages, Saturday confessions, and Eucharistic Adoration every Thursday and First Friday, the parish surrounds its members with a rich sacramental life. Walk-ins are greeted warmly — families are encouraged to register for the sacraments through the parish office, and the parish explicitly embraces the wider community, especially the marginalized and neglected, with ministries spanning RCIA, children's religious education, teen Confirmation, a Parish Pastoral Council, and an active Latino Committee.
Mass times at Sacred Heart
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 pm – 4:30 pm, or by appointment (Confesiones en Sábado de 3:00 pm a 4:30 pm o por cita)
Adoration times
- Every Thursday 8:30 am – 6:00 pm (Concluding with Benediction)
- First Friday of each month 8:30 am – 6:00 pm (Concluding with Benediction)
History of Sacred Heart Parish
Catholic missionary work in the Prosser area began in the fall of 1898 with Father Edward Maria Griva of Turin, Italy. Within a year he had organized the building of the first Catholic church in town, blessed its bell on October 27, 1899, and seen the parish officially established. Successive pastors — including Father Parodi, Rev. Murtaugh P. Shiel, Father John Hayes, Father Joseph Sondergeld, Father Martin Soden, Father William Shaw, and Father Francis Smith — guided Sacred Heart through the 1913 shift into the Diocese of Spokane and the 1951 creation of the Diocese of Yakima, until the aging 1900 church on Sheridan Avenue had to be replaced. The present Highland Drive campus, designed by the Yakima firm Doudna, Williams, and Phipps, was occupied in the first week of November 1964 and dedicated with Father Francis Smith's first Mass there on November 8, 1964.
- 1898 — Father Edward Maria Griva (Turin, Italy) begins missionary work in Yakima Falls/Prosser
- September 1899 — parish meeting; land donated; building fund collection begins
- October 27, 1899 — original bell blessed by Father Griva (still in the belfry)
- 1900 — first Sacred Heart Church opens (Sheridan Avenue)
- 1913 — transferred from Diocese of Seattle to the new Diocese of Spokane; Prosser gains its first resident pastor, Rev. Murtaugh P. Shiel
- 1922 — rectory built under Father John Hayes
- July 1951 — placed under the newly created Diocese of Yakima (Bishop Joseph P. Dougherty)
- 1961 — land purchases begin on Highland Drive (southeast Prosser)
- July 1962 — Father Francis Smith arrives as pastor
- 1963 — construction begins; architects Doudna, Williams, and Phipps of Yakima
- November 8, 1964 — first Holy Mass celebrated at the new Highland Drive church
About the Parish
Sacred Heart Parish describes itself across four overlapping identities. It is a Roman Catholic Christian community proclaiming the Gospel values of love and justice in worship and daily life. It is a Faith Community, professing belief in God and in Jesus Christ, who died on the cross so that we may have eternal life. It is a Prophetic Community, encouraging members to live out the values, identity, and rights of their baptismal call and to use their God-given gifts for the common good. And it is a Eucharistic Community, where the celebration of the Eucharist is the most important way to come together as a parish family, with full, conscious, and active participation of all ages.
- Welcomes the wider community, especially the marginalized, neglected, and poor
- Identified as Faith, Prophetic, and Eucharistic Community
- Committed to full, conscious, and active participation of all ages
Pastoral Team & Staff
The parish is led by Pastor Rev. Francisco Gutierrez and supported by a bilingual office team. The Office Manager is Mrs. Maria Zepeda, assisted by Assistant Secretary Mrs. Yesenia Garcia. Accounting is handled by Deacon Stephen Kenny alongside Mr. Gerald Sybouts.
- Pastor — Rev. Francisco Gutierrez
- Office Manager — Mrs. Maria Zepeda
- Assistant Secretary — Mrs. Yesenia Garcia
- Accountant — Dcn. Stephen Kenny
- Accountant — Mr. Gerald Sybouts
Sacraments
Sacred Heart prepares members of every age for the sacraments of the Church. Infants are baptized during a Spanish service on the first Saturday of the month at 10:00 am. Children receive Baptism, First Eucharist, and Reconciliation through the CRE / RCIC (Rite of Christian Initiation for Children) formation program. Teens prepare for Confirmation through the Confirmation formation program. Adults enter the Church or complete their initiation through the parish's RCIA process. Couples seeking marriage must be at least 18 years of age and must meet with Pastor Rev. Francisco Gutierrez before a date can be set on the parish calendar. Detailed packets for each sacrament are available in the parish office.
- Infant Baptism — First Saturday of the month, Spanish, 10:00 am
- Children's Baptism, First Eucharist & Reconciliation — via CRE / RCIC
- Teen Confirmation — via Confirmation formation
- Adult Sacraments — via RCIA
- Marriage — both parties must be 18+; must meet with the pastor first
- Reconciliation — Saturday 3:00–4:30 pm or by appointment
Faith Formation
Faith formation at Sacred Heart runs from early childhood through adulthood. Children are catechized for First Communion through Catecismo and for the sacraments of initiation through the CRE / RCIC program. Teens prepare for Confirmation through the parish's Confirmation formation classes. Adults who are unbaptized, baptized in another Christian tradition, or baptized Catholic but still missing First Eucharist or Confirmation are walked through the RCIA process — beginning with a period of inquiry, then a period of learning Catholic theology and Gospel values, and culminating in the initiation sacraments at the Easter Vigil.
- First Communion / Catecismo (children's preparation)
- Confirmation formation (teens)
- RCIA — Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (inquiry, catechesis, Easter Vigil initiation)
- RCIC — Rite of Christian Initiation for Children
Parish Pastoral Council
The Parish Pastoral Council exists to foster pastoral activity — especially prayer, Christian formation, and faith sharing — and to advise the pastor in a spirit of prayerful reflection. Guided by Church canon law and diocesan directives, the council develops short- and long-term goals for Sacred Heart, listens to parishioners about pastoral needs and priorities, and visualizes the future as it responds to present and future challenges. Council members are expected to be faith-filled voices of the community's diversity and its special social conditions.
- Working Mission: prayerfully renew, strengthen, and build the Kingdom of God in the community
- Consultative body to the pastor
- Promotes Communication, Community, and Communion
Latino Committee (Comité Latino)
The Latino Committee organizes parish life for the Spanish-speaking community, which forms roughly half of Sacred Heart's weekend Mass attendance. The committee is led by named parishioners — Teresa Garcia, Josie Lopez, Juanita Lopez, Maria E. Muñoz, Fr. Osmar Aguirre, Maria Zepeda, Maria Martin, Eudelio Garza, Arnulfo Muñoz, and Roman Meza — and partners with the parish office on bilingual ministry and outreach.
- Front row — Teresa Garcia, Josie Lopez, Juanita Lopez, Maria E. Muñoz
- Second row — Fr. Osmar Aguirre, Maria Zepeda, Maria Martin
- Third row — Eudelio Garza, Arnulfo Muñoz, Roman Meza
Architecture of the Present Church
Built in 1963–1964 to a design by the Yakima firm Doudna, Williams, and Phipps, the present Sacred Heart Church sits on an 18.5-acre campus on the southeast side of Prosser. A circular roofline echoes the rolling Horse Heaven Hills behind it, and a slim white metal cross crowns the facade. A triple-spired bell tower stands inside an enclosed courtyard, holding three bronze bells cast in Holland (1,800 lbs combined) dedicated to the Sacred Heart, to St. Joseph, and to St. Francis. Inside, ten-foot concrete arches form a circular interior wall around the nave; the suspended white ceiling rises to a 45-foot pinnacle above the sanctuary, where narrow skylights filter daylight onto the main altar.
- Architects — Doudna, Williams, and Phipps, Yakima
- Three bronze bells cast in Holland; ring the Angelus morning, noon, and evening
- 45-foot suspended ceiling over the main altar with narrow skylight windows
- 10-foot concrete arches encircling the nave
Visit, Contact, and Office Hours
Visitors are warmly welcomed. The parish office is open Monday through Thursday from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm and Friday from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. Mass times, the weekly bulletin, and a link to the current diocesan annual appeal are posted on the parish website, with up-to-date announcements and event listings. Parishioners and newcomers are encouraged to call or email the pastor to register for sacraments or to ask about parish life.
- Address — 1905 Highland Drive, Prosser, WA 99350
- Office phone — (509) 786-1783
- Pastor email — [email protected]
- Office hours — Mon–Thu 9:00 am–4:00 pm; Fri 9:00 am–3:00 pm
- Diocese — Diocese of Yakima
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Edward Maria Griva, CM (of Turin, Italy)1898–January 1900
Italian missionary who began Catholic work in Yakima Falls/Prosser, organized the parish in September 1899, blessed the original bell on Oct. 27, 1899.
- Father Parodi1900–
Succeeded Father Griva in January 1900; presumed celebrant of the opening of the first Sacred Heart Church in 1900.
- Rev. Murtaugh P. Shiel1913 era (first resident pastor)
Prosser's first resident pastor; added a two-room living-quarters wing to the church.
- Father John Hayesaround 1922
Pastor when the rectory was built in 1922; converted Father Shiel's living-quarters wing into a sacristy.
- Father Joseph Sondergeld1941–1954
Shepherded the parish through the 1951 transition into the new Diocese of Yakima.
- Father Martin Soden1954–1960
Made improvements to the old church and rectory; left in 1960 to become chaplain at Holy Family Nursing Home, Spokane.
- Father William Shaw1960–1962
Served as Administrator of Sacred Heart Parish.
- Father Francis SmithJuly 1962–
Pastor who oversaw the construction of the present Highland Drive church; offered the first Mass at the new location on November 8, 1964. Patron saint of the smallest bell in the bell tower.
- Rev. Francisco Gutierrezcurrent
Current pastor; also listed as sacramental contact for marriages.