About Sacred Heart · Rock Island, Illinois
Sacred Heart Catholic Church is a historic Roman Catholic parish in Rock Island, Illinois, founded in 1898 as the Irish parish of the city. Worship takes place in a striking Gothic Revival church designed by prominent Midwest architect George Stauduhar, built in 1901–1902 and still largely intact, with original stained glass from Europe, a Henners pipe organ, and a high altar that has survived since construction. Today the parish is led by Franciscan Conventual Friar Fr. Witold Adamczyk, OFM Conv., and serves a multilingual congregation with weekly Masses in English and a monthly Burmese Mass. Sacred Heart is part of the Diocese of Peoria and shares close ties with Jordan Catholic School and Alleman Catholic High School.
- Established
- 1898
- Patron
- Sacred Heart of Jesus
- Rector
- Fr. Witold Adamczyk, OFM Conv.
- Diocese
- Diocese of Peoria
Why belong here
Sacred Heart offers the rare chance to worship in a beautifully preserved early-1900s Gothic Revival church with original European stained glass and a working historic pipe organ, while belonging to a warm, multigenerational parish family. The community is active in formation (RCIA, Jordan Catholic School, Alleman High School), traditional liturgy (Healing Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, regular Confession, Corpus Christi Procession) and outreach (Sacred Heart Food Pantry, Catholic Care Packs, Sodality). It is also one of the few parishes in the Quad Cities celebrating a monthly Burmese Mass, welcoming immigrant Catholics into the life of the parish.
Mass times at Sacred Heart
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Friday: 11:00 a.m. – 11:55 a.m.
- Sunday: 8:30 a.m. – 8:50 a.m.
Adoration times
- Friday: 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Parish Story & 125-Year History
Sacred Heart was organized on July 28, 1898 by the Rev. John F. Lockney to serve Rock Island's growing Irish Catholic population in the 'Greenbush' neighborhood, many of whom worked for the railroads. The parish purchased the Ben Harper House on 5th Avenue, built a small frame church, and within a few years laid the cornerstone for the present Gothic Revival church on May 25, 1901. The new church was dedicated and the first Mass was celebrated on Christmas morning, 1902. In 2023 the parish celebrated its 125th anniversary — its quasquicentennial — with a special Mass on June 18 near the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
- Founded July 28, 1898 by Rev. John F. Lockney
- Land and Ben Harper House purchased for $5,500
- Cornerstone laid May 25, 1901; first Mass on Christmas 1902
- Cost of new church: ~$36,000 (~ $500,000 in today's dollars)
- 125th Anniversary Mass celebrated June 18, 2023
- 125th Anniversary Campaign goal: $325,000 ('$325 for our 125')
Architecture, Furnishings & Historic Preservation
The church was designed by local architect George Stauduhar, a prolific designer of Midwestern churches, in what is described as an 'eclectic' style combining Gothic Revival elements with other influences. The steeply pitched roof, pointed-arch windows and doors, round rose windows, rudimentary flying buttresses, and European stained glass are all hallmarks of the design. Inside, beamed ceiling arches, richly ornamented pews, 'paisley'-shaped jeweled transom windows, the 'Gingerbread Gothic' high altar and communion rail, and the original Henners pipe organ (donated by Simon Burns in memory of his mother, Mrs. Mary Simpson) are still intact. Recent restorations have included stained-glass window conservation, north-entrance restoration, new carpeting, pew cushions, re-illumination of the high altar, and repainting — all done with care to preserve the church's historic character.
- Architect: George Stauduhar
- Contractor: John Konosky (2828 5 1/2 Avenue)
- Stained glass imported from Europe
- Henners pipe organ still maintained and used
- 'Gingerbread Gothic' high altar and communion rail preserved
- Ongoing 125th Anniversary restoration work
The Rectory — Ben Harper House
The parish rectory is the historic Ben Harper House, one of the oldest homes in Rock Island, dating back to the 1840s in the pioneer village of Farnhamsburg. The house appears on an 1857 map of 'Moline Avenue' (the original name for 5th Avenue) and passed through owners including Charles Buford (1853) and William Whitman, the Chicago businessman who built the first railroad bridge across the Mississippi. When Sacred Heart built its church, the house was moved twenty feet east to make room. Built in the Greek Revival style (1820–1860), the rectory shares features with earlier Georgian and Adam styles, including characteristic window panes around the front door, four end-wall chimneys, and ornate grillwork over the third-story windows. It is the last remaining example of Greek Revival architecture in the city of Rock Island.
- Dating to the 1840s — among Rock Island's oldest homes
- Greek Revival architecture (1820–1860 style)
- Last surviving Greek Revival house in Rock Island
- Used as a boarding house before being acquired by the parish
Catholic Schools & Faith Formation
Sacred Heart Parish is part of the Jordan Catholic School system and Alleman Catholic High School in Rock Island. Sacred Heart actually wrote the resolution to the Diocese of Peoria that led to the formation of Alleman — in part because Sacred Heart was one of the largest parishes in the area at the time and the new high school fell within its boundaries. The parish also helped found and supported St. Pius X parish in 1960, which originally was carved out of Sacred Heart territory.
- Jordan Catholic School (parish school system)
- Alleman Catholic High School, Rock Island
- Sacred Heart authored the diocesan resolution creating Alleman
- RCIA program for adults — contact parish office
Parish Leadership & Staff
The parish is led by Pastor Fr. Witold Adamczyk, OFM Conv., the parish's first Franciscan Conventual pastor, along with Assistant Pastors Fr. Peter Sarnicki, OFM Conv. and Fr. Mietek Wit, OFM Conv. Parish administration is supported by Office Manager/Secretary Christine Coleman and Trustees Chris Mandle and Tim Smith, with a Finance Council and ministry leaders for liturgy, music, buildings, and outreach.
- Pastor: Fr. Witold Adamczyk, OFM Conv.
- Assistant Pastors: Fr. Peter Sarnicki, OFM Conv. and Fr. Mietek Wit, OFM Conv.
- Office Manager: Christine Coleman
- Parish Trustees: Chris Mandle and Tim Smith
- Finance Council: Fr. Witold, Chris Mandle, Tim Smith, Mike Creger, Len Spindel, Jeff Zeglin, Alyssa Leone, Luke VanLandegan, John Peters
- Choir Director: Trevor Loes
Ministries, Outreach & Parish Life
Sacred Heart parishioners are active in liturgy and outreach, supporting ministries for the parish and the wider Rock Island community. The Sacred Heart Food Pantry operates out of the Rock Island Township Hall on 7th Avenue, and Catholic Care Packs provide service and supplies to those in need. Liturgical ministries include altar servers, lectors, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, and a parish choir. The Sodality supports fellowship and parish life.
- Sacred Heart Food Pantry — 2827 7th Avenue, Rock Island; Mon–Fri 9–11 a.m.
- Catholic Care Packs — Tim Ott
- Sodality — Christine Coleman
- Altar Servers, Lectors, EMHCs
- Parish Choir (Trevor Loes)
- Liturgy Committee (Chris Mandle)
- Buildings & Grounds Committee
Visiting, Contact & Communications
Visitors and parishioners are warmly welcomed at Sacred Heart. The parish office is open Monday–Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and can be reached by phone or email; the parish also publishes a weekly bulletin, maintains a presence on Facebook and Instagram, and uses Flocknote for parish news and announcements (text '123sh' to 84576 to sign up).
- Address: 2810 5th Avenue, Rock Island, IL 61201
- Phone: (309) 794-0660
- Email: [email protected]
- Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
- Flocknote: text 123sh to 84576
- Facebook and Instagram accounts active
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. John Lockney1898–1913
Founding pastor; organized the parish, built the original frame church and oversaw construction of the present church.
- Fr. Clement O'Neill1913–1929
- Fr. John Fitzpatrick1929–1946
Built a new heating plant in the 1930s and oversaw major parish growth.
- Msgr. Thomas J. Jordan1946–1957
Came from Peoria deanery; celebrated the parish's Golden Jubilee in 1949.
- Fr. J. Walter McGinn1957–1960
Succeeded Msgr. Jordan and led the parish as its territory was carved in half by the founding of St. Pius X.
- Fr. Raymond Lassuy1960–1976
- Fr. Thomas Murphy1976–1982
- Msgr. Ambrose Cunningham1983–2006
Long-tenured pastor who repainted the church interior during the Jubilee Year 2000; passed away peacefully after a Saturday evening Mass in December 2006.
- Fr. Greg Jozefiak2007–2011
Already pastor of St. Mary's; oversaw a new altar of sacrifice, remodeled sacristy and new heating system.
- Fr. Steven Loftus2011–2013
Established a new Corpus Christi Procession between Sacred Heart and St. Mary's.
- Fr. Johnjoseph DePorres Logan2013–2016
Returned as a 'Sacred Heart boy' and was the first resident pastor living on-site in the rectory since 2006; passed away in the spring of 2016.
- Fr. Anthony Co2016–2019
Led a great revival and growth in new families; oversaw stained-glass restoration, new roof, pew cushions, re-illumination of the high altar and a parish-wide Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
- Fr. Luke Spannagel2019–2022
Began restoration of the historic stained-glass windows and north entrances; launched the 125th Anniversary Campaign.
- Fr. Witold Adamczyk, OFM Conv.2022–present
First pastor from a religious order (Franciscan Conventual); shepherded the parish into its 125th anniversary in 2023.