About Sacred Heart · Rush City, Minnesota
Sacred Heart Catholic Church is a small, rural English-speaking parish in Rush City, Minnesota, in the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. The parish traces its origins to the 1860s, when Fr. Maurice Murphy of Stillwater first celebrated Mass in the area, and it has served the Rush City community continuously since the first church was built in 1870. Today it offers Sunday and weekday Mass, weekly Eucharistic Adoration, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, faith formation for children and adults, a Knights of Columbus council, Prison Ministry, Catholic Watchmen, parish small groups, and a long-running fall festival that has been a community tradition since the 1920s. The parish is twinned with St. Gregory the Great in North Branch under Parochial Administrator Fr. Matt Shireman, with Deacon Kevin Downie and assisting priests helping to serve the community.
- Established
- 1870
- Patron
- Sacred Heart of Jesus
- Rector
- Fr. Matt Shireman (Parochial Administrator, since July 1, 2022)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
Why belong here
Sacred Heart offers a small, traditional Catholic community in rural Rush City where parishioners are easily known by name. The parish celebrates Mass in English on Sundays (8:30 am) and Wednesdays (9:00 am), with weekly Wednesday morning Eucharistic Adoration (9:30 am – Noon) and the Sacrament of Reconciliation on Wednesdays and the first Sunday of each month. Members can grow in faith through Religious Education, Youth Ministry, Adult Faith Formation, parish small groups, Knights of Columbus, Prison Ministry, and Catholic Watchmen, and they come together each fall for the parish's historic Fall Festival — a tradition stretching back to the 1920s.
Mass times at Sacred Heart
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday: 9:30 AM (also given as 9:30 AM – Noon on some pages)
- First Sunday of the month: 8:00 – 8:20 AM
- By appointment
Adoration times
- Wednesday: 9:30 AM – 12:00 PM (Noon)
- First Saturday of each month: 9:00 AM
Parish History
Sacred Heart Catholic Church traces its origins to the 1860s, when Fr. Maurice Murphy of Stillwater first celebrated Mass in the Rush City area. The first church was constructed in 1870 under his leadership. Mass was originally offered only once a month, but the faithful gathered every Sunday for prayer, the Way of the Cross, and the rosary. The present brick church was built in 1905 and survived a fire in 1939. In the 1920s Sacred Heart became well known across the region for its annual Fall Festival — a tradition revived in the 1970s that continues today as the parish's main community event.
- 1860s — First Mass in the area celebrated by Fr. Maurice Murphy of Stillwater
- 1870 — First church constructed under Fr. Murphy's leadership
- 1905 — Present brick church built
- 1939 — Church survived a fire
- 1920s — Annual Fall Festival begins
- 1970s — Fall Festival revived and continues today
- Calvary Cemetery located near Rush City High School
Parish Staff
The parish is supported by a small but dedicated staff handling administration, finances, faith formation, music, and safe-environment coordination. Office hours are Tuesday through Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to Noon.
- Mary Felix — Bookkeeper
- Marsha Marcussen — Secretary, Bulletin Editor, and Website Administrator
- Steve Yurick — Special Projects (also handles Music and Bookkeeping per recent bulletin)
- Tina Heidelberger — Faith Formation Coordinator
- Shawn Yerges — Safe Environment Coordinator
Parish Councils and Finance
Parish governance is supported by elected and appointed councils whose minutes are publicly available on the parish website.
- Parish Council
- Finance Council
- Parish Council Minutes (posted online)
Parish Life and Ministries
Beyond the Mass schedule, Sacred Heart offers a rich mix of parish-life groups and outreach ministries. The Knights of Columbus, Prison Ministry, Catholic Watchmen, and Parish Small Groups (co-ed and women-only) provide ways for adults to grow in faith and serve. The annual Fall Festival / Fall Dinner / Booya is the parish's signature community event, serving as both a major fundraiser and the parish's main outreach to the wider Rush City community.
- Knights of Columbus
- Prison Ministry
- Catholic Watchmen
- Parish Small Groups (co-ed and women-specific)
- Fall Festival / Fall Dinner / Booya (annual)
Faith Formation
Sacred Heart offers lifelong faith formation for children, youth, and adults, coordinated by Faith Formation Coordinator Tina Heidelberger.
- Religious Education (for children)
- Youth Ministry
- Adult Faith Formation
Sacraments
The parish website has dedicated pages for each of the seven sacraments, providing preparation information and points of contact.
- Baptism
- Reconciliation
- Eucharist
- Confirmation (coordinated with St. Gregory the Great)
- Marriage
- Holy Orders
- Anointing of the Sick
Calvary Cemetery
Sacred Heart maintains Calvary Cemetery as the parish cemetery. According to the Archdiocese, it is located near Rush City High School.
- Calvary Cemetery — parish cemetery, located near Rush City High School
Contact, Office Hours, and Location
The parish office is at 415 West 5th Street, P.O. Box 45, Rush City, MN 55069, and is open Tuesday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to Noon. The Archdiocese lists the church building itself at 425 Field Avenue, Rush City, MN 55069.
- Mailing/Office Address: 415 West 5th Street, P.O. Box 45, Rush City, MN 55069
- Church Address (per Archdiocese): 425 Field Avenue, Rush City, MN 55069
- Phone: 320-358-4370
- Fax: 866-779-1580
- Wey Hall: 320-358-3145
- Email: [email protected]
- Office Hours: Tuesday – Thursday, 8:00 a.m. – Noon
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Shane (parish priest in 2017)at least through 2017
Presided at Parish Council meetings in October 2017 and oversaw projects including tuckpointing, parking lot paving, and the Fall Festival.
- Fr. Matt Shireman2022–present
Appointed Parochial Administrator by Archbishop Hebda beginning July 1, 2022; serves Sacred Heart together with St. Gregory the Great in North Branch. Ordained May 26, 2018.