About Sacred Heart · Saint Paul, Minnesota
Sacred Heart Catholic Church is a bilingual Roman Catholic parish located at 840 East 6th Street on the East Side of Saint Paul, Minnesota, in the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. Founded in 1881 as a German-speaking parish, it was led by Franciscan (O.F.M.) priests from September 12, 1909 until August 2016, when the Franciscan order could no longer supply a priest. In the 1990s the parish welcomed the Archdiocese's Spanish-language Latino ministry, and on the Feast of Pentecost in May 1997 the Anglo and Latino communities formally merged into one parish. Today Sacred Heart celebrates Mass in English, Spanish, and bilingually, with Father Edison Galarza — an Ecuadorian-born Missionary Oblate of the Sacred Heart now incardinating into the Archdiocese — as its pastor.
- Established
- 1881
- Patron
- Sacred Heart of Jesus
- Rector
- Father Edison Galarza
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
Why belong here
Sacred Heart is a true bilingual Catholic home on Saint Paul's East Side where longtime English-speaking parishioners and a thriving Latino community share one faith, one altar, and one building. With weekday and weekend Masses in English, Spanish, and bilingual, plus Saturday confession, First Friday Eucharistic Adoration, faith formation for children and youth, a parish Food Shelf, and a music ministry, there are concrete ways to worship, learn, serve, and belong — whether your family has been here for generations or just arrived.
Mass times at Sacred Heart
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM (English/Spanish; also by appointment — 'También por cita previa')
- Friday 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM (First Fridays / Primeros viernes)
Adoration times
- Friday 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM (First Fridays / Primeros viernes)
Our History / Nuestra Historia
Sacred Heart has welcomed immigrants for nearly 150 years. Founded in 1881 on Saint Paul's East Side as a German-speaking parish, the community greeted one another with 'Guten Morgen!' The School Sisters of Notre Dame began staffing the school in 1882, and on September 12, 1909 the Franciscans (O.F.M.) arrived to lead the parish — a presence that would last 107 years. In the 1990s Sacred Heart became the East Side home of the Archdiocese's Spanish-language Latino ministry; the Anglo and Latino communities formally merged on the Feast of Pentecost in May 1997. The last Franciscan priest, Father Eugene Michel, O.F.M., celebrated his final Mass in August 2016, and Father Edison Galarza was assigned as pastor to guide the unified community.
- Founded 1881 as a German-speaking East Side parish
- School Sisters of Notre Dame staffed the school from 1882
- Franciscan (O.F.M.) pastors served from September 12, 1909 to August 2016
- Anglo and Latino communities merged at Pentecost, May 1997
- Father Eugene Michel, O.F.M. — final Franciscan pastor, 12 years of service
- Father Edison Galarza — current pastor, assigned after 2016
Pastor & Staff / Personal
Father Edison Galarza is pastor of Sacred Heart. A native of Ecuador and a member of the Congregation of Missionary Oblates of the Sacred Heart, he is in the process of incardination into the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. Before coming to Sacred Heart he spent 17 years as pastor of Sts. Cyril and Methodius in Northeast Minneapolis, two years as associate pastor in Chaska and Carver, a year as hospital chaplain at Regions Hospital, and a stint as associate pastor at Risen Savior in Burnsville. The parish staff also includes Administrative Assistants Patricia Martinez and Gerardo Rodriguez, Faith Formation directors Prisciliano Maya and José Mejía, Music Minister Robert Hindel, and Maintenance Engineer José Chacón.
- Father Edison Galarza — Pastor (ext. 381)
- Patricia Martinez — Administrative Assistant (ext. 378)
- Gerardo Rodriguez — Administrative Assistant (ext. 388)
- Prisciliano Maya — Faith Formation (ext. 376); also Safe Environment Coordinator
- José Mejía — Faith Formation
- Robert Hindel — Music Ministry
- José Chacón — Maintenance Engineer
- Office hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Sacraments
The parish offers the full normal range of sacraments for its bilingual community. Baptisms for infants and children up to age 7 are scheduled on Saturday mornings at 10:00 AM, in English or Spanish, on a published monthly calendar; children older than 7 are directed to call the office. Marriage preparation requires at least six months — ideally a year — and includes a pre-marriage retreat and classes. Confession is available weekly on Saturdays and on First Fridays.
- Baptism in English and Spanish — Saturdays at 10:00 AM
- Upcoming baptism dates published monthly (e.g., Apr 18, May 16, Jun 20, Jul 18, Aug 15, Sep 19, Oct 17, Nov 21, Dec 19, 2026)
- Marriage: minimum 6 months preparation; pre-marriage retreat and classes required
- Become a registered parishioner before scheduling sacraments
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith Formation at Sacred Heart is led by Prisciliano Maya and José Mejía, serving the religious-education needs of the parish's bilingual community. The program accompanies children, youth, and adults in their sacramental preparation and ongoing catechesis. Prisciliano Maya also serves as the parish's Safe Environment Coordinator.
- Faith Formation team: Prisciliano Maya (ext. 376) and José Mejía
- Preparation for First Communion and Confirmation
- Ongoing religious education for children and youth
- Adult faith formation
Music & Liturgy
Robert Hindel directs the Music Ministry at Sacred Heart, supporting sung worship in both English and Spanish for the unified parish community. The Saturday Vigil is celebrated bilingually, and Sunday mornings feature distinct English and Spanish Masses, each with their own musical tradition.
- Music Director: Robert Hindel
- Bilingual Saturday Vigil at 5:00 PM
- English Sunday 9:00 AM, Spanish Sunday 11:00 AM
Parish Food Shelf & Outreach
Consistent with its mission to welcome 'the most insignificant among us, the impoverished, and above all, the immigrant,' Sacred Heart operates a parish Food Shelf as a concrete outreach to neighbors in need on Saint Paul's East Side.
- Parish Food Shelf
- Hospitality rooted in 1881 founding mission
Safe Environment / Ambiente Seguro
Sacred Heart is committed to protecting children, youth, and vulnerable adults in all parish activities and ministries, working in partnership with the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis Office for the Protection of Children and Youth. The parish Safe Environment Coordinator is Prisciliano Maya.
- Parish Safe Environment Coordinator: Prisciliano Maya — (651) 776-2741 ext. 376 or (651) 219-1080
- Reporting abuse: contact local law enforcement or 911 if a minor is in imminent danger
- Resources linked via the Archdiocese's safe-environment.archspm.org
Visit, Contact & Office Hours
The parish office is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, and can be reached at (651) 776-2741. The church is located at 840 East 6th Street in Saint Paul, Minnesota, on the East Side — a neighborhood the parish has served continuously since 1881.
- Address: 840 East 6th Street, Saint Paul, MN 55106-4543
- Phone: (651) 776-2741
- Office hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
- Website: https://www.sacredheartstpaul.org/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Franciscan Friars (O.F.M.)1909–2016
The Franciscans led Sacred Heart from September 12, 1909 until August 2016, a span of more than a century.
- Father Eugene Michel, O.F.M.c. 2004 – August 2016
Served 12 years at Sacred Heart; presided over the last Franciscan Mass in August 2016.
- Father Edison Galarza2016 – present
Member of the Congregation of Missionary Oblates of the Sacred Heart, from Ecuador; incardinating into the Archdiocese. Previously pastor of Sts. Cyril and Methodius in Northeast Minneapolis (17 years), then associate pastor in Chaska and Carver, hospital chaplain at Region Hospital, and associate pastor at Risen Savior in Burnsville.