About Sacred Heart · Sauk Rapids, Minnesota
Sacred Heart Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in Sauk Rapids, Minnesota, part of the Diocese of Saint Cloud and a member of the One In Christ Area Catholic Community with neighboring parishes. Officially incorporated on May 1, 1919, after its first Mass on July 14, 1918, it today serves about 1,763 households with roughly 3,899 registered members. The parish welcomes worshipers with Saturday evening and Sunday morning Masses (Sunday Mass is livestreamed), a Saturday vigil Mass with an ASL interpreter, weekly weekday Masses, and a rich slate of faith formation, youth, music, stewardship, and social-concern ministries. Its current home is a building dedicated in 2003, with an expansion of classrooms, offices, and a fellowship hall completed in December 2015.
- Established
- 1919
- Patron
- Sacred Heart of Jesus
- Rector
- Fr. Tom Knoblach
- Diocese
- Diocese of Saint Cloud
Why belong here
Sacred Heart is a large, multi-generational parish rooted in Sauk Rapids Catholic life since 1918 — large enough to offer daily Mass, a Saturday vigil with an ASL interpreter, livestreamed Sunday Mass, and a full faith-formation program for children and youth, yet structured around a small, neighborly community of about 3,900 members. Ministries here span OCIA (RCIA), Vacation Bible School, youth and young-adult ministry, choir and music ministry, Eucharistic ministry, lectors, altar servers, homebound and hospital visits, stewardship, social concerns, Knights of Columbus Council #11346, and Scouts. It is also part of the One In Christ Area Catholic Community, expanding the parish family and sacramental opportunities across nearby parishes.
Mass times at Sacred Heart
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sundays at 3:30 pm (Sacred Heart, Sauk Rapids)
- Saturdays at 3:00 pm (St. Francis Xavier, Sartell)
- Saturdays at 6:15 pm (St. Stephen, St. Stephen)
- Sundays at 7:50 am (Annunciation, Mayhew Lake)
- By appointment through the Parish Office
Adoration times
- Monthly Adoration (see parish calendar)
About Sacred Heart Parish
Sacred Heart Parish is a Catholic community of about 1,763 households / 3,899 registered members in Sauk Rapids, Minnesota. Its mission is to be 'a grateful parish following Christ by loving God, and loving our neighbors as ourselves through our words, deeds, and thoughts.' The parish office is open Monday–Friday, 8:30 am – 4:00 pm or by appointment, and a livestream of Sunday Mass is available online.
- 1,763 households; ~3,899 registered members
- Office hours Monday–Friday 8:30 am – 4:00 pm
- Watch Sunday Mass online via livestream
History of the Parish
Catholic life in Sauk Rapids reaches back to the 1850s, but Sacred Heart as a parish was launched with its first Mass on July 14, 1918, and officially incorporated on May 1, 1919. The parish has been sending children to Catholic schools since 1923. In 1941, during steeple repairs, Mass was held at the local Rapids Theater, and for almost forty years the parish had to worship on an upper floor of the original downtown church. The current building was dedicated in 2003, and a 2015 expansion added classrooms, offices, and a fellowship hall.
- Catholic presence in Sauk Rapids since the 1850s
- First Mass celebrated July 14, 1918
- Parish officially incorporated May 1, 1919
- Catholic school tradition since 1923
- 1941: steeple repairs forced worship at Rapids Theater
- Current church building dedicated in 2003
- 2015 expansion opened (classrooms, offices, fellowship hall)
Sacramental Preparation and Sacraments
Sacred Heart walks adults and children through the Sacraments of Initiation, Healing, and Vocation. First Reconciliation and First Eucharist are typically celebrated with children in grade 2 or older (registration is done together), while the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (O.C.I.A.) provides a parish-wide process — inquiry, catechumenate, Lenten Enlightenment, and Mystagogy — culminating at the Easter Vigil. Engaged couples are asked to contact the parish office soon after engagement to book a wedding date and begin preparation.
- First Reconciliation and First Eucharist (grade 2+; registration together)
- Confirmation with Confirmation Mentor program
- Adult Baptism / Reception into Full Communion via O.C.I.A.
- Marriage / Matrimony preparation (For Your Marriage resource available)
- Anointing of the Sick and pastoral visits to homebound / hospital
Faith Formation and Religious Education
Walking with all generations, the Faith Formation program aims to equip parishioners to recognize, claim, know, and live out their faith in the church and the world. The mission emphasizes five goals: curiosity about Christ and his ways, a sense of belonging to Christ and the Christian community, foundational belief and knowledge, deeper participation in liturgy, and practicing missionary discipleship through service.
- K-8 Faith Formation program (with 25-26 calendar)
- 9th Grade Faith Formation (25-26 calendar)
- All-ages formation tracks
- Vacation Bible School
- Volunteer catechists, small-group facilitators, AV/tech support
- Director of Faith Formation: Scott Frieler (ext. 117)
Youth and Young Adult Ministry
Sacred Heart maintains an active Youth Ministry directed by Jason Prigge (Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry). The parish currently listed an opening for a full-time successor in that role, indicating an active pipeline of formation and accompaniment for teens and young adults, including retreats and activities.
- Youth Group helpers, meal prep, retreat chaperones
- Confirmation mentors for teens
- Youth singers and musicians
- Young-adult ministry companion programs
Music and Liturgy
Music and liturgy are coordinated by Scott Frieler (Director of Music and Liturgy). The parish fields a robust roster of choirs, cantors, instrumentalists, and a Sign Language Interpreter, alongside Art & Environment volunteers who set the tone of the worship space throughout the liturgical year.
- Mixed Choir
- Praise Choir
- Men's Schola
- Kids Choir
- Resurrection Choir
- Bell Choir
- Cantors and Instrumentalists
- Sign Language Interpreter
- Art & Environment
Stewardship, Parish Life, and Outreach
Sacred Heart cultivates a culture of stewardship in which time, talent, and treasure are recognized as gifts from God. Councils and committees (Parish Council, Finance Council, Buildings and Grounds) shepherd parish operations, while Social Concerns, Health and Wellness, and Discipleship teams take the parish beyond its walls into the broader community.
- Parish Council, Finance Council, Buildings and Grounds
- Discipleship, Faith Formation, Social Concerns committees
- Food Shelf, Visiting Ministry, Hospital Visitor
- Widow(er) Support Group and Card Sending
- Knights of Columbus Council #11346
- Catholic United Financial, MCCL
- Scouts BSA
- Annual Parish Festival
One In Christ Area Catholic Community
Sacred Heart collaborates with neighboring parishes in the One In Christ Area Catholic Community, sharing sacramental and pastoral resources. The cluster includes St. Francis Xavier in Sartell, St. Stephen, and Annunciation at Mayhew Lake, and reconciliation is offered across the partner parishes each week.
- St. Francis Xavier, Sartell (Saturday 3:00 pm confessions)
- St. Stephen, St. Stephen (Saturday 6:15 pm confessions)
- Annunciation, Mayhew Lake (Sunday 7:50 am confessions)
- Father Ron Weyrens serves as ACC Priest, reached through St. Francis Xavier, Sartell
Pastoral Staff and Clergy
The parish is led by a pastor, two deacons (one of whom directs pastoral ministry), and an ACC priest who serves the area Catholic community. Supporting staff cover music and liturgy, faith formation, youth and young adult ministry, communications and finance, the parish office, music/liturgy associates, stewardship and building maintenance, and custodial care.
- Fr. Tom Knoblach — Pastor (ext. 112)
- Fr. Ron Weyrens — ACC Priest (contact via St. Francis Xavier, Sartell)
- Deacon Joe Kresky — Director of Pastoral Ministry
- Deacon Terry Jancik
- Scott Frieler — Director of Music and Liturgy
- Scott Frieler — Director of Faith Formation (ext. 117)
- Jason Prigge — Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry
- Dana Howard — Director of Communication and Finance (ext. 111)
- Jill Lieser — Parish Secretary (ext. 114)
- Laurie Kremer — Music and Liturgy Associate
- Jill Kiffmeyer — Stewardship Director / Building Maintenance Supervisor (ext. 122 / 129)
- David Walker — Custodian
Catholic Schools
The parish's links to Catholic education run back to 1923. The parish site highlights its partner schools, where many Sacred Heart children attend, including St. Katharine Drexel School, Cathedral High School, and the local public school district.
- St. Katharine Drexel School
- Cathedral High School
- Sauk Rapids-Rice Public Schools
Vision and Mission
Nourished at the table of Word and Sacrament and enlivened by the Holy Spirit, Sacred Heart Parish strives to build on the discipleship and rich faith tradition begun in Sauk Rapids in 1919, and to be conformed to the image of Christ. The parish is committed to deepening prayer through the Sacraments and communal prayer, cultivating a stewardship culture, forming families through all-ages faith formation and Catholic school support, welcoming all in the name of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and proclaiming the Gospel by being a voice for the powerless, working for peace, and respecting the planet.
- Mission: 'Striving to be a grateful parish following Christ by loving God, and loving our neighbors as ourselves through our words, deeds, and thoughts.'
- Vision: continued discipleship rooted in 1919 traditions
- Commitments: prayer, stewardship, family formation, welcome, Gospel witness
Contact and Visit
Parishioners and visitors are encouraged to drop by during office hours (Monday–Friday 8:30 am – 4:00 pm) or to call the parish office. Sunday Mass can be watched live online, and the bulletin and online calendar are the source for the most current schedule, Holy Day information, and special events.
- 2875 10th Ave NE, Sauk Rapids, MN 56379
- (320) 251-8115
- [email protected]
- www.sacredheartsaukrapids.org
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Ralph (Ralph G.) Zimmermanapproximately 2014–2020 (retirement)
Ordained June 5, 1976. Grew up at St. Anthony Parish in St. Cloud and educated at St. Anthony's Grade School, Crosier Seminary Prep High School and Junior College in Onamia, and St. John's School of Theology and Seminary in Collegeville. Previously served parishes including St. Joseph in Waite Park, Immaculate Conception in Becker, St. Mary in Melrose, Our Lady of the Lake in Big Lake, Immaculate Conception in Osakis/St. Nicholas in Belle River, a cluster including Christ the King in Browerville and St. Joseph in Clarissa/Bertha, and St. Wendelin in Luxemburg/Holy Cross in Pearl Lake/Mary of the Immaculate Conception in Rockville. Retired following roughly six years at Sacred Heart.