About Sacred Heart · Spokane, Washington
Sacred Heart Catholic Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in the Diocese of Spokane, located on the South Hill of Spokane, Washington at 219 East Rockwood Boulevard. Founded in 1891 by Father Barnabas Held, OSB, to serve the German-speaking Catholic community, the parish is now more than 130 years old. The current sanctuary, a celebrated mid-century modern building designed by parishioner-architect Carroll Martell, was dedicated on December 7, 1969 by Bishop Bernard Topel and is widely noted for its carved-brick Stations of the Cross and Carrara marble altar by Martell's daughter Maxine Martell Di Bene.
- Established
- 1891
- Patron
- Sacred Heart of Jesus
- Rector
- Rev. Victor Blazovich
- Diocese
- Diocese of Spokane
Why belong here
Sacred Heart offers a small, historic parish on Spokane's South Hill with a strong sense of community identity — its celebrated mid-century modern sanctuary (dedicated 1969) houses original works by artist Maxine Martell Di Bene, including the Carrara marble altar and the carved-brick Stations of the Cross. The parish runs an active Youth Ministry for grades 5–12 meeting Tuesday evenings at 5:30 p.m., weekday Mass Tuesday through Friday with morning confession and Friday Eucharistic Adoration, and a long legacy of Catholic education that traces back to the parish school opened in 1921. For Catholics who value a worship space rooted in Vatican II renewal and a parish with deep Spokane roots going back to 1891, Sacred Heart offers a focused, community-centered home.
Mass times at Sacred Heart
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00 PM – 4:30 PM
- Sunday 9:30 AM – 9:45 AM (per Catholic Church Times listing)
- Friday 9:00 AM – 9:30 AM (First Fridays per Catholic Church Times listing)
Adoration times
- Friday 9:00 AM – 9:30 AM (First Fridays per Catholic Church Times listing)
Parish Identity & Heritage
Sacred Heart Catholic Parish was founded in 1891 by Father Barnabas Held, OSB, to serve the German-speaking Catholics of Spokane. After the first parish was discontinued in 1901, a new Sacred Heart Church was erected under Bishop John O'Dea in 1911, with Father James Cunningham as its first pastor and a brick building completed in 1913 at 7th and Chandler. The parish is now in its fourth generation of buildings, with the present mid-century modern sanctuary on East Rockwood Boulevard dedicated in 1969.
Pastorate Succession
The parish's pastoral succession stretches from Father James Cunningham in 1911 through to the current pastor, Father Victor Blazovich, who was appointed in October 2021. Notable mid-century pastors include Msgr. Oakley F. O'Connor (who installed the pipe organ still in use) and Msgr. John Coleman (during whose pastorate the parish was divided in 1956 to create Our Lady of Fatima and St. Peter parishes). Father Armand LaVerdiere oversaw the construction of the present church in 1967–1972.
- Father James Cunningham — first pastor (1911)
- Father Charles MacAleer — began the parish school (1919)
- Msgr. Stephen P. Buckley — pastor (1929)
- Msgr. Oakley F. O'Connor — installed the pipe organ (c.1939–1950)
- Msgr. John Coleman — oversaw 1956 parish division (1950–1957)
- Father Erwin Sadlowski — added gym (1957–c.1967)
- Father Armand LaVerdiere — built the present church (1967–1972)
- Father Charles Skok (1972–1976)
- Father Frank Bach (1976)
- Father James Kuhns (1980)
- Father Joe Bell (1983)
- Father George Haspedis (1994)
- Father Mike Krieg (2000)
- Father Mark Pautler (2003)
- Father Kevin Codd (May 2015)
- Father Victor Blazovich (October 2021–present)
The Present Church (1969) — Mid-Century Modern Architecture
The current Sacred Heart Church is a Mid-Century Modern / Neo-Expressionist building designed by parishioner Carroll Martell of the Spokane firm Culler, Gale, Martell & Norrie. Groundbreaking was in summer 1968 and the church was dedicated December 7, 1969 by Bishop Bernard Topel. The building is recorded in the Spokane Mid-20th Century Architectural Survey. Inside, pews form a semicircle around a central sanctuary — a 'religion in the round' plan explicitly drawn from the Second Vatican Council's emphasis on more active participation by the laity. The tabernacle and crucifix above the altar were brought from the 1913 brick church and reinstalled in the new building.
- Architect: Carroll Martell (Culler, Gale, Martell & Norrie)
- Style: Mid-Century Modern / Neo-Expressionist
- Dedicated: December 7, 1969 by Bishop Bernard Topel
- 'Religion in the round' semicircular pew arrangement
- Pipe organ (installed under Msgr. O'Connor) still in use
Art & Artists — Maxine Martell Di Bene
Maxine Martell Di Bene, daughter of architect Carroll Martell, designed the church's distinctive liturgical artwork while still a young artist in her 20s. She designed and sculpted the carved-brick Stations of the Cross, working the clay alongside the bricks themselves so that the stations became integral parts of the walls, and she designed the Carrara marble altar that was fabricated in Italy. Martell has since become a well-known artist whose work has been shown at Gonzaga University's Jundt Art Museum, the Seattle–Tacoma International Airport, the Kobe Art Museum in Japan, the Pratt Graphic Art Center in New York, and in Nordstrom collections.
- Carved-brick Stations of the Cross
- Carrara marble altar (fabricated in Italy)
- Tabernacle and crucifix reused from the 1913 church
Parish School (Historical)
Father Charles MacAleer began the parish school in January 1921, using the church basement as its first classroom with 19 students taught by the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary. By 1922 enrollment had grown to 120, and in June 1927 ground was broken for a new brick school on the present 10th Avenue site. That school building, with a capacity of 250 students, was completed in April 1928 and served the parish for decades until it was taken down in recent years to make way for the Rockwood Lane retirement facility.
- School begun in church basement in 1921
- Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary — first teachers
- Brick school for 250 students completed April 1928
- Gym added by Father Erwin Sadlowski in 1957
Worship & Sacraments
Sacred Heart offers a Saturday Vigil Mass at 5:00 PM, a Sunday Mass at 10:00 AM, and weekday Mass Tuesday through Friday at 8:30 AM. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is regularly scheduled on Saturdays from 4:00 to 4:30 PM, with additional times before Sunday Mass and on First Fridays. The parish office, reachable at (509) 747-5810 or [email protected], handles inquiries about baptisms, weddings, anointing of the sick, and other sacramental needs.
- Saturday Vigil: 5:00 PM
- Sunday: 10:00 AM
- Weekdays Tuesday–Friday: 8:30 AM
- Reconciliation: Saturday 4:00–4:30 PM
Parish Life & Youth Ministry
Sacred Heart's Youth Ministry welcomes students in grades 5 through 12 from across the South Hill of Spokane. The group meets on Tuesday evenings at 5:30 PM with a mission of growing in the Catholic faith, serving the community, and building meaningful friendships. The parish is led by Father Victor Blazovich (pastor since October 2021), who also serves the Diocese of Spokane as Vicar for Finance.
- Youth Ministry for grades 5–12
- Tuesday evenings at 5:30 PM
- Open to students from across the South Hill
Visiting Sacred Heart
Sacred Heart Catholic Parish is located at 219 East Rockwood Boulevard on Spokane's South Hill — only a block or so from the Cathedral of Our Lady of Lourdes (formerly Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist) and across from the Rockwood Clinic and Rockwood Lane retirement campus. The 1969 sanctuary is open for scheduled Masses and confession times; visitors interested in seeing the architecture and original artwork should contact the parish office at (509) 747-5810.
- Address: 219 E. Rockwood Blvd., Spokane, WA 99202
- Phone: (509) 747-5810
- Email: [email protected]
- Near Cathedral of Our Lady of Lourdes and Rockwood Clinic
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Barnabas Held, OSB1891
Founded Sacred Heart Parish to serve the German-speaking Catholics of Spokane; first parish discontinued in 1901.
- Father James Cunningham1911
Transferred from Sprague to become the first pastor of the re-established Sacred Heart Church (1911/1913 brick building at 7th and Chandler).
- Father Charles MacAleer1919–c.1929
Began the parish school in 1921 using the church basement; Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary taught the first 19 students.
- Msgr. Stephen P. Buckley1929–c.1939
Oversaw further growth of the school.
- Msgr. Oakley F. O'Connorc.1939–1950
Oversaw further growth of the school, construction of a convent, and installation of the pipe organ still in use.
- Msgr. John Coleman1950–1957
Presided over substantial post-war growth; parish was divided in 1956 with portions becoming Our Lady of Fatima and St. Peter parishes.
- Father Erwin Sadlowski1957–c.1967
Added a gym to the school; began planning for a new church.
- Father Armand LaVerdiere1967–1972
Built the present mid-century modern church, rectory, and parish offices; groundbreaking summer 1968.
- Father Charles Skok1972–1976
- Father Frank Bach1976–c.1980
- Father James Kuhns1980–1983
- Father Joe Bell1983–1994
- Father George Haspedis1994–2000
- Father Mike Krieg2000–2003
- Father Mark Pautler2003–2015
- Father Kevin CoddMay 2015–October 2021
- Father Victor BlazovichOctober 2021–present
Current pastor; also serves the Diocese of Spokane as Vicar for Finance.