About Sacred Heart · Springfield, Massachusetts
Sacred Heart Parish is a 150-year-old Roman Catholic parish in the Liberty Heights neighborhood of Springfield, Massachusetts, in the Diocese of Springfield in Massachusetts. The parish was established in 1874 with its first Mass on Easter Sunday, and the present grand neo-Gothic church on Chestnut Street was begun in 1888 and completed and consecrated in 1896. Today it is led by two co-pastors, Msgr. Christopher D. Connelly and Msgr. George A. Farland, with the assistance of Deacon William F. Kern and a dedicated lay staff. Sacred Heart is known for its welcoming ethos ('All Are Welcome'), a daily 5:15 PM Mass that draws worshippers from across the city, weekend Masses in English, weekly confession with Spanish-language availability, a religious education program for all ages, and outreach to people in recovery through the Monsignor Farland Center.
- Established
- 1874
- Patron
- The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
- Rector
- Co-Pastors: Rev. Msgr. Christopher D. Connelly and Rev. Msgr. George A. Farland
- Diocese
- Diocese of Springfield in Massachusetts
Why belong here
Sacred Heart is an inner-city parish that explicitly proclaims 'All Are Welcome' and means it — welcoming individuals and families from every walk of life, with no judgment about background or identity. Members can pray with a faith community that gathers daily (weekday Mass at 5:15 PM) as well as on weekends, draw on a free religious education program for children and adults, find recovery support through AA, NA, OA, and Al-Anon meetings hosted in the Monsignor Farland Center, join the Over 60 Club or the Heart Travel Club, and receive the sacraments — including baptism, marriage, and confession (with Spanish-language availability on Saturdays).
Mass times at Sacred Heart
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM (Confession available in Spanish)
- Saturday 5:00 PM – 5:30 PM (Confession available in Spanish)
Parish History
Sacred Heart Parish was established in 1874 by Father James J. McDermott, with the first Mass celebrated on Easter Sunday at the Chapel of the Sacred Heart on Everett Street. The Sisters of Notre Dame arrived in 1877 to run the parish school, and as immigrant Catholics poured into this part of Springfield, the parish outgrew its chapel. The cornerstone of the present church was laid on October 21, 1888, and the building was completed and consecrated on October 18, 1896 — just over twenty-two years after the parish's founding.
- 1874: Parish founded; first Mass on Easter Sunday at the Chapel of the Sacred Heart (Everett Street)
- 1877: Sisters of Notre Dame begin teaching in the parish school
- 1888: Cornerstone of the present church is laid on October 21
- 1896: The current church is completed and consecrated on October 18
- 1906: Parish organizes what will become Our Lady of Hope Parish as a mission
- 1907: All Souls Church on Plainfield Street begins as a Sacred Heart mission
- 1953: Newest convent on the parish campus is built
- 1970s: Sacred Heart establishes the Spanish Apostolate, which has since grown to serve 12 parishes in the diocese
- 150th Anniversary: The Monsignor Farland Center is dedicated
Architecture and Sacred Art
The present church is a neo-Gothic landmark designed by James Murphy, an architect from Tipperary, Ireland, and built of Longmeadow brown sandstone. Among its most striking features are 27 stained-glass windows made in Munich, Germany, including larger-than-life two-story stained-glass Bible-story panels and a perimeter Way of the Cross, as well as a Carrara marble high altar imported from Italy. The parish's Steere & Turner pipe organ dates from 1874 and was moved into the new church in 1896; metallic turrets were added to the building in 1998.
- Architect: James Murphy (Tipperary, Ireland)
- Exterior: Longmeadow brown sandstone
- Stained glass: 27 windows, made in Munich, Germany
- High altar: Carrara marble from Italy
- Organ: Steere & Turner, 1874, moved from original chapel in 1896
- Metallic turrets added in 1998
Sacraments
Sacred Heart celebrates the standard sacraments of the Roman Catholic Church and welcomes inquiries from registered parishioners and visitors alike. Baptisms are usually celebrated the last Sunday of the month after the 10:30 AM Mass; couples seeking marriage are asked to call the rectory; sacramental records are available through the parish office. Confession is scheduled twice on Saturday afternoons.
- Baptism — last Sunday of the month after the 10:30 AM Mass (call the rectory to schedule)
- Marriage — call the rectory to begin preparation
- Penance — Saturdays 3:00–3:45 PM and 5:00–5:30 PM (Spanish available)
- Sacramental records — request through the parish office
Religious Education and Faith Formation
The parish runs a religious education program from fall through spring for children and a parallel adult education program each winter through spring. Both are offered at no cost, reflecting Sacred Heart's commitment to making faith formation accessible to every family in the parish and beyond.
- Religious Education Program (fall–spring, no cost)
- Adult Education Program (winter–spring, no cost)
- Contact the rectory for more information: (413) 732-3721
Parish Activities and Outreach
Sacred Heart offers a vibrant mix of social, fellowship, and outreach programs, many of them centered in the Monsignor Farland Center — the parish education and outreach building dedicated during the 150th anniversary year. Recovery meetings are held daily in the Center, and the parish hosts social groups for older adults and parishioners who love to travel.
- AA / NA / OA / Al-Anon — daily meetings in the Monsignor Farland Center for those in recovery
- Over 60 Club — meets second Friday of each month at 11:00 AM, September–June
- Heart Travel Club — parish trips including a Feast of the Assumption excursion and a fall trip to New York (contact Jim and Caroline McAleer at (413) 734-376… / [email protected])
Joining the Parish and Visiting
Sacred Heart welcomes individuals and families from all walks of life, whether longtime parishioners or first-time visitors. To register, speak with a priest after any Mass or call the rectory at (413) 732-3721. The parish's stated ethos — 'We not only sing All Are Welcome, we truly believe it' — is reflected in its preaching, its outreach to people in recovery, and its inclusive welcome to immigrants and newcomers.
- Speak with a priest after any Mass to join
- Call the rectory: (413) 732-3721
- Email: [email protected]
- Address: 395 Chestnut Street, Springfield, MA 01104
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father James J. McDermott1874–
Founder of the parish; ordained August 11, 1866; celebrated the first Mass at the Chapel of the Sacred Heart on Everett Street.
- Father George Farland
Long-serving pastor; co-pastor in recent decades. The Monsignor Farland Center was named in his honor and dedicated during the parish's 150th anniversary year.
- Father Hugh Crean
Served alongside Father Farland; together their pastoral care sustained the parish through the disruption of mid-1960s highway construction.