About Sacred Heart · Tacoma, Washington
Sacred Heart Parish (Sagrado Corazón de Jesús) is a bilingual Roman Catholic parish in the Hillsdale neighborhood of Tacoma, Washington, belonging to the Archdiocese of Seattle. Founded in 1912 by 35 German-settler families of the old Bismark district, the parish today is a vibrant, predominantly Spanish-speaking community that also serves English-speaking and Vietnamese Catholics. Sacred Heart is part of Parish Family 34 — alongside All Saints (Puyallup) and St. Martin of Tours (Fife) — and is moving toward becoming one canonical parish by 2027 under the Archdiocese's Partners in the Gospel / One Parish Planning initiative.
- Established
- 1912
- Patron
- Sacred Heart of Jesus (Sagrado Corazón de Jesús)
- Rector
- Rev. Cal Christiansen, S.T.D.
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Seattle
Why belong here
Sacred Heart is a welcoming, multilingual Catholic home in the Hillsdale neighborhood of Tacoma where Spanish, English, and Vietnamese Catholics worship side by side — six Sunday Masses plus a Saturday Vigil give parishioners real flexibility. The parish maintains a strong tradition of lay leadership, vibrant Eucharistic Adoration on Thursdays and Fridays, a bilingual Sunday Mass, and active ministries including Faith Formation and a Vocation Ministry that runs a monthly Rosary and Holy Hour for vocations. As part of Parish Family 34, Sacred Heart offers parishioners the opportunity to grow in faith together with sister communities at All Saints (Puyallup) and St. Martin of Tours (Fife).
Mass times at Sacred Heart
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Thursday: 4:00 PM – 6:30 PM
- Saturday: 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM
Adoration times
- Thursday: 3:00 PM – 6:30 PM
- Friday: 8:30 AM – 11:00 AM
Our Story
Sacred Heart Parish was founded in November 1912 when 35 families from the old 'Bismark' district of Tacoma (now Hillsdale) asked Bishop O'Dea for a parish of their own. Father Matthias Kreutzer became the founding pastor, and Mass was first celebrated in a rented space above a feed store. The first church was completed in July 1913, and the present church and rectory replaced it in 1954–1955 during the pastorate of Father Charles Kelly. The building was designed by the Tacoma firm McGuire & Muri and is recognized by the City of Tacoma's Sacred Places Inventory as an excellent example of mid-century Modern religious architecture. The interior was liturgically renovated in 1978 under Father McMullen.
- Founded November 1912, Bishop O'Dea, founding pastor Father Matthias Kreutzer
- First church completed July 1913
- Present church and rectory built 1954–1955 under Father Charles Kelly
- Designed by the McGuire & Muri architectural firm
- Interior renovation and liturgical updating in 1978 under Father McMullen
Sacred Heart School (1924–1980)
Sacred Heart School was born under Father Robert J. Ryan (pastor 1923–1935), who built a two-story parish hall/school building in 1924. The school formally opened in 1929 under the direction of the Sisters of Providence. During World War II, Father Albert Allard converted the parish hall into four extra classrooms to handle surging enrollment. Father James Hamilton (1961–1978) fought hard to keep the school open despite rising costs. The school closed in 1980, and the building now houses Religious Education and other parish/community activities.
- Two-story parish hall/school building constructed 1924 (Father Ryan)
- School opened 1929 under the Sisters of Providence
- WWII expansion under Father Albert Allard (parish hall converted to classrooms)
- Father James Hamilton (1961–1978) labored to keep the school open
- School closed 1980; building repurposed for Religious Education
Community & Welcoming Newcomers
Sacred Heart's identity has been shaped by three communities joining it over the decades. Under Father Jennings, the Parish Council was formed and welcomed the L'Arche community in 1986, giving them the former convent rent-free as their home. In 1983 the parish opened its doors to the Hispanic community of Tacoma and surrounding area, sharing its church facilities — the Hispanic community has since grown to fill multiple Sunday Masses. The Vietnamese community joined in 1995, ministered to by Parochial Vicar Father Dominic Nguyen, and they hold an afternoon Sunday Mass at Sacred Heart.
- 1986: L'Arche community welcomed into the former convent (later purchased)
- 1983: Hispanic community welcomed; now multiple Sunday Masses
- 1995: Vietnamese community joined, with Father Dominic Nguyen ministering to them
- Today's parish is trilingual: Spanish, English, Vietnamese
Parish Family 34 & One Parish Planning
Sacred Heart is part of Parish Family 34 in the Archdiocese of Seattle, working with All Saints Parish and School in Puyallup and St. Martin of Tours / Holy Rosary Bilingual Academy in Fife. Under the Archdiocese's Partners in the Gospel / One Parish Planning process, the three parishes are moving toward becoming one canonical parish by 2027. Two consultative bodies guide the work: the Parish Family Leadership Team (PFLT, made up of parish staff) and the Parish Family Advisory Council (PFAC, made up of volunteers).
- Parish Family 34 includes All Saints (Puyallup) and St. Martin of Tours (Fife)
- Target: one canonical parish by 2027
- PFLT = Parish Family Leadership Team (staff)
- PFAC = Parish Family Advisory Council (volunteers)
Mass & Liturgy
Sacred Heart offers one of the most generous Sunday Mass schedules in the Archdiocese of Seattle, with a Saturday Vigil Mass and five Sunday Masses spanning morning, midday, afternoon, and evening. The 10:00 AM Sunday Mass is bilingual (Spanish/English); the Vigil and other Sunday Masses are celebrated in Spanish. Weekday Masses are celebrated in Spanish on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday mornings, with a Thursday evening Mass and an additional First Friday evening Mass.
- Saturday Vigil 7:00 PM (Spanish)
- Sundays: 8 AM, 10 AM (bilingual), 12 PM, 2 PM, 5 PM (Spanish)
- Tuesday & Wednesday 8 AM (Spanish)
- Thursday 7 PM (Spanish)
- Friday 8 AM (Spanish); First Friday also 7 PM (Spanish)
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Religious Education continues in the former Sacred Heart School building, which has served as the parish's faith formation center since the school closed in 1980. The Pastoral Assistant for Faith Formation (bilingual) coordinates catechesis for the parish's children and families.
- Religious Education classes held in the former school building
- Pastoral Assistant for Faith Formation (bilingual) on staff
- Programs serve the parish's trilingual (Spanish/English/Vietnamese) families
Vocation Ministry
Sacred Heart's Vocation Ministry is dedicated to promoting vocations to the priesthood, consecrated life, sacramental marriage, and the sacred single life through prayer and education. The team distributed prayer cards in November 2025 to honor National Vocation Awareness Week and facilitates a Rosary and Holy Hour for vocations. A 'traveling chalice' home prayer program is being launched.
- Promotes priesthood, consecrated life, marriage, and single life vocations
- Distributed prayer cards for National Vocation Awareness Week (Nov 2025)
- Facilitates a monthly Rosary and Holy Hour for vocations
- Launching a 'traveling chalice' home prayer program
Clergy & Staff
Sacred Heart is led by a team of four priests under the Archdiocese's Parish Family 34 structure, supported by bilingual office and pastoral staff.
- Pastor: Rev. Cal Christiansen, S.T.D. (bilingual)
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Gilberto Mora Tapia (Spanish)
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Dexter Dais (English)
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Quy Duong (Spanish, English, Vietnamese)
- Pastoral Assistant for Faith Formation (bilingual)
- Parish receptionist and Office Assistant (bilingual)
- Bookkeeper (Carmen Bryant)
Visit & Contact
Parishioners and visitors are welcome at the parish office Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM. The parish can be reached by phone, fax, or email.
- Address: 4520 McKinley Avenue, Tacoma, WA 98404-2947
- Phone: (253) 472-7738
- Fax: (253) 475-0071
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Mon–Fri 9 AM–12 PM and 1–4 PM
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Matthias Kreutzer1912–
Founding pastor; led the construction of the first church (completed July 1913).
- Father Robert J. Ryan1923–1935
Built the two-story parish hall/school building in 1924; school opened under Sisters of Providence in 1929.
- Father Albert Allard
Pastor during WWII; converted parish hall into four extra classrooms to handle growing enrollment.
- Father James Hamilton1961–1978
Long-serving pastor devoted to the school; kept it open despite financial strain. School closed in 1980 under his successors.
- Father Charles Kelly
Late pastor during whose tenure the present church and rectory were built (1954).
- Father McMullen
Led 1978 liturgical renovation and updating of the church building.
- Father Jennings
Formed the Parish Council; welcomed the L'Arche community in 1986, giving them rent-free use of the former convent.
- Father Dominic Nguyen
Parochial Vicar who ministered to the Vietnamese community when it joined the parish in 1995.