About Sacred Heart · Tillamook, Oregon
Sacred Heart Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Tillamook, Oregon, on the north Oregon coast, in the Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon. Founded in 1891 as the first Catholic church in Tillamook County, it now serves a bilingual English- and Spanish-speaking community under pastor Father Angelo Te, and shares ministry of the nearby St. Joseph Mission Parish in Cloverdale. The parish describes itself as 'a community of believers centered on the Eucharist, the Word of God and Catholic Tradition,' witnessing to the faith 'through the Sacraments, good works of service, and prayer.' Sacred Heart offers daily and weekend Masses, Saturday confessions, Eucharistic Adoration in the chapel, faith formation for children and youth, and active Catholic Daughters and Knights of Columbus councils.
- Established
- 1891
- Patron
- Sacred Heart of Jesus
- Rector
- Father Angelo Te
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon
Why belong here
Sacred Heart is a small but active bilingual parish with a worship schedule that fits both working and retired Catholics — Saturday Vigil, two Sunday Masses (English at 8:30am, Spanish at 12:30pm), and weekday Masses Tuesday through Friday. The parish offers Eucharistic Adoration every Friday and First Friday, Saturday confessions, faith formation with sacramental preparation including Confirmation, Vacation Bible School, and outreach through the Knights of Columbus and Catholic Daughters. As the historic Catholic heart of Tillamook County since 1891, Sacred Heart pairs deep pioneer roots with a present-day Hispanic ministry and a tight-knit feel, with regular community events like the January Crab Feed, the December Our Lady of Guadalupe celebration, and the Oktoberfest Fall Festival.
Mass times at Sacred Heart
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM
- By appointment
Adoration times
- Friday 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM (Administration Building Chapel)
- First Friday 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM (Administration Building Chapel)
Parish Identity & Mission
Sacred Heart Parish in Tillamook describes itself as 'a community of believers centered on the Eucharist, the Word of God and Catholic Tradition.' Together the parish family gives 'witness to our faith through the Sacraments, good works of service, and prayer.' Located on Oregon's north coast and belonging to the Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon, it serves Tillamook Catholics in both English and Spanish and shares ministry of St. Joseph Mission Parish in Cloverdale with the same pastor.
- Parish mission: community of believers centered on the Eucharist, the Word of God, and Catholic Tradition
- Witnesses through the Sacraments, good works of service, and prayer
- Bilingual English/Spanish ministry
- In the Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon
- Shared pastorate with St. Joseph Mission, Cloverdale
History of Sacred Heart Parish
Catholic life in the Tillamook Valley long predates the parish. From about 1860 to 1890 visiting priests from Grand Ronde — chiefly Father Adrian Croquet — would ride in to say Mass in Catholic homes. In 1890 the Fitzpatrick family petitioned Archbishop Gross, who visited in person and approved a new parish. The Thayer family donated land for $1 and the first church, built of river logs, was completed in 1891. Father L.P. Desmarais celebrated the first Mass on Sunday, March 15, 1891. Through the late 1890s the parish grew quickly: Father Schell built up parish life, six Sisters from Scranton, PA arrived in 1897 to open St. Alphonsus Academy, and a rectory, cemetery, and additional land followed in the early 1900s. In 1917 the Benedictine Fathers of Mount Angel Abbey took over the parish and from Sacred Heart staffed missions across all of Tillamook County for many decades.
- 1890 — Fitzpatrick family petitions Archbishop Gross for a parish
- August 28, 1890 — Archbishop Gross visits Tillamook, Garibaldi, Netarts
- 1891 — First church built on land donated by Claude & Estelle Thayer
- March 15, 1891 — First Mass celebrated by Father L.P. Desmarais
- 1895 — Father Joseph Schell becomes pastor; pushes school/hall development
- September 1897 — Six Sisters from Scranton, PA arrive; St. Alphonsus Academy opens October 4
- 1902 — Rectory built by Mike Melchior; John Sheets acquires the parish cemetery
- 1905 — Father L.A. LeMiller acquires block between Fifth and Sixth Streets
- 1917 — Benedictine Fathers of Mount Angel Abbey take over care of the parish
St. Alphonsus Academy & Early Catholic Education
In September 1897 six Sisters from Scranton, Pennsylvania traveled over the Coast Range (a 65-mile journey from Forest Grove) to open St. Alphonsus Academy under Father Schell. They used a three-story building Dr. W.J. May had erected three years earlier — 60 feet on each side and 60 feet tall — which locals nicknamed 'The Cheese Box.' Classes opened October 4 with 40 grade-school students and 6 non-Catholic high-schoolers. The Tillamook Headlight reported that the Sisters also taught night school. The school was later operated by the Sisters of St. Mary of Beaverton (from 1903) before eventually closing. The cemetery acquired by John Sheets in 1902 on the 'old Tittle place' near what later became the blimp base is still in use today.
- St. Alphonsus Academy opened 1897 — both grade school and high school
- Six Sisters from Scranton, PA founded the school
- Three-story building nicknamed 'The Cheese Box' (60 ft × 60 ft × 60 ft)
- 40 grade-school students and 6 non-Catholic high-schoolers at opening
- Sisters of St. Mary of Beaverton took over operation in 1903
The Benedictine Era (1917 onward)
From 1917 the parish was cared for by the Benedictine Fathers of Mount Angel Abbey. Their missionaries from Sacred Heart served the entire county — Rockaway, Garibaldi, Bay City, Wheeler, and Cloverdale — and built or expanded mission churches including St. Joseph's in Cloverdale (1921–22, designed and built by Mike Melchior and Father Hildebrand Melchior) and St. Mary's by the Sea at Rockaway (dedicated September 4, 1927 by Abbot Bernard Murphy, O.S.B.). The beloved Father Augustine DeNoble, O.S.B., who grew up on a Tillamook dairy farm under these Benedictine missionaries, later compiled the invaluable 'Deaths and Burials of the Catholic Church Sacred Heart Parish, Tillamook, Oregon 1860-1932,' an irreplaceable vital record of pioneer families.
- Benedictine Fathers of Mount Angel Abbey took over the parish in 1917
- Pastors and missionaries launched missions county-wide from Sacred Heart
- Father Hildebrand Melchior, O.S.B. — a son of the parish (father Mike Melchior built the rectory)
- Father Augustine DeNoble, O.S.B. — compiled parish burial records 1860–1932
Parish Staff & Clergy
Sacred Heart is led by a small team of clergy and lay staff who together run the parish, its mission, its Hispanic ministry, and its finances. Father Angelo Te is pastor and also cares for St. Joseph Mission Parish in Cloverdale. The secretary handles parish communications; the business manager oversees parish finances; and a dedicated Hispanic Minister coordinates the Spanish-language pastoral and sacramental life.
- Father Angelo Te — Pastor ([email protected])
- Anna Orta — Secretary ([email protected])
- Ronda Groshong — Business Manager ([email protected])
- Diana Benito — Hispanic Minister ([email protected])
St. Joseph Mission Parish, Cloverdale
Pastored together with Sacred Heart by Father Angelo Te, St. Joseph Mission Parish sits in nearby Cloverdale (34500 Parkway Ln). A beautiful white-steepled church on green rolling hills near Pacific City, it celebrated its centennial in 2022. Its interior features lovely woodwork and statues, and the mission community is small and tight-knit — dairy farmers, retirees, multigenerational local families, and vacationers.
- Address: 34500 Parkway Ln, Cloverdale, OR 97112
- Phone: 503-842-6647 (shared parish office)
- Mass: Thursday 11:00 AM, Friday 11:00 AM, Sunday 10:30 AM
- Confessions: by appointment (call office)
- White-steepled church on green hills near Pacific City
- Centennial celebrated in 2022
- Home to the St. Joseph Altar Society (annual Old-Fashioned Christmas Bazaar — 64th annual held in 2023)
Parish Ministries & Organizations
Sacred Heart's lay apostolate centers on three long-standing groups. The Knights of Columbus Tillamook Council 2171 runs the annual sausage dinner (held for over 60 years) and recently presented a $10,000 check to the parish for new ceiling and windows in the parish hall. The Catholic Daughters of the Americas Court #1367 Sacred Heart is a longstanding women's fraternity active in charity and parish life. The parish also has an active Hispanic Ministry led by Diana Benito, coordinating the Spanish Mass, sacramental prep, and community outreach.
- Knights of Columbus — Tillamook Council 2171
- Catholic Daughters of the Americas — Court #1367 Sacred Heart
- Hispanic Ministry — coordinated by Diana Benito
- St. Joseph Altar Society (at the Cloverdale mission)
Faith Formation & Sacraments
The parish provides religious education and sacramental preparation for children, youth, and adults. Recent sacramental celebrations have included bilingual First Communion Masses and Confirmation (conferred recently on students from both Sacred Heart and St. Joseph Mission). RCIA welcomes adults seeking to become Catholic, and Vacation Bible School is offered in the summer.
- Sunday School / Children and Youth Faith Formation
- Sacramental preparation — First Communion, Confirmation
- RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults)
- Vacation Bible School
Parish Events & Community Life
Sacred Heart and St. Joseph Mission sustain a year-round rhythm of community events. Winter brings the January Crab Feed at Sacred Heart and the long-running Old-Fashioned Christmas Bazaar at St. Joseph's (with homemade cinnamon rolls, Polish dogs and sauerkraut, jams, jellies, relish, gift baskets, handcrafted items, a silent auction, and a quilt and grocery raffle). Holy Week includes an outdoor Stations of the Cross on Good Friday. Summer features Vacation Bible School, and fall brings the Oktoberfest Fall Festival. December closes the year with a Celebration of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
- January — Annual Crab Feed
- Holy Week — Outdoor Stations of the Cross (Good Friday)
- Summer — Vacation Bible School
- Fall — Oktoberfest Fall Festival
- December — Celebration of Our Lady of Guadalupe
- December — St. Joseph's Annual Old-Fashioned Christmas Bazaar (hosted by St. Joseph Altar Society)
Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery
The parish maintains the historic Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery, acquired in 1902 by parishioner John Sheets on the 'old Tittle place' near what later became the blimp base. Originally forested, it was cleared by parish men with horses. It remains in use today and is part of the parish's continuing care for both pioneer families and current members.
- Acquired 1902 by John Sheets
- Cleared of heavy forest growth by parishioners using horses
- Still in use today
Facilities: Church & Chapel
The main parish church stands at 2411 5th Street, Tillamook. Directly across the street, a newer Sacred Heart Chapel was dedicated in 2019 for smaller liturgies and Eucharistic Adoration. It is a more intimate, prayerful setting that repurposed the old pews from St. Cecilia's in Beaverton as well as the ambo and altar from St. Boniface in Sublimity — a tangible link to other Oregon Catholic communities. The Administration Building, adjacent to the church, houses the parish offices and the chapel in which weekday Adoration takes place.
- Main church — 2411 5th St, Tillamook
- Sacred Heart Chapel — dedicated 2019, across the street
- Pews reused from St. Cecilia's, Beaverton
- Ambo and altar reused from St. Boniface, Sublimity
- Administration Building — parish offices + Adoration chapel
Getting Involved & Staying Connected
Parishioners and visitors can keep up with Sacred Heart through the parish website, the parish Facebook page (which shares Gospel reflections from Father Angelo Te and livestreams of some liturgies), and Father Te's own Facebook and YouTube channels. Online giving is available through the parish website. The parish office is open during business hours at 2410 5th Street and can be reached at 503-842-6647.
- Parish website: sacredheartchurchtillamook.org
- Parish Facebook: facebook.com/sacredhearttillamook
- Father Angelo Te Facebook: facebook.com/jesusangelote
- Father Angelo Te YouTube: youtube.com/@dailyinspirationbyfr.angel7173
- Online giving available via the parish website
- Parish office phone: 503-842-6647
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father L.P. DesmaraisMarch 1891 – August 1892 (returned briefly August 1893)
First resident pastor; celebrated the first Mass on Sunday, March 15, 1891.
- Father Joseph SchellFrom September 1895
Promoted parish development, especially the Catholic school and parish hall; welcomed the Sisters from Scranton, PA in 1897 and opened St. Alphonsus Academy.
- Father Burric. 1902
Had the rectory built by Mike Melchior, father of the future Benedictine pastor Hildebrand Melchior.
- Father L.A. LeMillerFrom November 7, 1905
Acquired the west end of the block between Fifth and Sixth Streets, securing land for future parish expansion.
- Father Hildebrand Melchior, O.S.B.Benedictine era (early 20th c.)
Benedictine of Mount Angel Abbey; son of builder Mike Melchior. Served missions of the county from Sacred Heart and designed/built St. Mary's by the Sea at Rockaway.
- Father Augustine DeNoble, O.S.B.Late 20th century
Late, beloved Benedictine who grew up on a local dairy farm; compiled 'Deaths and Burials of the Catholic Church Sacred Heart Parish, Tillamook, Oregon 1860-1932.'
- Father Angelo TeCurrent pastor
Serves Sacred Heart in Tillamook and St. Joseph Mission in Cloverdale; previously pastor of St. Mary by the Sea in Rockaway.