About Sacred Heart · Union, Oregon
Sacred Heart Church in Union, Oregon, is a Catholic mission parish in the Diocese of Baker, cared for as a satellite mission of Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church in neighboring La Grande. Tucked into the small Grande Ronde Valley town of Union in northeastern Oregon, the parish offers a weekly Sunday Mass at 8:00 a.m. and is supported from the La Grande parish, sharing its pastor and visiting clergy with the wider local Catholic community. The mission serves Catholics living in and around Union, including those connected to the broader La Grande deanery of the diocese. Its mailing address is P.O. Box 473, Union, OR 97883, and the church building stands at 340 South 10th Avenue in Union.
- Patron
- Sacred Heart of Jesus
- Rector
- Very Rev. Saji Kumbungal Thomas, CMI (Pastor of Our Lady of the Valley, La Grande — oversees the mission)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Baker
Why belong here
Sacred Heart in Union offers Catholics in the eastern Grande Ronde Valley a small, devoted place to worship close to home, with a single weekly Sunday Mass in a quiet, traditional setting. As part of the Our Lady of the Valley family of parishes, the mission connects local Catholics to a wider community that includes faith formation, religious education, Hispanic ministry, and parish staff reachable through the La Grande parish office. It is an ideal fit for those who appreciate a simple mission-style parish served by dedicated diocesan and CMI (Congregation of the Missions of India) priests who travel from La Grande to celebrate the Eucharist each Sunday.
Mass times at Sacred Heart
Weekly Mass schedule
Sacred Heart Parish — A Mission of Our Lady of the Valley
Sacred Heart Church in Union, Oregon, is a Catholic mission parish in the Diocese of Baker, cared for from Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church in nearby La Grande. Listed as a mission on the Diocese of Baker parish finder and on the Our Lady of the Valley website, it offers Catholics in the Union area a regular Sunday worship opportunity without the need to drive into La Grande. The mission is identified by GCatholic as Church of the Sacred Heart, Union, Oregon (GCatholic ID 37295).
- Listed by GCatholic as a church in the Diocese of Baker
- Mission of Our Lady of the Valley, La Grande
- Address: 340 S 10th Avenue, Union, OR 97883
Clergy & Pastoral Care
Pastoral care for Sacred Heart flows from Our Lady of the Valley in La Grande. The pastor of that parish, Very Rev. Saji Kumbungal Thomas, CMI — a member of the Congregation of the Missions of India (CMI) and Vicar General of the Diocese of Baker — also serves the Sacred Heart mission, with Very Rev. Richard Fischer assisting as Administrator and Deacon Joe Garlitz providing diaconal ministry. Rev. Noby Thomas is also associated with the parish as listed in Oregon Secretary of State filings.
- Very Rev. Saji Kumbungal Thomas, CMI — Pastor (Our Lady of the Valley); Vicar General, Diocese of Baker
- Very Rev. Richard Fischer — Administrator
- Deacon Joe Garlitz
- Rev. Noby Thomas
Parish Identity & Civil Status
Sacred Heart Catholic Church of Union, Inc. is a separately incorporated domestic nonprofit corporation in Oregon (Registry #10733392), registered October 8, 2002. It shares this incorporation date with sister entities Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church of La Grande, Inc., and Saint Mary Catholic Church of Elgin, Inc., reflecting their canonical grouping as one parish family.
- Legal entity: Sacred Heart Catholic Church of Union, Inc.
- Oregon Registry #10733392
- Registered October 8, 2002
- Mailing address: P.O. Box 473, Union, OR 97883
Surrounding Catholic Community
Sacred Heart belongs to the Our Lady of the Valley parish family, which also includes the Saint Mary mission in Elgin. Together they form the Catholic presence in the eastern Grande Ronde Valley, with Our Lady of the Valley in La Grande as the hub for faith formation, religious education, Hispanic ministry, and the central parish office.
- Our Lady of the Valley, La Grande — main parish (1002 L Avenue)
- Sacred Heart, Union — mission (340 S 10th Avenue)
- St. Mary, Elgin — mission (12th & Alder)
- Shared staff includes Director of Religious Education Shannon Garlitz, Hispanic Ministry lead Nancy De Anda, Administrative Assistant Gloria Jacques, and Office Manager Holly Little
Diocese of Baker
Sacred Heart falls within the Diocese of Baker, a Latin-Catholic diocese covering central and eastern Oregon. The diocese's clergy directory lists the pastor of Our Lady of the Valley as the priest responsible for Sacred Heart and St. Mary's as missions. The Very Rev. Saji Kumbungal Thomas, CMI, who serves Sacred Heart through Our Lady of the Valley, is also Vicar General of the diocese.
- Jurisdiction: Diocese of Baker
- Diocesan clergy directory confirms Sacred Heart as a mission of Our Lady of the Valley
Contact & Visiting
Parishioners and visitors can reach Sacred Heart most easily through the Our Lady of the Valley parish office in La Grande, which coordinates ministry for the mission. The mission's mailing address is P.O. Box 473, Union, OR 97883, and the church is located at 340 South 10th Avenue in Union.
- Parish office (Our Lady of the Valley): 541-963-7341
- Email: [email protected]
- Mission phone (GCatholic): +1 541-562-5486
- Listed email (CatholicMassTime directory): [email protected]