About Sacred Heart · Virden, Illinois
Sacred Heart Catholic Church is a small Slovak-heritage parish in Virden, Illinois, in northern Macoupin County within the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois. The parish was chartered in 1912 by Slovak immigrants who came to work the coal mines of Virden and Thayer, and the church was built in 1914 and dedicated in 1916. Today about 145 families make up the parish, which is part of a tri-parish unit led by a Pallottine priest and joined with Holy Cross in Auburn and St. Patrick in Girard. The community is known for its strong vocation story (three priests, three deacons, and fourteen sisters from Virden), its weekly 24-hour Eucharistic Adoration, and a faith formation program for youth that uses the parish's St. Elizabeth Ann Seton building.
- Established
- 1912
- Patron
- Sacred Heart of Jesus
- Rector
- Rev. James Palakudy, SAC
- Diocese
- Diocese of Springfield in Illinois
Why belong here
Sacred Heart is a small, family-sized Catholic parish of about 145 households with deep roots in Slovak immigrant history and a striking culture of vocations. Visitors are welcomed into a tri-parish family served by a Pallottine priest, where weekly 24-hour Eucharistic Adoration, a K-12 faith formation program (CCD), home visits to the sick, a prayer line, and regular opportunities for the sacraments form the rhythm of parish life. It is the kind of close-knit country parish where neighbors know one another and faith is lived daily.
Mass times at Sacred Heart
Weekly Mass schedule
Adoration times
- 24-Hour Eucharistic Adoration begins after the 7:30 a.m. Wednesday Mass at Sacred Heart Church and concludes with Reposition at 7:00 a.m. each Thursday (weekly, year-round).
Our Parish
Sacred Heart Catholic Church sits at 722 N. Springfield Street in Virden, Illinois, in the northern part of Macoupin County. It is one of approximately 145-family parishes that make up part of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois. The parish is served today as part of a tri-parish unit — Sacred Heart in Virden, Holy Cross in Auburn, and St. Patrick in Girard — under the pastoral care of Rev. James Palakudy, a Pallottine priest. The parish keeps a parish office staffed by secretary Mrs. Marcella Rosier.
- Located at 722 N. Springfield St., Virden, IL 62690
- Part of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois
- Tri-parish unit with Holy Cross (Auburn) and St. Patrick (Girard)
- Pastor: Rev. James Palakudy, SAC (Pallottine)
- Parish secretary: Mrs. Marcella Rosier
History
Sacred Heart was chartered in 1912 by Slovak immigrants who had come to Virden for work in the coal mines of Virden and Thayer. The present church was built in 1914 and dedicated in 1916. The parish absorbed the older St. Catherine congregation — itself founded in 1866 by German and Irish immigrants — in 1978. In 2014, parishioners gathered for a 100th-anniversary Mass and parish dinner. The community has produced an exceptional number of vocations: three diocesan priests, three deacons and fourteen sisters, plus a current seminarian from Sacred Heart itself.
- 1912 — Sacred Heart Parish chartered by Slovak immigrants
- 1914 — church built
- 1916 — church dedicated
- 1978 — St. Catherine Parish (founded 1866) merged into Sacred Heart
- 2014 — 100th anniversary celebrated with Mass and parish dinner
Faith Formation & Religious Education (CCD)
The parish runs a weekly CCD (Confraternity of Christian Doctrine) program for children and adolescents in grades K-12. It provides catechesis for the sacraments of Reconciliation, Confirmation, and First Holy Communion, and supports service, charity, outreach, and social activities for the parish's youth in keeping with Catholic teaching. The program coordinator is Mrs. Becca (Rebecca) Yemm.
- Weekly CCD program for grades K-12
- Sacramental preparation: Reconciliation, Confirmation, First Communion
- Coordinator: Mrs. Becca (Rebecca) Yemm — [email protected], (217) 416-8297
- Lay catechists serve as teachers
Faith Formation Building — St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
In 1978 the two Virden parishes (Sacred Heart and St. Catherine) jointly built a parish school of religion on Sacred Heart property. The building is named for St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, the first American-born saint and a noted supporter of Catholic education.
- Built 1978 on Sacred Heart property
- Named for St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
Mass & Worship Schedule
Because Sacred Heart shares pastoral ministry with Holy Cross (Auburn) and St. Patrick (Girard), the weekend and weekday Mass schedule is spread across the three churches. At Sacred Heart itself, Mass is celebrated on Wednesday and Thursday mornings at 7:30 a.m., and on Sunday morning at 10:15 a.m.
- Sunday 10:15 a.m. — Sacred Heart, Virden
- Sunday 8:15 a.m. — St. Benedict, Auburn (Holy Cross)
- Saturday 4:00 p.m. — St. Patrick, Girard
- Saturday 5:30 p.m. — St. Benedict, Auburn (Holy Cross)
- Wednesday & Thursday 7:30 a.m. — Sacred Heart, Virden
- Tuesday 6:00 p.m. — St. Benedict, Auburn (Holy Cross)
- Friday 7:30 a.m. — St. Benedict, Auburn (Holy Cross)
- Monday — No Mass
Parish Life & Outreach
Parish life at Sacred Heart revolves around a small number of focused ministries: a Prayer Line that receives requests from anyone needing prayers, weekly home visits by lay volunteers who bring Holy Communion to the infirm and homebound, and funeral ministry coordinated with Fr. James and Deacon Rick.
- Prayer Line (request form on parish website)
- Home Visits / Communion to the Sick (each Wednesday)
- Funeral Ministry (contact Fr. James or Deacon Rick for immediate assistance)
Sacraments
Sacred Heart prepares parishioners for and celebrates the usual seven Catholic sacraments, including Baptism, Reconciliation, Confirmation, First Holy Communion (through the CCD program), Matrimony, Anointing of the Sick, and funerals. Families are encouraged to contact the parish office for scheduling and sacramental preparation, especially for Baptism, Marriage, and the initiation sacraments for children.
- Baptism — contact parish office
- Reconciliation (Penance)
- Confirmation & First Communion — through CCD program
- Matrimony — contact parish office
- Anointing of the Sick / Communion to the homebound
- Funerals — coordinated with Fr. James or Deacon Rick
Becoming a Parishioner
Anyone wishing to register with Sacred Heart is asked to complete the parishioner registration form, which can be dropped off or mailed to the parish office or placed in the collection basket.
- Parishioner registration form available on the parish website
- Submit to the parish office or place in the collection basket
Tri-Parish Family — Holy Cross & St. Patrick
Sacred Heart shares one pastor with two neighboring parishes in the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois. Together they form a single pastoral unit under Rev. James Palakudy, SAC. This means Mass and sacramental life are coordinated across three towns.
- Holy Cross Parish — Masses at St. Benedict Church, 126 E. Washington Street, Auburn, IL 62615
- St. Patrick Parish — Masses at St. Patrick Church, 745 W. Center St., Girard, IL 62640
- Sacred Heart Parish — 722 N. Springfield Street, Virden, IL 62690
Vocations from Virden
Despite its small size, the Virden Catholic community has been remarkably fruitful in vocations. Three diocesan priests, three deacons, and fourteen sisters have come from the local Catholic community, and the parish currently has a seminarian of its own.
- 3 diocesan priests
- 3 deacons
- 14 religious sisters
- 1 current seminarian
Contact & Visit
The parish office handles day-to-day matters and can be reached by phone or email. Fr. James Palakudy can be reached at the parish office or rectory. The parish also publishes weekly bulletins and a spring newsletter on its website.
- Parish Office: (217) 965-4545
- Email: [email protected]
- Secretary: Mrs. Marcella Rosier
- Pastor office: (217) 438-6222
- Rectory: (217) 438-6196
- Youth Faith Formation: Rebecca Yemm — [email protected]
- Website: https://www.sacredheartvirden.com/