Sacred Heart Church
Oconee, Illinois
Sacred Heart parish in Oconee is proud of the heritage of faith begun by our ancestors in the 1860s. Many of our current members are descendants of those who gathered and worked so hard to find and secure a German-speaking priest to minister to the Oconee residents. The parish was officially established when the first mass in our first church was celebrated on May 9, 1872
The first church was a wooden (18x36) structure that we outgrew and the second church, a brick structure, was struck by lightning and destroyed in a fire in 1911. Our present church was built and dedicated in 1913. The church gives nod to our history and the God-given talents and dedication of our parishioners. The beautiful image of the Sacred Heart on the dome of the sanctuary which was hand painted by a teenage girl from the parish while her father and uncle worked on repairs and updates to the building. Since the 1940’s this image has welcomed all who enter.
Our parish has a long tradition of devotion to Our Blessed Mother and the Rosary. Our parishioners even installed stunning stained glass windows depicting the mysteries of the Rosary as well as the Rose window that adorns the choir loft.
Each Sunday our pews are filled with generations of family and friends who have continued in our ancestors’ footsteps helping to build a strong foundation of faith for our children and the future of our parish and the Church.
Address
201 North Walnut, P.O. Box 45
Oconee, IL 62553
Phone: (217) 539-4325
Email: shparish@frontiernet.net
Mass Times
Sunday - 7:30 a.m.
Tuesday - 6:00 p.m.
Adoration
Tuesday - 5:00 - 5:55 p.m.
Sacrament of Reconciliation
Tuesday - 5:00 - 5:30 p.m.
150th Anniversary Celebration
Sacred Heart Church in Oconee celebrated its 150th Parish Anniversary in June 2022! We are so grateful for all the Lord has done and will continue to do in the years to come!
Annual Events
Family Fall Festival
We are celebrating our 30th year of the Family Fall Festival! Our Family Fall Festival is held annually on the last Sunday in September and the first two Sundays in October from 11:00am - 4:00pm. It began in 1994 with a 2,000-bale straw maze, pumpkins in the field surrounding the church and field trips from surrounding schools to learn about farming and where your food comes from. Today this event offers great food, wonderful desserts, kettle corn – a fan favorite, pumpkin painting, face painting, hayrides, cart rides, and so much more. The festival is set up in a way to allow the adults the opportunity to enjoy the day and visit with family and old friends while the kids play.
Trap Shoot
Our Trap Shoot is held the first Sunday of November from 8:00am – 3:00pm where you can get a nice warm bowl of chili or vegetable soup, a mouthwatering slice of homemade pie and spin the wheel for a chance to win a turkey for Thanksgiving (as well as other great prizes)! We run 3 trap houses continually as needed for the trap shooters and our hunters to practice their aim.