I.  Parish History

    Sacred Heart Parish in Aberdeen was established in 1882 to cover a rather broad geographical area, and early parish membership was, in large part, composed of Irish immigrants and their descendants.
    In 1969, it was determined that the east-west tracks of the Milwaukee Road Railroad would separate the Sacred Heart and St. Mary's parishes in Aberdeen.  Those living north of the tracks would be assigned to St. Mary's, and those living south of the tracks would comprise Sacred Heart Parish.
    Thus the current membership of Sacred Heart Parish, which in recent years is near 1,550 families or households, has evolved from rural-urban to mostly urban; from ethic determination and choice, to geographical.  The parish population, along with that of the city as a whole, has grown demographically older in recent years.
    The parish has a long history of commitment to Catholic education, a commitment that has expanded over the years.

II.  Purpose

    The purpose of Sacred Heart Parish is to foster and enhance a spirit of community among its members, a community which returns its gifts to God in a primary way through worship in the Eucharist, which is the source and summit of our lives, and which in turn invites us to go forth to be a Eucharistic people in the world.

III.  Parish Council

    In keeping with the call of the Second Vatican Council (1965), for consultative counsel at every level of church life, a parish pastoral council has been established at Sacred Heart Parish.  To provide a basic framework for the operation of the council, a simple constitution and by-laws shall be prepared.

IV.  Goals

    Mindful that the fundamental purpose of the parish pastoral council is to serve the pastoral mission of the church in the local situation, the council shall implement means to determine the pastoral needs of the parish, prayerfully plan programs to meet those needs, and evaluate the effectiveness of these programs.

V.  Committees

    In order to involve members of the parish community in parish leadership and services, to utilize the many talents of the members of that parish community, and to fulfill the goals of the parish pastoral council, various parish committees are to be formed, according to current diocesan guidelines.  The type and purpose of these committees are to be determined through the parish council, in response to diocesan leadership.  The goals of these committees are to be update periodically.  The committees should maintain liaison with the Parish Pastoral Council, through regular reports.