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Newly formed St. Vincent de Paul parish in Pettis County
One parish with three places of worship.
–Catholic Missourian
That is what the former Sacred Heart and St. Patrick parishes in Sedalia and the former St. John the Evangelist mission in Bahner have become.
At the request of the people, Bishop W. Shawn McKnight united all three into a new parish, known as St. Vincent de Paul.
“By joining the parishes together, the members of the Catholic Church in Pettis County now belong to a wider group of parishioners for the benefit of all,” Bishop McKnight stated at the inaugural Mass for the new parish Sept. 22.
“The greater efficiency that comes with working together allows the Church to leverage the spiritual, financial and human resources throughout the whole county, such that the Church can provide a full range of better parish services that everyone deserves to have,” he said.
More than 700 people attended the inaugural Mass, celebrated in the Heckart Performing Arts Center at Smith-Cotton High School in Sedalia.
The bishop’s decision to combine the congregations came in response to a request from lay representatives of all three, along with Precious Blood Father Mark Miller, who was their pastor before retiring Aug. 1.
They made the request following a thorough review of the parishes’ viability and vitality, as well as extensive consultation within all three congregations.