Welcome to Sacred Heart Church
Our community parish built on love

Welcome to our community of parish and school. Fr. Ron, pastor of Sacred Heart Church since 1996.

A little bit about Father Ron

Fr. Ron Hebert, Pastor, Sacred Heart Church
Birth date: 1/03/39
Birthplace: Fall River, Massachusetts

Fr. Ron’s mother was a homemaker and his father and grandfather owned an industrial laundry. He had one brother and two sisters, but one sister died at the age of 2. As a young man, during the summers he would work at the laundry sorting and weighing clothes. He tells of one incident where he had been missing for three or four days.

It turned out he fell asleep in a large box of clothes and was found by security personnel in Rose Kennedy’s wardrobe room at their estate in Hyannis Massachusetts. Rose used the Lord God’s name in vain more than a few times that day.

Fr. Ron attended Catholic school at St. Anne’s in Fall River through the eighth grade. He then attended La Salette High School a seminary in Enfield, N.H., 300 miles from his home and family. The cost of the seminary, which included education, room and board, was a whopping $1 per day. Fr. Ron then attended seminary college in East Brewster, Mass. Fr. Ron attended
Novitiate at Center Harbor, N.H. While there, he worked as a beekeeper. During summer months in Enfield, N.H. he coordinated fireworks displays and also worked as a camp counselor. He was ordained December 11, 1965 prior to completing his final year of theology at Ottawa University.

Here are a few interesting facts from Fr. Ron’s life experiences:

• After being ordained, his first posting was at the minor seminary in Enfield, N.H., where he taught religion, history and filmmaking (he trained at Tufts University to become qualified to teach film appreciation and filmmaking). He also wrote for the Crane Theological Review on topics involving religion and film.

• While in Rome, Fr. Ron was honored to celebrate Mass with three of our former popes: Pope Paul VI, Pope John Paul I and Pope John Paul II.

• Fr. Ron and the Diocese of San Diego: In 1990 he was associate pastor at Mary Star of the Sea in La Jolla; from 1990-1992 he was associate pastor at Guardian Angels in Santee; from 1992-1996 he was the pastor at Holy Family in Linda Vista. Then in 1996 he was assigned to the best parish in the diocese, Sacred Heart Church of Ocean Beach.

A few of Fr. Ron’s favorites:

• Favorite food: Fried clams
• Favorite place to visit: Newport, R.I.
• Favorite color: Red
• Favorite author: Tony Hillerman

Last book read: “No Settlement No Conquest,” by Richard Flynn.
When asked if he could change one thing in your life, what would it be?: “I would have been thinner.”

Future plans: Retire at 75 and attend ceremonies, including midnight Mass in a Catholic Pueblo where the Native American parishioners dance at certain times during the liturgy. In addition, “I’d like to visit the Yaqui Indians during Holy Week to experience their unique ceremonies.”