Parish Staff

Fr. James Ladd's journey to priesthood began with a rediscovery of his Catholic faith in his mid-forties, after living a successful corporate life,specializing in insurance sales and risk management, for over two decades. Feeling unfulfilled and unhappy, he remembered his grandmothers' deep faith and decided to return to practicing Catholicism. This led him to seek reconciliation and eventually discern a call to priesthood, despite initial doubts due to his age and years away from active faith. Encouraged by his parish priest, he entered seminary in 2017 and was ordained in June 2024. 

Serving the people of God is the heart of Father James' ministry, where he finds great joy and fulfillment. Originally from Niwot, Colorado, Father James hails from a close-knit family. His father passed away in 2011, while his mother, now 81 years old, still resides in their family home in Colorado.

As a Catholic priest, Father James treasures the privilege of being a Priest of Jesus Christ, guiding and nurturing the faith of our parish community.

In his spare time, Father James enjoys the simple pleasures of walking and the companionship of dogs. He finds solace in nature and the bond shared with his furry friends.

When it comes to food, Father James loves grilled salmon, and his musical tastes lean towards the timeless tunes of Bob Dylan.

Father James' dream for Sacred Heart Parish is a simple yet profound one: that together, as a community, we continue to support and encourage one another on our journey to holiness.

My first instance of hearing God calling to me was the first time I went to adoration at a day-long retreat my senior year of high school.  After an outpouring of love and joy, I knew I was called, but I had no idea for what task.  I had already built up a strong Catholic community in my youth group and actively sought out a similar community when I went to college in the Newman center at UC Davis.  In this time my faith grew immeasurably; I learned to actively consider my faith at a much deeper level, to question and seek answers that I was always able to find in the rich intellectual traditions of the church.

The calling from God that I felt shifted from purely a faith journey for myself to a desire to give back what I had received, but it did not turn towards priestly discernment until halfway through my senior year of college.  I was nearing the completion of my bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering, but the closer I got to the end the more I could tell that it wasn’t the right path for me.  I had never truly considered priesthood before, but one night the thought popped into my head and I could not get rid of it.  It was simultaneously attractive and terrifying as it quieted the discordant feelings that I had, but meant that I would have to truly surrender my will over to God’s direction.  I needed to give up all the plans and aspirations I had for my life, which at first brought me great pain, but later brought peace.

The two greatest contributions to my discernment have been tight-knit, welcoming Catholic communities and the great depths of logical and intellectual reasoning behind all Catholic teachings which always have another layer.  Wherever my journey takes me, I know that I will always seek to foster and strengthen communities just as they have strengthened me.  I will also strive to spread understanding of the truth such that we Catholics can confidently assert what we believe and why we believe it.

I am answering a vocational call to seminary because I believe God is calling me towards this study, and has been for much of my life, even if I couldn’t see it at the time.  Entering seminary will enable me to grow continually as I learn about God and how he makes His will known to us.  I expect that living in a seminary community will especially help improve my prayer life, which can always be improved.  The community of faith is far stronger than the faith of one individual. I know that those around me will bolster my faith just as I will support theirs.

Deacon Dennis Macey and his wife Mary Ann have been members of Sacred Heart Parish since 1979.  Dennis was ordained at Sacred Heart in 2017.  He serves the parish through Outreach Ministry to seniors who are home bound and he is a Volunteer Chaplain at Asante Hospital in Medford.  Deacon Dennis is also a member of Southern Oregon Public Safety Chaplains and provides spiritual care for firefighters and civilians in times of need.

My name is Ron Filardi and I am a Deacon at Sacred Heart Catholic Church. I have been ordained since 1991, so, over 28 years. I have been a member and on the staff of Sacred Heart for 24 of those years.

I am deeply involved in many areas and ministries of the church as well as the many programs and services we offer. I provide Infant Baptism Classes, Infant Baptisms, Committals at Eagle Point Military Cemetery, Conduct Memorial Services and Gravesite Services.

I also work in the Ministry of Care providing visits to hospitals, nursing care centers and homebound visitations. I provide Blessing of Homes, Anniversary Blessings, Quinceaneras, Convalidations and Weddings.

Pertenece a la Congregación de Hermanas Misioneras del Rosario de Fátima,

(De Nacionalidad Mexicana).

Recibió su formación y estudios religiosos en su congregación durante 10 años.

Estudios académicos: Primaria, Secundaria y Preparatoria en Durango y Cd. De México; Carrera Comercial, Colegio Guadalupe. Cd. De México. Lugares donde estuvo de misión: Varios estados de la república mexicana, E.U. y México.

La congregación fue invitada a trabajar en esta comunidad parroquial del Sagrado Corazón, en septiembre del 2006, invitada por el entonces Pastor, Rvdo. Padre Liam Cary, hoy Recientemente nombrado Obispo, para la Diócesis de Baker, OR.

En septiembre del 2006 es cuando la Congregación acepta el contrato de trabajo para la Hna. Imelda Mercado, más tarde, el mismo Rvdo. Padre Liam Cary, solicita a los superiores de la mencionada congregación una hermana más, enviando a la Hna. Gabriela Mendoza, quien se integra al trabajo, en septiembre del 2008.

Desde entonces a la fecha, siguen prestando sus servicios en la parroquia y la atención en la Oficina del Ministerio Hispano.

• Horario de oficina de 1:30 p.m. a 5:30 p.m. excepto el (martes)

Hi! My name is Ann Brophy, and I have been the Pastoral Associate at Sacred Heart for over twenty years. As the Pastoral Associate, I direct many of the pastoral ministries of the parish, including:

• RCIA (the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults and Children of Catechetical Age)

• Marriage Preparation for engaged couples and civilly married couples

• Liturgy coordination and oversight of the Liturgical Ministers

• Funeral ministries

• Annulment inquiries and cases (I am an Advocate with the Portland Tribunal)

Although I grew up all over the country, my husband Tim, a lawyer, grew up here in Medford and attended Sacred Heart Church and St. Mary’s School. We met as students at Stanford University, and later moved to Medford from Portland to raise our family. Several years after we married, I became Catholic and have been a Sacred Heart parishioner for thirty years. I just love this parish and the Catholic faith.

Before becoming the Pastoral Associate, I received an Advanced Certification in Pastoral Care Ministry from the Archdiocese of Portland after four years of study. I also served for many years with Providence Hospital as a hospice volunteer and with the parish as an Outreach Minister. Serving as Sacred Heart’s Pastoral Associate these many years has been such a privilege and joy, and I couldn’t do it without the many wonderful parishioners and volunteers you’ll meet here!

Brenda has a Master’s degree in in Business Administration, Certificate in Church Management Villanova School of Business in Villanova, PA, and a member of National Association of Church Personnel.

Has worked for the Catholic Church for almost 30 years. 12 years for the Diocese of Las Vegas in the Diocesan finance office with the position of an Accountant and Auditor. She then opened a Parish in Henderson, which started in a storefront and then moved into a 20,000 square church hall building. For over 25 years, she had her own business, which was, a small accounting company.

Brenda enjoys using her professional and managerial skills in Administrative Ministry. She feels that meeting and working with others who share the same vision provides continued growth personally, professionally, and spiritually.

Brenda grew up in Las Vegas, Nevada resided there for most of her life. She recently moved to Medford, Oregon with her husband of 31 years, John. She has two sons and one Granddaughter.

Brenda likes museums and antiques stores to discover the fascinating and rich history of Oregon. She enjoys her evening walks, as she explores Oregon, which is Gods County.

Bernice Gutierrez brings a heart full of warmth and a passion for ministry to her role at Sacred Heart Parish. Originally from Puebla, Mexico,  Bernice finds deep fulfillment in making others feel valued and heard. She believes in creating a space where everyone can experience spiritual growth and a personal encounter with God.

Outside of her professional life, Bernice cherishes her role as a mother to two wonderful children, Mia and Shawn.

Bernice finds great solace and inspiration in her Catholic faith, particularly through the Eucharist and her devotion to Mary. 

In her leisure time, Bernice enjoys the simple pleasures of bowling and watching TV with her family. She also delights in cooking—a passion that not only serves as a stress-reliever but also allows her to share her love for others through the meals she prepares.

Bernice dreams of seeing Sacred Heart Parish flourish across generations. Her vision is for the church to continue growing as a nurturing space where individuals and families alike can deepen their faith and strengthen their personal relationship with Jesus.

I feel so blessed to be working as the Religious Education Coordinator for Sacred Heart! My roots run deep in this parish. I was a student at Sacred Heart School for over 7 years and received my Confirmation through this parish. My husband, Travis, and I met and were married almost 30 years ago in this beautiful church, and we have seen our eight children (ages 27 to 6 years old) go through many Sacraments here!

I have been involved as a Little Flowers group leader, homeschool co-op teacher, and recently as an RCIA catechist for teens for the past 4 years. I love teaching our Catholic faith to children and guiding them through the Sacraments! Our future lies in our youth, and I hope to educate families about our faith and lead them into a closer relationship with Jesus. "As the family goes, so goes the nation and so goes the whole world in which we live." - St. Pope John Paul II

I love spending time with my family and enjoy going to the coast or to the mountains. Of course, our valley has so many wineries and coffee shops to explore with good friends! Our church is rich in the many aspects of our faith! Recently, I have found Lectio Divina to be a delightful practice for growing closer to our Lord. My prayers are for our parish and the youth in our church

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