Happy Birthday Sacred Heart Church

June 27th

Happy Birthday Sacred Heart!
In 1870, church services were held monthly in the hall over the general store of Colonel Peter H. Pierce, the current site of the Middleborough Police Department. In the small hall over the store, as they sat upon boxes and crates, they optimistically prayed, with steadfast faith for a Catholic Church in Middleborough. Their prayers were answered in 1873 when land was acquired for the purpose of constructing a Catholic Church in Middleborough. The actual building however, was postponed for seven years due to financial problems. On July 12, 1881, Archbishop John Joseph Williams blessed the cornerstone and dedicated the small, humble but attractive wooden building: the Sacred Heart Church. In 1885 Sacred Heart was declared a separate parish. Today we are 125 years old!

I have been a lifelong member of Sacred Heart. I celebrated my baptism with Fr. Joseph P. Shea in 1963. I attended CCD here (in the Fr. Joseph P. Shea Center!) and celebrated all my first sacraments here. My first memories of Sacred Heart were of staring at the stain glass windows and marveling at the many colors. I always felt that on Easter Sunday God would add a little extra sunlight to stream into the windows to draw our attention to the depiction of the Crucifixion and the glory and new hope of resurrection.

I realize in adulthood that a parish is much more than a beautiful building to admire, it is a home, a family- a family formed in faith and love. As we celebrate our 125 years together as a family let us pray for those who came before us… those displaced, exiled Acadians who, in 1755, established a Catholic presence in Middleborough and remember those who built up the congregation in the years following. Let us remember all the parishioners who contributed their time, talent, and treasure to make Sacred Heart Parish what she is today.

Do you have a fond memory of Sacred Heart to share? As we begin our yearlong celebration I would like to ask you to share your memories of Sacred Heart, both past and present with us. We will share stories here and on my blog. Let us remember the past and go forward with much hope for the next millennium. –God Bless, Holly Clark