Sacred Heart Catholic Church - Jeannette, Pennsylvania - Roman Catholic Churches on Waymarking.com

The history of Sacred Heart Parish in Jeannette began November 1889 with a meeting to organize a new parish. Benedictine Father Severin Laufenberg, celebrated the first Mass in a blacksmith’s shop located on Seventh Street between Clay and Magee Avenues November 17, 1889.
He named the new parish Sacred Heart.

The newly formed parish purchased land on North Seventh Street for around $2,000. Parishioners erected a two-story building for just over $3,000. This building housed the school and rectory on the first floor and the church on the second floor.

A convent was built for the Benedictine Sisters from Pittsburgh in August 1891. These sisters assumed charge of the parish school, which opened in Fall 1891, with an enrollment of 90 pupils.

Sacred Heart purchased a 10-acre property in Grandview Heights for a cemetery the following year.

The church was repaired and expanded at a cost of $6,000 in 1893. A one-story brick school building was built on the corner of North Seventh Street and Patton Avenue for $7,000.

In 1897, the home of Louis Gehring, on Cowan Avenue, was purchased and used as the rectory until 1958.

Sacred Heart began a building fund for a new church in 1904. A second story was added to the school building to accommodate an enrollment which had grown to 275 pupils. The parish received permission to build a new church in 1921.

Two years later, the contract to build the current church was awarded to Edward A. Wehr for $167,785. It was designed by Pittsburgh architect, Carlton Strong.

Sacred Heart broke ground for the new church on Holy Thursday, March 29, 1923. The church is of English Gothic design, and constructed of sandstone quarried from Beaver County.

Indiana limestone is used for the trim on the interior and exterior of building. The interior of the church, with its dark oak-stained beams represents the inverted hull of a ship.

The cornerstone for the new church was then laid September 16, 1923.
The late Bishop Hugh C. Boyle, of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, dedicated the new church July 20, 1924.

The stained glass windows were created by the Hunt Stained Glass Studios, Pittsburgh. The Stations of the Cross are wood carvings from the Oberammergau Passion Players of Bavaria, Germany.

In July 1928, the parish acquired a second 10-acre plot of land along Route 30 to start a new cemetery.

Construction for a new convent on its present site began in 1951. It was blessed October 7, 1951. A two story addition was completed on the southeast corner of the old school building in 1953.


The new school was built on its present site for $675,000 in 1961. The school was designed by Francis O’Connor Church to hold roughly 1,000 students and was built by the Westmoreland Construction Company.

The late Bishop William G. Connare, second bishop of the Diocese of Greensburg dedicated the new school building August 20, 1961.

Renovations commenced on the church in 1969. These included sandblasting the exterior and repainting the interior.

Sacred Heart celebrated its 100th anniversary November 19, 1989, with Bishop Anthony G. Bosco, third bishop of Greensburg, as principal celebrant.

The Catholic Accent file photo of priests and Bishop Bosco during the 100th anniversary celebration.Sacred Heart purchased an organ from the Church of the Redeemer in Pittsburgh for $3,000 in 1975. It was first used for Mass during the Easter vigil in 1976. By this time, enrollment in the school had dropped to 465.

During eighth grade graduation, May 27, 1980, Benedictine Father Marcian Kornides suffered a massive heart attack, and died.

A new boiler was installed in the church in 1981. The stained glass windows were also repaired and covered with protective Plexiglas.

A lawn crypt section was added to the Sacred Heart Cemetery (Route 30) in 1982. New drainage and catch basins were also installed.

From 1988 to 1989, the church was renovated for its 100th anniversary; pews were removed in the back to create the gathering area.

After 103 years, Sacred Heart Catholic School closed in June 1995.

The school building became a home for Sr. Veronica Learning Center, a child day care facility until 1999, when it became Queen of Angels Catholic School.

Since 2005, the school building has served Seton Hill Child Services Daycare, Head Start and pre-K programs, and the Westmoreland Intermediate Unit autistic preschool and reverse mainstream programs.

A Tree of Life Memorial was dedicated May 28, 2005, at both Sacred Heart and Ascension parishes. These memorial displays at both churches honor our loved ones, and the money raised has created a perpetual care endowment fund to take care of the repair and maintenance of two cemeteries.

A Carillon was installed in the church by the Verdin Company in March 2008. In April, the church began a complete restoration of the stained glass windows.

St. Boniface Church in Penn closed October 30, 2008, and during this time benedictine priests were removed from Sacred Heart Parish.

A diocesan priest, Father John M. Foriska, pastor of Ascension Parish, and former administrator of St. Boniface Parish, was then named pastor of Sacred Heart Parish and administrator of Ascension Parish when the communities were partnered.

Sacred Heart became the successor parish to St. Boniface, and assumed all responsibility for the care of the parish facility. St. Boniface Cemetery also became the third cemetery entrusted to the care of Sacred Heart Parish.

All of St. Boniface’s property, minus the cemetery, was sold to The Father’s Heart Ministry, April 16, 2010.

Type of Church: Church Status of Building: Actively in use for worship Date of organization: 11/01/1889 Date of building construction: 07/20/1924 Archdiocese: Philadelphia Diocese: Diocese of Greensburg Address/Location: North Seventh Street Jeannette, PA USA 15644 Relvant Web Site: [Web Link] Dominant Architectural Style: Not listed Associated Shrines, Art, etc.: Not listed

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