A Brief HistorySacred Heart Parish was formally established and given territorial boundaries by Archbishop Joseph P. Hurley on June 26, 1959. Msgr. Leo Danaher was the founding Pastor of the parish. In 1970 Msgr. Danaher was transferred to Tallahassee and Msgr. Patrick Madden became the new Pastor of Sacred Heart. For the next 31 years he faithfully ministered at Sacred Heart Parish until his retirement in June 2001. Much of the building and development of the Parish happened during this period. Rev. Anthony G. Sebra, who was an associate here at Sacred Heart for two years from 1975, succeeded Msgr. Madden as the new Pastor in June 2001. In November 2006 Rev. Victor Z. Narivelil, C.M.I. was appointed as Administrator of the Parish. In February 2007 he was appointed Pastor. He has been serving Sacred Heart Parish as Associate Pastor since October 1997. The first building to be erected on the parish property was the old church, and it was dedicated on May 26, 1960. After remodeling this building it is now our Family Life Center and is used by the parishioners for various activities. It also provides for a parish nursery. Shortly after the dedication of the old church building, foundation was being laid for a school. Portable buildings were erected where our gymnasium now stands. Four Sisters of Mercy arrived in 1960 from Clonakilty, Ireland, Sisters Paul, Ethna, Josephine and Gerard to start the school. Later they were followed by Sister Mercy (1961), Sister Patricia (1963), Sister Brigid (1964), Sisters Regina and Brendan (1965) and Sister Valerie (1982). The convent was built in 1962 and the rectory in 1963. A second floor was added to the rectory in 1983 and a rather extensive remodeling of the same was done in 2002. Construction of the present church began in February 1997 and was dedicated on September 20, 1998. A new gymnasium too was built in 1998. 2005 saw the building of the new Pre-K building. Currently the parish is trying to raise funds for a new Parish Center, replacing the current one.
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