By Michael Gresham
The Texas Catholic
ROWLETT — Parishioners packed the pews, stood in the entryway, and crowded around the door on Oct. 13 as Auxiliary Bishop Greg Kelly offered a blessing to rededicate a more-than-a-century-old wooden building that once served as Sacred Heart Catholic Parish’s sanctuary.
The rededication of the Rowlett parish’s historic chapel culminates a multi-year restoration project and aligns with Sacred Heart’s 125th anniversary year, the parish having been established on July 22, 1899. It is a milestone that Father Iñigo Lopez, pastoral administrator, said allows the community to reflect on the effort of those who came before while continuing that mission today.
“It’s a beautiful testament to the dedication of this community that started in the late 19th century and early 20th century,” Father Lopez said. “It’s an expression of people moved by their faith, who were inspired to serve not just themselves but the whole community.”
Father Lopez said the legacy of service and faith that started more than a century ago remains a vital part of the Sacred Heart community today.
“It’s important to recognize the effort of the founders of this parish and to continue with that love and passion to build the kingdom of God,” Father Lopez said, adding that on Oct. 13 the community not only had the rededication ceremony but also came together for a Mass celebrated by Bishop Kelly and a parish festival. “It’s a time of prayer, gratitude, and remembrance as we honor the past and look forward to the future.”
In his homily, Bishop Kelly touched on the history of the parish, its growth over the 125 years, and its ever-growing community of faith, emphasizing the significance of the parish as a place where God builds His community.
“It’s not meant to be a static place,” Bishop Kelly said. “It is meant to be a place where the Lord gathers us together.”
Though the day celebrated Sacred Heart’s history, Bishop Kelly reminded parishioners that their parish is not just a historical monument. Instead, it is a living, breathing community of faith, calling each of the faithful to examine their own lives and to think about how they are living in response to God’s invitation.
“He calls us to see the restlessness in our own hearts, the needs of other people, and once again to see the depth of His love for us,” Bishop Kelly said.
Following the celebration of Mass at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Bishop Kelly along with parish priests and parishioners, processed across the campus to the refurbished original church, where the bishop offered a blessing for its rededication, offering his gratitude for the families who helped build up the parish over the years, and asking that God continue to guide its community.
A legacy of faith
Sacred Heart is the second oldest Catholic parish in Dallas County, with the oldest now home to the community of the National Shrine Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe. That church, also originally called Sacred Heart, was built in 1869, but was elevated to cathedral status in 1890 and to a national shrine in 2023.
In its early years, Masses in Rowlett were celebrated by Father Daniel Harrington, who rode by horseback from Dallas to the home of Patrick McEntee, an Irish immigrant who came to Texas in 1874.
Services were held at the McEntee home until the parish’s original church building—the small, white wooden structure in the pioneer Gothic style—was constructed on Main Street in 1899. Bishop Edward J. Dunne dedicated the sanctuary a year later.
In 1921, the state of Texas rerouted the main highway through Rowlett, making it so the church’s backside faced the main thoroughfare. A year later, high winds from a severe storm partially dislocated the church building from its foundation, offering the parish an opportunity to realign its sanctuary.
“They were going to lift it up anyways, so they went ahead and turned it around to face the highway,” said Tom Crowe, a parishioner at Sacred Heart since 2001. “We kind of joke about it, but that was really the first time it moved.”
Growth of the parish community led Sacred Heart to construct a new church sanctuary along with offices and classrooms on a 25-acre site off Hickox Road in 1992. The original church then was moved for the second time in its history and relocated to the Hickox Road site in March 1995.
In 2020, the original church was on the move again, this time relocated a few hundred feet across the current Sacred Heart campus to make room for a planned new sanctuary. Battling rising material costs and work delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, restoration of the sanctuary took four years.
“The historical church has been completely refurbished,” said Monica Mueller, communications director for the parish.
The project included, among other aspects, the refurbishing of the pews and stained-glass windows, which now have reinforced glass to prevent breakage during severe storms. A concrete walkway and flower gardens complete with a Texas historical marker now greet those entering the sanctuary, highlighting its legacy of faith. Across the path, recalling the sanctuary’s storied past, a hitching post stands erect.
Mueller said a small funeral was held at the historic church last spring with it officially reopening on Holy Thursday. Including its relocation and the renovation work, the project cost more than $420,000. A grant from The Catholic Foundation helped fund the work, and Mueller said parishioners also did their part to help raise funds for its renovation as well as ongoing plans for construction of the proposed new sanctuary.
The historic sanctuary, which holds less than 100 people, will be used primarily for baptisms, weddings, and funerals.
“We’ve all been so anxious to see this project done,” Mueller said. “We’re all very excited.”
Crowe agreed.
“We’re delighted,” he said. “It’s been a real blessing.”
Cutline for featured image: A hitching post and a Texas historical marker greet visitors to the small, white wooden sanctuary, highlighting its historical significance to the Sacred Heart Catholic Parish community in Rowlett. (MICHAEL GRESHAM/The Texas Catholic)
