SACRED HEART PARISH HISTORY

HISTORY OF ST. JUDE CHURCH

History records that the first Mass was said in Freeport in 1916; however, it wasn’t until 1928 that land was purchased by Sacred Heart’s pastor, Father Joseph Quinn, for a mission church in this community.  In 1933 a small metal building located in what is now the church parking lot on School Street, was dedicated as St. Joseph’s Church.

Fund raising began during the 1940’s for a more permanent structure to be built on the land temporarily leased to a gas station.  In the 1950’s the gas station exploded.  The church took back its lease and continued fund raising while still using the metal building as a church.  In the 1960’s a heating stove in the metal building malfunctioned, leaving the interior covered with soot.  The building, now unfit for use, was sold and moved.  Owning land but no building, the community continued to worship in the nearby Nordica Movie Theater, where smells of popcorn lingered from the night before and the ticket booth doubled as the confessional.

Slow moving fund raising efforts were given a boost with a significant donation given anonymously on the condition that the church would be renamed for St. Jude.  Construction began in 1964 and the completed church was dedicated on Easter Sunday of 1966.  Over the next 30 years the parish hall was finished and the main church renovated.

Today St. Jude is an active church in the midst of Freeport’s thriving shopping district, working in partnership with Sacred Heart to proclaim and celebrate our faith.

HISTORY OF SACRED HEART PARISH

1848      Irish Catholic workmen, following the growth of the railroads, settled in the Yarmouth area with their families.  They found this bustling seaside shipbuilding center to be an agreeable place to live.

1856    According to local tradition (and a history written in 1928 by Rev. John Connolly), the first Mass was said in Yarmouth on November 12 of this year in the home of Patrick Doran.  Thereafter, the families took turns hosting Mass, which at first was celebrated only once every two or three months and always on a weekday.  In order to worship in a church on a Sunday, the faithful traveled, often on foot, the 12 miles to Portland.

1878      In the beginning of this year the heads of ten Irish Catholic families, eager for their own church, met in the Doran home with a priest from Portland.  They were joined by two prominent non-Catholic men, Cyrus Sargent and Dr. James Bates who offered both moral and financial support.  Before the year was half over, the necessary funds had been raised, land on Cumberland Street had been purchased, and ground was broken.  By the end of July a sturdy little edifice, costing $1700, was dedicated “under the title and patronage of the Sacred Heart of Jesus” and served the parish for the next thirty-two years.

1900   The Sacred Heart community continued to grow as Acadian French mill workers moved to the area with their families.  The parish was first a mission church of Portland and later of Lisbon.  Reverend James A. Flynn, who was appointed to head the missions, purchased a house on Cumberland Street near the church to use as his rectory.

1910   Sacred Heart was served by five priests in quick succession; then in April of this year the Bishop names the Reverend Joseph D. Quinn to lead the parish.  He remained as the pastor for the next twenty-seven years.  Soon after his arrival, Father Quinn purchased land with a house and a barn on Main Street.  The house immediately became the new rectory (which is the same rectory used today) and, by year’s end, the spacious barn had been transformed into a well-appointed church in which Mass was first celebrated on January 1, 1911.  Two years later the barn-turned-chapel was destroyed by a fire.

1915     Father Quinn bought the historic riverside property and the following year   dedicated it as Holy Cross Cemetery.  From what we can determine, for the next seven years Mass was said in the back of the Main Street rectory.  During this time, as the Catholic community entered an unprecedented period of growth, it became clear that a larger, more permanent place of worship was needed

1916     Freeport joined Sacred Heart parish as a mission church. An inaugural Mass was said  on November 16^th in Davis Hall.  Freeport later went on to build their own church building, although continued to remain a part of our parish family as St. Jude’s Church.  Six years later the mission in Falmouth Foreside was established which eventually became Holy Martyrs parish.

1920         Ground was broken for the present day Sacred Heart Church in April.  Architecturally unlike any other church in the area, it was built in the grand Romanesque style by master stone mason, Charles Knight, Sr., using stone from his family’s quarry in North Yarmouth.

1921       On Labor Day, the cornerstone was blessed and placed in position.  Construction continued over the next couple of years with the men of the parish assisting with the labor.

1923    The first Mass was celebrated on June 5, the Feast day of    the Sacred Heart, although work continued on the building    for the next five years.

1928        As the local economy started to slow, the decision was made to go ahead and dedicate the church although the interior was still unfinished.  The church was dedicated and a historical retrospective was written and presented to the pastor.  Around this time, Father Quinn bought the land for the mission church in Freeport.

1937     Father Quinn moved to Millinocket and was succeeded by Reverend Edward F. Walsh who led the parish through the Depression, World War II and beyond.  Faced with a shortage of money and materials, Father Walsh found a practical solution to the unfinished interior.  He put up wallboard, installed a false ceiling, and built a choir loft which covered the rose window.

1954    Reverend James A. Daly was appointed pastor and shepherded the flock during the next 13 years of growth, peace and prosperity.

1967     Reverend Henry Pender succeeded Father Daly, followed by Reverend Frances LeTourneau.

1973      Reverend Charles M. Murphy, who had been a curate here under Father Daly, returned as Pastor and was later named a Monsignor.  Under his guidance,  church life flourished.  At this time, as part of Sacred Heart’s centennial celebration, the interior of the church was restored to reflect the original plans of Father Quinn, which included exposing the wooden beams of the vaulted ceiling and uncovering the magnificent rose window.  Msgr. Murphy left the parish in 1978 and Father Conrad L’Heureux arrived to head the parish for the next six years.

1984         Reverend Roger Chabot began his pastorate and oversaw more growth and change – the expansion of the music ministry, the adoption of a sister parish in Haiti, the addition of an exterior handicap access ramp, and the installation of a handsome  oak-encased restored and rebuilt pipe organ, made possible by the efforts of the whole parish community.

1992     Reverend Richard O’Donnell was appointed pastor and during his eight year stay the church hall underwent a major renovation, transforming it from a basement into a viable and attractive meeting place

2000    Sacred Heart begins the new millennium with a new pastor, Father Paul Stefanko, who looks forward to guiding our parish in the growth of our relationships with God and among one another.

2001    What started over 150 years ago as the shared dream of a few dozen people has become the Sacred Heart/St. Jude parish family of over 1,000 families.  As we still encompass a wide geographic area and come from all walks of life, together we continue to strive to build both our community here and in our parish and God’s kingdom here in our midst.  

2005   Sacred Heart Parish welcomes Fr. Raymond Picard as it's new pastor!