Sacred Heart Catholic Church

Duane's take

Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'll do my best to do it justice. This is the story of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Lavaca County, Texas. Now settle in, because this one's got deep roots and a long road to glory.

The congregation started as a mission of St. Mary's Catholic Church, about four miles west of Hallettsville. That's where this story plants its seed.

The man who showed up to tend that seed was the Reverend John Anthony Forest, and he wasn't just working one congregation. He was riding circuit, serving the new congregation and other missions scattered across Lavaca County. Early on, there was no building, no steeple, no bell.

Worship happened in people's homes, most of them families who had recently made the long journey from Europe to start something new in Texas. Now, every church needs ground to stand on, and in 1869, Collatinus and Mary Jane Hallet Ballard donated the land for a church building. That was the turning point.

Construction got underway in 1873, with Father Forest himself supervising the work. And they built it slow and they built it right, because that building wasn't completed until 1882. The moment it was finished, Sacred Heart stepped up from mission to full-time parish.

Father Forest stayed on as pastor, year after year, all the way until 1895, when he left Hallettsville to become bishop of the Diocese of San Antonio. That's quite a send-off for a man who'd spent so many years serving the county from horseback and front parlors. Now here's the detail that stops you cold.

The same year the church building was completed, 1882, Sacred Heart Academy opened on the grounds. It was established by the Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament. The parish and the school grew up together, side by side.

The sisters remained until 1926, when they relocated to San Antonio, and the parish took over running the school themselves and kept right on going. Today, Sacred Heart Catholic Church is described as an important part of Hallettsville history since its founding, and it still serves the community, counting among its members many descendants of those early German and Czech immigrants who came to Lavaca County with little more than faith and a willingness to build something that would last. And last it has.

What the marker says

This congregation was founded as a mission of St. Mary's Catholic Church (about four miles west of Hallettsville). The Rev. John Anthony Forest served the new congregation, as well as other missions in Lavaca County. Early worship services were held in the homes of members, most of whom had recently immigrated to Texas from Europe. Land for a church building was donated by Collatinus and Mary Jane Hallet Ballard in 1869. Construction began in 1873 and was supervised by Father Forest. After the building was completed in 1882, Sacred Heart became a full-time parish. Father Forest served as pastor until 1895, when he left to become bishop of the Diocese of San Antonio. Sacred Heart Academy, located on the grounds of the church, was established by the Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament in 1882. The parish continued to operate the school after the nuns relocated to San Antonio in 1926. An important part of Hallettsville history since its founding, Sacred Heart Catholic Church continues to serve the community and counts among its members many descendants of early German and Czech immigrants. (1990)