Sacred Heart of Jesus History
1844 First settlers moved to Bay View and St. Francis area.
1855 St. Francis Seminary built from land purchased from Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi.
1866 Little building on St. Thomas More High School land, then known as Pio Nono Campus, became the first parish school.
1868 Kilian Flasch appointed first pastor of Sacred Heart of Jesus parish.
1871 Plans formulated for Sacred Heart’s first church with 65 families registered as parishioners; prior to construction parishioners attended Mass at St. Francis Seminary.
1872 First church construction completed.
1873 New school building construction completed in less than one year.
1876 First burial in location of present-day cemetery.
1885 New church was built with a membership of 125 families.
1888 New school constructed to include two classrooms and living quarters above for the sisters.
1888 Deceased parishioners reinterred in parish cemetery from the cemetery on the Seminary grounds.
1904 Fr. Philip Klein begins serving as pastor of Sacred Heart which was to last 52 years.
1930s Additional classrooms added to parish school.
1958 Plans begun for new church, school and rectory.
1961 Cornerstone dedicated for new building.
1994 Alexandra Guiliano becomes first lay administrator of parish.
2001 Fr. Bob Surges becomes pastor of Sacred Heart.
2010 Portions of parish property sold to create senior apartments and remodeled worship space.
2010 Weekend Masses celebrated at Clare Hall while construction begins.
2011 Fr. Bob retires as pastor of Sacred Heart.
2011 In December Sacred Heart Senior Apartments welcomes its first residents.
2012 Fr. Jan Kieliszewski becomes pastor of Sacred Heart of Jesus and Nativity of the Lord Parishes.
2012 March 25 Dedication of the renovated Sacred Heart of Jesus Church by the Most Reverend Jerome E. Listecki, Archbishop of Milwaukee.
2015 Renovation of Parish House complete with a March move-in date.
2015 Deacon Al Foeckler appointed parish director.
2016 Deacon Al completes his duties at Sacred Heart. Fr. Arul Ponnaiyan from Holy Apostles Parish in New Berlin begins serving as parish administrator for Sacred Heart and St. Paul Parishes.
2016 Tom Fogarty appointed as Deacon for Sacred Heart of Jesus.
2017 Design options and funds acquired for new stained glass windows for the East and West windows inside the church. Rendering of Sunrise/Sunset windows by Lisa Heideman of Studio 3 Art and Design selected. Windows are expected to be installed in April of 2018.
2018 Planning begins for Sacred Heart's 150th Anniversary in December.
2018 Deacon Tom Fogarty moved up North. Deacon Pat LaPointe was assigned to take his place.
2019 Sacred Heart of Jesus 150th Anniversary Opening Celebration with the Most Reverend James T. Schuerman, Auxiliary Bishop of Milwaukee - Saturday, December 29, 2018.
2019 August 17, Fr. Arul is officially installed as the Pastor of St. Paul and Sacred Heart of Jesus parishes.
2019 150th Anniversary Closing Celebration with the Most Reverend Jerome E. Listecki, Archbishop of Milwaukee - Sunday, December 29, 2019.
2020 Covid-19 Pandemic closes church and all ministries. Fr. Arul provided live stream Masses, adoration and rosaries.
2020 August 4, Fr. Arul is reassigned and Fr. Philip Schumaker is appointed as Shared Pastor of Sacred Heart along with Immaculate Conception and St. Augustine Parishes.
