About Us

Sacred Heart Church under construction in 1922. Photo courtesy of the Colorado Springs Evening Telgraph July 16, 1922.

Our History

Originally called St. Mary's and located on 26th St. and Robinson Ave. in "Colorado City," Sacred Heart Church was originally a mission church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Manitou Springs, the oldest Catholic Church in the Diocese. Soon it became clear that St. Mary's had outgrown its location and a new, bigger church was needed. With the help and dedication of Rev. J.H. Brinker and Rev. Humphrey V. Darley, the new location on the corner of 21st St. and Colorado Ave. was selected, money was raised and construction began. The new church was designed by Architect Thomas MacLaren in the Spanish Mission style and construction was completed in 1922.

On July 16, 1922, the new church was dedicated and named Sacred Heart Catholic Church, the newest and grandest church on the westside of Colorado Springs.

The inside of Sacred Heart Church in 1963, featuring an ornate high altar with a statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus atop.

Photo courtesy of The Oblates of Mary Immaculate.

As We Grew

Expanding to Grow

In 1926 the Bishop of the Diocese of Denver invited the religious order of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate to assume pastoral responsibility of Sacred Heart Church and Our Lady of Perpetual Help as a mission church, expanding Sacred Heart Parish. The first Oblate Pastor was Rev. James T. McDermott, O.M.I. Later in 1931 Holy Rosary Chapel in Cascade, CO was added to the parish as the second mission church.

Sacred Heart Church in 1965.

The Oblates of Mary Immaculate served diligently at Sacred Heart Parish for almost 60 years, growing the size of the parish. In 1955, the Oblates opened Sacred Heart Grade School, originally run by the Benedictine Sisters of Atchison, KS. Throughout the years, Sacred Heart Parish flourished. Hosting annual Mardi Gras Balls to support the grade school, Sacred Heart Church was the talk of the town. However in 1981, Sacred Heart Grade School was closed due to declining enrollment.

The Next Chapter

The Congregation of Holy Cross

In 1984, several changes happened in the parish. The Diocese of Colorado Springs was newly formed and Bishop Richard Hanifen invited the Congregation of Holy Cross to assume pastoral responsibilities of Sacred Heart Parish. Fr. Leroy Clementich, C.S.C. was the first Pastor and Fr. Ronald Raab, C.S.C. was the first Associate Pastor.

During this time, Sacred Heart Church experienced a lot of change. Fr. Clem and Fr. Ron transformed the old grade school building into the Parish Center to serve as an outreach of our parish ministries. They hired more staff members to support the mission of our parish. Soon, Sacred Heart Church increased its size and the number of registered parishioners.

History of Holy Cross at Sacred Heart Parish

Click above to learn more about the History of Holy Cross at Sacred Heart Parish.

Fr. Leroy Clementich, CSC, first Holy Cross Pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in 1984.

Fr. Ron Raab, C.S.C., first Holy Cross Associate Pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in 1984.

Renovations & Restorations

In 1992, Fr. Clem renovated the inside of Sacred Heart Church to better serve the community and reflect a more contemporary look with a large stained glass reredos screen on the altar.

After years of minimal change, the time came for Sacred Heart Church to be restored. With the help of Fr. Ron Raab, C.S.C., who returned to the parish in 2013, Sacred Heart Church was restored to its former Spanish Mission Style.

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Outside the newly restored Sacred Heart Church.

Where we are Today

Dedication and Beyond

On May 23, 2018, Sacred Heart Church was dedicated. Featuring all new handcrafted altar furniture, baptistry and pews by Geoffrey Keating of Keating Woodworks, Sacred Heart Church was restored to its former glory. A relic of St. André Bessette, the first canonized saint of the Congregation of Holy Cross, was placed in the new altar.

After the restoration of Sacred Heart Church was completed, the "old rectory" next door was renovated into St. André House, a parish meeting house equipped with handicap accessible restrooms, common meeting space and classrooms.

The restoration of Sacred Heart Church was more than just the renovation of a building. It's a legacy for future generations to come, a church that will stand in service to the community. We were excited to celebrate Sacred Heart Parish's 100th Anniversary on July 16, 2022.

Inside the newly restored Sacred Heart Church.
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Sacred Heart Church and parishioner Geoffrey Keating were featured in Notre Dame Magazine's Autumn 2018 edition.
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St. André House
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