Sacred Heart Catholic Church located in the west-end of Huntington hosted 90th-Anniversary Events on the weekend of June 7-9.
Sacred Heart was established in 1934 under the guidance of the Rev. W. M. Burke when a commercial garage was converted into the church with the assistance of architects and craftsmen. Sacred Heart was dedicated the same year by Bishop John Swint.
Celebrations for the Anniversary Weekend kicked-off on Friday, June 7, 2024, which coincided with the Catholic feast day of the Sacred Heart. There was a Mass at 5:30 p.m. celebrated by the Rev. Christopher M. Turner of St. Joseph Catholic Church, Huntington. A reception followed the Mass in the Parish Hall. The reception included time to peruse old photos and mingle with current and former members of the church.
Anniversary events continued Sunday, June 9, with an Outdoor Mass was celebrated by Father Shaji Thomas. Following Mass, there was live music provided by the 1937 Flood Band; corn hole games; doughnut eating contest, and children’s games. Hamburgers and hot dogs were provided by the church.
The church has a long history in the Huntington community. Early in its history, the 1937 floodwaters reached the new church. The men of the parish worked hard to save what they could. Statues were carried upstairs to the old rectory next door. Pews were used as scaffolds to raise the remaining church artifacts into the choir loft. The women of the church held festivals and bake sales to raise money to restore what had been destroyed during the flood. During the next 10 years, the church continued to grow, and a school was opened in 1948. The school closed in 1978 and was converted into the Parish Hall which is still in use.