Our Needs
The facilities of Sacred Heart need some tender loving care, so that we in turn can provide tender loving care to our parishioners, both young and old. The priority is to keep our facilities safe, accessible, attractive and comfortable ... a place where people connect with Jesus and are drawn to worship God and serve one another.
To accomplish this, we need to complete the tuckpointing of the exterior brickwork and make our church more accessible. Too many of our elderly and disabled cannot safely enter the church. Each entrance has steps that are difficult to manage, and the handicapped entrance is virtually unusable since it is too far from parking and not protected from the elements. This prompts some to worship elsewhere. We must also safeguard other treasures that have been entrusted to us.
Our worship space is wrapped in colorful stained-glass windows, the first of which were made in Munich, Germany, and installed in 1923. Many individuals and families sacrificed to underwrite these treasures that illuminate our worship space, narrate our faith, and colorfully invite prayer and contemplation. Natural aging over the decades has deteriorated the lead framework that keeps the windows in place. They need to be secured to keep them from breaking apart and falling.
FAST FACTS
100 families came together to start this parish of Belgian nationals in 1906.
Catholic grade school education has been a focus of the parish since the beginning.
The education immigrant children received helped them become part of American society.
The church building has been a centerpiece of parish faith life since the cornerstone was laid in 1919.
As a century-old landmark, the church has drawn thousands to worship, to come back and see the church again, to remember, and to pray.
Why We Give:
The O’Keefe Family
GOALS
tier I celebration goal: $1 million - COMPLETE
Tuckpoint church exterior.
Replace HVAC in Lee Parish Center.
Repair stained-glass windows in church. View sponsorship opportunities here!
tier II challenge goal: $300,000 - COMPLETE
Demolish and relocate rectory.
Tier III Victory Goal: $1.7 million - COMPLETE
Construct new covered handicapped-accessible entrance, accessible restroom, a bride’s room, gift shop, and gathering area. View our renderings, site plan, first floor plan, exterior drawing, and animation for a better idea of our plans.
July 4th 2021, 4th Year Campaign Extension Announcement as was inserted in that weekends July 4th Bulletin.
View Gathering Center Feature Sponsorship opportunities here.
TOTAL COST: $3 million
letter FROM
FR. MARK
Dear Sacred Heart Family:
Sacred Heart Parish has served the people of Moline for 112 years. Founded in 1906 to provide spiritual nourishment to hard-working Belgian immigrants, Sacred Heart has enriched our community with beautiful liturgies, life-changing ministries and inviting fellowship opportunities. We have a long history of bringing the love of Christ to the families of Moline. We are a welcoming, thriving parish, but the passage of time has impacted our facilities.
Recognizing the need to preserve our treasured past, better serve our current members, provide easier access to our church and support Catholic education well into the future.
I have been working with community leaders to identify and meet these challenges. And we need your support to accomplish the long-awaited campaign goals now in place.
With your help, Sacred Heart Church will continue to be an accessible, comfortable and attractive worship space for today’s families. Sacred Heart will continue to empower the families of today and future generations by preserving what we have, promoting greater fellowship and investing in the education of our families, especially the young. Please join this noble effort by reading this booklet and making a pledge today.
Sincerely,
Fr. Mark DeSutter
Pastor, Sacred Heart Parish