“Did you know Sacred Heart Catholic Church began with Mass in a store?” That’s right. We are standing before a beacon of faith. Sacred Heart Catholic Church has a history as rich and vibrant as its stained-glass windows.
Sacred Heart Parish started small. Father Joseph W. Stenger organized the Catholic Church in Charleston in 1862. He had to hold Mass in private homes. This was until a permanent space could be purchased. Bishop Whelan bought a two-story brick house. It sat on the corner of Broad and Quarrier streets.
Father Stenger’s roots were German. He came to the United States in 1837. Growing up in Wheeling, he served under Bishop Richard V. Whelan. Stenger worked in Bishop Whelan’s house to afford seminary. He eventually traveled to France for study. He gained his priesthood on September 27, 1862.
Stenger wanted a larger church. He started collecting funds in 1885. The church was completed before his death. His 34 years of service laid the church’s foundation. Father Stenger died on October 30, 1900. He was sixty-five years old. Father Constantine added the old church bell to the new one.
Father Agatho Rolthe built the rectory. He laid the first brick in 1902. Sacred Heart Church changed names and designations over the years. The Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston named Sacred Heart a co-cathedral in 1972. Bishop Joseph Hodges got approval from the Vatican. This showed the Catholic Church’s presence in southern West Virginia.
In 2007, Sacred Heart became a Diocesan Shrine of Santo Nino de Cebu. This represented the diverse members of the community. In 2009, it was termed a minor basilica. The parish underwent major renovations in 2017-18. These renovations included artifacts from Rome. Relics of St. Kateri Tekawitha are now in the altar. Saint John XXIII and Saint Francis of Assisi are also represented. Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, too, has relics here.
The first school at Sacred Heart opened in 1866. It was in the Dunbar Building. The school closed and reopened several times. The Sisters of St. Joseph reopened it in 1870. A boarding school named St. Mary’s Academy operated until 1895. A new school building opened in 1920. High school classes began in 1922.
Bishop John Swint laid the cornerstone for a new high school in 1940. It opened the following year as Charleston Catholic High School. The grade school was remodeled in 1942. The Dunbar Building was demolished in 1951. It had served many purposes over the years.
On November 9, 2009, Pope Benedict XVI made Sacred Heart a minor basilica. This honor recognized its historical and spiritual importance. Today, Sacred Heart Catholic Church stands as a testament to faith. It shows community and architectural beauty in Charleston.