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Our early faith ancestors of German and Irish decent built their little Catholic communities in our parish territory. They came to this area of the Northwest Territory, to eke out a better and hope filled lifestyle. They were an isolated pocket of Catholicity in this vast territory. But with their faith commitment, their love, and all their human faults, they lived and practiced their faith to the best of their ability. They came together as a unit - The Body of Christ - practicing their faith, loving and carrying out Christ's commands in this little corner of the world. Their commitment has bequeathed to us our faith heritage. We are called to live it and share it with the larger community.
Here we trace the history of Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish. We offer it in testimony to those pioneers who established it, lived it, nutured it and and handed it on to us in our little corner of the world.
The early history of the Church in Hamilton County can be found in the town of Cicero, Indiana. In the year 1836, a few German Catholic families settled in this county about three and one-half miles northeast of the town of Cicero. This was called Buscher's Settlement, after Augustine Buscher, Sr., and was the core group of Catholics in the county.
Before looking into our parish's origins, however, let's first take a look at America's history leading up to this point.
When Europeans first landed in America at the end of the 15th century, they brought with them their religious beliefs, primarily Christian and, in many cases, specifically Roman Catholic. The first Caucasians to set foot on Indiana soil were French Catholic traders and missionaries. In 1658 Hamilton County was under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Quebec. French priests, many of them Jesuits, traveled this area, converting much of Indiana to our faith.
After the War of Independence, the 13 United States were divided into five diocese. Indiana was part of the diocese of Baltimore. As the eastern migration increased, a new diocese was established in Bardstown, Kentucky in 1810. It had jurisdiction throughout the Northwest Territory. Indiana became a state in 1816.
On May 6, 1834, the Diocese of Vincennes, Indiana was Established. The newly-appointed Bishop of this diocese, Simon Brute de Remur, directed Father Vincent Bacquelin of the Shelbyville parish to visit and minister to the Catholics in Hamilton County. It is said that Father Bacquelin met his death when he was thrown by his horse against a tree on September 2, 1846.
Many hardships were endured by the priests who served here. Priests came from Indianapolis. When the Diocese of Fort Wayne was established in 1857, the priests came from Peru to attend to the Catholic parishes of the Cicero area. Many of these trips were made under very adverse conditions, yet always with willingness and enthusiasm, in the missionary spirit.
Settlers were coming to the Hamilton County area almost daily by way of the Strawtown Trail along the White River east of Cicero and North of Noblesville.
It was at this time that at Buscher Settlement a small church called St. Mary's was built on land donated by John Buscher (Mary Forkner's grandfather). These were trying times. The Civil War was raging and yet, with stubborn determination, the church was completed. It was dedicated by Bishop Luers in 1864. (The German cemetery of Buscher Settlement is located on the north side of the present 256th Street, east of Mt. Pleasant Road. St. Mary's Church was just west of the cemetery.)
During the Civil War, because of need for burial space, many of the soldiers were buried (without markers) between the old cemetery and the church.
At the same time, the steady influx of Catholic families induced John Mullin to erect a church for the Irish settlers in an area six miles northwest of Cicero called Mullin Settlement. The church was St. John's. Mullin had his farm in that territory and when the Meehan brothers settled nearby, there was a quiet settlement of Irish Catholics. (The Irish Catholic cemetery of the settlement can still be seen form Highway 31, east and immediately south of Wilson's Market [256th Street].)
In those days, there was a "Little Chicago Road" there going north and south. St. John's Church faced east on Little Chicago Road and the cemetery was directly behind the church.
Fr. Balthasar Biegel
In 1884, the Washington Glass Company came to Cicero with the "gas boom" and a number of Catholic settlers began arriving to fill those job opportunities. They requested church facilities from Bishop Rodemacher of Fort Wayne and he asked Father Balthasar Biegel, Pastor of Elwood.
Fr. P.J. O'Reilly
With the appointment of Father P.J. O'Reilly as pastor of Frankfort, Cicero and Noblesville, the new parish of St. Vincent de Paul was established. With the depletion of the natural gas, that parish in Noblesville was closed in 1904.
Fr. F.J Jansen
Until 1944 the Catholics of Noblesville had to travel to adjoining communities, especially Sacred Heart Cicero. Father O'Reilly began raising funds for the Sacred Heart Church but was reassigned and succeeded by Father F.J Jansen on June 24, 1899.
It is reported that when it was decided to create Sacred Heart in Cicero and abandon St. Mary's and St. John's Churches, the Mullins moved St. John's building and used it for a barn. Augustine Buscher Sr. burned-down St. Mary's, saying he wasn't going to let their church become a barn.
The first building committee appointed in November 1899 consisted of W.H. O'Keefe, Michael Meehan and O.W. Conley. In August 1900 J.H. Moynough, Frank Ewald, James Earley, John Plain (grandfather of Marcella Kimsey) and Adam Koebert were added to the original committee and soliciting began in earnest. Ground was broken and the cornerstone laid on September 20, 1900. The first Mass was celebrated in the new church January 31, 1901. The first Baptism was that of Mary Grohs and the first to be baptized in the Bapistry was Leo P. Murphy. The first marriage was between Thomas Coughlin and Mary Meehan. The first to be buried for the new church was Anna Earley. Thirteen received their First Holy Communion on Sunday, September 8, 1901.
The cornerstone of the new church was laid on September 30, 1900, by Rev. Charles B. Guenling, of Lafayette, and Rev. B. Biegle preached the sermon. The church was dedicated by Bishop Alerding on September 29, 1901, and a class of twenty-four was confirmed. The church was 43x72 feet, with a nine-foot high basement and a brick veneered superstructure, with stained-glass windows, three altars, fine pews and a bapistry. It had projecting towers and a side sacristy; the style of architecture was a modified Gothic. The cost of the building was $6,000 and on June 29, 1906, the last dollar due on it was paid.
The church flourished and increased in numbers until the natural gas source was depleted from waste, and the glass company relocated, as it did in Noblesville. Many of its workers left, and remaining parishioners were mainly the farmers in and around Cicero.
Rev. William Hordemann, the next pastor of Frankfort, continued to attend the Cicero mission until 1912. Bishop Herman J. Alerding then requested the following chaplains serving St. Joseph's Convent in Tipton, Indiana to attend Cicero: Rev. Peter A. Biegel, from June 1912 until April 1919; Rev. Edward Boney, from July 1919 to July 1925; and Rev. Nicholas Huemmer, from July 1925 until July 2, 1927.
Rev. James Fitzgerald was appointed pastor of Lebanon by Bishop John F. Noll, on July 2, 1927, with Cicero as a mission. He remained until November 27, 1927.
In 1927, the Redemptorist Fathers from Lebanon were assigned by the Bishop to pastor Sacred Heart. Among the Redemptorists who, during the next 17 years journeyed the 30 miles to Cicero each Sunday, we find the names of Rev. F.J. Winderlin, C.S.R., Rev. F.X. Milleer, C.S.R., Rev. J.C. Phillips, C.S.R., Rev. S.J. Livernois, C.S.R. and Rev. Hurt, C.S.R. During their administration the chruch was redecorated, a new modern heating system was installed, and the basement was converted into a parish hall.
Upon the invitation of Bishop John F. Noll, Rev. Thomas J. Kelley, S.M.M. and Rev.Francis T. White, S.M.M. came from the de Montfort mother house in Ozone Park, New York on September 29, 1944, and took charge of Noblesville and the Cicero mission. At that time there were about 40 Catholic families in Cicero.
Rev. Hubert Weerts, S.M.M.
On November 11, 1944, the Diocese of Fort Wayne was divided and Hamilton County became a part of the new Diocese of Lafayette. During 1945-1948 the following de Montfort Fathers came every Sunday from Noblesville to care for the Cicero mission: Rev. Thomas Kelly, S.M.M., Rev. Francis P.White, S.M.M., Rev. Reginald Gilman, S.M.M., Rev. Flavius Gamsche, S.M.S., and Rev. Eugene Moynihan, S.M.M. This continual rotation, however, had its disadvantages and in November 1948, Rev. Hubert Weerts, S.M.M. was appointed to take charge of the Cicero mission; he continued until May 1954.
From September 1955 until October 1, 1958 Rev. Joseph Sadouski, S.M.M. was appointed pastor of Our Lady of Grace in Noblesville, with Cicero as a mission. He was replaced by Rev. Reginald Gilman, S.M.M. who also had charge of both places, and remained until August 20, 1961. Rev. Rayond Graham, S.M.M. was then appointed and continued to serve both. In August of 1962, he had a parking lot constructed on the south side of the church at a cost of $522.28. The children were instructed by the Sisters of St. Joseph. In 1966 there were 47 families and 21 children under instruction.
In the summer of 1964 the interior of the church was completely remodeled with a new altar, communion rail, tabernacle and station of the cross. A new carpet was laid in the sanctuary and the main aisle. Total cost $6,382.50.
John Plain was very influential in the bi-weekly euchre party sponsored by the Sodality. The proceeds of this event, which drew many non-Catholic participants, aided in the maintenance and operation expenses. The ladies of the parish were quite active in the D.C.C.W. and once hosted the Diocesan Council. They sewed for the Pope's Warehouse and the Medical Missions.
In 1964 it was reported that there had been four vocations to the religious life from Sacred Heart- one priest and three nuns. They were Father Francis Meehan of the Diocese of Lafayette, Sister Lucille (Swarm) of the Daughters of Charity, Sister Delizabeth Angela (Faulstich) of the Little Sisters of the Poor, and Sister M. Gerogiana (Duvall) of the Marist order.
Father Duane Craycraft
In 1972, the Bishop appointed Father Duane Craycraft (Chaplain of the Motherhouse of the Sisters of St. Joseph) administrator of Sacred Heart and on July 1, 1978, he was assigned resident pastor. Father Craycraft purchased the present rectory in 1975. St. Anne's, which was used for Religious education classes, was purchased in 1976, and St. Mark's the current pre-school, in 1983.
Fr. Gerald Borawski
Father Craycraft was transferred to St. Louis de Montfort Parish, Fishers, in 1984 and Father Gerald Borawski succeeded him.
Father W. Michael Kettron
Father W. Michael Kettron was Pastor from July 1987 until August 2011- a total of 24 years.
In 1989 the church was remodeled and the basement was carpeted and dry walled to create a more inviting Parish Hall. In 1991 the parish office at 390 South Pearl Street, which we call "St. Jude," was purchased and in November 1992 the yellow brick property facing Main Street (333 South Main Street).
During Father Kettron's pastorate, the church was remodeled, the basement remodeled into a social room, and two pieces of property were purchased. In 10 years of his pastorate, all this was paid for and around $500,000 was amassed for the construction of the new facilities. The new facilities included the parish hall and a new church entrance. The basement was remodeled for religious education and the old entrance was converted into a cry room.
Father Dale W. Ehrman
Father Dale W. Ehrman was Pastor from August, 15 2011 until August 18, 2020.
Under his leadership we expanded our family membership from 160 to 350 families. Father Dale remodeled Sacred Heart of Jesus to accommodate the increased number of parishioners. The Parish Hall was converted into our present day worship space and the old church serves as a chapel. The classrooms downstairs were converted into the new Parish Hall with moveable partition walls for classrooms, offices and a large kitchen. He expanded the parking lot, installed a bioswale and gardens with native plantings. A house was purchased for a new rectory. The old rectory and a house across the street from it were demolished due to disrepair. The St. Jude building continues to house the Food Pantry, which has been expanded by the addition of more freezer and refrigerator space due to increased giving by parishioners and fundraisers.
Fr. Dale sent parishioners on two mission trips to the Fr. Beiting Missions one in 2013 and one in 2014. He led and participated in a Habitat for Humanity house remodeling project in Cicero, which benefited a local family.
Fr. Dale increased Sacred Heart's presence in the local community by serving on committees at Hamilton Heights School, being a member of the Heights Area Pastors Association and by participating in the Cicero Independance Day Parade with a parish float.
While he was pastor, he also was a chaplain for the Noblesville police department and Vicar of Clergy for Bishop Timothy Doherty. As chaplain, he accompanied police to tragic scenes to comfort families who suffered the loss of a loved one. As Vicar of Clergy, he spent half of his time assisting Bishop Doherty. The other half of his time was well spent improving Sacred Heart of Jesus CatholicChurch.
Father Sean V. Pogue
Father Sean V. Pogue began his pastorate here August 19, 2020.
Today we celebrate our daily and Sunday masses in a church full of history and dedicated to living the Catholic life. Our physical church has gone through many transformations to serve the spiritual needs of the families who attend it.