Hallowell Maine was the home of a few Catholics in the first decade of the nineteenth century as indicated by records of baptisms administered by Bishop John de Cheverus in the years 1812, 1814 and 1816. From 1818 until the foundation of St. Mary’s Parish in Augusta in 1833, the Catholics of Hallowell were accustomed to attending Mass at St. Denis Church in Whitefield. These faithful souls would walk the 18 miles to their destination, attend Mass, then picnis in the church yard before the long trek home.

When St. Mary’s Church was established, these same people attended Mass in Augusta. Several times a year, a priest from Augusta would come to Hallowell and say Mass in one of the area homes. In 1876, Rev. Daniel W. Murphy and Rev. Raphael Wissel, visited Hallowell and said Mass in a hall which had been hired for that purpose.

Two years later, Fr. Daniel Murphy, pastor of St. Mary’s, purchased a tract of land—some 200 feet by 200 feet—between Second and Summer Streets in Hallowell as a site for a church. (On the property stood a farmhouse that later was to become the first rectory.)

The men of the future parish of the Sacred Heart began digging for the foundation immediately, gathering after their day’s work in the quarries, the farms, and the factories. Many an evening one could see them digging and their children holding lanterns as they worked late into the night.

The church was completed in the fall of 1878 and Mass was celebrated for the first time in November of that year, by Fr. Murphy, the administrator of Sacred Heart Church.

The Sacred Heart Mission Church was visited by various pastors from St. Mary’s, Augusta, until June 1889 when the Mission Church paid off a debt of $750 to St. Mary’s and became a parish.

The Rev. Peter E. Bradley was appointed the first resident pastor. He attended to the spiritual needs of the parish until May 1892 when Rev. John P. Nelligan became the new pastor. For 19 years, he assumed the dual role of pastor of Sacred Heart Church and spiritual advisor to the veterans of the Soldier’s Home at Togus.

He, in turn, was succeeded in 1911, by Rev. James A. Carey, who remained the pastor until he became chaplain in the Milliken regiment during World War I. 1917 saw the arrival of Rev. Mortimer F. O’Conner, who was pastor until his retirement in 1921. Rev. John F. Nelligan succeeded him and remained until 1922.

During the years 1922 and 1923, the parish was without a pastor. Rev. Henry A. Sloan took over the duties for nine short months, and then an extraordinary happening occurred. Toward the end of Fr. Sloan’s administration, in 1923, Rev. Clement M. Frazier and Rev. Maurice Carroll were both appointed pastor of Sacred Heart Parish, and both appeared to take up his duties. The next day, Fr. Carroll received word to return to his former parish. Fr. Frazier remained as the pastor until September 1935, when Rev. Wilfred Bernard was assigned to the parish. He stayed in Sacred Heart Parish for 25 years, and was replaced in 1960 by Rev. Samuel Dougan, who stayed until 1962. The 10^th pastor was Rev. Henry Pender who remained until 1967, when Rev. Henry Dallaire was appointed to the post. Rev. Rudolph Leveille assumed the position in 1972 and was replaced by the Rev. John E. Bellefontaine in 1981, followed by Fr. Richard G. Lonsdale in 1990. In 1995, Fr. George Hickey was assigned as pastor of Sacred Heart until his death in August 2013.

Parish Center

Construction of the much needed Parish Center began in April of 1969. Until that time, religious classes were held in the Rectory or the Church and there was no space available for social functions. The building, located at 5 Summer Street contains six classrooms on the lower level, a large reception hall, complete kitchen facilities and office space. 
Fr. Henry Dallaire, pastor at the time, had able co-workers in Hector Lerette, Joseph Parent, Ernest Levasseur, who were among the many men of the parish who labored long months to provide us with this welcome addition to the parish.