The rooting of the faith community in those trees brought the parish to this celebration. The final year also saw the dedication of an Icon of the Holy Family designed by local iconographer Vivian Imbruglia. Each year was represented by a giving tree, the Tree of Life, the Tree of Love, the Tree of Holiness and the Tree of the Holy Family. Nwuachukwu-Udaku introduced a four-year campaign in in 2014 to finally accomplish this, dedicating the years to God the Father, God the Son, God the Spirit, and finally the Year of the Family. Nwachukwu Udaku, who was named pastor in 2012, when the parish was entrusted to the Diocese of Ahira, Nigeria, and Laura Clark, Chief Financial Officer of the Diocese, an agreement to retire the debt was signed.įr. Newburn began a capital campaign, named the Kingdom Campaign, and oversaw the beginning of a first phase of construction improving the campus infrastructure to support the new church building.Īs this phase was nearing completion the committee went to the Diocese and, through the generosity of the Bishop, a loan of $5 million was granted allowing for the present sanctuary to be dedicated as a “house of prayer for all nations” in August 2006. Peter Newburn was named Pastoral Coordinator. Before ground was broken a new form of pastoral leadership was introduced as Dr. Joe Ferenchak led the fundraising efforts. Paul Foley headed the planning committee and Mr. Steve Porter became pastor and began an intentional phase of planning. Fred Gaglia looked to relocate the parish campus, which proved to be an impossible task and so plans began to build a larger structure on the existing campus. The explosive growth of the area overwhelmed the building by the early 1990’s and the Rev. Horvath would go on to oversee the construction of the first church building, a 300-person sanctuary (which still stand as a historical site and honors him with the title Horvath Youth Center). Sacred Heart Parish began as church bells tolled across the vineyards of Etiwanda on Easter Sunday, 1953, with the founding pastor, Rev. In a multicultural liturgy, celebrated by Bishop Gerald Barnes and attended by representatives not only of the parish community but of the Diocesan offices and local civic leaders, the parish came together to symbolically relieve itself of the debt incurred for the construction of the church building and infrastructure upgrades by burning the mortgage, sending it heavenward in the sweet fragrance of incense.įrom the gathering procession, led by liturgical dancers and members of the parish staff who lit the 12 ceremonial dedication candles lining the walls, through the acknowledgments by pastor, Father Benedict Nwachukwa-Udaku, VF, of those past and present who contributed to the evening’s events the parish demonstrated the unity within its multicultural diversity from which they proclaim a signature phrase “Sacred Heart, One Family – One Family, Sacred Heart.”
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