The official history of Sacred Heart Parish dates to October 5, 1919. During this time, Bishop Jules B. Jeanmard established the Church and appointed Fr. Anthony J. Hackett, CSSP. as the first Pastor. However, the history of Sacred Heart had a much earlier beginning.

The 1860 census, which was nine years before the first Catholic parish was established in the area, revealed a total of 1,171 slaves in the civil parish. Slavery never gained a firm foothold in Imperial Calcasieu Parish because the area was not attractive to permanent settlement until after the Civil War.

After the Civil War and the Homestead Act of 1862, more settlers arrived. The timber industry mushroomed, and many farms were established. Rice was becoming a major commercial crop. These industries called for an abundance of laborers. Therefore, many Black families migrated into the area from "Down East," which actually was St. Landry Parish.

In 1890 the Rev. Arthur Drossaerts, pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish in Lake Charles, initiated services to a number of Black Catholic families living in the city. Louisiana's strict segregation laws made service to Black citizens a difficult matter, but Father Drossaerts began religious education classes for Black children every Sunday afternoon. The Marianite Sisters of St. Charles Academy assisted in this evangelization. As a result, Black citizens became better informed about their faith and a number of conversions were recorded.

The Rev. Comelius van de Ven succeeded Father Drossaer as the pastor in Lake Charles in 1892 and continued the special instruction classes for Black families on Sunday.

The Rev. Hubert Cramers became the Lake Charles pastor of Immaculate Conception parish in 1902 and continued the Sunday instruction periods. Through the cooperation of a number of Black parents and the assistance of the Sisters of the Holy Family in Lafayette, a full-time teacher was hired. Her name was Eleanor Figaro. Miss Figaro was destined to teach generations of students in the future years who were mainstays of what was to become Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish.

Miss Figaro arrived in Lake Charles to begin her duties in 1908. It was during this time it became obvious to Father Cramers that Lake Charles' Black community was in need of a full-time pastor of its own.  The Most Rev. Edward Kenneth Braxton was installed as the second Bishop of the Diocese of Lake Charles, on February 21, 2001. Bishop Braxton was the first African American Bishop of the Diocese of Lake Charles from 2001 - 2005.

Ten years passed before this was accomplished, and the wait may have been longer if the Diocese of Lafayette had not been established. With a Bishop in nearby Lafayette, the needs of Lake Charles became evident as a main focal point.

In 1919 the Most Rev. Jules B. Jeanmard, newly-installed as Bishop of Lafayette, established Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Lake Charles. The parish was entrusted to the care of the Holy Ghost Fathers.

The Rev. Anthony Hackett, CSSP. was named the first pastor of Sacred Heart and was in-residence at Immaculate Conception Parish until suitable living quarters were established.

The first Masses at Sacred Heart were celebrated in the school which was originally constructed for Eleanor Figaro and her students. It was from these beginnings that the present Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish attained its growth.

A church was constructed, on the corner of Mill Street and Louisiana Avenue, from contributions received from Mother Katharine Drexel in the amount of $3,000 and the Holy Ghost Fathers in the amount of $1,000.

The larger, present-day church was dedicated in 1941 by Bishop Jeanmard, and in 1950, a gymnasium was added. Currently, six mausoleums complete our physical plant.

    The Holy Ghost Fathers continued to staff the parish and build it up, both physically and spiritually, until 1989. It was during this time the order began to suffer manpower shortages and were forced to surrender the parish to the Diocese of Lake Charles.
The Southern Province of the Society of the Divine Word sent the Rev. John LaBauve, SVD as pastor of Sacred Heart Rev. LaBauve led the parish until 1993, when he was succeeded by the Rev. Raymond Jones, SVD.

    In June 1999 the Society of the Divine Word announced that it, too, was in the midst of a manpower shortage, and requested that the Diocese of Lake Charles assume responsibility of Sacred Heart Parish.

The Most Rev. Jude Speyrer was installed as the first Bishop of the Diocese of Lake Charles from 1980 — 2001.

The Most Rev. Edward Kenneth Braxton was installed as the second Bishop of the Diocese of Lake Charles, on February 21, 2001. Bishop Braxton was the first African American Bishop of the Diocese of Lake Charles from 2001 - 2005. 
The Most Rev. Glen John Provost is the current Bishop of the Diocese of Lake Charles. Bishop Provost appointed Rev. Richard Uche Adiukwu as the current pastor of Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in 2016.

     Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish has the distinction of having produced two Bishops from the Church. The Most Rev. Harold Perry, SVD, was installed as Auxiliary Bishop of New Orleans in 1966. He was the first Black Bishop in the United States in the 20"' Century. Bishop Perry was a native of Lake Charles and a graduate of Sacred Heart School.

In 1988 the Most Rev. Leonard Olivier, SVD, was named Auxiliary Bishop of Washington, D.C. He was also a native of Lake Charles and likewise received his elementary education at Sacred Heart School.

In 1989 the parish dedicated two of its facilities in honor of both Bishops. The former convent was renamed The Bishop Leonard Olivier Catechetical Center, while Sacred Heart Gym became The Bishop Harold Perry Community Center.

Bronze plaques bearing the accomplishments of both Bishops and their coats of arms have been installed in the two facilities.

Sacred Heart of Jesus Church produced three other priests who have made their mark: The Rev. Verlin LeDoux, U.S. Air Force Chaplain; the Rev. Jerome LeDoux, his brother, a National Columnist and Evangelist; and Rev. Robert Boxie Ill, a priest of the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C.

Sacred Heart of Jesus Church produced many candidates for sisterhood. Among them are: Sisters Mary Alice Martin, Mary Gabriela Guidry, Mary Thecla Bonner, Mary Fidelia Washington, Mary Euicharia Mott, Mary Rogers Thibodeaux, Mary Hubert, and Barbara Batiste.

Rev. Mr. Edward Lavine, Vicar for Community Services, Rev. Mr. Harold Nixon, and Rev. Mr. Erroll Deville are Deacons originally from Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish.

The parish boasts an excellent program of Religious Education as well as an outstanding RCIA team. Sacred Heart of Jesus/Blessed Katharine Drexel School, with grades pre-kindergarten through eighth, was the second oldest Catholic school in the diocese.

A number of lay organizations are active in the parish that are guided under the following Commissions: Religious Education, Social Justice & Community Services, Evangelization, and Worship and Spiritual Life.

The Altar and Rosary Society, formerly named Altar Society, is dedicated to the care of the altar and sanctuary, promotion of devotion to the Rosary and Church and to alms of the parish. It was organized in the early 1920s and the first president was Mrs. George Boutte.

    St. Joseph Society is one of the oldest organizations within Sacred Heart Church.
It was organized in the early 1920s and is dedicated to the promotion of Christianity and good works. Onezein Geyen was charter president.

The Usher Boards' first chairman was Ernest Granger. This organization provides usher servers for masses and supports the work of the church.

Sacred Heart Council of the Knights of Peter Claver will celebrate its 98^th anniversary in 2018. It was organized on July 25, 1920, with Gilbert Rochon as the charter Grand Knight.

St. Rita Court 31 of the Ladies of Peter Claver was organized in 1930.

A total of 25 priests have served at Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish during its 100 years of propagating the faith. The Pastors are listed as follows:

1919 Rev. Anthony J. Hackett, CSSP
1929 Rev. Charles B. Hannigan, CSSP
1940 Rev. William J. Long, CSSP
1945 Rev. Anthony J. Hackett CSSP
1947 Rev. Edward Recktenwald, CSSP
1949 Rev. Clement Roach, CSSP
1957 Rev. Joseph E. Landry, CSSP
1963 Rev. Joseph F. Rengers, CSSP
1965 Rev. Herbert Prueher, CSSP
1966 Rev. James White, CSSP
1967 Rev. Joseph Hackett, CSSP
1968 Rev. Edward C. Marley, CSSP
1972 Rev. John Walsh, CSSP
1976 Rev. Louis Perreault, CSSP
1986 Rev. Michael Carr, CSSP
1989 Rev. John LaBauve, SVD
1993 Rev. Raymond Jones, SVD
1993 Rev. Alfredo Marco (Priest In Residence)
1993 Rev. Whitney Harris (Associate Pastor)
1999 Rev. Henry Mancuso
2010 Rev. Marcus Johnson (Administrator)
2010 Rev. Timothy Goodly (Priest On Duty)
2010 Rev. Monsignor Ronald Groth
2012 Rev. Clyde Thomas
2015 Rev. Richard Uche Adiukwu (Administrator/Pastor)
2022 Rev. Joby Mathew, HGN