Introduced Version
SENATE RESOLUTION No. ___
DIGEST OF INTRODUCED RESOL UTION
A SENATE RESOLUTION to celebrate Sacred Heart of Jesus
Catholic Church and its 150 years of faith and service for the
southside of Indianapolis.
HUNLEY
, read first time and referred to Committee on
2025 DR 3857/DI tg Introduced
First Regular Session 124th General Assembly (2025)
SENATE RESOLUTION ____
MR. PRESIDENT:
I offer the following resolution and move its adoption:
1 A SENATE RESOLUTION to celebrate Sacred Heart of
2 Jesus Catholic Church and its 150 years of faith and service for
3 the southside of Indianapolis.
4 Whereas, In 1850, Germans were the largest immigrant
5 group in Indianapolis. Initially the German Catholics attended
6 mass at St. John's, an English-speaking church. Aware that
7 other German denominations were forming, plans were soon
8 underway for a church where sermons, confessions, and
9 devotions could be heard in their familiar German;
10 Whereas, In 1854, Bishop Maurice de St. Palais began to
11 visit Indianapolis and lay plans for a German parish. Peter
12 Leonard Brandt, pastor of St. Mary in Madison, Indiana,
13 commuted regularly to Indianapolis in order to encourage
14 Germans to return to their religion. He established a building
15 committee to raise money for the city's second Catholic church.
16 Mass was celebrated August 15, 1858, at the new St. Mary's on
17 the south side of Maryland Street between Pennsylvania Avenue
18 and Delaware Street;
19 Whereas, By the early 1870s parish membership resided in
20 such a wide area that attending St. Mary's was inconvenient
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1 and overcrowded for Mass, so Reverend Anthony Scheideler
2 proposed that the Bishop divide St. Mary Parish and invite the
3 Franciscans to organize a second German Parish. The German
4 community resided east and south of the Mile Square and
5 Germantown was located on the near eastside. Following the
6 Civil War, Germans began to settle south of Washington Street
7 and then beyond Union Station along the railroad tracks;
8 Whereas, In July 1875, Franciscan Fathers Alardus
9 Andrescheck, Francis Moening, Vincent Halbfas, Pancratius,
10 and Arsenius Fahle arrived in the Hoosier Capital along with
11 architect Brother Adrian Wewer. In the German Catholic
12 tradition, a lay council assisted the clergy with financial and
13 property matters. Local businessmen, including basket maker
14 George Ohleyer, teamster Heinrich Gimber, and tailors
15 Hermann Hoerst and Louis Budenz, stepped forward to act as
16 parish trustees to assist Father Alardus in locating a suitable
17 site. All four were neighbors residing around McCarty and
18 Meridian Streets;
19 Whereas, The Bishop approved a new parish site in the
20 Nathan B. Palmer addition west of Madison and Indianapolis
21 railroad tracks and north of Palmer Street. This was a rural
22 location for farmland and was purchased for $10,000. On
23 September 19, 1875, various societies and musical units
24 organized at St. Mary's and marched down Meridian Street to
25 the new Sacred Heart where Benedictine Father Bede
26 O'Connor laid the cornerstone for the new building;
27 Whereas, Construction began immediately for a
28 combination chapel, school, and friary. Brother Adrian Wewer,
29 O.F.M., was the carpenter, builder, and architect who designed
30 all of the structures. He built over 100 churches throughout the
31 United States, with Sacred Heart being his only church in
32 Indianapolis. The first structure of the Friary was built for a
33 low cost of $20,000 due to parishioner contributions of labor
34 and material. In 1883-84, the sanctuary was built adjoining the
35 friary. The new structure designed by Brother Adrian Wewer is
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1 a brick Gothic Revival and was built at a cost of $50,000. An
2 endlessly-detailed house of God, Sacred Heart easily holds the
3 title of most beautiful church in Indianapolis;
4 Whereas, Charter members created the four sources of
5 parish life: ministry and spiritual life, the organization and role
6 of societies, education of youth, and building of the parish
7 campus. The school enrollment increased so dramatically that
8 new wings and floors were added. In 1895, a new school
9 building for boys was constructed north of the church. St.
10 Cecilia Hall in the Boys Grade School had a seating capacity
11 of 1,000 and was the social center for the southside of
12 Indianapolis;
13 Whereas, Since 1875, the community of Sacred Heart of
14 Jesus, a Franciscan parish, has, with the power of the Holy
15 Spirit, proclaimed the Gospel of Jesus Christ through words,
16 action, and prayer for the salvation of souls; and
17 Whereas, Sacred Heart is now celebrating 150 years of
18 service to the southside of Indianapolis. "Celebrating our past,
19 embracing the present, and building for their future" is our
20 motto for the next 150 years: Therefore,
21 Be it resolved by the Senate of the
22 General Assembly of the State of Indiana:
23 SECTION 1. That the Indiana Senate acknowledges and
24 honors Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church for 150 years
25 of faithful service.
26 SECTION 2. The Secretary of the Senate is hereby
27 directed to transmit one copy of this Resolution to the Sacred
28 Heart of Jesus Catholic Church.
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