Hallettsville, Lavaca County
This congregation was founded as a mission of St. Mary's Catholic Church (about four miles west of Hallettsville). The Rev. John Anthony Forest served the new congregation, as well as other missions in Lavaca County. Early worship services were held in the homes of members, most of whom had recently immigrated to Texas from Europe. Land for a church building was donated by Collatinus and Mary Jane Hallet Ballard in 1869. Construction began in 1873 and was supervised by Father Forest. After the building was completed in 1882, Sacred Heart became a full-time parish. Father Forest served as pastor until 1895, when he left to become bishop of the Diocese of San Antonio. Sacred Heart Academy, located on the grounds of the church, was established by the Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament in 1882. The parish continued to operate the school after the nuns relocated to San Antonio in 1926. An important part of Hallettsville history since its founding, Sacred Heart Catholic Church continues to serve the community and counts among its members many descendants of early German and Czech immigrants. (1990)