Photo caption: Original interior of Sacred Heart Church, East Boston
East Boston is one of the oldest neighborhoods of Boston. Established in 1636, it was once comprised of five islands: (Noddle, Hog, Governor's, Bird, and Apple). In 1833, Wiliam Sumner incorporated the East Boston Company and set off to develop the land which he named East Boston.
In 1839, the British Cunard Line established a port along Marginal Street bringing thousands of immigrants from around the world through customs at the East Boston Immigration Center. The immigrants to East Boston included the Irish, Russians, Poles, and Italians. East Boston was once home to the largest Jewish population in New England. Today, East Boston is still ethnically diverse with immigrants arriving from Columbia, El Salvador, Mexico, Brazil, Vietnam, and Morocco.
Between 1845 to 1850 Donald McKay built many ships through his shipyard on Border Street. Donald McKay is most famous for building the clipper ship, Flying Cloud, which set the world's sailing record for the fastest passage between New York and San Francisco in 1854.
In 1869, Father James Fitton purchased land from the East Boston Company to build Sacred Heart Church. The first Mass was celebrated on Christmas day in 1873. The Church was formally dedicated on the Feast of the Sacred Heart on June 12, 1874 by Archbishop Williams.
In 1881, Father Michael Clark constructed the rectory and parish school with the Sisters of Notre Dame who served here until 1911. The Dominican Sisters continued the education in the school.
In 1946, Father Lawrence B. Killian arrived at Sacred Heart and ten years later opened the Sacred Heart High School.
On January 30, 1965, a fire destroyed Sacred Heart Church. United in faith, parishioners worked together to rebuilt the church which reopened on Christmas Day in 1966. While Sacred Heart Church was being rebuilt, parishioners gathered weekly as a community at St. John the Baptist Church which was once located on Saratoga Street.
The schools at Sacred Heart Church closed in the late 60s. Today, there is one Catholic school in East Boston, East Boston Central Catholic School.
In recent years, with declining numbers of Catholics attending and supporting Churches across the Archdiocese, a plan of reconfiguration and models of Parish Collaboratives has been instituted. As these changes began, Sacred Heart Parish has welcomed Parishioners from St. Mary Star of the Sea Parish and Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish.