Bishop Martin J. Amos of the Diocese of Davenport will preside at a special Mass on Monday, celebrating the 40th Anniversary Dedication of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Newton.
The Mass will be held at 6 p.m. at Sacred Heart with a potluck dinner immediately following in McCann Center.
On March 28, 1975, the first spade of earth was turned at the formal groundbreaking of what would become the new church — connected to the north side of McCann Center, which was built in 1969 and named in honor of Monsignor Thomas J. McCann, who served as pastor at Sacred Heart in Newton from 1910-1960.
The current Sacred Heart Church — the fourth Catholic Church location in Newton — was formally dedicated on June 19, 1977, with Bishop Gerald F. O’ Keefe presiding during a special Mass and ceremony.
The new church opened for worship in 1976, while the final stages of construction were being completed. Willis Schellberg of Architectural Design Group, Forest City, served as lead architect. Francis Peters Construction of Newton served as general contractor for the project.
The construction cost for the new church was nearly $400,000 — excluding pews, altar and its furnishings, carpet or faceted windows.
The current Sacred Heart Church has uniquely maintained historically significant elements, with both the cornerstones from the 1896 and 1926 Sacred Heart Churches, along with the original bell from the 1896 church. The peal of this 1,200-pound copper and tin bell continues to invite parishioners to Mass each week.
In 2003, a successful capital campaign raised nearly $850,000 in contributions and pledges — adding a new gathering space, baptismal font and new church entrance.
Rev. William E. Reynolds has been serving as Pastor at Sacred Heart since 2008. Other Pastors at the church since the current building opened include Francis E. Bass (1973-1978), the Rev. Joseph B. Denning (1978-1981), the Rev. E. William E. Kaska (1981-1993) and the Rev. Ernest E. Braida (1993-2008).