Sacred Heart

Introduction

The founding of the new parish in Bellshill was announced from the pulpit in Holy Family, Mossend, on Sunday 19 September 1949.

History

The cost of building the church was in the region of £20,000, exclusive of decoration and furnishings. On 14th November 2018, the two parishes of Sacred Heart Bellshill and St Gerard's Bellshill were formally amalgamated to become the new parish of Sacred Heart & St Gerard. On 26th November 2024, a special Mass of Blessing was celebrated in Sacred Heart Church to mark the reopening after the closure of the Church for over a year for refurbishment. The cry-chapels were removed in 2021 and with the refurbishment of the Church in 2024, the confessionals were returned to their original design and the stall removed to make a larger porch area.

Architecture and furnishings

Six stained glass windows were installed in the sanctuary of Sacred Heart Church depicting St Columba, the Resurrection, the Holy Trinity, St Andrew, the Holy Family and Our Lady. The church was originally designed to accommodate around 700 people. In 1991, new sanctuary furniture was made, including a new altar, pulpit, presidential chair, servers' chairs, baptismal font, tabernacle plinth, and two side altars. Two cry chapels were installed at the back of the church, the original baptistry became the new stall, and the confessionals at the back were both extended.

In 1999, six new stained glass windows were installed in the sanctuary. In 2000, the remaining windows in the church were replaced with new memorial windows dedicated to deceased parishioners. As part of the 2024 renovations, the entire ceiling was ripped out and replaced with a new wooden ceiling. The original oak sanctuary flooring was found still in good condition, so the sanctuary was returned to its original shape and size and the wood was revarnished.

The statue of Our Lady and Child from St Gerard's replaced the statue of Our Lady of Lourdes in Sacred Heart Church. At the back of the church, two new plinths were installed either side of the entrance where the statues of St Gerard and Our Lady are homed. The original sacristy and servers sacristy were converted into a new meeting room and storage room. The confessional at the front of the church is the working sacristy.

The original pipe organ was sold to another church and a new organ was installed at the rear of the ground floor. The sanctuary area has been painted in a deep red colour to tie in with the wood used throughout the building.

Parish life

Sacred Heart Parish celebrated the Golden Jubilee of the opening of Sacred Heart Church with a Mass of Thanksgiving celebrated by a bishop on 20th May 2001. The parish has a large team of Altar Servers of primary and high school age who serve at Sunday Masses and other liturgies. The parish has a Society of St Vincent de Paul group. The parish has a Union of Catholic Mothers group.

St Saviour's, the first Catholic Secondary School in Bellshill, opened within the boundary of Sacred Heart Parish in 1960 and closed in 1977. Four Sisters of St Joseph of Annecy established the first convent in Bellshill, teaching at Sacred Heart School and helping in the parish until 1985.

Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration was initiated in Sacred Heart Church in October 1996. All Masses and services are live streamed for the benefit of those who cannot join in person, particularly the sick and housebound.

Children in the parish receive their First Holy Communion in primary four. The Sacrament of Baptism is arranged by appointment with the Parish Clergy.

Visiting

At the opening ceremony, entry was by ticket only as seating was for about 700, and many stood outside. In 1994 the Sister of St Peter Claver celebrated the centenary of their order with a Mass of Thanksgiving in Sacred Heart Church.