“Brady’s Folly” is what Red Bluff townsfolk called the twin-spired church that rose from dusty Main Street in 1906. Considered at the time too large and too grand for a simple farming area, the church was filled to overflowing Oct. 15 as the Catholic community celebrated the centenary of Sacred Heart Church built by the late Father Philip Brady.

The farsighted Irish-born pastor gave a permanent home to Catholics in Tehama County, where the first Mass took place in 1853 under a Red Bluff oak tree. His vision and dedication were highlighted as Sacramento Bishop William K. Weigand joined Father Eric Lofgren, pastor of Sacred Heart Parish, and Efren Garcia, parochial vicar, along with parishioners and numerous visiting clergy and religious for a special liturgy marking the centennial.

With its tall stained-glass windows and ornate ceiling painted by Italian-born artist Luigi Brusatori, the Romanesque red brick edifice was designed by noted California architect William Henry Weeks. The newly-named Sacred Heart Church was completed in September 1906. It gained a designation in the National Register of Historic Places in 1982 under its historic name of Saint Mary’s Parish.

“One part of our parish that is new is our Hispanic community,” said homilist and former pastor Father Michael Hebda, who led a major restoration of Sacred Heart in 2004. “With two tongues and with one heart may we continue to learn and grow and work together in our community,” he said in English before repeating part of the homily in Spanish. Father Hebda is now pastor of Our Lady of Mercy Parish in Redding.

The bilingual liturgy included readings and songs in both languages. The choir, under the direction of Marie Stricker, chose music that reflected the centennial theme of “Remembering the past, living the present, building the future.”

In his closing remarks, Bishop Weigand spoke of the sacred mysteries reflected in the worship of the Red Bluff parish community.

“When you walk into this church you get a sense that the Mass is in union with the heavenly liturgy,” he said.

A reception and dinner at the parish hall concluded the day’s festivities. The months-long centennial observance began with a Mardi Gras entertainment gala and included church tours, the choir’s CD release, and a book about the parish’s history.

Early in its 153-year history in Tehama County, the Catholic community was served mainly by priests who left their native Ireland to minister in the Northern California.

The Irish presence remained strong after Sacred Heart was built, with each pastor caring for the beautiful church entrusted to him and his parishioners.

By 1979 the building had begun to seriously deteriorate. Under the guidance of Father Michael Dillon (now pastor of Saints Peter and Paul Parish in Rocklin), parishioners decided to refurbish the aging church rather than build a new one. The project included: refinishing the pews and woodwork; repairing the ceiling and walls; replacing light fixtures; adding carpet and air-conditioning; designing a new altar area; and constructing a ramp leading from the side exit.

The work was completed in time for the 75th anniversary of the church in 1981.

When Father Hebda became pastor, he enlisted parishioners in funding a second major restoration to return the church to its original luster in time for the centennial. Improvements included: cleaning and repairing the stained glass windows; stripping and restraining wood surfaces; adding new carpet and ceramic tile; and replacing the slate roof.

A major part of the project involved erecting scaffolding so that artisans from EverGreene Painting Studios, an acclaimed restoration company based in New York, could repair ceiling cracks and clean grimy layers from Brusatori’s ceiling and sanctuary paintings.

Another important development in parish history was the arrival of the Sisters of Mercy of Omaha, who came to Red Bluff from Yreka in 1882. Their work in hospital and educational ministries left a lasting imprint on the county.

“I’ve learned to appreciate the contributions of the Sisters of Mercy, and how the whole community of Red Bluff has contributed to the church becoming a local landmark,” said Sue Ampi, who co-chaired the centennial committee with Ann Wilson.

She pointed out that in addition to the church, Red Bluff has Sacred Heart School, Mercy Catholic High School and St. Elizabeth Community Hospital.

“There’s a real presence of a vibrant Catholic community in this small town,” she said.

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