Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Gramercy

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus Church was established as a parish in 1961, over 40 years after the first chapel was dedicated as a mission of St. Joseph Church in Paulina. Prior to the blessing of the mission chapel in 1920, the town of Gramercy had begun to grow around the sugar refinery purchased by Colonial Sugar Company in 1902. 

At this time, Catholics in the area had a choice of traveling to Lutcher or Paulina, both a good distance away. It soon became clear that the residents of Gramercy needed their own chapel and in 1915 a committee of Gramercy citizens, all members of Council No. 1817 Knights of Columbus, petitioned Archbishop Blenk of New Orleans to make it possible to celebrate Mass in Gramercy.

The problem was solved five years later with the purchase of a two-story brick building from Woodmen of the World. The building, which had previously been used as a meeting hall and movie theater, was remodeled and served as Sacred Heart Chapel for 35 years. The parishioners of Sacred Heart began to plan for a new church in 1948, but it would take five years of negotiating the purchase of property as well as fundraising for this dream to come true. Finally, on December 5, 1955 the new church was dedicated.

Sacred Heart became a parish in its own right when the Baton Rouge Diocese was established in 1961. Father William Collins, S.M. was appointed the first pastor. In 1997, Sacred Heart was clustered with St. Joseph in Paulina. St. Michael the Archangel joined the cluster in 2002.