Locally, the Phoenix Iron Company, a manufacturer of structural iron arid steel products, lured many of our forefathers to this area. Available housing in company owned homes afforded many the chance to earn a decent living. These immigrants led very simple but hard lives. The close proximity of their neighborhoods and a common background and language joined these early Slovak settlers into close-knit groups who were somewhat isolated from their non-Slovak neighbors. In time, they organized their increasing numbers into benefit societies to assist them in times of need. Many joined the First Catholic Slovak Union, Jednota. The Jednota, a fraternal insurance benefit society, was founded in the city of Cleveland, Ohio by the Rev. Stephen Furdek, who is fondly proclaimed as the Father of American Slovaks.

From 1898 to 1900, St. Mary’s Church on the north side of town, was used to say Mass. Rev. Joseph Kasparek traveled from Reading to Phoenixville to celebrate Mass and to administer to the local Slovak population. Rev. John A. Wagner, then rector of St. Mary’s, suggested they seek a church of their own. For this purpose, in the latter part of 1900, a group of Slovak people in Phoenixville, with the assistance and leadership of Rev. Martin Meres, banded together to establish a Slovak Parish of their own. Plans to practice their faith in their own tongue and in their very own church soon emerged.

Father Meres, who was born and ordained in Hungary, organized the Slovak people in town and guided them to realize their dream. On February 8, 1901, with great joy and enthusiasm, the building and land on which the present Church sits, was purchased. This property was owned by St. John’s Lutheran Church, and at the time of its purchase, was being used as Phoenixville’s first Public Library. There was much hard work to be done but the prayers of the Slovak people had been answered. The building was completely renovated and enlarged and their new church was dedicated on November 23, 1901 by the Most Reverend Archbishop Patrick J. Ryan D.D. of Philadelphia, officiating. The Church and its people were placed under the patronage of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Like many ethnic parishes, due to a lack of Slovak-speaking priests, Sacred Heart had no resident pastor in its earliest years. For this reason, a group of men from the area met with Archbishop Ryan to appeal their case for a resident priest. The Archbishop recommended a visit to Monsignor William Heinen at St. Joseph’s Church in East Mauch Chunk, presently Jim Thorpe, PA. Monsignor Heinen spoke and understood the Slovak language and was instrumental in organizing ethnic parishes in the Philadelphia Archdiocese for Slavs, Poles, Hungarians and others.

During this time, Father Meres continued to help the people with their spiritual needs by bringing the Sacraments in the Slovak language to the people in Phoenixville. From 1900 thru 1901, there were 29 Baptisms and 22 Marriages recorded as performed by Father Meres. From 1900 to 1903, Father Meres served as pastor at Sts. Cyril & Methodius Church in Reading and Holy Trinity Church in Pottstown while also traveling to Phoenixville. Finally, in November 1903, Father Meres was assigned by the Archdiocese to be a full-time pastor of Sacred Heart Church in Phoenixville.

In December 1905, Father Meres was succeeded by the Reverend Joseph Hello. Father Hello was also a native of Hungary where he was born, educated and ordained. This was his first appointment as a pastor in America. Father Hello remained here until December 1911 when he was assigned to St. Agnes Church in Philadelphia.

Father Oskar Suster was appointed the new pastor. Father Suster was a native of Croatia and came to America in 1903 at a time thousands of Croatians were immigrating to the United States. Priests were badly needed to minister to the spiritual needs of the immigrants in the new world. He began a parish in St. Louis and eventually answered the call to serve in the Philadelphia Archdiocese. With great zeal and enthusiasm, Father Suster served Sacred Heart Parish until July 1920. During his pastorate, the Parish continued to grow. When he finally retired in 1956, this beloved clergyman’s pastoral duties would span two continents, five diocese and 60 years of dedicated service.

Father Suster’s successor was Father Joseph Novorolsky. It was during Father Novorolsky’s pastorate, and the severe winter of 1920, that the original church building was destroyed by fire just a few days before Christmas. The Parishioners of the Church quickly joined together and rebuilt the basement of the church. Religious services were held there for a number of years until a new Church could be constructed.

In January of 1921, Father Martin Meres, the first pastor of Sacred Heart and the organizer of the Parish, returned. Under his leadership, the construction of the present church was completed. The new building, our present church, was rededicated in 1923. As a tribute to his love of the parish and as a memorial to his leadership in the founding of the parish, Father Meres donated the stained glass window of the Nativity, which can be seen in the sacristy, high over the main altar. It remains as a testimonial to him and his leadership in those early years of the parish. During his second pastorate, and under his zealous direction and guidance, Sacred Heart Parish grew in members and properties. In 1928, the building next door to the rectory, owned by the Gulick family, was purchased to serve as a convent for the Sisters. The basement of the church was again remodeled, this time to serve as an elementary school where an eight grade curriculum was taught under the supervision of the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The school had four classrooms with two grades in each room. A stage was built in one of the classrooms and was used by parishioners and students for plays and recitals. A small room in the lower level off the 1st and 2nd grade classroom was utilized as a parish library. The school building would remain basically unchanged for many years and would serve to educate many students through the years. In the summer of 1928, while vacationing in his European homeland, Father Meres died.

Father Michael Metro was called to serve as an interim pastor until a permanent pastor could be appointed.

On March 15, 1929, Father Andrew M. Gajzik came to Sacred Heart as the new pastor. He remained for thirty-two fruitful years. His time of service would leave an everlasting impression on the parish and its parishioners. Many improvements were made during his tenure. Additional property was purchased with the hope of erecting a new school sometime in the future. In 1941, land was purchased for a parish cemetery. In 1944, after much hard work and persuasion, Father Gajzik finally got his wish and the task of teaching in the parish school was assumed by the Slovak Order of the Sisters of SS. Cryil and Methodius. The education of the children of the parish was of paramount importance to Father Gajzik. With the growing need for more suitable facilities as the school census continued to increase each year, in the Fall of 1959, the grassy, tree shaded lawn, behind the convent and rectory gave way to another parish commitment, construction of Sacred Heart Parochial School. Ground was broken for a three story brick and concrete building with four classrooms on each of the second and third floors. Each grade would have their own designated room with enough space to accommodate classes of 40 to 45 pupils. The ground floor was the school cafeteria and a meeting hall for parish organizations. The life-long dream of Father Gajzik was fulfilled with the completion of the new Sacred Heart School. The Most Reverend Joseph McShea D.D., administrator of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, on September 18, 1960, blessed the new building. Father Gajzik’s stewardship saw the parish census increase to 350 families. He was also responsible for the coming of the Marianhill Scholasticate of the Sisters of SS. Cyril and Methodius to Phoenixville. The historical building on Starr Street, once the home of the founder of Phoenix Iron Co., was purchased to house the Sisters. It is now the home of an architectural firm. On November 5, 1961, Father Gajzik died, ending his long and successful pastorate. At the time of his death, the interior of the Church was undergoing a painting of the walls and a brightening of the beautiful murals. The complex scaffolding, which was in place to complete this restoration, was taken down for his funeral. By his request, his body was laid to rest in the Parish Cemetery. He is buried at the foot of the Cross in the center of the Parish Cemetery.

Father Stephen J. Vleck, a native son of Sacred Heart Parish, succeeded Father Gajzik. He was welcomed home warmly by the parishioners, but his pastorate lasted a very short time. Father Vleck died of a fatal heart attack on January 28, 1962. The scaffolding, which had just been put back into place, once again had to be disassembled.

On March 15, 1962, a new era began at Sacred Heart with the appointment of Father John Senglar S.T.L. as pastor. Father Senglar was a very active and vigorous pastor. Early in 1965, under his guiding hand, the Methodist Church property across the street from the parish was purchased to serve as a gymnasium and social center for the parish. On September 15, 1965, Pope Paul VI elevated Father Senglar to the rank of Domestic Prelate with the title Rt. Reverend Monsignor. On December 12, 1965, this honor was bestowed on him by Archbishop John Krol. During Monsignor Senglar’s pastorate, Vatican II under the direction of Pope John XXIII, turned their attention to the renewal of the Church. New liturgical rules were promulgated by the Council. Among the many signs of renewal, the change of the language used at Mass was one of the most obvious.  The gradual discontinuation of the Latin was replaced with a vernacular language (English in our case) to bring a clearer understanding of the liturgy and a deeper realization of the Church’s mysteries to the faithful. Mutual participation by the priest and congregation made the position of the altar an important consideration. The altar was to be brought forward and made free-standing. The priest would celebrate the Mass facing the congregation. Under the direction of Monsignor Senglar, this kind of transformation was accomplished at Sacred Heart Church during the last month of 1968.

Sunday, December 1, 1968 was the last Mass celebrated on the old altar. That afternoon the old altar was dissembled and the old pews removed. The altar along with some fixtures and statues were eventually sent to the Missions. The old pews found a new home at St. Thomas Moore Church, a newly formed parish in South Coventry. During the renovations, Mass would be celebrated in the auditorium in the basement of the church. As part of the renovations of the church, new carpeting and pews were installed. A Swedish wrought iron altar rail was put in place. A Golden Tabernacle was mounted on the back sanctuary wall high enough to be seen by the people as Mass was celebrated. A new altar, shaped like a trapezoid, was installed.

Parishioners joyfully celebrated midnight Mass on Christmas Eve 1968 in their Church which included new decor and a new liturgy. After the New Year, additional renovations were made which included painting of the Church, a new Baptismal Font, and new lighting and an air conditioning system. In May 1968, all renovations were completed with the arrival of the Statue of the Sacred Heart which had been purchased in Rome. It was placed on the sanctuary wall above the gold tabernacle. Monsignor Senglar served and guided the parish during this difficult time of change in the Catholic Church. In September 1978, Monsignor Senglar retired as Pastor Emeritus of Sacred Heart Church.

Father John M. Galyo, who had been working as Chaplain at the State Correctional Institution at Graterford, was appointed as the new pastor. Father Galyo delighted in telling the parishioners that he came to them ‘from prison’. He returned to ‘prison’ as Chaplain on a part-time basis from 1981-1987. Father Galyo’s stewardship continued as a time of many significant changes in the parish. In 1981, he received notice that the Sisters of Sts. Cyril and Methodius would no longer be able to staff the school. The parish elementary school was closed at the end of the school year, June 1981. This ended an era of (1923 -1981) of continuous parish elementary school education under the sponsorship of Sacred Heart Parish. The Sacred Heart Social Center was sold and is now enjoyed as a Senior Citizen’s Center for the Phoenixville Area Community. The convent which had housed the Sisters who had taught in the school, became MOM’S HOUSE, a daycare center for children of young mothers who are in need of childcare so they can continue their education. Beginning with the 1989-1990 school year, the Sacred Heart school building was rented to the Phoenixville Area School District to be used as a Kindergarten Center. This use continued until June 2002,

On September 15, 1991, Father Galyo was elevated by Pope John Paul II to the rank of Domestic Prelate with the title of Rt. Reverend Monsignor. He was invested at a Mass presided over by Cardinal Anthony J. Bevilacqua at the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Philadelphia.

Under Monsignor Galyo’s leadership, many improvements were made to the Church. The church steeple, which is a "landmark" in Phoenixville and is visible from many vistas, was gold-leafed to enhance its visibility and beauty. The Church was repainted and the Stations of the Cross and Statues were painted and restored. Beautiful ornamental doors were installed in the church vestibule. Ongoing maintenance and many improvements to the Church and Church properties were carried out including the addition of a much-needed Restroom in the vestibule of the Church. Exterior church renovations included re-pointing of the brick facade of the Church and the installation of decorative lanterns on a brick "courtyard" entry to the Church. In compliance with the American Disabilities Act, regulation safety doors and new cement steps and ramp were installed. In accord with the Archdiocesan program of Parish Renewal, the laity assumed a much more active role in the planning and management of the Parish. Under Monsignor Galyo’s guidance, a Parish Council was formed.

Because of the severe shortage of priests in the Archdiocese, Monsignor Galyo in addition to his duties as pastor of Sacred Heart, was appointed Administrator of Holy Trinity Church in Pottstown, PA. He served the faithful of that parish for ten years from 1989 to 1999. At that time, Rev. John F. McCole was appointed their new pastor. In 1999, in accordance with the "twinning" of Sacred Heart Church and Holy Trinity Church of Phoenixville, Monsignor Galyo took on the added responsibility of pastor of this Polish Parish. 

Sacred Heart Church marked its centennial year in 2000 and recognized that a debt of gratitude is owed to the immigrant founders of Sacred Heart Church. With courage and a dream for a better life, they left behind family and friends to venture to this new land. They brought with them their Slovak tradition of strong faith and trust in God. Many of their children and grandchildren have moved on from Sacred Heart in search of their own dreams. Others have remained, but all carry in their hearts and souls the same deep roots of faith and dedication that continue to support and nourish our Slovak Parish and its traditions.

In June of 2002, Monsignor Galyo retired as Pastor Emeritus of Sacred Heart Church.  Monsignor Galyo is currently in residence at St. Eleanor's Parish in Collegeville.

On June 23, 2002, Reverend Michael W. Rzonca ("Father Mike") was installed as pastor of Sacred Heart Parish by Reverend Monsignor James McDonough, Vicar of Chester County.  Today, under the leadership of Reverend Michael W. Rzonca, Sacred Heart continues to be a strong and vibrant parish, rich in the traditions of its forefathers.