Sacred Heart Parish Begins
1867-1926
The Redemptorist Community was being actively recruited to come to Florida as early as 1867. Fathers Joseph Wissel, Nicholas Jaeckel, Timothy Enright, and William H. Gross (future Fifth Bishop of Savannah) came to St. Augustine and Jacksonville on special invitation to give missions, and revivals. Two Redemptorist missionaries also preached missions in Key West and the Dry Tortuga Islands in 1870.
Since the Minorcan community left in the 1770’s, the Catholic community in the New Smyrna Beach area was all but non-existent. Then, in the late 1800’s, Catholic settlers began moving into the area to raise crops and began to establish the citrus industry. Ferdinand and Anna Nordman, a Catholic couple with a large family, purchased the old Murray farm north of the New Smryna community. Local Catholics were invited into their home every Sunday for Mass. A priest from St. Peter’s in Deland, 20 miles away, would ride by horseback to this out mission established under the direction of Father John O’Boyle, pastor of St. Peter’s, in 1887. One of the priests who would travel to the New Smyrna community, rather than ride horseback, would ride his bike. He would ride his bike through the country and the cow manure until 1913 when he was appointed the youngest bishop (St. Augustine) in the United States at age 36.
In 1921 Father Hurley became Archbishop of Baltimore, he took the opportunity to suggest to Bishop Barry, who at the time was Bishop of St. Augustine, that a Redemptorist foundation be established in the state of Florida.
Ferdinand Nordman was a very generous man, he donated the property and all the lumber for the new church, which held only 80 people. The foundation was soon established, and Father Joseph Downey was appointed as First Superior to take charge of the little wooden church named Sacred Heart December 12, 1926. We are blessed and thankful that we have members of the Nordman family worshipping with us to this day.
The Redemptorists have also been at the Parish of Sacred Heart and St. Gerard ever since.
Alice Clays Story about Sacred Heart
My name is Alice Clay Benedict, and I would like to share my story of being a member of Sacred Heart Church and how a church can change your whole life.
In the spring of 1943 Harry and Clara Clay and their daughter, Alice, —my family— arrived in New Smyrna Beach from McKeesport, Pennsylvania. We came in our car and 3 suitcases. Our destination was 308 Faulkner St where the Sacred Heart Catholic Church was located. Father John McCarthy was pastor.
My parents had arranged to become the caretakers of the church and grounds before we arrived in New Smyrna. We immediately moved into the caretaker’s cottage, which had originally been built in 1926 for Father Joseph
- Downey, the first priest to serve Sacred Heart Parish.
My father took care of the church grounds and maintained the exterior, while my mother cared for the inside – sweeping, mopping, dusting and keeping everything clean. She also became the church organist and choir director, leading both the adult and children’s choir. I was a member of the children choir that sang at the 9am Mass every Sunday.
The people of Sacred Heart welcomed our family with open arms and genuine love. In the south when you are a little girl meeting new people, they quickly become your family. Everyone I met became my “Aunt” or “Uncle”. Before long, I had more relatives in New Smyrna than I did in Pennsylvania. I even had Grandma Sheldon, who was our neighbor and member of the pioneer Sheldon Family.
For 6 wonderful years my parents loved living in New Smyrna and being part of the Sacred Heart Church community.
Then, in October 1949 our lives changed forever. While my father was in our house, polishing the church candle sticks, he suffered a massive heart attack and died at the age of 56. The church community came together in
overwhelming support, surrounding my mother and me with love and comfort.
Even though my mother and father’s family all lived back in Pennsylvania, my mother knew that the people of Sacred Heart were like her family too. My mother was a strong woman and made the decision to stay in New Smyrna and raise me here. (I thank God for that decision every day). She continued caring for the church, serving as organist and choir director. She was the organist at Sacred Heart Catholic Church for 40 years without receiving any pay. She became deeply involved in the Ladies Alter Society helping raise funds for the church through rummage sales, bake sales, card parties, game nights and putting on Sunday dinners at the Church. She served as president of the Society several times.
Living next to the church meant my mother was often called upon to serve as a sponsor for someone who was being baptized. In December of 1949, she became the Godmother of a 7-year-old girl named Carolyn Woolley, who had just moved to New Smyrna from Miami. Carolyn and I immediately became best friends – a friendship that would shape the rest of our lives.
As the town grew so did the church with people moving to New Smyrna and visitors coming in the wintertime. Masses were said in Latin and held at 7, 9, 10, and 11am. Most were low masses, but occasionally a high mass was offered for a special occasion. One year, our pastor Fr. Thomas Wright, said Christmas midnight mass in the Women’s Club on Magnolia St. to accommodate the number of church members and guests who were attending.
Over the years, Carolyn and I remained inseparable. She was being raised by her father and 2 sisters, as her mother had passed away. At the time, New Smyrna did not have a Catholic School, so I attended St Paul’s Catholic School in Daytona. Eventually, thanks in part to my mother’s encouragement, Carolyn and her sisters, Patricia and Jeannie, joined me in attending St.
Paul’s. At first, we were transported by station wagon, which my mother drove daily to get us to school. As the parish grew Father Thomas O’Conner purchased a school bus to make the daily ride to Daytona. All 4 of us girls graduated from St Paul’s. Even though we went to school in Daytona we all remained faithful to Sacred Heart and were always involved with Sacred Heart Church and helping whenever we could.
Seven years after my father’s death…On October 5th, 1956, Fr. Thomas Wright united my mother, Clara Clay and Carolyn’s father, Charles Woolley in marriage. WOW! Carolyn and I were not only best friends, but we were also sisters. I was excited to go from being an only child to having 3 sisters, Patricia, Jeannie and Carolyn. I couldn’t have been happier. Our parents were very involved with the Church through serving on society committees and helping raise money with fund raisers.
By the mid 1950’s growth in the town and parish made it necessary to build a larger church. This required tremendous effort and fundraising. The goal to build the church was $95,000. Roland Veit was chairman of the project assisted by Joe Corbe, John Cassel and my dad Charles Woolley. The church started a drive raising $70,000 in cash and pledges to be paid off over a 20-month period. Letters and brochures were mailed to parishioners, and personal phone calls were made. It was suggested that memorial gifts be purchased and a permanent bronze plaque, inscribed with the family’s name and what they purchased, would be displayed at the church. Items suggested for purchasing were the alter rail (which we no longer have in the church) confessionals, stations of cross, organ, lighting fixtures, baptismal fonts, main doors and public address system. The purchase of these items attracted many people and businesses in the town. The parishioners also held many Chicken Bar-B-Q dinners, game nights, card parties, bake sales and anything they could think of to raise money.
Joe Corbe had the idea of purchasing a new car, selling tickets and raffle it off. He also thought it would be nice if the young people of the parish (like my sisters and me and our friends) helped sell the tickets. On weekends my sisters and our friends could be found standing on Canal St or at a local grocery store selling those tickets. Mr. Corbe even took us to Sanford Naval Air Station where we sold lots of tickets. (I think the Navy guys liked seeing the teenage girls). The car raffle was a big success for the church and to his excitement a man name Richard H Weaton of Leesburg, FL was the winner of a new sedan car that year.
The building you are seated in tonight, our social hall, is the Sacred Heart Catholic Church that was built back in 1956, it seated 400+ people and ended up costing $100,00 to build. The architect was Thomas Madden and Robert Arnau was the general contractor and member of church.
In 1958 my middle sister, Jeannie, was married in this church. In 1963 my sister, Carolyn, married Tom Corbe in this church. I was married in this church on Feburaryll,1961. My 4 children were baptized in this church.
When I married my husband, Joe, he was not Catholic but promised to raise our children in the Catholic faith. Forty (40) years later, without telling me, Joe approached Fr. Dillon and asked to become Catholic. On Mother’s Day in 2001, Joe and our grandson, Dalton Benedict, were baptized. Fr. Dillon told me that was the first time he had ever baptized a grandfather and grandson together. A day I will never forget.
This was my early life, shaped entirely by being a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in New Smyrna Beach. I remain active in the parish today, serving through the Catholic Women’s Association and helping on the Celebration of Life reception committee. This is a group of women who put on receptions (free of charge) after funerals services at our church. Katie Conner started these group 20 years ago and is still in charge today.
This is not the end of my association with Sacred Heart, but I’ll save that for another time.
My best friend and sister would have been here tonight, but she is now a busy angel watching over us from heaven, along with my sister Jeannie. My oldest sister, Patricia, is 90 and living in Ormond Beach. We talk and see each other as often as possible.
I would like to close by saying one of my proud moments is when I get to say
“I have been of member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church for 80 years”
