Founded: 1927
Location: 314 W. Workman Street, Covina
San Gabriel Region: Deanery 11

Pope Leo XIII consecrated the world to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in 1899, and established a feast day that is now commemorated annually 19 days after Pentecost (this year, May 30). The Covina parish is the third of eight parishes in the archdiocese named in honor of the Sacred Heart, following those in Lincoln Heights and Lancaster.

In 1909, ten years after the pope's proclamation (and eight years after Covina became a city), a small Catholic mission was established under the auspices of St. Frances of Rome parish in Azusa. Catholics in Covina then were few and separated by miles of orange and lemon groves. There were very few dirt roadways and those who could found their way to San Gabriel Mission for devotions until the growth of the area helped early pioneers to settle and form communities.

By 1909, Covina was the third largest orange producer in the world but with increased population, the orange groves eventually turned into housing projects although the area retained the old city quote: "One mile square and all there." In the mission period of the parish, it was Father M. H. Geary who traveled by horse and buggy to celebrate liturgy in locations from the Covina Women's Clubhouse, the original Isis Theatre and Coolman's Hall, near the Southern Pacific depot.

With the ardent determination and donations of the faithful, Father Geary was able to award a bid for $5,500 for a church in 1911. A year later the first Sacred Heart church at Fifth and Center Streets welcomed some 13 Catholic families in a building that seated 200 persons.

Following Father Geary was Father Peter J. Quinn, who served the mission from 1924 to 1927. The first resident pastor, Father Denis Falvey from County Kerry, Ireland, in only two years built the rectory on Fifth Street and installed the baptistry in the church. At the dedication ceremony, Father Geary returned to deliver the sermon. In 1929 Father Falvey (later a monsignor) was named pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes in Tujunga, where he served for 20 years. He headed five parishes before his death in 1975 at 82.

Four pastors served short terms from 1929 to 1936 --- Fathers Gabriel Ryan, Edward Riordan, William Schulte and Joseph Fitzgerald. During Father Fitzgerald's pastorate, Bishop John Cantwell joined the jubilee celebration of the parish founding and said: "Looking back, we bear testimony to the strong faith and generous zeal of those pioneers who began the work of the church in this city … they labored with much sacrifice in trying and difficult times." Father Fitzgerald, a native of County Waterford, died in 1940 at age 41.

Msgr. Patrick Carey, from County Clare, served in Covina until 1941 (then headed Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Downey, for 31 years). The growth surge of Sacred Heart parish started during the pastorate of Father Hubert Vandenbergh, a native of Holland, who joined the joyous parishioners on the occasion of burning the mortgage papers on the church in 1948.

Growth continued rapidly during the pastorate of Msgr. Bernard Collins, a native of County Cavan, who was responsible for building the new church on the 11-acre property on Workman Street. For almost 30 years he oversaw the many changes and improvements of the parish and the school. Cardinal James Francis McIntryre dedicated the new church, built to seat 1,100 persons, in 1960 and several other parishes were formed in the area due to unprecedented growth in population. Msgr. Collins died in 1979 at 75, having served the archdiocese for 50 years.

Continuing the Irish tradition, Msgr. Patrick Reilly of County Longford administered Sacred Heart for six years and was pastor from 1979 to 1986. He is now pastor emeritus of St. Robert Bellarmine, Burbank. Father Louis Stallkamp, a native Angeleno ordained in 1967, headed the parish for eight years. A graduate of Cathedral High School, he received a degree in mechanical engineering from Cal Tech and served in air intelligence with the Navy for three years. He died in 1994 at age 64.

The current pastor, Father Brian Cavanagh, from County Leix, Ireland, has shepherded the parish since 1994 after serving as pastor at St. Thomas Aquinas, Monterey Park, for 15 years. He was ordained in 1958 at St. Patrick's College, Carlow, and has served in Los Angeles since that time. He is the 13th resident pastor for the Covina parish. Upon his retirement, he will be succeeded in July by Father William Easterling, pastor of St. Martha Church in nearby Valinda.