Two churches, one family. Two hundred years of Catholic faith on Trenton's South Broad Street — and ministry that has never grown smaller, never grown colder, never closed its doors.
Our Mission
From the Pastor of Sacred Heart Parish
"Whatever your present status in the Catholic Church, whatever your current family or marital situation, whatever your past or present religious affiliation, whatever your personal history, age, background, or race, whatever your own self-image or esteem — you are invited, welcomed, accepted, loved and respected at the Sacred Heart Parish."
It is our hope that you will feel the welcome hospitality of Jesus in our midst. Our parish mission is to be a living expression of Jesus Christ, building up His Kingdom by living His Good News. As you peruse the pages of our website, we hope you will find evidence that we do indeed work hard toward this goal — giving witness to Him and spreading the message of love that He left us as His everlasting gift.
If you are new to our parish community, we look forward to meeting you.
Our Two Churches
Sacred Heart Church and Holy Cross Church together form one parish family — each with its own character, its own community, and a worship schedule that meets every culture and every soul.
Two Centuries on South Broad
Sacred Heart has stood in Trenton since long before any of us were born — through wars, through depressions, through pandemic. Generations of Trenton families have been baptized, married, and laid to rest from this parish.
The 200th Anniversary of the parish was an occasion not only of celebration but of recommitment — to the Word, to the Sacraments, to the poor, and to the city that has been our home for two centuries.
The Seven Sacraments
From the waters of Baptism to the Anointing of the Sick — the sacraments are the rhythm of life at Sacred Heart Parish.
Living the Good News
Every parishioner is called to share their gifts. These are the active ministries at Sacred Heart Parish.
K-8 Catholic formation for our parish children. Classes meet during the school year.
Walking with adults entering or completing initiation into the Catholic Church.
Choirs and cantors at both Sacred Heart and Holy Cross, in English and Polish.
Lay leaders working alongside the pastoral staff in service of the parish vision.
Feeding our neighbors. See the dedicated Outreach section below for ways to give and serve.
Stewardship and renewal — investing in the spiritual and physical legacy of the parish.
Our Outreach
For decades, Sacred Heart Parish has run a Food Outreach Program that meets one of Trenton's most basic needs — putting food on the table for families who would otherwise go hungry. It is the corporal work of mercy in its most direct form.
Whether you can give, can volunteer, or can simply spread the word — there is a way for you to be part of this work.
A weekly food distribution serving Trenton families. Donations of non-perishable goods, time, and financial support are always welcome — especially around the holidays.
Our Shepherds & Servants
The priests, deacons, trustees and lay staff who keep both Sacred Heart and Holy Cross running every day.
From St. John the Baptist to Sacred Heart
Sacred Heart Parish is one of the oldest Catholic communities in New Jersey — born in 1814 as St. John the Baptist Church, the very first Catholic church in the state.
New Jersey's first Catholic church, dedicated to St. John the Baptist, was built at Market and Lamberton Streets in Trenton. A simple brick building 30 feet wide by 50 feet deep, St. John's drew a congregation of 30 families from both sides of the river.
After 16 years depending on visiting Philadelphia priests, the parish finally welcomes its first resident pastor.
Irish immigrants fleeing the potato famine swell the ranks of the congregation. The cornerstone for a new, much larger St. John's is laid at Broad and Centre Streets.
The new church is completed — classical design, stuccoed brick, a three-story bell tower. The parish grows so quickly that a wing is added in 1856.
On a Sunday night, fire destroys the church. Only the exterior walls, belfry and cupola remain standing.
Cornerstone laid August 3, 1884. The old St. John's bell — the one survivor of the fire — rang out again to mark the partial completion. The new Sacred Heart Church was dedicated on June 30, 1889.
The new Sacred Heart was designed by Patrick Charles Keeley, himself an Irish immigrant and the most prominent Catholic architect in 19th-century America — the designer of Catholic cathedrals in Boston, Hartford, Buffalo, and many more.
The parish celebrates two centuries of unbroken Catholic worship in Trenton — a milestone commemorated by the "Sartori to Sacred Heart" booklet, exhibits, and the dedication of new generations to the faith.
Living the Good News
From the Altar Rosary Society to the Nigerian Mothers Prayer Group — the active ministries that shape parish life every week.
Mary Tovar · (609) 393-2801 — Catholic formation for our parish children
Nancy Breese · (609) 393-2801 — Welcoming adults into the Catholic Church
John DeSantis · (609) 393-2801 ext. 0 — Feeding Trenton families every month
Lay stewardship of parish resources and operations
Marian devotion and care of the altar
Men's society honoring the Holy Name of Jesus
Catholic men's fraternal order serving the parish
Women's fellowship and service ministry
A vibrant cultural ministry reflecting our growing Nigerian Catholic community
Bringing the Eucharist and prayer to the sick
Outreach to the incarcerated — "I was in prison and you visited me"
Coordinating care across faith communities for those in need
Every Week
Mass intentions, second collections, parish news, sacramental announcements, holy day notes — every Sunday's bulletin, archived going back years.
"This week at Sacred Heart and Holy Cross."
A Bicentennial Milestone
In 2014, the parish marked 200 years of Catholic faith in Trenton. The bicentennial gave rise to a series of historical exhibits, family histories, and the commemorative "Sartori to Sacred Heart" booklet — documenting the families and pastors who built this parish.
From John Baptist Sartori — Trenton's first Italian Catholic merchant — to the Hargous family of stewards, the parish's story is a story of the immigrant Catholic experience in America.
The commemorative bicentennial publication telling the parish's full story.
Trenton's first Italian Catholic merchant and a founding figure of the parish.
Patrick Charles Keeley's design — the same architect who built the Cathedrals of Boston, Hartford, and Buffalo.
The lay families whose generosity and faith built and sustained the parish.
Every pastor who has served the parish — from 1830 to today.
The full bicentennial commemorative document.
Sacred Ground
Sacred Heart Parish has been entrusted with the care of St. John Cemetery — the resting place of generations of Trenton Catholics. The cemetery is maintained in association with the Office of Catholic Cemeteries of the Diocese of Trenton.
Records are available for St. John's, Saints Peter and Paul, Saint Stanislaus, and Holy Cross Cemeteries. Families researching ancestry or planning interments can contact the diocesan office directly.
Records covering burials from 2000 to 2018 and earlier — by family name (A-F and G-Z) and by date — are maintained through the diocesan office.
Feeding Our Neighbors
Every third Sunday of the month, the parish collects food. Volunteers bag on Monday, distribute on Tuesday in Toomey Hall.
Third Sunday of each month
Monday after · 9:30 AM
Tuesday after · 1:30 PM in Toomey Hall
2026 Schedule
Connected to the Wider Church
From the Faithful
Real words from those who call Sacred Heart and Holy Cross home.
A beautiful historic parish. Father and the staff make every visitor feel like family from the first hello.
— ParishionerWhere else can you find a Polish Mass and a Gospel Mass in the same parish? Trenton's most diverse Catholic family.
— Holy Cross FamilyThe Food Outreach Program literally helped my family through the hardest year of our lives. May God bless this parish.
— Community MemberPlan Your Visit
Two locations. Same family. Pick the Mass time that fits your week — or visit both.
343 South Broad Street
Trenton, New Jersey 08608
Trenton, New Jersey
Gospel Mass · Polish Mass · Vigil