Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church

I am a third generation member of Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Following the example of my mother, Mary Lee Moreland Eggart, and my grandmother, Hilda Martinez Moreland, I have been involved in various lay ministries in the parish all my adult life.

Founded in 1928 to serve a largely Italian community in what was then the outskirts of Baton Rouge, Sacred Heart developed into one of the largest and most important parishes in the area during the 1940s and 50s. As Baton Rouge began to grow outward to the suburbs in the 1960s the loss of population from what is now the center of the city was dramatically felt in the parish. Now a congregation of less than 1000 families, it nevertheless remains a strong community proud of its diversity and spirit.

The current church building, dedicated in 1942, was designed by New Orleans architect Albert Bendernagel in a blended Roman and Byzantine style. The interior features a unique cycle of murals by the Dutch Benedictine monk, Gregory deWit and stained glass windows by the Emil Frei studios of St. Louis. The art and architecture of this beautiful and ornate church has fascinated me since my childhood and has often been the muse that inspires my own art.