Church History

The Community of Swedesburg, one of Montgomery County's oldest settlements along the Schuylkill River, was founded in 1712 by early Swedish colonists who resided around Gloria Dei Church in Philadelphia. Religious services were held in homes until 1734 when a combination log cabin school/church was built. This sufficed until 1760 when Christ Church was dedicated.
In the 1830's a great many Irish immigrants settled in Swedesburg and in due time they supplanted the Swedes as the majority. Later they moved on to an area which became part of the Borough of Bridgeport in 1851. The Irish organized the St. Augustine Parish in 1892.

History proves that wherever the settlers went, the church was not long in following. The history of the founding of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish is quite unique.

Many Polish pioneers, driven from their homeland by intolerance, persecutions, and economic conditions, came to the United States in the 1880's and some settled in Swedesburg, Upper Merion Township. The abundance of work, particularly in the quarries, railroads, woolen mills, and steel works, attracted their attention for a better life. An eminently religious people, they longed for a priest who could minister to their spiritual needs in the Polish language.

In the 1890's, the Rev. Gabriel Kraus, pastor of St. Laurentius Church, Philadelphia, visited the settlers and conducted religious services at the home of Joseph Nyska. Among the early settlers were Anthony Nowicki, Ignatius Rataj, Andrew Dybicz, Adam Sitarz, Peter Balcer, Andrew Szpindor, Walenty Barczak, Jan Capinski, Adam Oszczapinski, Maciej Piechowiak, Ludwig Dolga, and Jan Wilczynski. Also, Katherine Wrona, Anthony Piatkowski, Michael Zielinski, Jan Pleva, Adam Ostrowski, Andrew Nowak, Ignatius Domurad, Joseph Piatkowski, Frank Salkowski, Jan Borowy, Agnes Lukasz, Joseph Walkowiak, Walter Wolski, Anna Walkowiak, Teofil Pisarski, and others.

When the Polish settlers of Conshohocken formed St. Mary's Church in 1905, Archbishop Ryan of Philadelphia united Swedesburg, Swedeland, Bridgeport, Port Kennedy, King of Prussia, and Norristown, to the parish. However, settlement in Swedesburg rapidly grew in numbers and a movement was begun in 1905 for the organization of a parish. There were about eighteen families and fifty single persons. With permission from the diocese, $6000 was collected and under direction of Rev. Soltysik of the Missionary Fathers, a modest ediface was built and dedicated on December 9, 1906.     continued >>>