The Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Derby Avenue is the oldest in the Catholic Archdiocese of Accra.
The Sacred Heart Parish traces its roots to the founding of the Catholic Mission in Accra on January, 31, 1893 by Rev. Fr. Otto Hilberer and Rev. Fr. Eugene Roess of the Society of African Mission (SMA).
The Mission started in a house on the site of the present-day C.F.A.O (Multi-stores) on the High Street and Lutterodt Street Junction.
In March 1895, less than three years after the start of the Mission, the two Missionaries were recalled to Cape Coast to Pastor the Parishes whose Pastors had perished in the yellow fever epidemic. The Mission was therefore taken charge of by laymen on the staff of the Mission School, Mr. Brown etc until May, 1897, when it was finally closed.
In 1911, some Fante Civil Servants in Accra decided to revive the Catholic Church, under the leadership of George Yankah and Samuel Amissah. However, as there was no permanent place of worship, services were held in various places in Jamestown including the Sea View Hotel.
In 1924, Rev. Fr. Joseph Stauffer, Vicar General of Cape Coast with the assistance of an Italian businessman operating in Accra Mr. Bonito, purchased an old cocoa shed on the Derby Avenue for seven hundred pounds. Renovations on the shed cost another seven hundred and fifty pounds. The Church, named the Sacred Heart, was solemnly dedicated on 11th February, 1925 by Rev. Fr. Joseph Stauffer.
Development of the Sacred Heart Parish was first started with the opening of the primary school in January 1931 and the senior school in 1933. The pioneer members of the staff of the school were Messrs Ebenezer Dowuona, Augustine Appiah, Thomas N. Nortey, and Aquanda (All of Blessed Memory). In August of that same year, the school was recognised by the Government Education Director and placed on the assisted list.
In June 1939, a severe earthquake shook all of Accra doing extensive damage. Both gables of the Sacred Heart Church collapsed and all side arches in the building cracked. The school was damaged. Repairs cost $3500. In the meantime, services were held in the open air under a palm branch shelter.
The change of hands in the ministration of the Eastern Prefecture of Cape Coast in 1939 saw a new Missionary Order, the Divine Word Missionaries (SVD) in the Sacred Heart Parish. Their Prefect, Monsignor Adolf Noser, was elevated to the Bishopric in 1947 and enthroned in September, 29, 1948 at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church as the first Bishop of Accra.
In January 1943 Fr. Bernard Sao Mensah, the first Ghanaian Priest ordained for the Diocese, celebrated his first Holy Mass in Sacred Heart Parish. He was assisted by three black SVD Priests Joseph Bowers, George Wilson and J Dauphine.
In December, 12, 1943, Fr. Samuel Vanderpuije the second Accra Diocesan Priest who was also the first Ga Priest, was ordained in Cape Coast. He had begun his
studies for the Anglican Church in England but joined the Catholic Church. He received a rousing welcome from the Ga people at his first Mass in Sacred Heart Church.
In 1968 the Sacred Heart Parish celebrated its Diamond Jubilee. Fr. Albert Kretschmer (SVD) led in the celebrations.
The Sacred Heart Evangelisation efforts date back to the 1950’s when the Fatima House was opened at a rented building on the Asafoatse Nettey Road to embark on conversion. Also remarkable was the provision of social and health services to public institution such as Ussher Fort Prison, Jamestown Prison, Lepers at Weija Leprosarium, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Princess Marie Louise Hospital as well as the Sacred Heart Centre for the aged.
A series of development projects have been initiated in the Sacred Heart Parish since its re-establishment in 1924.
However, subsequent projects initiated by Rev. Fr. Andrew Campbell, SVD were unique and exemplary and enhanced the scope of development activities of the Parish. The Sacred Heart Parish was the flourishing place of a Vocational and Secretarial Institute; the old Middle School was given a new look and had an enviable JSS workshop. The Sacred Heart Parish built a well multi-discipline Sacred Heart Technical Institute at Jamestown in 1993 to contribute immensely to the National Development Programme.
Other Priests who contributed to the development of the Parish are Rev. Fr. Guerts SMA, Rev. Fr. Severiens SMA, Rev. Fr. Cletus Hodapp SVD, Rev. Fr. Albert Kretschmer SVD, Rev. Fr. Charles Schneider SVD, Rev. Fr. Theodore Quaye, Rev. Fr. Gabriel Liashiedzi, and Rev. Fr. Clement Wilson.
Furthermore, the Parish had numerous Missionary Priests, Religious brothers and sisters and Diocesan Priests who have administered the Eucharist to Parishioners through their works.
The Parish can also boast of 8 Priests, 1 Bishop, and 11 Religious Sisters and a brother who hailed from the Sacred Heart Parish.