Sacred Heart - Camden, MS

The history of Sacred Heart is tied into the history of Immaculate Conception Parish founded in 1844 in Sulpher Springs, Mississippi. These devout people brought their faith and ability to farm the land sharing these gifts with the slaves and other African American local people. In 1944 the Missionary Servants of the Most Holy Trinity (Trinity Missions) came to Camden to open Sacred Heart School &

Mission to respond more diligently to the needs of the growing African American population and to staff Immaculate Conception Parish. Sacred Heart School educated hundreds of local children equipping them for jobs and higher education throughout the South and in the cities of Chicago, Detroit, Milwaukee and St. Sacred Heart Mission Church was closed in the mid 1970’s and both the white and black community worshipped together at Immaculate Conception Church. Due to decreasing enrollment and costs Sacred Heart School was closed in 2002 and the building was transformed into Sacred Heart Family Center. This facility offers programs designed to build and strengthens families in this rural and poor area of northeast Madison County, MS. At the present the Family Center offers day care, senior meal program, after school and summer enrichment programs, pantry program, an IDA Program and houses offices of HOPE Community Credit Union and State Department of Human Services. Through the work of the local community and many generous benefactors a new church and parish center was dedicated on March 25, 2007 by Joseph Latino of Jackson. This new building includes a 200 seat church, gym, kitchen, conference room, game room and fitness center. This new facility will enable the parish to continue to grow and serve the needs of the local community more effectively