Noreen Foti has been a member of this Slovak, Roman Catholic church her whole life. She received all her sacraments at Sacred Heart Church in Wilkes-Barre, PA: baptism, first holy communication, confirmation, and marriage. She can remember walking down the isles on her wedding day and passing each archway of the beautiful church which had become a parish she can call her own. She remembers passing the gilded Tyrolean Art stain glass windows, telling of her faith’s history, before arriving at the “Austrian type” altar to meet her husband Anthony, as angelic melodies played from the organ, before saying those two words, “I do.”
Now it may all just be a memory. The Scranton Diocese wants to close Sacred Heart Church and combine it with two other local parishes. Not only will Sacred Heart lose a religious strong hold in the community of Wilkes-Barre, it will also lose a historical landmark as well. However, Noreen and her husband, along with fellow parish and community members are coming together and are ‘do’ing something to save the parish.
History of Sacred Heart Church
“The church was originally constructed in 1896. It was a small wooden chapel but was too small after the Slovak immigrants started coming over,” says Noreen. The church was rebuilt and finally completed in 1908 by the Reverend Joseph Murgas. Not only did Fr. Murgas construct the building, he also dedicated his time, talent, and means to this church. The stained glass windows done by Tyrolean Art Guild were from Fr. Murgas, as well as the paints that appear in the church. Fr. Murgas painted the Immaculate Conception that hangs on the left side of the altar in the church, as well as the Sacred heart of Jesus that appears on the main altar.
“I think Fr. Murgas gave more than what is even documented or what we know. He loved this church so much,” says Noreen. “It shows.”
Father Murgas and His Contributions to Society
Father Murgas was born in 1864 in Slovakia. He came over here to find independence and freedom. After he came to America, he came to Wilkes-Barre, where he became the pastor at Sacred heart Church. He was also a talented painted and scientist.
Father Murgas the Artist
Father Murgas was no ordinary priest. He had many talents. Fr. Murgas attended the Academy of Art in Munich and was an avid painter. His paints are not only in Sacred Heart Church, but also through out Slovakia and Pennsylvania.
Father Murgas the Scientist
Father Murgas was a pioneer in the world of Communications, as he succeeds in broadcasting the world’s first radio land transition in Wilkes-Barre to Scranton. This was done through Fr. Murgab’s accumulation of 17 patents. His two most famous patents were patent number 759,825 and patent number 759,826, both patented on May 10, 1904 . Father Murgas developed voice impulses by using modulation. He was able to amplify the human voice over air waves. Fr. Murgas was the first scientist to transmit clear voice through the stormiest weather and static. By far his greatest achievement was kept secret. Fr. Murgas’s first, successful radio test was a wireless conversation between the Mayor of Scranton and the Mayor of Wilkes-Barre. Two months, after this private testing, however, there was a storm that causes the antenna towers in Scranton to collapse and damaged Wilkes-Barre’s towers as well. After this, other scientists became interested and new wireless companies began to form .
Fr. Murgas Honored Locally
Sacred Heart Church was presented with a historical land marker given by the Pennsylvania Commission because of Fr. Murgas’s revolutionary achievements. Fr. Murgas was also honored locally.
- 1940s- Osterhout Free Library dedicated the Murgas Memorial Shelf; US navy named liberty ship the “S.S. Rev. Joseph Murgas
- November 12, 1963- Rev. Joseph Murgas Day in PA; historical dedication of Fr. Murgas marker in Alhambra, PA
- 1970s- Dedication of Murgas Audio-Visual Center at King’s College in Wilkes-Barre; Murgas Amateur Radio Club founded, Fr. Murgas Presidential Scholarship established at University of Scranton; Roman Catholic Diocese names Outstanding contribution to Religious broadcasting to Murgas; Unveiling of Replica Fr. Murgas Twin Radio Towers in Wilkes-Barre
- 1980s- 75th anniversary of Fr. Murgas wireless testing; Slovak heritage month recognizes Fr. Murgas for outstanding achievements
- 1990s- Dedication of state historical marker; Fr. Murgas in Wilkes-Barre City. International, two-day conference of Fr. Murgas
- 2000- 2007- Fr. Murgas exhibit at King’s College in Wilkes-Barre, Fr. Murgas exhibit at Misericordia university
Radio in Pennsylvania
According to the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, on November 1920 an estimated one thousand people were listening to the presidential election on “wireless receivers,” over what became known as KDKA. The PHMC adds that after Fr. Murgas’s overland transmutation and World War I, Frank Conrad, engineer, began an amateur station called 8XK in a suburb near Pittsburg. This got KDKA off the ground, as officials saw that broadcasting was becoming more and more popular. In 1922 a live concert was broadcast, which resulted in establishing 360 new broadcast stations by the end of that same year in Pennsylvania alone.
Dilemma that Faces the Past and Future of Radio
The past and future of historical achievements in radio advancements are now in danger of being lost. “This church was built with our [families and parish members] own hands and money and we have preserved the church and its history all these years,” says Noreen.
The Scranton Diocese will make their final decision, tentatively, in January of the new year.
“They are probably rolling in their graves,” says Noreen.
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