Sacred Heart Catholic Church (Bowie, Maryland)

After the American Revolution, Catholics in the newly created United States enjoyed freedom to worship. The Jesuit Fathers, led by John Carroll and five other priests, began a series of meetings at White Marsh beginning on 27 June 1783 called the General Chapters that organized the Catholic Church in the United States.[6][7]

They held a second meeting 6 November 1783, and a third on 11 October 1784, at the same place, when they formulated the draft of the regulations binding all the clergy of Maryland. It was decided at these meetings every priest was maintained and given thirty pounds a year, and each priest agreed to offer ten Masses for every priest who died there. It was at this same meeting that those assembled voted John Carroll's name to be included in a petition sent to the Pope requesting Carroll's appointment to an office that ultimately resulted in Carroll becoming the first Catholic bishop in the United States.[7] On May 18, 1789, during a meeting at White Marsh, he would be confirmed as the first American bishop.[5]

The bell tower was added in 1876

The old chapel is the only Catholic church built before the American Revolution in Prince George's County.[8]

The current chapel building was built on the hill circa 1827 at the east end of the original chapel and is constructed of undressed stone, with a gable roof.[8] In 1853, a fire destroyed the interior of the building but left the stone walls standing.[8] The interior was rebuilt by 1855.[8] In 1876 a wood-frame bell tower was added to the church at the east end of the gable.[8]

The earliest known slaves at the White Marsh were those owned by Reverend John Lewis.[9] John Ashton also brought enslaved persons to operate the plantation as well.[5] Lewis's slaves included "at the Lower Quarters: Nanny, Kate and her child, Fanny born 1762, and Samuel 1764, Ruth, Terry, Regis, (Sampson, Jenny), Frank and children, Lucy, Davi, Nancy, Paul, and Henrietta born May 1763."[9]

Between 1823 and 1829, more than 16 enslaved people were forced from their families at White Marsh to build foundations for Jesuit institutions in Missouri, including what would become Saint Louis University.[10]

In 1838, the Jesuits sold 272 slaves to Henry Johnson and Jesse Batey, including nearly a dozen slaves from White Marsh to fund the construction of Georgetown University.[11] Among those sold was a 65-year old grandfather named Isaac.[11] Father Thomas Lilly wrote in a letter to Rome describing the sale of these slaves, "“Without any notice or preparation the slaves were seized violently and by heathen hands. They were treated as animals in every respect.”[11]

Adjoining the chapel is a large cemetery with gravestones dating from 1830.[8]

Elm Street Development obtained a contract in 2016 to purchase 154 acres of land surrounding the chapel from the Jesuits, who had owned the property since the 1728 land grant of Carroll's Burgh from John Carroll.[12] The developer sought to change zoning on the parcel and construct 440 single-family homes, but faced local opposition.[12]

In 2023, graves were discovered on the property that are believed to belong to enslaved persons from the 18th and 19th centuries.[13]

A much larger, modern brick church, was built at the foot of the hill, fronting Maryland Route 450 and dedicated in 1969[8] to accommodate the growth of Bowie due to the Levitt and Sons development, "Belair at Bowie", where most of its current congregants live.[6]