History
The Braun-Sacred Heart Center, Inc. was formed as a non-profit corporation [(501) C 3]
in order to save the Old Sacred Heart Church. The old church, located in within Golden Gate Barrio, was the center of civic
and religious life for a number of the older barrios in the old southeast area of Phoenix, Arizona.
After a prolonged
struggle, Golden Gate Barrio was sacrificed for the expansion of airport related activities of Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport.
To city staff, the old Sacred Heart Church was simply another piece of real estate whose demolition was a preliminary for
economic development of the land formerly occupied by the barrio residents.
To many others it symbolizes a community
made up of 6,000 of their relatives and friends, a community that revolved around Sacred Heart Church and the legacy of Father
Albert Braun, a hero of World War II. While the last regular mass was held on December 29, 1985, that symbolism is brought
to life every Christmas Day when a special Christmas Mass is celebrated and many of the old residents and their family and
friends return for this event.
During the removal of the approximately 6,000 residents of Golden Gate, the City
of Phoenix moved to obliterate the structure that had become the center of a vibrant community. The city ran headlong into
unexpectedly strong resistance from city residents who wished to retain something of value for community well-being, and some
respect.
The Braun-Sacred Heart Center, Inc. was formed in order to create a museum and cultural center in the
building and surrounding area. The idea was to maintain community memory and to promote the ideals of community involvement
and belonging. The Arizona Department of the American Legion, wishing to participate, committed itself to establish a Veteran's
museum at the site in honor of Father Albert Braun's service to his country. The City Council eventually recognized that
special considerations were necessary concerning the building.
A call for proposals was issued and the Braun-Sacred
Heart Center, Inc. was the only respondent. The submitted proposal envisioned a complex beneficial to the former residents,
the remaining community, and the tenants of the Sky Harbor Center, the economic development envisioned by the city. City staff
was directed to work with Braun-Sacred Heart Center and negotiations were to continue.
An agreement between the
city and Koll Company for development of the Sky Harbor Center included the Braun-Sacred Heart Center, Inc. City staff was
also moving toward a Memorandum of Agreement with the Braun-Sacred Heart Center, Inc. Since then, negotiations have not come
to a conclusion and there has been no closure in this matter. This is where the matter has stood for the last 18 years.
The intervening years have witnessed a tremendous increase in technological tools available while the costs of utilizing
those tools have precipitously dropped. The Braun-Sacred Heart Center is therefore moving forward with the essence of the
Museum and Cultural Center while awaiting city action pertaining to the actual Old Sacred Heart Church Building. Oral history
and community documentation projects are now underway in various parts of the Phoenix metropolitan area.
Our Mission
The Braun-Sacred
Heart Center, Inc. was formed in order to create a museum and cultural center in the building and surrounding Golden Gate
Barrio area. The idea was to maintain community memory and to promote the ideals of community involvement and belonging. The
Arizona Department of the American Legion, wishing to participate, committed itself to establish a Veteran's museum at
the site in honor of Father Albert Braun's service to his country.
