Sacred Heart Parish celebrated a 100-year milestone Friday.
The parish officially became part of the Vancouver Archdiocese in 1917 and Sacred Heart marked the occasion with a centenary gala that included a special mass, dinner for 800 outside, music, dancing and fireworks.
The event provided a "good opportunity for us to reflect on how far we've come and ... it also set the stage to realize that we've got a big future ahead of us," said MC, parishioner and centenary committee member Mitch Drew.
Speakers included former premier and parishioner Bill Vander Zalm, well-known actor and parishioner Neal McDonough and Sacred Heart Parish Pastor Edgar Polotan.
Drew said speeches included an oral history of the church from the building of the first one in 1891 to the parish joining the Vancouver Archdiocese in 1917 to today and beyond.
He added the event brought together the church community, marked a culmination of a lot of people's efforts and turned out to be "really a great evening."
The venue was set up on the Sacred Heart School playing field.
The Sacred Heart website notes services were originally held at the home of Laurent Guichon until a church could be built at Port Guichon. It adds that Bishop Paul Durieu of New Westminster blessed the first church in 1891.
