Early in 1936, Bishop John McDonald directed Father Carl Albury, a resident priest at St. Andrew's Cathedral, to establish a new mission for the Victoria Diocese. Father Albury recommended a church be built in High Quadra, specifically at 1120 Palmer Road. The contractor, an irascible Irsishman named Patrick Mahoney, a parishioner at St. Andrew's, charged no fee. He had been seriously ill and asked Father Albury to pray for him. Father Albury told him: "You build a church and God will take care of you." So Mahoney built the church, recovered his health, and only tradesmen were paid. The Sisters of St. Ann donated the stained glass windows, new parishioners donated the organ and the other necessaries and Father Albury celebrated the first Mass on May 4, 1936.

The parish was known for a long time at the Lakehill Mission. In 1941, it ceased to be a mission and Father Thomas Mangan was appointed the first full time pastor of Scared Heart Parish. A Parish school opened in the basement of the rectory in 1942 and it was staffed by Sister's of Immaculate Heart of Mary. The parish flourished and played an important part in the Diocese centennial in 1946. In 1962, Bishop Remi De Roo was appointed to the diocese and he made his first offical visit to Sacred Heart in July 1964.

In 1964-65 the parish had outgrown the original church, so a larger one was constructed on Nelthorpe Street overlooking Swan Lake. Conveniently, the beautiful hilltop site was also adjacent to the enlarged Parish school which had been built on McKenzie Avenue in 1958. The parish priest, Father Jan Planeta, celerbrated the first Sunday Mass in the new church on Spetmenber 5, 1965. The old church was sold and subsequently demolished. The first parish council, with eight members, was elected in May 1967. In 1977, the Pope John XXIII meeting hall and chapel was constructed and included an alter donated by the Immaculate Heart of Mary Sisters.

The church is also host to an active Polish community of worshippers who celebrate their own Mass in their own language every Sunday.

Now, in 2002, the parish priest is Father Sigismond Lajoie, O.F.M., whose appointment dates from 1984. He is the spiritual head of a flock of more than 400 families.