Sacred heart parish Nteje became a parish in 1906 with Rev. Fr. Doulvry Cssp as the first resident priest and parish priest. As a tool for envagelization, Fr. Doulvry started the elementary school. In 1909, the first Chapel was built at Nteje.
In 1922, a fatal blow hit the Nteje mission. On 25th November, 1922, Fr. Bubendorf announced that the ‘ajo ofia’ (evil forest), Ogene Shrine which was greatly feared will be cleared. After the exercise, it was reported that many young men who participated in the task died. The people capitalized that the church must go while protesting by painting their bodies and staging the infamous ‘Ojome dance’. Fr. Bubendorf considered this as an eyesore and immediately hurries to Onitsha to inform the Archbishop of the development.
After 25 years, the missionaries returned to Nteje after meeting up the criteria set by Bishop Charles Heerey in 1948. During the administartion of Rev. Fr. Ajakor, the commencement of a new church building commenced and completed in 1980.
Fr. Mellette came to Nteje on 13th December 1954. He laid the foundation stone of the present Sacred Heart Parish, 2023 on 5 July 1999. The parish church was dedicated on 1 July 2023 and the Sacred Heart Parish, however, has existed and functioned for over a hundred years as the centenary was celebrated in 2008.
Sacred Heart Parish Nteje is now mother parish to St. Anthony’s Parish Nteje and has two functional outstations: i) Immaculate Heart, Amadialba, and ii) St. Mary’s Achalla-agu, The parish has now a church building, a rectory, a secondary school with live-in facilities/dormitories and nine primary schools (returned by the state government) in her care.
As a mother parish, it has also nurtured and produced eighteen Rev. Fathers of which one is a Monsignor, and two Rev. Brothers, a host of Rev. Sisters and Seminarians.
Over the years a lot of priests worked very hard to bring the church to where we are now. Notable among those with landmark achievements were Rev. Fr Joseph Ajakor, late Rev.
Fr Prof. Celestine Moaegbu, Rev. Fr John Okeke, late Rev. Fr Prof. Ikenga Metuh, Rev. Fr Donatus Ezenmeka, Rev. Fr Vincent Ejidike, Rev. Fr Johnbosco Ezika, Rev. Fr Peter Okolo, and Rev. Fr David Ozoemena.
Fr. David arrived at Sacred Heart Parish, Nteje on 17 October 2022. He saw the several challenges facing the Parish, which include the need for parish car and bus for primary and nursery schools and he bought them for the parish and School use respectively. He drilled borehole for water for father’s house. In 2023, he installed solar light in the Father’s House and the two students’ hostels. He renovated the student hostels and their fence and painted them. Among other things, he repaired the huge damage caused by the rainstorm in the parish house, hostels, school and parish church. These are not all he installed digital bell in the parish church.
Outstations: Amadiaba Outstation, Achalla-Agu Outstation
Parish Pious Societies: purgatorian society, mother of perpetual help, legion of mary, sacred heart of Jesus, tansi solidarity, charismatic renewal, divine mercy group, bible society, St. Anthony’s society, Marian Movement, precious blood.