Steeped and steepled in history, Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church in Cullman has undergone transformational changes since its early 20th century dedication. But one feature of the current church building has rung a note of stability for more than six decades — its Austin Opus 1029 pipe organ, a 101-year-old musical instrument acquired from a church in Atlanta in 1958.

Now, change is coming to the choir loft. The church, according to development director Keith Ellard, is undergoing a capital campaign to replace and install a new organ — not because it wants to, but because it needs to.

“We’ve tried to over-communicate on the ‘why’ (to parishioners),” Ellard said on April 1. “It’s not just spending money or trying to keep up with the church down the street. It’s 101 years old and the current wiring is wrapped in cotton. We’ve had two or three instances with electrical issues that we have had to address before they became a fire hazard. It’s just old. We’ve serviced it and babied it along as best as we could.”

A large part of that servicing included a restoration project completed in 1991 at a cost of almost $124,000 — more than eight times what the organ sold for as new in 1921.

But now, Ellard said, safety concerns have necessitated a replacement. In fact, a wiring fire on April 10, meant removing the old organ.

“We shut it down pretty quick,” and before the fire could do further damage, Ellard said.

After reviewing multiple quotes and options, Ellard said the campaign, begun in September 2021, initially strove for $600,000 in funding, but other needs and possibilities arose during the research phase of the project.

“We found out we were going to need to do some air conditioning work,” the director said. Items such as that, and an opportunity to open up the choir loft and add new risers, boosted the cost — and the response.

“Since September, we’re north of $750,000 (in pledges and donations),” Ellard said, an amount that will let the church help in other areas, as well as cover unexpected costs.

“There are unanticipated costs with any construction project, but not only are we doing fundraising for the organ, but we’re also doing things for (Sacred Heart School),” he said.

That level of fundraising also allowed the church to make a solid commitment on a new instrument.

“We signed a contract (at the end of March) with Austin Organ Co., and they’re probably going to begin (installation) in June,” Ellard said.

During that installation, pieces of the old organ that can be salvaged will be reused, he said. And, other pieces may be made into a memorial for Dr. Max Richard, the choir director and Sacred Heart organist who negotiated, and “worked tirelessly” for the purchase of the original organ in 1958.

There is also consideration that some parts could also be used to construct a memorial for current donors, Ellard said.

“Some of the old organ will be kept in the old campus,” he said. “That’s our history.”

Beyond history and the need for a new organ, Ellard noted other, unifying benefits of the campaign project.

“Both the Hispanic community and the Anglo community (of the church) have come together on this,” Ellard said. “We’ve looked at this as a group project. There’s been a lot of support.”

Today, with the campaign still active and looking to assist the Catholic school, the installation of the new organ and other needs of the church, donations are still being accepted.

“Anyone who has love of fine music and Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church in Cullman is welcome to contribute to this fundraising campaign by contacting the church office at 256-734-3730,” the church said in a statement. “Memorials of loved ones can be attributed to their name with a plaque being made to honor their memory.”

The history of the Austin Opus 1029 pipe organ goes back to its original construction by the Austin Organ Company of Hartford. Originally built for the Second Baptist Church of Atlanta, at a cost of $14,300, the organ components were moved to the Second-Ponce DeLeon Baptist Church of Atlanta in 1937 and serviced the church for two decades. At that time, the Austin Organ Company lost track of the instrument until it was contacted in 1988 by the organ’s third owner, Sacred Heart of Jesus in Cullman.

It was 1958 when Dr. Max Richard, choir director and organist for Sacred Heart of Jesus, learned that the pipe organ was for sale in Atlanta and began negotiations. According to preserved letters, Richard worked tirelessly to attain the organ. Mary Ellen Schlosser became an avid supporter of the project, and all parishioners together raised the needed $5,000 for the purchase. Richard and Father Timothy Harrison, OSB, of St. Bernard Monastery, completed the work, with two visiting members of the Atlanta church, of reassembling the organ.

In 1988, Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church contacted the Austin Organ Company about refurbishment. The company was able to restore the organ at a cost of $123,923.40 in 1991. The current pastor at the time, Father Cletus Meagher, OSB, conducted a blessing of the refurbished instrument.

In September 2021, Sacred Heart began a $600,000 capital campaign to replace the organ, whose wiring presented a fire hazard to the church.

In March 2022, a contract was signed with the Austin Organ Company for a new organ, with installation expected to begin in June.

On April 10, 2022, a fire, contained to the historic organ, necessitated removing it from the church’s choir loft.