1902 – 1952 |The Mill Hill Fathers
In the early 1900’s, the quest to set up a Catholic mission school in Sibu began with Right Reverend Monsignor Edmund Dunn. He entrusted the task to Reverend Father Aloysius Hopfgartner, who arrived in the then wild frontier of Sibu, with another Mill Hill Father, Reverend Father Theodore Wagner on Dec 27, 1902.
Right Reverend Monsignor Edmund Dunn
Reverend Father Aloysius Hopfgartner
The Start | An Attap Hut
They worked hard and shortly after, were able to start school in an“attap” hut, near the present Rajang Port Authority.  The hut was, in fact, a store used by a travelling Mill Hill Father from England during his periodic stops in Sibu!
HUMBLE BEGINNINGS…This illustration of an attap hut is how Sacred Heart “school” would have looked in 1902.
Rag Tag | 15 old boys
The first batch of pupils, 15 overaged boys, showed up irregularly because they had to help their parents at work. With this unsophisticated start, Sacred Heart, the first Catholic mission school in Sibu began.
WORKING & STUDYING…A photo depicting life in the early days. Studying was a luxury many families could ill afford. So, the first batch of students only showed up for classes whenever they could.
Farewell | Attap Hut
In 1905, this folksy image thawed. Sacred Heart School left the humble hut for a new site near an ice factory at Lane 1, Jalan Lanang. Two years later, in 1907, Sacred Heart moved again to a new block built over marshy land at Mission Road, adjacent to the Rajang River.
MARSHY LAND…During monsoon seasons or at high tides, the school compound would be flooded. Sampans may very well have been used to ferry the children to school.
Our School | Amidst a pool
Conditions in those days were difficult. During floods or high tides, water seeped in through the floorboards.  Water surrounded Sacred Heart School. Showing up for lessons meant having to tread gingerly across belian plank-walks or wading across floodwaters. But the schoolboys then, were used to such conditions and they thrived. Swimming was a favourite pastime. The boys had a good time splashing in the water during lunch break.
Bishop James Buis, noted in the 75th Anniversary magazine, that this building would shake and tremble even when the school bell was rung!
ILLUSTRATION…Ringing the school bell, according to historical accounts, would make the school shake and tremble.
CAREFREE DAYS OF OLD…Back then, life was so much simpler. People just make the most of what they have. Splashing around in marshy waters was just pure happiness.
FINALLY | A proper building

Almost 36 years later, in 1938, Sacred Heart was given a new lease of life with the construction of a wooden nine-classroom building.

FROM ATTAP HUT TO PROPER BUILDING…It was a wonder that the people back then could have dug so deep into their pockets and resolve, to give Sacred Heart School its first proper building in 1938.
DEVASTATION | Burnt to the ground
The new block was short lived as it was set ablaze by occupying forces during the Second World War.
Father William Wagennar, who was the last Mill Hill Father to serve as Sacred Heart’s principal, said that the years after the war were harsh for the school. Most of the buildings were gone. But miraculously, lessons continued.
OCCUPYING FORCES…On 8 August 1942, Sibu was renamed to "Sibu-shu". After the naming ceremony, Japanese general Toshinari Maeda together with Japanese Resident of the Third Division of Sarawak had a group photo with his generals.
IN TOTAL RUINS…Sacred Heart School was razed to the ground. The school like the people were all casualties of Second World War which engulfed the global community in senseless brutality and deaths.
1953 – 1987 | The LaSalle Brothers
When Reverend Brother Fridolin, a De LaSalle Brother from Ireland, took over as the principal in 1953, he was appalled by the poor condition of the school.
Fortunately, he had the company, strength and wisdom of the Mill Hill Fathers – Father Adrian De Vos, Father Joli, and his fellow De La Salle Brothers – Brother Austin, and subsequently, Brother Justin and Brother Columba to overcome whatever challenges that lay ahead.
Moreover, the whole town was very supportive of the development of Catholic mission schools.
Jean-Baptiste de La Salle (April 30, 1651 – April 7, 1719) was a French priest, educational reformer, and founder of the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools. He is a saint of the Catholic Church and the patron saint for teachers of youth. He is referred to both as La Salle and as De La Salle. La Salle dedicated much of his life to the education of poor children in France; in doing so, he started many lasting educational practices. He is considered the founder of the first Catholic schools. He was canonized as a saint on 15 May 1900.
Local Heroes | To The Rescue
Local luminaries such as Kong Kung Seng, Lau Sing Kwong, Hii Kui Kui, Hii Siew Ping and Lau Nai Yang were but some of the many locals who rose to the challenge of building Sacred Heart.
With their assistance, a two-storey concrete classroom block and a school hall were built at Mission Road in the vicinity of the Central Market.
RISING FROM THE ASH…Sacred Heart School’s long and tumultuous journey since its founding in 1902, reads like a movie script. From ramshackle hut to being flooded, shaken and stirred to its foundation and razed to the ground, it rose up to defy the odds. Even a century later when it celebrated its 100th anniversary, the school was still fighting sinking grounds and unfavourable conditions. But through it all there were always people, and especially former students, who would step up and carry the school forward.
Boys & Girls | No More
Prior to 1953, Sacred Heart was a co-ed school with its medium of instruction in English and Mandarin.
When the LaSalle Brothers took over, it was decided that the boys remain while the girls be sent to a new school called Sacred Heart Girls’ School.
In 1958 the girls-only school was renamed St. Elizabeth’s Convent School. With time and changes in education system, it evolved into St. Elizabeth Secondary School and St. Rita Primary School.
Before Malaysians took over, the girls’ school was under the dedicated care of the Mill Hill Priests and eventually the Franciscans Sisters.
TIES THAT BIND…Though the boys and girls have been separated since 1953, the ties that bind both schools remain strong. During the inter-school sports meet, the boys would be cheering on for the girls from St. E and vice-versa. The two, being the only schools in Sibu which are not co-ed (mixture of boys and girls) share not only a common past, but a common boundary (they are located next to each other) and very likely a common future. The respective school alumni have been hosting joint reunions to great success.
English | Mandarin

In 1960, Sacred Heart’s medium of instructions became solely English and the school came to be known as Sacred Heart English.

To cater for the Mandarin language section, Sacred Heart Chinese Primary and Catholic High School were created. Catholic High School came under the care and management of the Marists Brothers.

In 1817, St. Marcellin Champagnat, a priest from France, founded the Marist Brothers, with the goal of educating young people, especially those most neglected. While most of the Brothers minister in school settings, others work with young people in parishes, religious retreats and spiritual accompaniment, at-risk youth settings, young adult ministry and overseas missions.

1967 Relocation | Mission to Oya

In 1967, owing to the pressures of urbanisation and also the School’s need for more space, Sacred Heart took a giant leap and moved to its present site at Jalan Oya.

Students were roped in alongside teachers and town folks who helped moved tables, chairs, cupboards and the likes from Mission Road to where the School currently stands.

FROM MISSION TO OYA…This was a momentous occasion for the School. While there were some thoughts in the late 1990’s as to whether the School should again be relocated to better grounds, the idea eventually fizzled out. That was when the re-development of the school began in earnest under the leadership of former student Datuk Robert Lau Hoi Chew.
Farewell | End of an era

On the part of Sacred Heart School, De La Salle Brothers managed the school from 1953 to 1987 for a period of 34 years. The era of LaSalle Brothers as principals or leaders of the school ended in 1987 with the departure of Reverend Brother Albinus O’Flaherty. Students and locals lined the road leading to the airport to bid him an emotional farewell.

From then on, Malaysians took over the reins to continue the fine tradition of providing quality education to the younger generation.

FAREWELL & THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING …with love from all of us
Catholic Mission | Schools in Sibu

As of 2020, the Catholic Mission in Sibu has been credited with the birth of three secondary schools, six primary schools and kindergartens.

The secondary schools are Sacred Heart, St. Elizabeth and Catholic High.

And the primary schools are Sacred Heart English, Sacred Heart Chinese, St Rita, St Mary, Hua Hin and Thian Hua (which local leaders in close partnership with the Catholic Mission, relocated to SibuJaya as the school was facing imminent closure due to low attendance in Mukah)

The six kindergartens are Sacred Heart I, Sacred Heart II, Muhibah, Wong Tuong Kuang, Hua Hin and Harmoni.