Sacré-Coeur is quite a large church, which this area seems to be known for, as the largest wooden church in North America,
Sainte Marie Church, is just 10 kilometres up Highway 1. Even more impressive than Sacré-Coeur dimensions is the fact that it was built entirely by the parishioners.
The church stands on a rise above the Evangeline Trail, which passes by just to the west of the building. To the west is the Bay of Fundy, which it overlooks. The church's nave is lined each side with Gothic arched windows down each side, each with a decorative hood. The entire building has obviously been well maintained, remaining in quite good condition, showing only slight signs of its age here and there.
The long nave ends at the front in a very large bell tower and steeple slightly inset into the nave and reminiscent of Second Empire architecture. Square with Gothic arched windows on each side, a mansard roof leads up to an octagonal belfry , again with Gothic arched windows all around. Topping the belfry is a tall spire and cross. Centred in the building, the tower serves as the main entrance, with double doors on three sides and a wheelchair ramp on one side.
Paroisse Sacré-Coeur (Sacred Heart Parish) in Saulnierville was founded in 1880 by Father Jean-Marie Gay; in 1890 it split away from the mother parish, St. Mary’s Parish in Church Point (Paroisse Sainte-Marie à la Pointe-de-l’Eglise). Since then, Sacré-Coeur (Sacred Heart) Parish has almost always been overseen by the fathers of the Congregation of Jesus and Mary, (Eudist priests).
Église Sacré-Coeur dates from the founding of the parish (1880). It is currently the oldest parish church in the Clare region (one of the few parish churches to have escaped the ravages of fire). It was built entirely by the parishioners who gave generously of their time and scarce financial and material resources. The church went through a number of renovations, the most recent from 1977 to 1979, under the leadership of pastor Claude Côté, CJM to mark the centenary of the parish in 1980. Further renovations were made from 2007 to 2012.
From Église Sacré-Coeur