The Rev. Rafael Garcia leads Sacred Heart Church, in El Paso, Texas, with faith in the congregation’s resilience. “I have confidence that we can pull through difficult times—because we have to,” he says.
Starting in 2006, the 100-year-old Catholic parish faced a major threat to its neighborhood. The City of El Paso planned to seize property in the historic Segundo Barrio to carry out a “revitalization” strategy. This plan would have meant the demolition of hundreds of acres of historic buildings and the gentrification of the area. The parish and community came out in strong opposition, organized, and convinced the city to reverse course. Neighbors began working to better protect the community, and as a result, in 2021 the Segundo Barrio became a National Register Historic District.
The Church at the Heart of El Segundo Barrio
