Community center 't Hart
Community center 't Hart of Spoordonk is housed in the former Bernadette Church. Spoordonk is one of the hamlets of Oirschot. Because it is quite far from the center of Oirschot and therefore from the St. Peter's Basilica, the residents of Spoordonk wanted their own parish as early as 1870. It was established in 1934, and Oirschot's chaplain Joh. van Gesteld became the pastor of Spoordonk. The parish was named after Bernadette Soubirous, who had several apparitions of the Virgin Mary in the 19th century and was canonized in 1933.
However, Spoordonk did not have a church. The architect…
Community center 't Hart of Spoordonk is housed in the former Bernadette Church. Spoordonk is one of the hamlets of Oirschot. Because it is quite far from the center of Oirschot and therefore from the St. Peter's Basilica, the residents of Spoordonk wanted their own parish as early as 1870. It was established in 1934, and Oirschot's chaplain Joh. van Gesteld became the pastor of Spoordonk. The parish was named after Bernadette Soubirous, who had several apparitions of the Virgin Mary in the 19th century and was canonized in 1933.
However, Spoordonk did not have a church. The architect Alphonsus J.M. Rats from Blerick designed a building that met the requirements of the parish and blended with the rural surroundings. It became a structure with elements of Brabantian Gothic, but there were also modern influences, especially from the school of architect Kropholler. Architect Rats was so proud of his creation that he chose to be buried in the cemetery behind the Saint Bernadette Church, even though he never lived in Spoordonk.
The church-with-pastorate was built during the economic crisis of the 1930s and could only be realized with the help of the Spoordonk population. More than 10,000 carts of sand were moved by them, and such efforts significantly reduced costs. Construction began in August 1935, and the church was inaugurated in September 1936. The building cost just over 60,000 guilders (€27,000). Together with the adjacent school, the church has been the heart of Spoordonk for many years. The church served as a place of worship for 83 years but lost this function, like many churches.
On July 1, 2019, the church building was transferred to the foundation Community Center 't Hart of Spoordonk. The adapted building, together with the sports hall, provides space for organizing social, cultural, community, and sports activities within Spoordonk.