About The Heritage Project
The Heritage Project began in 2022 when the Oliveto’s were inspired to create a place to help souls draw closer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and to come to know and love the truth and Tradition of the Catholic faith more deeply.
The Oliveto’s felt a desire to create an environment where individuals and families would come together in community through enriching events and courses to explore the fullness of the deposit of faith. They went out on mission to find a property that could accommodate a retreat center and housing where families could be part of an opportunity to build this Christ first culture and support strong families of faith for generations to come. As part of this vision, they first have a desire to build a community for priests that need a refuge for prayer or desire to participate in retreat center events along with theologians.
They discovered that three hundred acres of land was gifted to a family by the Mexican government before Texas had become part of the United States. This raw tract of land had never been developed, as if it had been divinely held back until needed. By Providence, the Oliveto’s were able to secure the land to form The Heritage Project and Merciful Heart Ranch.
Merciful Heart Ranch, in the piney woods of East Texas, is now the setting for this priest refuge, clergy accommodations and future retreat center. Cindy and Mark recognized that there is a pressing need to support Catholic priests that carry a heavy load during these unprecedented times in church history. They felt a growing hunger to experience the culture of Catholic living and prayer as it has been passed down over the centuries. The Heritage Project is building a place for priests to explore, pray and participate in the Heritage Project’s vision. The Oliveto’s are providing the opportunity for priests to instruct the faithful through events or courses where the history of the Catholic church is taught, where sacramentals are shared and where the lives of the Saints shape souls to follow and adore the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
As this vision comes to life, the Oliveto’s invite your prayers and your support for the mission of The Heritage Project and Merciful Heart Ranch.
Phase One “The Refuge”, is to build out the priest accommodations and walking trails and the small retreat center to offer smaller retreat services. The target for this phase is 2025 - 2028.
Phase Two build out larger retreat center with additional lodging to hold larger retreats on-site and house up to 200 participants.
The Heritage Project currently has two phases:
We envision a timeless place set within the tall pine trees, filled with the sounds of nature, sacred music, where one’s spirit is immediately lifted into more heavenly thoughts. Welcoming priests a refuge and guests a spiritual and educational community for children by providing retreats and events for all ages so that all family members are able to enjoy spiritual time together. The services provided will be for all seeking to deepen their appreciation of their Catholic roots or learn more about the Catholic faith.
This is part of the vision of The Heritage Project, to enhance the appreciation of what it means to be Catholic in today’s modern day world. And doing so in a rural peaceful setting.
We hope you are as passionate about our vision as we are and see the urgency for our culture to have a refuge that enables priests and faithful families to equip themselves with knowledge and prayer to sustain their faith while navigating the turmoil of our world.
Our Vision
The purpose of The Heritage Project is to preserve the beauty of Catholic teaching and Tradition for generations to come.
Our Promise:
Preserve Catholic truth and Tradition
Build strong families of faith
Create a Christ first culture
Christ has called his disciples to be “in the world, but not of the world.”. This is true in John 17:16 where Jesus says “They do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world.” Our vision, through the Merciful Heart Ranch, is to provide an oasis where religious, families, adults, children, teens all have an opportunity to deeply know the foundations of truth and Tradition in the Catholic faith that enable each person to build a culture of Christ in the world.
Our first building goal is to create a natural refuge for priests and for our community.