USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Hartford > History of the diocese of Hartford > Part 31
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The first child to receive baptism in the new church was James McIntyre, son of Thomas and Mary McIntyre, born on May 30th, the day on which the church was dedicated, and baptized on June 13, 1897. The first funeral ser- vices held were over the remains of Mrs. McIntyre, grandmother of the child above mentioned.
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232
THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN NEW ENGLAND.
The cordial, fraternal relations that exist here between the Catholics and their non-Catholic brethren is very gratifying, and promise well for the inter- ests of religion. Both in Kensington and in East Berlin the bond of union and sympathy between pastor and people is firmly welded, with the natural result that the efforts of both are crowned with success.
ST. BRIDGET'S PARISH,
MANCHESTER.
A MONG the earliest Catholics to settle in this vicinity were John Ken- nedy, James Duffy and Mrs. Gill. The first-named fell a victim to the fell intolerance then prevalent throughout the State. There were some noble exceptions, but these only served to bring out in stronger light the fanaticismi of the crowd. Mr. Kennedy liad permitted -- and rejoiced at the great privilege-Father Brady to offer the Holy Sacrifice in his humble dwelling for the consolation of the few Catholics of this sec- tion. For this act he was summarily ejected from his home by his unchari- table landlord, a Mr. Stone. But justice overtook the owner. Indignant at his conduct the proprietor of the mill, Mr. Buell, removed Stone from his employment and restored Kennedy to his position. In Manchester, as else- where, the first seeds of faith were, from a human point of view, small and discouraging. Planted in an uncongenial soil, choked and all but stifled by the briars of bigotry and intolerance, they nevertheless germinated into a sturdy growth that astonished those who forgot the divine promises that the gates of hell shall not prevail against the Church.
During the period of his curacy at Hartford, Manchester was visited at regular intervals by Father Smyth, who said Mass in the residence of James Duffy. When Rev. Peter Egan assumed charge of the Catholics of Rockville in 1854, their co-religionists of Manchester passed under his jurisdiction. His pastorate was marked by the purchase of a church lot from Mr. E. Weaver, at a cost of $200. This site was one of the most eligible and commanding in the neighborhood. The Rev. Bernard Tully, who succeeded Father Egan in December, 1856, set about to carry out the designs of his predecessor. On Tuesday, October 19, 1858, the frame of the new church was raised in the presence of a large congregation, most of them Irish-Americans. The Cheney Brothers stopped their mills in order to render all the assistance possible. The dedication occurred on December 5, 1858 ; 500 persons were present in the church on the occasion. The celebrant of the Mass was the Rev. Father O'Dwyer of Collinsville, and an appropriate discourse was delivered by Rev. Thomas Quinn of Meriden. Thenceforth to 1869, St. Bridget's church was served from Rockville-Father Tully, 1856 to 1863 ; Father Hugh O'Reilly, 1863 to 1868 ; Father Tully again, 1868 to October, 1869. At this last date the Rev. James Campbell became the first resident pastor of St. Bridget's parish. Among the material labors that signalized his administration were the purchase of the first rectory and the erection of St. James' church, South Manchester. His pastorate extended to 1890. The Rev. William Doolan
233
DIOCESE OF HARTFORD.
then followed, and after a successful rule of four years was succeeded by the Rev. Richard Gragan, who served the parish from 1894 to 1897. During this period the indebtedness of the church was liquidated, a new lot for a church was secured and a church built at Vernon. The corner-stone of the present church was laid on August 2, 1896. Bishop Tierney officiated, and Rev. Thomas W. Broderick preached the sermon. There were twenty-two priests present and 3500 people. The chapel in the basement was blessed by Bishop Tierney on Sunday, January 25, 1897. The officers of the Solemn Mass were : Celebrant, Rev. P. Pajot; deacon, Rev. J. Cooney ; sub-deacon, Rev. D. Hag- gerty ; preacher, Rev. P. McClean. On this day Father Gragan announced his appointment to Stafford Springs. He was followed immediately by the Rev. Frederick J. Murphy, the present pastor. He has materially reduced the indebtedness increased by the construction of the church, and is laboring zealously for the spiritual welfare of his flock.
Attached to St. Bridget's parish is a cemetery of the same name, pur- chased in 1862 and blessed in 1863. The population of the parish in 1898 was 755 souls, comprising Irish and Americans, while at the time of the first Mass, in 1854, there were twelve Irish families, or about sixty souls.
ST. MARY'S PARISH,
NEW BRITAIN.
MONG the pillars of the nascent church in New Britain, the vanguard of that numerous phalanx which is rendering such signal service in the warfare for Christ and souls, shine out conspicuously the Celtic names of Patrick Crotty, Thomas Pentilow, Peter McAvoy, Philip Powers, James Foley, John Haffey, Patrick Brady, John Cusick, Hugh Fox, and Peter Skelly.
Sixty years ago there were few Catholics in New Britain, and previous to 1842 the little band had not been visited by a priest. But in July of that year the Rev. John Brady of Hartford, celebrated the Divine Mysteries in the house of James Foley, which stood on the site of the Russell & Erwin screw factory. At this, the first Mass said in New Britain, there were present about twenty or twenty-five persons. In succession to Father Brady came the Rev. Edmund Murphy, who labored with great zeal on this mission for eight months. Father Murphy was a priest of the diocese of Boston, and for a quarter of a century after his departure from New Britain was pastor of St. John the Baptist parisli at Fall River, Mass. During Father Murphy's brief pastoratc, and for ten years afterwards, Mass was said in private houses, chiefly in the residences of William Cassidy and Peter Skelly.
When the Rev. Luke Daly assumed charge of this mission in September, 1848, the Catholic population of New Britain numbered about one hundred souls. His parish comprised New Britain, Farmington, Plainville, Bristol and the Mines, Forestville, Collinsville, New Hartford, Tariffville, Simsbury, and Rainbow. His labors in this large field were mainly preaching, catc- chiizing, administering the sacraments, and saying Mass whenever and
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THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN NEW ENGLAND.
wherever he had the opportunity. Father Daly's first Mass in New Britain was celebrated in the building that stands just south of Mr. I. N. Lee's fac- tory, the upper rooms being occupied, the partitions having been removed. Among the congregation at that Mass were Mr. Peter Skelly, Mr. Downs, Mr. Fox, Mr. Gray, Mr. Cassidy, Mr. Brady, and Mr. Haffey. Mr. Cassidy's house was used for a short time, and the second Christmas Mass was celebrated in Humphrey Hall. Though Father Daly was appointed pastor of New Britain in September, 1848, he did not take up his permanent residence there until Wednesday, May 9, 1849. In September, 1850, he began the erection of a church on Myrtle street, 84 feet in length by 45 feet in width. The site which he had secured for the church was purchased for $225. It was the second brick church in the State, the first-old St. James' of Bridge- port-having been erected by Father Smith. The ceremony of dedication took place on August 11, 1853. A contemporary thus wrote of the new church : "There is now here a Catholic church in the early Englishi Gothic style, chaste and perfect in all its proportions. It is the first church of its kind I have seen in which the style is carried out, and is a relief from the barn style, which might be considered the favorite church style in too many sections of our country. The Rev. Mr. Daly is pastor of this, with other mis- sions, to whose energy and labors the good village of New Britain is indebted for this beautiful Gothic church. The congregation is increasing so fast that the church, erected with a view to meet the increasing hosts of Catholicity, is already well filled. The congregation is well spoken of as practical in reli- gion and ever obedient to the mnonitions of their pastor." I11 1851, Father Daly purchased the old cemetery, which was blessed by Bishop McFarland in 1859. He also bought the pastoral residence on Lafayette street in 1857. In September, 1862, Father Daly added to the church a transept 32 feet by 75 feet, and a chancel 423 feet by 30 feet, which was dedicated by Bishop McFarland on October 11, 1868. The benefactors of this church deserve mention here. Besides Father Daly himself, they were Peter Skelly, William Cassidy, Peter Slain, Joseph Cassidy, Patrick Downs, Patrick Keely, Hugh Fox, Michael Gray, Jolin Haffey, John Bowman, and Patrick Claffey. "We had only poor men to assist us," wrote Father Daly; "but the above gave most towards building the church." In 1866 a bell was purchased for the church and blessed on September 30th of that year by Bishop McFarland. A sacristy, 40 by 20 feet, was also added to the rear of the church. On May 28, 1877, Father Daly began tlie erection of St. Thomas' Convent, on Lafay- ette street, the corner-stone of which was laid by Bishop Galberry. Before the convent was completed, however, Father Daly was called to his reward. After thirty-two years of incessant and successful toil in the Master's vine- yard, he passed away after a brief illness on June 30, 1878, in the 56th year of his age. Father Daly was born in the County Cavan, Ireland, and was educated at All Hallows' College, a nursery of priests. He was ordained in 1846 by Bishop Tyler, and resided soon after with Father Brady of Hartford. Father Daly's death was a public loss, and the following words of a contem- porary testify to the esteem in which he was held :
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# 2 2 5
1.49
ST. MARY'S CHURCH,
New Britain.
235
DIOCESE OF HARTFORD.
"The flags floating at half-inast on every public building on the eve of the Fourth of July ! Every wheel still, and the busy hum of industry hushed in the workshops of a city of 15,000, in Puritan New England, in Protestant Connecticut ! Shutters closed on all the business streets ! What was the cause of all this public demonstration of respect and veneration? It was because a noble-hearted Catholic priest was dead-a man of no extraordinary abilities, as the world counts genius, but a man whose watchword through life was duty-a priest whose whole life was devoted to the cause of God-a hero of modern times, whose fields of conflict and victory were in the confes- sional, at the altar, and in the midst of his flock ; who had seen New Britain a village and left it a city ; who had found the Catholics there few in num- bers-about fifty, without strength or reputation- and who left thein increased to from 5,000 to 6,000, nearly a third of the population. Well was it that New Britain should mourn ; well was it that the church should be crowded ; well was it that the chief shepherd of the flock in the diocese and the reverend clergy all over the State should assemble to pay the last tribute of respect to Rev. Luke Daly, New Britain's pastor for nearly thirty years."
The Pontifical Mass of requiem was said by Bishop Galberry, after which the Rev. Dr. Carmody pronounced the funeral sermon and paid this tribute to his departed friend :
"He was a mian full of faith, of no pretense. More brilliant priests I have known, but none possessing more priestly traits. He was careful of the neatness, and as time permitted, even of the splendor of the churchi, devoted to tlie education of the children, and constant in the confessional. He loved his people and studied both their temporal and eternal interests. He re- spected those who, although not Catholics, were his fellow-citizens, and was interested in the prosperity of this city."
The Rev. Hugh Carmody, D.D., of New Haven, was appointed the suc- cessor of Father Daly on July 16, 1878, and assumed charge of the parish on Sunday, July 21st. His administration was signalized by the completion of the convent, and the purchase of a fine site on North Main street, on whichi lie intended to erect a new church, as the old St. Mary's had become too small for the steadily increasing congregation. Moreover, it was being sur- rounded by factories, It was unsafe and not in keeping with the dignity and membership of St. Mary's parish. The lot purchased by Dr. Carmody has a frontage of 300 feet, is the same width on Beaver street, and cost $29,000. But death intervened, and the work was postponed. Dr. Carmody passed from earth on April 23, 1883. His last public words about his plans were: "Whosoever will complete the work I began will leave a lasting monu- ment as evidence of the generosity of the Catholics of New Britain." During his administration the parish prospered, and through his efforts the present parochial schools were opened.
The Rev. Michael A. Tierney succeeded Dr. Carmody in May, 1883. He began and carried to completion the work of the church's construction. The corner-stone was laid on June 27, 1886, by Bishop McMahon, Very Rev. A. V. Higgins, O. P., of New Haven, preaching the sermon. The basement
236
THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN NEW ENGLAND.
was dedicated to the Sacred Heart by the same bishop on September 8, 1889. The preacher was the Rev. Charles McKenna, O. P. Before the main church was dedicated Father Tierney was transferred to a higher position and to weightier responsibilities.
It is of rare occurrence that a bishop dedicates a church which he him- self erected as pastor. But on March 4, 1894, Bishop Tierney, with cere- monial the most impressive, solemnly dedicated to God, under the patronage of His ever Blessed Mother, the magnificent edifice upon which he liad been engaged for ten years. It was his first public official act as bishop, and a gratifying one it must have been to the devoted people who generously fol- lowed his spiritual guidance throughout those years. After Bishop Tierney had concluded the ceremony of dedication, Solemn Pontifical High Mass was celebrated with the following officers:
Celebrant, RIGHT REV. JOHN S. MICHAUD, D.D., Coadjutor Bishop of Burlington, Vt. Assistant Priest, The REV. JAMES NIHIL, Bridgeport. Deacon, The REV. JEREMIAH CURTIN, New Milford. Sub-Deacon, The REV. PETER SKELLY, Litchfield. Masters of Ceremonies, The REV. J. CURTIN, New Haven; the REV. M. MAY, New Britain. Preacher, The REV. JAMES C. O'BRIEN, Bridgeport.
Present in the sanctuary were Right Rev. Bishop Beaven of Springfield, and about forty priests. The sacrament of confirmation was administered at 3 P.M. for the first time in the new church to two hundred children and adults. At the Vesper service Bishop Tierney presided, and the Rev. Timothy O' Brien, of Noroton, pronounced thie discourse.
St. Mary's church is of Portland brown stone, with rich carvings. Within are three marble altars, one in memory of Father Daly, one in memory of Rev. Dr. Carmody, and the main altar, which is a marvel of workmanship. The ceiling is of ribbed wood-work in artistic colors, the mouldings being of beautiful design. Elegant portraits of twenty saints adorn the panels. The large circular window over the main altar contains pictures of the Twelve Apostles and the Holy Family. There are sixteen stained glass windows por- traying leading events in sacred history. Nine large pillars support the roof, and are handsomely decorated. The lights are encircled around these col- unins. Over the main altar is a liandsome group of the Crucifixion. The edifice is Gothic in style, 127 feet long and 80 feet wide. The main audi- torium is 100 feet by 80, with a height of 60 feet froin the floor to the ceiling. Its seating capacity is 1,500. The chapel of the Sacred Heart, the basement. seats about the same number.
Bishop Tierney was succeeded by the present incumbent, the Rev. Wil- liam A. Harty, who preached his initial sermon as pastor of St. Mary's parish on Sunday, March 25, 1894. Bringing to his new field of labor ripe experi- ence, reliable judgment, and zeal judiciously tempered with prudence, Father Harty has not only materially reduced the indebtedness, but is keeping the parish on the high spiritual plane established by his predecessors. Father
REV. RICHARD F. MOORE, A.M.
REV. N. F. X. SCHNEIDER.
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REV. WILLIAM A. HARTY
REV. LUCIAN BOJNOWSKI.
REV. JOSEPH ZEBRIS.
237
DIOCESE OF HARTFORD.
Harty is a diocesan consultor and a inember of the Board of Examiners of the clergy.
St. Mary's has two cemeteries. The old burial place was purchased in July, 1851, during the pastorate of Father Daly, and blessed by Bishop Mc- Farland in April, 1859. The new cemetery was bought by Father Tierney in August, 1890, and blessed on May 30, 1893, by Bishop McMahon. Be- sides the church, rectory and schools, the parish possesses the old parochial residence and grounds on Lafayette street, corner of High, and the sexton's house on Beaver street.
The number of baptismns administered between the years 1849 and 1898 (to June) was 10,724; the number of marriages was 2,313.1
The clergymen who have served as assistants in St. Mary's parish are the following :
With Father Daly : Revs. Henry Lynch, Thomas Mullen, William Harty, Thomas Smith John H. Duggan, Patrick H. Finnegan.
With Dr. Carmody : Revs. John C. Donahoe, James Larkin, J. H. Ryan, M. Mckeon, E. McGee, T. J. Hanavan, R. C. Gragan, J. H. Dolan.
With Father Tierney : Rev. R. C. Gragan, J. H. Dolan, N. F. X. Schneider, J. W. Lancaster, J. T. McMahon, W. J. McGurk, W. H. Gibbons, Michael May, J. J. Fitzgerald.
With Father Harty : Revs. M. May, J. J. Fitzgerald, M. Sheehan, J. Lee, D. A. Bailey, P. J. O'Reilley, J. McLoughlin, D. D.
The estimated population of St. Mary's parish is 6,000 souls, principally Irish, with many French Canadians and a few Italians.
ST. MARY'S PAROCHIAL SCHOOL .- The first Catholic school in New Britain was built in May, 1862, and opened in the following September, lay teachers being employed. It was about the time the transept was being added. The school building was being constructed at the same time, and the school was organized in the church, classes being forined in the pews. When the school proper opened there were two rooms. The one on the first floor was for the boys and was taught by Mr. Joseph Cullen, now of Water- bury, who was the principal. The girls occupied the second floor, and were taught by a Mr. Grace. Mr. Grace was succeeded by Miss Jennie E. Barnes, who has inade teaching her life work and who still resides in New Britain. Mr. Cullen was succeeded by Mr. Thomas O'Dell, a graduate of the New Britain Normal scliool. In 1871 Mr. John A. O'Brien, A.B., a graduate of St. Francis Xavier College, New York, was called from Providence to succeed Mr. O'Dell. Father Daly inaugurated a Latin School under Mr. O'Brich's tuition, and the class gave to the Church the following priests : Rev. J. J. Curtin, Waterbury ; Rev. T. F. O'Brien, Noroton ; Rev. J. Curtin, West Haven; Rev. T. J. Mullin, Missouri Valley, Iowa; Hugh McAvoy, Kilkenny, Minn. Rev. P. Skelly, of Litchfield, and Rev. James B. Niliil of Bridgeport, were pupils of this school from its opening. The following table, gathered
1 For about half of the first decade, i. e., from 1849 to 1854, the marriage and birth entries include the adjacent towns of Farmington, Tariffville, the Mines, Bristol, Berlin, Collinsville, Simsbury, Rainbow, etc.
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THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN NEW ENGLAND.
from authentic sources, will be of interest, as showing the increase in child population for nine years :
Year. No. of pupils.
Year.
No. of pupils.
1862.
. 170
1867
. 375
1863
200
1868
. 400
1864
· 300
1869
. 450
1865
· 350
1870
· 525
1866.
. 375
At present there are 1343 pupils, three school buildings, twenty-four Sisters of Mercy, with nine grades. Sister M. Raymond is the superior of St. Thomas convent. Numerically St. Mary's school is the first in the diocese ; in point of excellence, in methods of teaching and in the success that attends its graduates, it is second to none. It has sent forth into the world hundreds of young men and women who are loyal citizens of the State and devoted children of the Church. Among the institutions of New Britain that have contributed to the prosperity of the city, in the front rank stands deservedly St. Mary's parochial school.
ST. PETER'S (GERMAN) PARISH, NEW BRITAIN.
MONG the earliest German Catholics to settle in New Britain were Thomas Schmitt and M. Marron. With few exceptions, the first Ger- man Catholics who came liither wandered from the household of the faith. Forming new affiliations they sundered the ties that bound them to the church of their baptism. Into Freemasonry went some of them, into infidelity others. The cause of their apostasy ? It is difficult to attribute their defection to any particular cause. Dearth of priests, infre- quency of instruction, lack of opportunity to assist at Mass and to frequent the sacraments, pride, association-all have been causes contributing to apostasy. But the history of the Church proves that faith is surrendered only willingly ; that those who wish to preserve it, will keep it even at the sacrifice of life itself.
The first Mass celebrated for the Germans of New Britain was said in 1872, probably by the Rev. H. Wendelschmidt, who was appointed in 1868 the first pastor of the German Catholics of New Haven. The first baptismn was administered on July 15, 1872. In the spring of 1874, Rev. Father Schale succeeded Fatlier Wendelschmidt at New Haven and assumed charge also of the German Catholics of New Britain. After a short while, however, Father Schale relinquished the New Britain mission to Rev. John Herman Bernard Jaspers, who attended also the Germans of Hartford.
The present incumbent, the Rev. Nicholas F. X. Schneider, received his appointment on July 17, 1889, as pastor of the German Catholics of Hartford and New Britain. Father Schneider resided in Hartford for a year, when he took up his residence in New Britain in July, 1890.
The church, which has not been built beyond the basement, was begun by Father Schneider in 1890. The land upon which it is built was pur- chased in the fall of this year by Joseph Schilling. On November 23d of
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DIOCESE OF HARTFORD.
that year the corner-stone was laid by Bishop McMahon, the Rev. Boniface Goebbles, a Capuchin Friar, preaching the sermon. The dedication cere- mony took place on July 19, 1891, Very Rev. James Hughes, V. G., officiat- ing. The Mass which followed the dedication services was celebrated by Rev. M. A. Tierney, assisted by Rev. T. Shelly as deacon, Rev. J. Lynch as sub-deacon, and Rev. W. Maher, D.D., as master of ceremonies. The preacher was Rev. Father Anastasius, O.M., Cap., of New York. Work on the super- structure was resumed on May 17, 1899, and the edifice is to be completed by January 1, 1900.
When the first Mass was said for the German Catholics of New Britain, in 1872, there were about 100 souls. When the parish was organized in 1889, the number was estimated at 300. At present there are 500.
From July, 1889, to 1898, the sacrament of Baptism was conferred upon 190 persons, and during the same period the marriage ceremony was per- formed 30 times.
The first piece of land purchased by the German Catholics of New Britain for church purposes was secured in 1873, and on July 2nd of that year the parish was incorporated according to the laws of the State with Right Rev. Francis P. McFarland, D.D., Very Rev. James Hughes, V.G., and Rev. Joseplı Schale, as the ecclesiastical members of the corporation, Charles Kemmerer and Frederick Engel peing the lay members.
The first death after the formation of the parishi was that of Mrs. Ainbrose Schmitt, August 6, 1889. The first marriage was solemnized on November 12, 1889, the contracting parties being Frank Benz and Margaret Siering. The first child to receive baptisin during Father Schneider's pastorate was Barbara Elizabeth Merget.
The present trustees are Thomas Schmitt and Artlıur Volz.
SACRED HEART PARISH, NEW BRITAIN.
1 N 1894, the Polish Catholics of New Britain were sufficiently numerous to have assigned to theint a priest of their own nationality. On August Ioth, of that year, Rev. Thomas Misicki, D.D., the new pastor, said Mass for the first time for his flock in St. Mary's church. At that time liis parish had a population of 700 souls, comprising Poles, Slavonians and Ruthenians. Rev. Dr. Misicki remained here a year, when he was succeeded by the present pastor, Rev Lucian Bojnowski, on September 26, 1895. The present church was begun on April 16, 1896. It is a frame structure, 45 x 100 feet. The upper story is used for divine worship, while the first floor contains a school and the apartments of the rector. The church seats 528 persons. The ceremony of laying tlic corner-stone took place on July 19, 1896, Bishop Tierney officiating. Present on the occasion were Very Rev. J. A. Mulcahy, V.G., Rev. J. P. Donovan, D.D., Very Rev. P. Pajot, M.S., Rev. W. A. Harty, Rev. R. Moore, Rev. T. Mizotus, Rev. K. Kucharski, Rev. D. Bailey, Rev. J. Fitzgerald, Rev. P. O'Reilly. The Polish societies were present at the ceremony in large numbers. The church was dedicated on October 4th of the same year by
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