Saint John Church (Middletown, Connecticut)

Saint John Church is a Roman Catholic church and parish in Middletown, Connecticut, part of the Diocese of Norwich.

Saint John Church
Saint John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church & Parish
Saint John Church in 2002
41.566479°N 72.651886°W / 41.566479; -72.651886
Location9 St. John Square
Middletown, Connecticut
CountryUnited States
DenominationRoman Catholic
Websitesaintjohnmiddletownct.weebly.com
History
FoundedSeptember 30, 1843
Founder(s)Irish Immigrants of Middletown
DedicationSaint John
DedicatedSeptember 05, 1852
ConsecratedSeptember 10, 1886
Administration
ProvinceHartford
DioceseNorwich
DeaneryMiddletown Deanery
ParishSaint John
Clergy
ArchbishopMost Rev. Leonard Paul Blair (metropolitan)
Bishop(s)Most Rev. Michael Richard Cote
Pastor(s)Rev. James Thaikoottathil, J.C.D.
Laity
Organist(s)Ms. Joanne M. Swift
Religious education coordinatorSr. Lizzy Chira, FMH , Sr. Marykutty Edavazhickal, FMH
St. John Roman Catholic Church
Built1843 (1843)
ArchitectPatrick Charles Keely
Architectural styleGothic Revival
Part ofMain Street Historic District (Middletown, CT) (ID83001275)
Designated CPJune 3, 1983

History
Interior of St. John's

In the early 19th Century, immigrants from Ireland moved in large numbers to Middletown. By 1830 there were enough families there to form a vibrant and close-knit Irish community that desired its own place of worship. In 1841, two acres of land were purchased on the current site of the Church. Most of the future parishioners of Saint John worked across the river in the brownstone quarries of Portland and the owners of the quarries donated large blocks of brownstone to help build the first church.[1][2]

Oldest Church of the Diocese

Saint John Church was built back in 1843, predating the erection of the Diocese of Norwich on August 6, 1953, by Pope Pius XII, making it the oldest church in the newly organized diocese. The Diocese of Norwich was split from the Diocese of Hartford in 1953, after which Hartford was elevated to an archdiocese.[1][2]

Buildings
Interior of Saint John Church

The imposing 1843 Irish-influenced ecclesiastical Gothic Revival church building was designed by architect, Patrick Charles Keely and it was built by local Irish immigrants that were led by prominent local builder Barzialli Sage. The original church that was completed in 1843 was just a small church building and the existing spire for the Church was erected in 1864. There have been three renovations to the exterior of the building. The 1864 building is now the sacristy for St. John's and the current church was finished in 1852. The Church can hold up to one thousand worshipers. The interior walls of the Church were frescoed by William Borgett, a local artist and there have been several interior renovations over the years.

The building is listed as significant contributing property of the City of Middletown Historic District.[1][2]

St. Elizabeth Convent

During the construction of the Church, it was decided that a convent was to be built. Saint Elizabeth Convent was finished in 1873.[2] The convent was used as a Parish Center after the Sisters of Mercy vacated the Property in the 1960s. In 2007, the former convent was demolished due to being in disrepair.

St. John Parochial School
St. John School

Saint John Diocesan School was a Catholic parochial elementary school that was operational from 1888 until 2013. The school merged with the Saint Mary Diocesan School to form Saint Pope John Paul II Regional Diocesan School which still operates today serving students from Pre-Kindergarten to 8th Grade.[3]

St. John Graveyard and Cemetery
Old Saint John Graveyard

The Church maintains two cemeteries. The original graveyard is located directly behind the church and the newer cemetery is located on Johnson Street in Middletown.[2]

Yoked Parish

In 2017, the Bishop of Norwich yoked the Parishes of Saint Sebastian and Saint John which means that both parishes share a Priest. Daily Mass and Sunday Masses are held at both Parishes. The Parishes are still their own entities and are not merged into a combined Parish.[4]

List of Priests that Served St. John Church as Pastor/Rector[5]
  1. Rev. John Brady, Sr. (1837-1845)
  2. Rev. John Brady, Jr. (1845-1855)
  3. Rev. Lawrence T.P. Mangan (1855-1857)
  4. Rev. James Lynch (1857-1873)
  5. Rev. Edward J. O'Brien (1873-1876)
  6. Rev. Francis P. O'Keefe (1876-1881)
  7. Rev. Denis Desmond (1881-1885)
  8. Rev. Bernard O'Reilly Sheridan, P.R. (1885-1903)
  9. Rev. James Patrick Donovan, D.D., P.R. (1903-1928)
  10. Rev. Denis F. Baker, P.R. (1928-1931)
  11. Rev. William J. Fitzgerald, P.R. (1931-1934)
  12. Rev. John C. Brennan, P.R. (1934-1944)
  13. Rev. Bernard F. McCarthy (1944-1948)
  14. Mgsr. John J. McGrath (1948-1961)
  15. Mgsr. Edward J. McKenna (1962-1986)
  16. Rev. Joseph C. Ashe (1986-2002)
  17. Rev. Dennis G. Carey (2002-2004)
  18. Rev. Anthony P. Gruber (2004-2005)
  19. Rev. James J. Sucholet (2005-2009)
  20. Rev. Michael L. Phillippino (2009-2017)
  21. Rev. James Thaikoottathil, J.C.D. (2017–Present)

References
  1. "Saint John's Church". City of Middletown. Retrieved December 3, 2019.
  2. "Main Street Historic District". City of Middletown. Retrieved December 3, 2019.
  3. Staff, Press (January 25, 2013). "St. Mary and St. John schools in Middletown to combine". The Middletown Press.
  4. "Home". Saint John Roman Catholic Church. Retrieved December 4, 2019.
  5. "Our History". Saint John Roman Catholic Church. Retrieved December 18, 2020.
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