Cathedral of Saint Patrick in Norwich
Encyclopedia
The Cathedral of Saint Patrick in Norwich is a cathedral
of the Roman Catholic Church
in the United States
. It is the mother church
of the Diocese of Norwich
and is the seat of its prelate
bishop
. It is located in Norwich, Connecticut
.
. In March of 1845, the first small church in Norwich, St. Mary was dedicated. It was later enlarged in 1858.
St. Mary's parish continue to grow into the late 1860s when pastor Father James Mullen decided a new church was needed. By the early 1870s, land had been purchased and plans for the new church were in full swing. Architect James Murphy
of Providence, Rhode Island
was selected to design the large new church.
The cornerstone of the church was laid on July 13,1873. St. Patrick's parish was incorporated in 1878. The formal opening and dedication for the new church was held on September 28,1879. Later in 1879, St. Mary's church was closed.
In 1953 the Diocese of Norwich
was created as a suffragan to the Archdiocese of Hartford
. St. Patrick's Church became the cathedral for the new diocese. The Most Reverend Bernard J. Flanagan, then Chancellor of the Diocese of Burlington, Vermont
was appointed the first Bishop of Norwich by Pope Pius XII
. He was installed on December 9,1953.
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
of the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is the mother church
Mother Church
In Christianity, the term mother church or Mother Church may have one of the following meanings:# The first mission church in an area, or a pioneer cathedral# A basilica or cathedral# The main chapel of a province of a religious order...
of the Diocese of Norwich
Roman Catholic Diocese of Norwich
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Norwich is a Roman Catholic ecclesiastical territory or diocese in Connecticut in the northeastern United States. It was erected on August 6, 1953 by Pope Pius XII....
and is the seat of its prelate
Prelate
A prelate is a high-ranking member of the clergy who is an ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin prælatus, the past participle of præferre, which means "carry before", "be set above or over" or "prefer"; hence, a prelate is one set over others.-Related...
bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
. It is located in Norwich, Connecticut
Norwich, Connecticut
Regular steamship service between New York and Boston helped Norwich to prosper as a shipping center through the early part of the 20th century. During the Civil War, Norwich once again rallied and saw the growth of its textile, armaments, and specialty item manufacturing...
.
Parish history
In 1833, Father James Fitton celebrated the first Catholic mass in Norwich in a third floor loft with twelve Catholics in attendance. By 1842 the first building in town to serve as a church was a shed in Twomeytown. A year later, Norwich became the jurisdiction of the newly erected Diocese of HartfordRoman Catholic Archdiocese of Hartford
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hartford is a particular church of the Latin Rite in Hartford, Litchfield and New Haven counties in Connecticut. The archdiocese includes about 700,000 Catholics, more than 500 priests, 216 parishes and almost 300 deacons. This is roughly one-half the population of...
. In March of 1845, the first small church in Norwich, St. Mary was dedicated. It was later enlarged in 1858.
St. Mary's parish continue to grow into the late 1860s when pastor Father James Mullen decided a new church was needed. By the early 1870s, land had been purchased and plans for the new church were in full swing. Architect James Murphy
James Murphy (architect)
James Murphy, FAIA, was an Irish-American architect active in late-nineteenth- and early twentieth-century New England, who designed numerous Roman Catholic churches and related structures. He was a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects....
of Providence, Rhode Island
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
was selected to design the large new church.
The cornerstone of the church was laid on July 13,1873. St. Patrick's parish was incorporated in 1878. The formal opening and dedication for the new church was held on September 28,1879. Later in 1879, St. Mary's church was closed.
In 1953 the Diocese of Norwich
Roman Catholic Diocese of Norwich
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Norwich is a Roman Catholic ecclesiastical territory or diocese in Connecticut in the northeastern United States. It was erected on August 6, 1953 by Pope Pius XII....
was created as a suffragan to the Archdiocese of Hartford
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hartford
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hartford is a particular church of the Latin Rite in Hartford, Litchfield and New Haven counties in Connecticut. The archdiocese includes about 700,000 Catholics, more than 500 priests, 216 parishes and almost 300 deacons. This is roughly one-half the population of...
. St. Patrick's Church became the cathedral for the new diocese. The Most Reverend Bernard J. Flanagan, then Chancellor of the Diocese of Burlington, Vermont
Burlington, Vermont
Burlington is the largest city in the U.S. state of Vermont and the shire town of Chittenden County. Burlington lies south of the U.S.-Canadian border and some south of Montreal....
was appointed the first Bishop of Norwich by Pope Pius XII
Pope Pius XII
The Venerable Pope Pius XII , born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli , reigned as Pope, head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City State, from 2 March 1939 until his death in 1958....
. He was installed on December 9,1953.