Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hartford


The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hartford is a diocese of the Latin Church in Hartford, Litchfield and New Haven counties in the U.S. State of Connecticut. The archdiocese includes about 470,000 Catholics, more than 500 priests, 216 parishes and almost 300 deacons. This is roughly one-half the population of the three counties.

History

History of Catholics in Connecticut

In 1780-1781, the small town of Lebanon, Connecticut, had the distinction of being the place in which the Catholic "Mass was first celebrated, continuously and for a long period, within the limits of the State of Connecticut." On June 26, 1881, St. Peter's parish, Hartford, celebrated "the centenary of the first Mass in Connecticut."
The present territory of the archdiocese of Hartford was originally part of the Diocese of Boston until Bishop Benedict Joseph Fenwick of Boston expressed concern that there should be separate dioceses for Connecticut and Rhode Island in keeping with the growing Catholic population in those states.

Diocese

On November 28, 1843, the Diocese of Hartford was established by Pope Gregory XVI with the Reverend Willam Tyler as its first bishop. At the time of its creation, there were 10,000 Catholics in the area. Bishop Tyler was able to petition successfully to move the See of Hartford to Providence, Rhode Island, in order to be nearer to the majority of the Catholics. He attended the Seventh Provincial Council of Baltimore which convened 5 May 1849, but weakened by consumption died the following month, having served for 5 years.
The second bishop, Reverend Bernard O'Reilly, spent his time securing priests for the still young diocese all the while helping to curb the anti-Catholic movements of the time propagated by the Know Nothing Party. To provide for the education of the young, Bishop O'Reilly brought to his diocese the Sisters of Mercy, establishing them in his episcopal city in 1851. In January 1856, O'Reilly was lost at sea on board the steamer Pacific. It wasn't until two years later that the third bishop of the diocese was installed, the Reverend Francis Patrick McFarland, known as the "Civil War Bishop." It was during his time that the Diocese of Providence was created in 1872. Despite ill health, McFarland was able to participate in the First Vatican Council.
The Reverend Thomas Galberry, O.S.A., an Augustinian friar, and former president of Villanova College, was installed as the 4th bishop of Hartford in 1877. Galberry only served for two years before an abrupt death but he was able to lay down the cornerstone of the original cathedral. Galberry was followed by Reverend Lawrence S. McMahon. McMahon had served as chaplain with the 28th Massachusetts. Under his leadership of 14 years, 48 parishes as well as 16 school parishes were established. The sixth bishop, Father Michael Tierney, helped with the creation of 5 diocesan hospitals.
Father John Joseph Nilan became the seventh bishop while Father John Murray became the first auxiliary bishop of Hartford. Murray would later become the Archbishop of St. Paul. In 1945, Henry Joseph O'Brien was installed as the ninth bishop of Hartford. During his tenure the diocese became an archdiocese under Pope Pius XII, and thus O'Brien became the first archbishop of Hartford.

Reports of Sex Abuse

There have been a number of trials concerning child abuse. On January 22, 2019, the Archdiocese of Hartford released a list of 48 clergy who "credibly accused" of committing acts of sex while serving in the Archdiocese. The Archdiocese also revealed that $50.6 million was paid to settle more than 140 claims of sexual abuse. In March 2020, a joint settlement of $7.48 million was issued by both the Archdiocese of Hartford and Hopkins School in New Haven for shielding acts of abuse committed by Archdiocese of Hartford priest Glenn Goncalo when he taught at Hopkins between at least 1990 and 1991.

Bishops

The following are the lists of ordinaries and auxiliary bishops, and their terms of service. They are followed by other priests of this diocese who became bishops.

Bishops of Hartford

  1. William Tyler
  2. Bernard O'Reilly
  3. Francis Patrick McFarland
  4. Thomas Galberry, O.S.A.
  5. Lawrence S. McMahon
  6. Michael Tierney
  7. John J. Nilan
  8. Maurice F. McAuliffe

    Archbishops of Hartford

  9. Henry J. O'Brien, elevated to Archbishop in 1953
  10. John F. Whealon
  11. Daniel Anthony Cronin
  12. Henry J. Mansell
  13. Leonard P. Blair

    Auxiliary Bishops

NameTownDeaneryVicariateFoundedOriginal Ethnic Community
EnfieldEnfieldHartford1915Polish
New HavenNew HavenNew Haven1900-
Woodmont West Shore LineNew Haven1906-
Plantsville MeridenNew Haven1961-
New BritainNew BritainHartford1895Lithuanian
AvonFarmington ValleyHartford1917-
BristolBristolWaterbury1908French
HamdenHamden-North HavenNew Haven1919Italian
MilfordWest Shore LineNew Haven1924-
New BritainNew BritainHartford1938Italian
WaterburyWaterburyWaterbury1886French
HartfordHartfordHartford2000Multi-ethnic
BristolBristolWaterbury1920Italian
New HavenNew HavenNew Haven1904Italian
ProspectNaugatuck-CheshireWaterbury1943-
LitchfieldLitchfieldWaterbury1882-
HamdenHamden-North HavenNew Haven1964-
AnsoniaAnsonia-DerbyWaterbury1870-
ManchesterManchesterHartford1955-
WoodbridgeWest Shore LineNew Haven1924-
St. Augustine Parish |HartfordHartfordHartford1902-
North BranfordEast Shore LineNew Haven1941-
SeymourAnsonia-DerbyWaterbury1866-
South Glastonbury ManchesterHartford1877-
North HavenHamden-North HavenNew Haven1922-
ManchesterManchesterHartford1958-
New HavenNew HavenNew Haven1938-
EnfieldEnfieldHartford1870-
SharonLitchfieldWaterbury1885-
Tariffville Farmington ValleyHartford1878-
East HartfordManchesterHartford1948-
HamdenHamden-North HavenNew Haven1939-
WaterburyWaterburyWaterbury1911-
New HavenNew HavenNew Haven1913-
CheshireNaugatuck-CheshireWaterbury1871-
Cornwall Bridge LitchfieldWaterbury1883-
ManchesterManchesterHartford1870-
West HartfordSuburban HartfordHartford1919-
Terryville BristolWaterbury1906Polish
Broad Brook EnfieldHartford1886-
West Simsbury Farmington ValleyHartford1971-
MilfordWest Shore LineNew Haven1966-
East HartfordManchesterHartford1965-
East HavenEast Shore LineNew Haven1947-
WethersfieldSuburban HartfordHartford1941-
HartfordHartfordHartford1902Polish
SouthingtonMeridenNew Haven1971-
GlastonburyManchesterHartford1971-
BranfordEast Shore LineNew Haven1966-
Rocky HillSuburban HartfordHartford1985-
CheshireNaugatuck-CheshireWaterbury1967-
North HavenHamden-North HavenNew Haven1967-
New HavenNew HavenNew Haven1868-
NaugatuckNaugatuck-CheshireWaterbury1866-
New BritainNew BritainHartford1941-
South WindsorManchesterHartford1941-
TorringtonLitchfieldWaterbury1877-
New MilfordSuburban WaterburyWaterbury1871-
WaterburyWaterburyWaterbury1896-
MilfordWest Shore LineNew Haven1946-
WindsorFarmington ValleyHartford1894-
GuilfordEast Shore LineNew Haven1870-
WindsorFarmington ValleyHartford1947-
SeymourAnsonia-DerbyWaterbury1967-
BristolBristolWaterbury1957-
Union City Naugatuck-CheshireWaterbury1906Polish
West HartfordSuburban HartfordHartford1966-
MeridenMeridenNew Haven1887-
New BritainNew BritainHartford1927Polish
EnfieldEnfieldHartford1965-
OrangeWest Shore LineNew Haven1952-
AnsoniaAnsonia-DerbyWaterbury1908Italian
NewingtonSuburban HartfordHartford1964-
HartfordHartfordHartford1900Lithuanian
New HartfordLitchfieldWaterbury1869-
NorfolkLitchfieldWaterbury1889-
SouthingtonMeridenNew Haven1915-
Terryville BristolWaterbury1882Irish
WaterburyWaterburyWaterbury1847-
HarwintonLitchfieldWaterbury1956-
WethersfieldSuburban HartfordHartford1963-
East HartfordManchesterHartford1964-
ManchesterManchesterHartford1874-
Rocky HillSuburban HartfordHartford1880-
New BritainNew BritainHartford1958-
HamdenHamden-North HavenNew Haven1971-
MarlboroughManchesterHartford1972-
MiddleburySuburban WaterburyWaterbury1904-
New HavenNew HavenNew Haven1893-
New BritainNew BritainHartford1916-
WatertownSuburban WaterburyWaterbury1878-
West HavenWest Shore LineNew Haven1965-
AnsoniaAnsonia-DerbyWaterbury1925Polish
BristolBristolWaterbury1864-
CanaanLitchfieldWaterbury1920-
HartfordHartfordHartford1872-
MeridenMeridenNew Haven1900-
New BritainNew BritainHartford1896-
New HavenNew HavenNew Haven1900-
Poquonock Farmington ValleyHartford1874-
SuffieldEnfieldHartford1916Polish
WaterburyWaterburyWaterbury1894Lithuanian
Winsted LitchfieldWaterbury1853-
DerbyAnsonia-DerbyWaterbury1961-
HartfordHartfordHartford1924-
MeridenMeridenNew Haven1880French
West HavenWest Shore LineNew Haven1886-
HartfordHartfordHartford1885-
WaterburyWaterburyWaterbury1974-
West HavenWest Shore LineNew Haven1886French and Territorial
WaterburyWaterburyWaterbury1926Italian
HartfordHartfordHartford1930-
MadisonEast Shore LineNew Haven1937-
WaterburyWaterburyWaterbury1910-
South WindsorManchesterHartford1961-
WolcottWaterburyWaterbury1973-
West HartfordSuburban HartfordHartford1942-
EnfieldEnfieldHartford1961-
New HavenNew HavenNew Haven1942-
BranfordEast Shore LineNew Haven1868-
East HartfordManchesterHartford1873-
Lakeville LitchfieldWaterbury1874-
MeridenMeridenNew Haven1890German
MilfordWest Shore LineNew Haven1874-
New BritainNew BritainHartford1848-
New HavenNew HavenNew Haven1832-
NewingtonSuburban HartfordHartford1924-
SimsburyFarmington ValleyHartford1921-
TorringtonLitchfieldWaterbury1919Polish
Union City Naugatuck-CheshireWaterbury1907-
Unionville Farmington ValleyHartford1874-
Windsor LocksEnfieldHartford1852-
Oakville Suburban WaterburyWaterbury1900-
Plantsville MeridenNew Haven1961-
DerbyAnsonia-DerbyWaterbury1851-
Forestville BristolWaterbury1891-
New BritainNew BritainHartford1946-
Beacon FallsAnsonia-DerbyWaterbury1899-
HartfordHartfordHartford1900-
New HavenNew HavenNew Haven1889Italian
WaterburyWaterburyWaterbury1897-
DerbyAnsonia-DerbyWaterbury1905Polish
Northford Hamden-North HavenNew Haven1964-
WallingfordMeridenNew Haven1869-
BethlehemSuburban WaterburyWaterbury1916-
HartfordHartfordHartford1958Portuguese
WaterburyWaterburyWaterbury1971Portuguese
Yalesville MeridenNew Haven1956-
BantamLitchfieldWaterbury1970-
WaterburyWaterburyWaterbury1971Portuguese
WaterburyWaterburyWaterbury1899Italian
PlainvilleBristolWaterbury1881-
HamdenHamden-North HavenNew Haven1869-
MeridenMeridenNew Haven1894Italian
WaterburyWaterburyWaterbury1923Italian
East HartfordManchesterHartford1971-
Washington Depot Suburban WaterburyWaterbury1893-
East HavenEast Shore LineNew Haven1941-
HartfordHartfordHartford1895-
New MilfordSuburban WaterburyWaterbury1990-
West HavenWest Shore LineNew Haven1935-
Collinsville Farmington ValleyHartford1856-
EnfieldEnfieldHartford1866-
FarmingtonFarmington ValleyHartford1871-
RoxburySuburban WaterburyWaterbury1885-
WaterburyWaterburyWaterbury1880-
HartfordHartfordHartford1829-
GlastonburyManchesterHartford1954-
Kensington New BritainHartford1878-
West HavenWest Shore LineNew Haven1916-
HartfordHartfordHartford1859-
New BritainNew BritainHartford1873German-French
TorringtonLitchfieldWaterbury1910Italian
West HartfordSuburban HartfordHartford1966-
WallingfordMeridenNew Haven1924-
WaterburyWaterburyWaterbury1920-
East WindsorEnfieldHartford1959-
WolcottWaterburyWaterbury1955-
WallingfordMeridenNew Haven1963-
HamdenHamden-North HavenNew Haven1928Italian
Windsor LocksEnfieldHartford1962-
East HartfordManchesterHartford1920-
MeridenMeridenNew Haven1848-
New HavenNew HavenNew Haven1907-
BloomfieldFarmington ValleyHartford1878-
East Berlin New BritainHartford1896-
HartfordHartfordHartford1872Spanish
KentLitchfieldWaterbury1970-
New BritainNew BritainHartford1894Polish
New HavenNew HavenNew Haven1876-
SouthburySuburban WaterburyWaterbury1884-
SuffieldEnfieldHartford1884-
TorringtonLitchfieldWaterbury1910Slovak
WethersfieldSuburban HartfordHartford1876-
WaterburyWaterburyWaterbury1885-
BristolBristolWaterbury1919Polish
MeridenMeridenNew Haven1891Polish
New HavenNew HavenNew Haven1901Polish
Waterbury WaterburyWaterbury1913Polish
HamdenHamden-North HavenNew Haven1953-
WoodburySuburban WaterburyWaterbury1902-
BranfordEast Shore LineNew Haven1947-
GranbyFarmington ValleyHartford1958-
North HavenHamden-North HavenNew Haven1925-
SouthingtonMeridenNew Haven1860-
ThomastonSuburban WaterburyWaterbury1869-
CheshireNaugatuck-CheshireWaterbury1971-
GoshenLitchfieldWaterbury1880-
OxfordAnsonia-DerbyWaterbury1966-
West HartfordSuburban HartfordHartford1921-
West HartfordSuburban HartfordHartford1958-
East HavenEast Shore LineNew Haven1915-
NaugatuckNaugatuck-CheshireWaterbury1975-

Schools

Dr. Dale R. Hoyt, Superintendent of Catholic Schools
; High schools