The Cathedral of Saint Patrick and Bishop Michael R. Cote were featured in The Chair, a television series that highlights 85 of America's cathedrals, exploring the rich fabric and diversity of the Catholic Church through the eyes of the local ordinary.
The cathedral church of a diocese houses the seat of the bishop, his chair, the cathedra — from which we get the name "cathedral." In a real sense, that chair is the heart of the diocese, representing the bishop’s authority to sanctify, preach and govern as a true successor of the apostles.
The episode begins with the bishop's chair and the Cathedral of St. Patrick — the spiritual heart of our diocese — and explores the history, people, architecture and art of our unique church. Throughout the show, scholars, historians and our chancellor, Reverend Peter Langevin, tell the history of Catholicism in the Diocese of Norwich.
Through conversations and interviews, Bishop Cote also shares his story in his own words, beginning with his vocation and ordination, his insights into what it means today to be the ordinary in our diocese and his hopes for the future.
“The Lord is the center of our prayer, the rest of us, we are there to adore Him,” Bishop Cote said.
This episode begins with a history of the city of Norwich and the slow growth of the Catholic Church in Connecticut, which sprung up under the early Puritan, anti-Catholic policies of New England. Highlighted is the fact that it was not until 1818 that the state of Connecticut formally recognized freedom of religion, and that it was not until the arrival of Irish Catholic immigrants in the mid-19th century that the Catholic faith began to grow exponentially in Connecticut.
The first Mass in Norwich was celebrated in an upper room loft, attended by about 12 Catholics.
The show then explores the history of the Diocese of Norwich and the Cathedral of St. Patrick. Father Langevin explains how up until 1953 all of Connecticut was part of the Archdiocese of Hartford. At that time, the Holy Father divided Connecticut into three dioceses, and thus the Diocese of Norwich was born and its first bishop appointed, Bernard Flanagan.
Equally fascinating is the history of the Cathedral of St. Patrick. The story opens on Good Friday of 1873, when a group of Irish working men using picks and shovels began digging the foundation for St. Patrick Church. St. Patrick’s was funded by immigrants’ weekly 10-cent donations and finally completed in 1878, with the first Mass celebrated there on St. Patrick’s Day in 1879. Since then, it has undergone three renovations to become the magnificent structure it is today.
The Chair explores what it means to be an apostle today in America. The series celebrates the best of Catholicism today, springing from the physical beauty of our cathedral, and tells the story of Bishop Cote, through the lens of his cathedral and his bishop’s chair — the seat from which he leads as the apostle in our midst.
The series was created by Monsignor Kieran E. Harrington who stated, "We created The Chair because we wanted to tell the story of the Catholic Church in America. There is so much to learn about our faith across our diverse nation and the beautiful cathedrals throughout. We are excited to share the perspectives of so many of our bishops, and we hope that the faithful around the country celebrate with us the past, present and future of the Church."
Deacon Ben Locasto
