Home/Stay Informed/All Diocesan Articles

All Diocesan Articles

St. Mary Parish of Greeneville Completes Restoration of Church Bell Tower

Posted on August 08, 2024 in: News

St. Mary Parish of Greeneville Completes Restoration of Church Bell Tower

It took two years and plenty of communal effort, but on June 30, St. Mary Parish in Norwich’s Greeneville neighborhood completed the restoration of its bell tower.  The church is old, built in 1922, but the parish is much older, established in 1845.  Although the tower restoration saved St. Mary’s from demolition and disappearance as a parish, it does not mean the parish can now rest.   There is more work to be done: repair of the front façade, the preservation of its remarkable stained-glass windows, improved access for all, and a better heating system.  However, the restored tower sets the tone for the parish’s future mission.  The people of St. Mary’s must do what the tower does.  Like the tower, the people must:
 
1.     …be a visible sign to everyone in Greenville, a steady presence that is never “we are better than you”, and is always “we are at your service ”.
2.     …be old and new at the same time.  A new St. Mary’s is coming about, and it has the same mission as the old one.  Originally the parish was at the service of the storm-tossed, huddled masses from Ireland, Italy, and Poland.  Today’s refugees are from Haiti and the Caribbean, Mexico and Central America, Peru and Ecuador.  As then, so now, they come fleeing poverty and oppression.
3.     …be a watchtower.  Catholic canon law describes the mission of a parish as the pastoral care of every soul in its territory.  The parish is not a private club.  It is there to look out for every soul.  The Master tells us to look at the people.  He says in effect: “They belong to you because every one of them is me.  For I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave me to drink; I was a stranger and you welcomed me”.

 

 

The people of St. Mary’s received lot's of help to complete this $2,000,000 restoration project, including grants from the CT Fund for Historic Preservation and an $800,000 budget allotment from the State of CT.  Former parishioners, friends of St. Mary’s, and parishioners from neighboring parishes gave generous help. Remarkably, St. Mary’s parishioners themselves, probably the least financially advantaged group in the diocese, raised approximately $600,000 through pledging and fundraising. The Church of St. Peter and St. Paul kindly lent St. Mary’s $200,000 to complete the project. St. Mary’s parishioners are determined to repay this debt and to push on to the completion of their remarkable project.  Something noteworthy is happening in the process, something more important than stones, wood or glass.  St. Mary’s is becoming a new, richly varied, wonderfully eager, parish community housed in a church built by immigrants of past generations, rebuilt by immigrants of this generation, and encouraged by true friends who want our diocese to have parishes such as her.
 


Most Viewed Articles of the Last 30 Days

Join Bishop Reidy for a Youth Hike!

Posted on June 17, 2025 in: News, Events

1421

Join Bishop Reidy for a Youth Hike!
Middle School and High School youth are invited to a special hike with Bishop Reidy on Saturday, July 19th at 10:00 A.M. at Hurd State Park in East Hampton. Hurd State Park provides the perfect backdrop for a meaningful outdoor adventure, blending fun, exercise, scenic views, and moments of spiritual reflection. The park's flexible trails, peaceful riverside spots, and stunning overlooks make it an ideal place to connect with nature and one another. What to bring: Comfortable shoes, water, and a picnic lunch. Parents are welcome, and Youth Groups are encoura...

Read More

Pope Leo XIV’s Prayer Intention for the Month of June
Pope Leo XIV greets the faithful in St. Peter's Basilica, May 31, 2025. | Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA   In his first prayer intention video of his papacy, Pope Leo XIV has asked the faithful to pray that the world might grow in compassion during the month of June. “Let us pray that each one of us might find consolation in a personal relationship with Jesus, and from his heart, learn to have compassion on the world,” the pope said in a video released June 3. The video also includes an original prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, to which the m...

Read More

Now Hiring: Faith Filled Educators

Posted on June 17, 2025 in: News, School News

1049

Now Hiring: Faith Filled Educators
There are several current job openings for educators in our diocese.  The positions are updated weekly, so be sure to bookmark this page in your browser-  NorwichDiocese.org/Employment Click Here to See the Current Open Positions  All candidates must complete the official professional application to be considered for a teaching position or principal position and submit it to the Diocesan School Office. Applications are available on the employment page of the website. Visit NorwichDiocese.org/Employment to view all of the open jobs in the di...

Read More

Pray for the Pope: Join the Sacred Heart Novena June 19–27
Knights of Columbus Launches Sacred Heart Novena for Pope Leo XIV New Haven, Conn. — The Knights of Columbus have announced a special novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus for the intention of Pope Leo XIV, beginning June 19—his anniversary of priestly ordination—and concluding June 27, the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart. Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly is encouraging Knights, their families, and all people of goodwill to participate in the novena and to submit personal prayer intentions, which he will personally bring to Rome later this Jubilee Year. P...

Read More

Parish Bulletins Remain Relevant in the Digital Age
  Kristyn Figbie, communications coordinator for St. Francis of Assisi Parish in New Britain, designs a Sunday bulletin that takes a more graphic approach to information with browsable tables and photos that capture the vitality of the parish community. Photo by Shelley Wolf   Parishes within the archdiocese are always looking for better ways to engage parishioners. To meet parishioners’ information needs and grab their attention, two parishes recently overhauled their Sunday bulletins with fresh new designs, more graphics and photos, and enhanc...

Read More

Public Policy Office of Catholic Church Scores Wins in State’s Legislative Session
The Connecticut Catholic Public Affairs Conference achieved “successes we were happy about” during the 2025 Connecticut Legislative Session, according to Deacon David Reynolds, the Conference’s associate director for public policy.  “Legislation dealing with abortion, transgender rights and immigration reflected the conflict between existing state law and the recently revised federal laws and regulations,” he says. “The good news is the Conference’s efforts to stop harmful legislation in the areas of abortion and gender-affi...

Read More

Annual Catholic Appeal

ACA DONATE

English

Español

 

Latest Articles
Prayer for Our Nation
With Pope's Support, Vatican to Publish Document on Synod's Final Phase
Pope Leo XIV’s Marriage Advice? Keep Calm and Pray the Rosary
Archdiocese Is Selected for National Parent and Family Faith Project
We Can Help. Promise to Protect-Pledge to Heal.
Benedict XVI, Francis, and Leo XIV Recommend This Book, Which Warns of a World Without God
Marriage Encounter Experience- August 15-17
Calendar of Events

 

Recently Added Galleries
Click to view album: Episcopal Ordination of Bishop Richard F. Reidy
Click to view album: Students Called to Feed the Hungry
Click to view album: 40 Days for Life 2024
Click to view album: Blessing of the Fleet 2024
Signup for Weekly Newsletter

     

    Roman Catholic Diocese of Norwich
    201 Broadway
    Norwich, CT 06360-4328
    Phone: 860-887-9294