Parish History
PASTORS
Although the parish that today is recognized as St. Mary, Star of the Sea, dates from 1876, the story of Unionville Catholics seeking a place of worship goes back before this nation's Civil War. Father Luke Daily, from St. Mary's Church in New Britain, inaugurated services here in 1854 on the south side of the river in the Connolly residence, later known as the Curran home. Monthly masses were said in the old Merriman Hall, located near the present site of Friendly's. Father Daly was followed by a number of missionary priests who served the needs of area Catholics.
Finally, in the nation's centennial year, 1876, St. Mary Star of the Sea Church was officially established being formally incorporated into the Diocese of Hartford. A number of stories, none substantiated, exist as to the origin of the name. Incidentally, the cost of the original building was $30,000.
An early seating practice that characterized the congregation had the Slovak parishioners seated to the left of the main altar, the Irish to the right. The weekly prayer meetings of the Slovak Rosary Society (see related story) honored the tradition by taking place in the left half of the Church. It is claimed that remnants of this practice persist down to the present day and can be observed at any Sunday mass.
A second characteristic of the Parish of St. Mary's is that it was founded as a working person's parish. To a great extent, it remains so to the present time.
For the first few years of its existence, St. Mary's functioned as a Mission Church, serviced by Father Bernard O'R. Sheridan, pastor in Collinsville. Although Father Patrick Fox, Father Sheridan's successor, was the first resi dent pastor of St. Mary's, his tenure in Unionville was brief. He did oversee the completion of the new church as well as the rectory. In contrast, the pastor who followed him, Father William Redding, served the parish longer than any other, from 1886-1919. During his stay, the rectory was enlarged and the church rebuilt following a fire. As a newspaper editorial expressed it following the death of Father Redding, "While there (Unionville) he grew to be a part of the town. His fellows in the ministry came to regard Father Redding and Unionville to be synonymous terms." It was during his pastorate that the Slovak Rosary Society was formed. Incidentally, Father Redding's career did not end with his leaving St. Mary's. He went on to serve as pastor of a New Haven Church until his death in 1931.
Father Thomas Tiernan, who followed as St. Mary's pastor, built the church to its present size and was responsible for finishing off the basement. He in turn was succeeded in 1930 by Father John Sullivan, whose years in the parish closely coincided with those of the Great Depression, leaving in 1939. His greatest contribution to St. Mary's was putting the church's financial affairs in order and freeing it of its debt, no mean accomplishment during those difficult times. This accomplishment provided the groundwork for the accomplishments of St. Mary's "wartime pastor," Father John Walsh, who served from 1939 to 1945. It was he who planned the Veterans' Memorial in the cemetery and who had the Church redecorated, including the installation of new pews. He made certain that young men serving in the armed forces remained in touch with their home parish by sending to them pictures of the church's new interior. Father Walsh died unexpectedly while walking homeward after responding to a sick call in Unionville. He was only 53.
The Veterans' Memorial was completed by his successor, Father John Connor (1945-1954). The present parking lot property was purchased during his pastorate. It was in these years, also, that the diocese determined that the parish had grown sufficiently to warrant the services of a full time curate. An apartment was set up to accommodate this addition. Father Connor saw the church almost go up in smoke in 1949 from a fire started by a child who had been playing with matches (see related story).
Father John Phalen succeeded Father Connor and served as pastor until 1967. He introduced the first liturgical changes to St. Mary's, the outgrowth of Vatican II. Parishioners for the first time came to grips with the English vernacular rather than Latin as the language of worship; with commentators and lectors; with the celebrant facing the congregation; with greater participation in the service. A new organ was installed during these years. The rectory was remodeled and enlarged to allow for a resident curate.
This brings us down to the present day and the pastorate of Father James Noonan. Most memorable of the accomplishments of Father Noonan was the total renovation of the church's interior to accommodate the directives of the Ecumenical Council. The music, the liturgy, the rituals have all seen major revisions in these years. The St. Mary's Parish Council came into existence. Even as this article is being prepared, Father Noonan is overseeing the implementation of the new ritual for Confession or Reconciliation. Aside from such milestones, Father Noonan purchased the Hart House and a convenient nursery was established for Sunday Mass. The parking lot was paved. The cemetery was added to.
The parish through the years has been fortunate in having a number of priests who assisted on weekends or who, in recent times, served as curates. Of the former, Monsignor Keough went on to become Bishop of the Providence, Rhode Island, Diocese and Father Francis Fries was elevated to the rank of Monsignor. They together with Father Eugene Kozar, C.P., are gratefully remembered. By 1949, St. Mary's was assigned its first full time curate, Father Edward Doyle. He in turn was followed by Father Gilbert Cannon, Father John Ahern, Father Thomas Gaffney, Father David Lonergan, and of recent memory, Father John Regan. Father Paul Wirkus, although at St. Mary's for a short period, has already proved himself to possess the qualities that have served St. Mary's so well throughout its hundred years.
The individuals mentioned in the foregoing paragraphs are but a few of those who have left an indelible stamp during the century of St. Mary's existence. There were, of course, countless others.
What were those others like? It is not so difficult to find out. Just look at those parishioners in 1976 who are making St. Mary's Church go, whether with Religious Instruction, Ladies Guild, the Choir, or whatever. They are the same breed of dedicated workers that has always been a characteristic of Unionville's own Catholic Church. The origins of the name St. Mary Star of the Sea may be lost to history but there is no question as to the direction this parish is heading as it begins its second hundred years.
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