The Press., 1904-04-14

sionary of Connecticut, offered the
holy sarcifice for the first time in Stat
ford. His second visit for the same
purpose occurred ON March 2, 1850.
In 1851 the little colony of Catho-
lies was increased by the arrival of
Steven Collins, William d. Brennan.
William L Brennan, Peter Murphy,
Thomas Warren, John Stewart, John
Swanton and their families. In the
same year the Rev. Michael McCabe
visited Stafford as frequently as his
arduous journeys permitted, to preach
the gospel and administer the sacra-
ments to this nucleus of a future
parish. In 1863 the Rev. Father
Smyth of Windsor Locks began to
make quarterly visits to Stafford,
which he continued for two years.
He was succeeded by the Rev. Peter
Egan of Rockville, who also served
the place for two years, increasing the
visits to one every second week.
Father Egan preached and celebrated
mass in Oronoco hall. Previous to
this, the Catholics had held their
meetings for Divine worship in pri-
vate dwellings and in the public
school house. For six years after
wards the Rev. Bernard Tully offici-
ated at the same hall every second
week, as did also his successor, the
Rev. H. J. O'Reilly, for one year and
seven months. During the last named
years Stafford was mission of Rock
Vile. .=..-.=
When the Rev. F. L. DeBruycker
became pastor of Willinantic MAY
IL, 1868, the mission of Stafford
Springs was assigned to him, in ad-
dition to the missions of Baltic and
Coventry. 1t was he who first Or
ganized the Catholics of Stafford into
a corporation according to the laws of
the state of Connecticut, the certifi-
cate of formation bearing the date
Sept. 3, 1869. The first lay trustees
were William Brennan and John
Brosnan. The first meeting of the
congregation recorded on the parish
books, for the election of trustees,
took place on May Is, 1869. The
chairman of that meeting was an
assistant at the time to Father De-
Bruycker, and is now a missionary in
Pretoria, South Africa. He is the
Rev. Joseph VanLaar, the first pastor
of Baltic, which place he left to be-
come a missionary.
Prior to Father DeBruycker's pas
torate the parish registers were kept
in Rockville. The baptismal register
of st. Edwards opens with the date
Oct. %, 1854, on which day Francis
Patrick Cooney and James O'Donnell
were baptised. The first marriage was
performed Feb. 10, 1866, when
Tlesphore Bertrand and Catherine
Brousseau we're made happy. The
date of the first death is not so GER
tain.
In October, 1866, Father DeBruyck-
er began the erection of the first
Catholic house of worship in Stafford.
The site was purchased of Lewis Park
ess for 500. The original structure
was of stone, quarried in town, and
rather rudely cut and laid, as glance
at the old facade between the new
towers easily discloses.
The old building had q seating
capacity for 400 persons. Remodel
ed as it now stands it accommodates
600. About one year later, Novem-
Der "a, 1867, the proposed house of
God was SO far completed that the
holy mysteries we're celebrated within
its walls, and on the 10th day of
March following the new structure
was formally dedicated to Divine wor-
ship, under the patronage of st. Ed
ward. The parish comprised at that
time about $50 souls. . ~
Catholics were not the only contri
butors toward the building of their
house of prayer. Here is list of do