Norwich bulletin., 1911-09-23

chaplain, the devout and learned Abbe Robin, celebrated mass there, as, ac c0rding to the records, he did later on the flats to the east of Hartford.
 Address by Missionary.
 In newspa per dated Nov 14th, 17sS, 1t is stated that "On Friday evening last Mir. John Thayer, Catholic mis- sionary, delivered to a large audience, at the Rev. Joseph Strong's meeting house. d learned and ingenious dis course in which he undertook to prove that the Cotholic church was the only church of Christi Father Thayer had teen Congregational minister in Boston. had been converted while on a visit to Rome, and having been or Gained priest, had come home with the sanguine expectation of bringing New England into the church.
 First Church in 1544.
 It is recorded that on May 18th, 1S36, Rev Father Fitton. from Hart ford on a missionary visit to this section, baptized child II months old. On such visits it was his custom to say mass in some private house. The opening of the Norwich and Worcester railroad in 1887 brought many Irish Catholic laborers to Norwich and many Of them settling permanently after 1S43, Father titton resolved to build them q church. He selected the site in tTFeeneN1iIe. Id1d the IOuIudllOflS early in 1S44. saying mass in the new edi- fee, which he called St. Mary's church, on Christmas day of the same year. There were 250 persons in the congre- gation.
 Father, Fitton relinquished the care of the parish to Father John Brady of Hartford, who came to Norwich in May. 1S45. his first baptism being re corded in August. In 1S48 Norwich was taken from the jurisdiction of Hartford and was ministered to by Bishop Tyler, who came from Provi- dence for a few months. Then in the following November the Jesuits of Holy Cross college. Worcester. as stunned charge. Father Logan coming until May. 1850. and Father Blenkinsop attending from that time until August 1851
 First Resident Pastor.
 Tn the latter year Father Dan" Kelly as he was affectionately called, was appointed first resident pastor He remained 15 years, meantime raising the church and enlarging it several times. In August, 1866, he exchanged parishes with Rev. Peter Kelly of Providence, who also did excellent work.
 New Church Started in 1870.
 The Catholics had now increased to 1000 and it was decided to build 3. new church. Several sites were bought until finally Rev. Daniel Mullin. who had succeeded in turn Rev. Bernard Tully and Rev Michael Tierney-later bishop Of the diocese-purchased the present beautiful site on Broadway at q cost of Sf7000 Ground for the new church was broken on St. Patrick's day, 1870 by the late Very Rev. James Hughes, V. G.
 On Good Friday. April 7tl,. 1871. the men of the parish. armed with shovels. and headed by a band. marched to the new lot~and began work on eXcavadng for the foundation walls. The corner stone was laid July 18th. 1873, by Bishop Mcfarland the cash offertory. the largest ever collected on such an occasion, amounting to the splendid sum of s10500 By 1877. when Father Mullin died after brief illness the church was roofed in and the towers were finished to the height of the ridgepole.
 St. Patrick's Dedicated.
 The late Rev. Peter P. Shahan be- came pastor in A pril 1878. The first mass in the new church was celebrated or St. Patrick's day, 1879. The dedi- ration took place on the 2Sth of the following September. Archbishop (now CardinaD Gibbons preached in the morning and Bishop Shana han in the evening. "Reminiscences of his mis- sion were given by the venerable Fla ther F'itton.
 School and Rectory
 The present rectory was purchased during Father Shahan-s passionate, and the old rectory. which stood between the church and the present parochial residence, was moved back and was used as school until the present fine brick structure was erected in 1892 at a cost of s43.000. The school is taught by Sisters of Mercy.
 Rev. Father Shahan was succeeded on Feb. 1st 1892. by the late Rev [ eter NJ. Kennedy The present rector, Rev. Hugh Treanor came to Norwich Nov. 26th 1897.
 During his pastora te fine new con- vent has been built the cemetery rroperty greatly enlarged, a beautiful new organ has replaced the origins