Bishop Betancourt Dedicates New Church Addition in Farmington

Story by Shelley Wolf

FARMINGTON – “Bless also all those who will use this space. May all who come here know the presence of Christ, experience the joy of his friendship, and grow in his love. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.”

With that prayer and a sprinkle of holy water, Auxiliary Bishop Juan Miguel Betancourt dedicated and blessed the exterior of the new addition to the Church of St. Patrick in Farmington, home of the St. Patrick Parish community for 100 years.

He also blessed the congregation and guests in attendance, saying with a smile, “I told you I have enough holy water for everybody.”

With the theme “Remembering Our Past, Building Our Future,” the dedication ceremony was held on June 11, 2022, exactly 100 years to the day that the historic Arts and Crafts style house of worship was first dedicated in the historic district of Farmington on June 11, 1922.

The full celebration encompassed a Mass in the refurbished church, and an outdoor dedication and blessing, followed by a reception in the new addition with its spacious parish hall.

Parishioners packed the church for the 4 p.m. vigil Mass, which was celebrated by Bishop Betancourt. Monsignor Thomas Barry, the former pastor who retired from parish work last December, served as the principal celebrant. Father Matthew Gworek, the new pastor of St. Patrick Parish as of January, and Father Joshua Wilbur, the parochial vicar, served as concelebrants. Deacon Sean Yates, a seminarian who was just ordained to the transitional diaconate, acted as the master of ceremonies.

“I’m so excited that Monsignor Barry and all the people involved were so forward thinking,” Father Gworek said just prior to the Mass, crediting Father Barry and his committee for fundraising and overseeing the multi-year planning and construction effort.

“It’s been a successful parish for 100 years and they planned a facility to be successful for another hundred years, with all the meeting spaces and rooms for religious education, and the new technology,” Father Gworek said. “Everything is in place for evangelizing for the future, and they worked in many ideas from the synod.”

The combined construction and renovation project includes a refurbished church with new floors and new pews, the addition of extra seating in the front and on the side of the church to bring capacity up from 325 to 400, and the addition of a crying room for families with young children. In the lower level of the church, four classrooms are now fully renovated and contain smart TVs and Wi-Fi technology.

The attached two-story addition is completely new, forming a spacious parish hall with a kitchen. A newly constructed, wide hallway connector contains a reconciliation room, a baptistery, an elevator and restrooms.

During the Mass, Father Gworek thanked Monsignor Barry on behalf of the entire parish community for being the priest who “actually got it done,” commenting on his “perseverance,” remarks which drew thunderous applause and a standing ovation for the monsignor.

Bishop Betancourt addressed the parishioners, noting their great affection for their retired pastor. “You care for your priests, for one another, and you sing,” he said, humoring the crowd. On a more serious note, he asked the congregation to “reserve some spiritual devotion” for their two new priests. “Pray for these young priests who are making their way in serving the Lord in their ministry.”

In addition, the bishop asked parishioners to pray for all the priests of the archdiocese, and for an increase in vocations to the priesthood.

Bishop Betancourt also acknowledged the great milestone the community had reached with the 100th anniversary of its historic church building.

“It’s amazing to see you all together celebrating 100 years, and many more, God willing. Well, you keep this. You keep being God’s family and caring for one another and caring for God’s priests. May God bless you now and always,” Bishop Betancourt said.

After the Mass and the dedication, parishioners gathered for a light reception in the attached parish hall, admiring the new facility.

“I love it,” Father Wilbur, the parochial vicar, said of the addition and all its ancillary rooms. “There are so many opportunities to grow the community now. And the parishioners are obviously so excited.”

Elizabeth Foss, who attended the event with her two teenage daughters, Sarah and Karoline, said her family joined the church just two years ago. Originally from Virginia, the family moved to Connecticut after her husband landed a job at ESPN in Bristol. “We moved here in 2020 when it was just starting. It turned out amazing,” Foss said of the new addition. The mother and daughters noted they now attend weekly and daily Mass at the church.

Elizabeth and Peter Kavanah, who were married in 1984 at the Church of St. Patrick, have been attending Mass at the church ever since they moved to Farmington the following year. “I felt very comforted by the Mass. I’m glad we were able to participate,” Elizabeth Kavanah said. “And we’ve been blessed with so many wonderful and kind people in this parish over the years.”

Kavanah was equally enthused about the new addition. “They’ve done a magnificent job,” she said. “I love the details. The new stained glass in the parish hall is so special, and the celestial blue in the ceiling, it’s timeless. And they matched everything on the outside.”

Monsignor Barry was both happy and relieved that the construction was finally completed. “It was such a hard slog,” he admitted, recalling the many COVID-related supply chain delays and material shortages, “but I said to the archbishop I would get it done.” The monsignor credited the congregation for making the project possible. “The people stayed with it and supported it and were financially generous.”

No longer a pastor, Monsignor Barry is now spending two days a week working on annulments as defender of the bond for the archdiocese’s Metropolitan Tribunal.

Eileen Dignazio, the director of religious education for St. Patrick Parish, says she is benefitting from the former pastor’s work, noting she loves the new classrooms. “I’m thrilled. It was a long time coming but worth the wait,” she said. “I’m predominantly here for the children, but this is going to be a parish center for everyone.”

According to many parishioners, an expansion of the small church and the inclusion of a parish hall was the dream for decades of several priests who preceded Monsignor Barry.

“I’ve been a director of religious education for 18 years. In the past, there was always a roadblock,” Dignazio said. “When Monsignor came, he just broke through the roadblocks and worked with the town and the historical society.”

According to Maureen Sposato, editor of the parish newsletter, building and parking plans for the project were approved in April 2018 by the Farmington Historical Society and Planning and Zoning Commission. Capital fundraising began in the fall of 2018, and ground was broken October 2019.

“It was just part of God’s beautiful plan,” Dignazio says, “with Father Gworek finishing what Monsignor Barry started. Now it’s up to us to keep it going.”

The Church of St. Patrick is located at 110 Main Street in Farmington. For Mass times, children’s programs, and other activities within the St. Patrick Parish community, visit stpatsfarm.org.