History

- The first Mass to be celebrated in Simsbury was on October 5, 1902.
  
  Prior to that, the Catholic faithful living here in the valley would travel by train or road to what was, at the time, the center of activity in Simsbury -- the village of Tariffville. Mass had been celebrated there since 1846 with the original St. Bernard's Church built in 1850. The existing church building (photo left), which closed in 2017, was dedicated in 1879.
  
  Over the years, the center of town moved to where we know it today. The hub of activity at the turn of the 20th century was around the train station -- the station is no longer active, however the building has served as a restaurant for decades (Plan B, One Way Fare). And among the locations within walking distance of the train station were an inn (Maple Tree), shopping (Welden Hardware, which was a hardware store, greenhouse and post office), the homes of pominent Simsbury families and the Methodist Church.
  
  In 1902, as the first Mass was being celebrated in Simsbury, land was purchased for $550 on the north side of Plank Hill Road and the Church of the Immaculate Conception of Mary was constructed (photo right). The church was, a mission of St. Bernard's in Tariffivlle. St. Bernard's was originally a mission of St. Patrick's in Collinsville.
  
  While that wooden church structure is no longer standing, the stone steps from the property are still visible along Plank Hill Road, about halfway up the hill (photo left).
  
  This church was dedicated on May 29, 1904 and served the growing population of Catholics in Simsbury.
  
  As the Catholic population continued to grow, the parish outgrew the existing building and in 1920, the land on Hopmeadow Street, where our present church stands, was purchased. It was a portion of the estate of C. Edson Curtiss, whose beautiful Victorian home -- known as the Seven Elms -- stood on the property.
  
  The Seven Elms
  
  The new church was constructed just south of the Seven Elms and was dedicated as St. Mary's on February 23, 1936.
  
  St. Mary's Church
  Note the Seven Elms home adjacent to the church
  
  St. Mary's would purchase more property from C. Edson Curtiss. The the home and property to the south of the church was purchased and remodeled, and in 1952 it became the parish rectory (photo right) for the pastor and his assistant.
  
  In the middle of the 20th century , under Fr. John Weldon, St. Mary's added its education component and on September 23, 1957, the doors of St. Mary's School were opened to its first students. Students had a longer-than-expected summer vacation that year, as construction was not complete, which resulted in a delayed start to the school year. Even upon opening, students were dismissed at lunchtime for the first two weeks so construction could continue in the afternoon.
  
  There were 98 elementary students (Grades 1-3) in the school when it first opened, as the school was built in phases, with the first unit opening in 1957 followed by a second unit which was dedicated in 1959. Grade levels were added as students progressed through the school. A fourth grade level was added in 1958, for example, and Grade 5 was added in 1959, at which time the school enrollment was up to nearly 200.
  
  Over the years, there were many nuns who taught our children and since 1977, there has been lay staff as well. Initially, the lay staff worked along side the nuns before eventually replacing the Felician Sisters when they were unable to continue their work.
  
  When it first opened for Grades 1-3, St. Mary's School was staffed by four Felician Sisters: Sister Mary Florentine (Superior and Principal), Sister Mary Gabriel, Sister Mary Martha and Sister Mary Eymard. They -- and all the nuns who taught our children over the years -- lived in the Seven Elms (known as "The Convent") which sat between the school buildings and St. Mary's church. The Seven Elms occupied the land where our Parish Center and front parking lot are currently located.
  
  The school was initially constructed as two separate buildings prior to subsequent construction projects which connected the two units.
  
  As our parish population continued to grow, more expansion took place in the 1980s. Construction on our Parish Center (below, left) began in 1985, which would include office space, kitchen and library. And expansion of the church was also completed in 1985, with the addition of the access ramp in the rear of the church as well as the side wings inside the church (below, right), providing St. Mary's with an additional 200 seats.
  
  Our parish offices were relocated from the rectory to 3 Massaco Street (photo right) when that property was purchased in 1998, providing the parish with more adequate office accomodations and meeting space for our various organizations and ministries. The property on Massaco St. remained the center of our business operations for two decades.
  
  In 2019, construction was completed on a building project which connected our church and school buildings. The Magowan Center (photo below) was officially dedicated by Archbishop Leonard Blair on June 2, 2019 (photo right).The building was dedicated in honor of Kathleen Magowan, a longtime parishioner and Simsbury teacher who had left the parish a substantial bequest.
  
  The building became the new home to our parish offices as well as music, art and library space for St. Mary's School.
  
  At the same time, the lower level of the church was refurbished to house our religious education offices and was dedicated as the Forcucci Faith Formation Center in honor of Anna Forcucci, who had also bequeathed a substantial amount to the parish.
  
  Our parish continues to grow to meet the spiritual, educational and social needs of the Catholic faithful.
  
  ST. MARY'S PASTORS
  
  Father Stephen Sledesky, 2021 - Present
  Monsignor Frank J. Matera, PhD, 2012
  Father William R. Metzler, 1997
  Father Lawrence Bock, Father William Dudack, 1982
  Father James Carlone, Father Robert Tucker, 1981
  Father Robert Tucker, Father Joseph P. Donahue, 1975
  Father Joseph T. Cunningham, 1959
  Father John Weldon, 1953
  Father Michael Guerin, 1944
  Father Henry Callahan, 1933
  Father Matthew Judge, 1924
  Father John J. Kean, 1921