Norwalk After Two Hundred & Fifty Years

Brady was succeeded by Rev. E. C. Cooney, who re- mained only one year. Old residents remember him as specially zealous in promoting the temperance cause. Next came Rev. Hugh O'Reilly, whose pastorate lasted five years. On July 18th, 1859, Rev- John Mulligan, D.D., one of the most talented and promising clergymen in the Hartford diocese, assumed charge. He died Jan- uary 12th, 1862. He was succeeded by Rev. Peter A. Smith, who came here from East Bridgeport, who or- ganized a school and who began and completed the pres- ent church, excepting the spire. The corner stone was laid in 1869 and the edifice was dedicated in 1870. It cost $85,000 but there was an indebtedness of only $20,- 000 when dedicated. It is a Gothic structure 60x130 and has a seating capacity of 1,200 persons. Father Smith died December 16th, 1875, after a very successful pastorate. Rev. P. O'Dwyer succeeded in January, 1876. His term of service was brief, though replete with works that redounded to the welfare of the parish. Rev. John Russell followed January 30th, 1878. He built St. Mary's Parochial School, purchased the convent and in- troduced the Sisters of Mercy from Meriden into this parish. His successor was Rev. Wm. J. Slocum, who came in 1883. He completed the church by the erection of a spire and also liquidated the indebtedness on the church to the joy of his parishioners. During his in- cumbency St. Mary's parish was raised to the dignity of a permanent rectorship. His successor in September, 1895, was Rev. G. B. A. Dougherty, who remained one year. He was succeeded by the present rector (Septem- ber, 1901) the Rev. John Furlong, who began his ad- ministration October 12, 1896. Recognizing the im- portance of a place for social entertainments he purchas- ed a site opposite the church where he established the Catholic Club in 1897. Written for the Committee. 88 ST. JOSEPH'S (CATHOLIC) CHURCH OF SOUTH NORWALK Rev. William Maher, D. D., Rector. HE beautiful new church on South Main Street, the pride of the Catholic population of South Norwalk, and the object of admiration of the general community, has been the latest addition to the church edifices of the city. Its handsome brick facade and broad granite approaches, trimmed with brown stone, attract the attention of the stranger; who is surprised on entering the spacious building to find most superb- ly harmonious furniture and decorations. The stained glass windows, the chancel drapery, the statuary, the mural paintings, the "Way of the Cross,'* the paneled ceiling outlined in gold, the noble organ, the beautiful altars in white and cream and gold — all com- bine to form an exquisitely artistic interior. The color effect by day is superb, particularly when the morning sunlight is beaming through the rich opalescent glass of the great rosette window above the organ gallery, or in the later hours when the sun's rays gleam through the beautiful cathedral glass of the chancel lancet groups, consisting of the Crucifixion the Sacrifice of Abraham and the Sacrifice of Melchisedec. But surpassing the polychrome beauty by day of fresco and richly tinted light, is the dazzling loveliness of the church by night, when lit by the hundreds of electric lamps clustered around the capitals of the pillars and pillarettes and in chancel brackets, or hidden behind the great arch of the sanctuary and in the alcoves of the lateral shrines. Large congregations assemble at the Vesper ser- vices and for the lecture courses given by Dr. Maher on the Sunday evenings of the year, not only to listen to the choice music and the historical and doctrinal ad- dresses, but also to enjoy the strikingly elevating influ- ences of the beautiful illumination. St. Joseph's Church bears witness to the wonderful growth of Catholicity in the Norwalks in the last half century. In his historical address for the quarter mil- lenial celebration of the town, entitled "The Catholic Church in the Norwalks in the Latter Half of the 19th 68 Century," the Rev. Rector recalled for the benefit of the large congregation that packed the church for the occa- sion the leading facts in the foundation and progress of the Catholic faith here in our midst. It is indeed surprising that from the handful of a flock of twenty-five souls, a little more than fifty years ago, when a clergyman visited the little colony about every six months, the Catholic population has expanded to the number of 5,000 in the Twin Cities, forming two pros- perous parishes, served by three clergymen, and enjoy- ing all the religious and educational advantages of their belief. The first church edifice erected by the Catholics of the town was built in 1850, and dedicated by Bishop O'Reilly, second bishop of the Hartford Diocese, on Jan. 28, 185 1. It has since been known as "St. Mary's Chapel." The present stately edifice on West Avenue, was dedicated in 1870 at a cost of $85,000, of which amount only $20,000 were unpaid on the auspicious occasion. In September, 1895, St. Joseph's parish was founded, and the division of the Catholics of the two Norwalks into separate congregations was effected. The first pas- tor of the new flock was Rev. John T. Winters, who purchased the present site of church and rectory, and began the construction of the present building. The corner stone was laid on April 4, 1897, by Rt. Rev. Bishop Tierney ; and the preacher on the occasion was the present rector, Rev. Dr. Maher, who chose for his subject ''The Living Voice of the Church." His address was a powerful exposition of the credentials of the Catholic Church, and made a very deep impression on the immense throng of nearly 10,000 people to whom it was addressed. At Easter, April 3, 1899, Dr. Maher succeeded to the pastorate of St. Joseph's, and at once took up the work of completing the church. The dedication took place on Decoration Day, 1900, and there were present from the Diocese and neighboring States no less than 125 clergymen. The Catholics of South Norwalk have earned the good-will and esteem of all classes and creeds. Politi- cally divided between the two great parties, they are socially the peers of their neighbors, and recognized in- tellectually as influential elements in the population of the city. St. Joseph's (Catholic) Church. FIRST METHODIST CHURCH OF NORWALK HE services at the Norwalk Methodist church were of a purely historical character. Special prayers were said for the president and the latest bulletin stating his condition was read. After a brief introduction the pastor, Rev. H. B. Munson, gave the following statement of the church's history: Few things are more graphic than the startling con- trasts of history. A single passenger on a sailing vessel bound for Georgia amazed and impressed by the religious courage of a band of Moravians determined to know for himself the certitude of the things to be believed. The year 1735 and the passenger John Wesley. That is the genesis not only of American Methodism, but of the world wide movement of the Evangelical Revival, and of the far greater moral and religious uplift that came to all the forces of civilization from the work of this one leader. The little band of Moravian missionaries builded better than they knew when they wrought on the heart of John Wesley. But what could be more startling than the contrast between the feeble beginning and the pres- ent status of Methodism, now the most numerous of all the Protestant denominations. A contrast equally as startling and more pertinent in that it lies around us. As can be seen by noting the early history of Methodism in our own town and its growth through the years since its introduction. Norwalk was already more than a century old be- * fore a Methodist minister appeared on its streets. J Judged as Americans judge age the town might have \ been callled ancient ; its forests were cleared ; its hillsides \ were tilled ; its roads well beaten ; its social and com- munal religious life well settled. Like all other towns in the same region its traditions were fixed and honored / with most scrupulous observance. The old Puritans / held first to the doctrinal decrees and to tradition and it / was oftentimes difficult to tell which was most tena- j ciously adhered to and honored. He might occasion- ly doubt one of the decrees but a well established tra- dition was, like the honored guest, given the place of 00 highest honor. The doctrines he held may be briefly said to have been the five points of Calvinism, and the traditions those of the orderliness and regularity of the services of the church and the operations of sovereign grace. Their church and her decrees were a part of their town government. Their churches were built, their ministers settled and supported, their schools and col- leges established according to law; and a tax was laid on the people to sustain their institutions in conjunction with their civil institutions. In thus provding for the support of the parish church, they took care to guard against the introduction of other sects, as far as they could, simply tolerating them in holding meetings, while they were abridged in many of their rights. According GAL 10. vbgkqj cmfwyp shrdlu etaoinnnnn to these reglations all citizens were members of the Congregational church, and obliged to pay their pro- portion of the support of the church unless they lodged a certificate with the town clerk that they had attached themselves to some other society.