St. George Church History

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”Now you are the body of Christ, member for member. And God indeed has placed some in the Church, first apostles, secondly prophets, thirdly teachers; after that miracles, then gifts of healing, services of help, power of administration, and the speaking of various tongues.”

Corinthians, Chapter 23, Verse 27 & 28
Original church located at 161-165 Whitfield Street

1639

Town of Guilford settled

1850

Masses held at the Henry Whitfield house

1854

First Sacrifice of Mass takes place

1860

Fire at the Whitfield house

1860

Catholic Chapel purchased

1862

Chapel enlarged

1876

Cornerstone for Catholic Church was laid

1878

Catholic Church dedicated as St. George

1885

Land purchased for Catholic cemetery

1887

The Rev. John Dolan, first resident pastor for Guilford

1887

St. George officially becomes a parish

1888

The Rev. John Dolan dies

1888

First baptism takes place

1888

First marriage ceremony take place

1913

Church gets running water and electricity

1926

50th anniversary of laying the cornerstone

1934

Father Fogarty dies while in office

1938

St. George damaged in hurricane

1939

Parish Hall built

1940

Repairs to the church begin

1942

Church is rededicated

1947

Bus service for North Guilford parishioners established

1952

St. George celebrates 100 years

1957

Page-Bonzano property acquired for new church

1959

St. George Altar Society formed

1962

Ground breaking ceremony for new church

1963

New St. George Parish Church is dedicated

1963

St. George Church becomes the only Catholic Church to sit on a town green in Connecticut

1964

Old church sold to the St. Albans Lodge, AF&AM

1967

Father Sullivan retires

1975

Catholic cemetery closes

1976

Parish garage converted into religious education center and parish library

1976

Parish recognizes first woman commissioned as Eucharist priests

1976

100th anniversary of the first St. George Church

1976

Masonic Temple gives church original cornerstone

1979

Two men ordained as permanent deacons

1979

Burning of the mortgage takes place – church free from debt

1980

St. George adopts orphanage in Delat, Vietnam

1982

Land purchased for a second church

1983

New parish center dedicated as the Father Sullivan Center

1983

Aldrich property acquired for enlarging cemetery

1986

Stained glass window from old church discovered and returned to St. George

1993

Father Coleman and Father McHugh assigned to St. George

1995

Father Coleman named Monsignor

1998

Firemen battling the roof fire of June 1998.
Photo courtesy of Joel Helander

Fire destroys church roof

1998

St. George repaired and dedication ceremony takes place

2010

Arrival of Reverend James Shanley

2015

Arrival of Reverend Stephen Sledesky

2021

Arrival of Reverend Kevin Dillon