About Our Lady of Sorrows · Hartford, Connecticut
Our Lady of Sorrows is a Roman Catholic parish in Hartford's Parkville neighborhood, part of the Archdiocese of Hartford. The parish was founded in 1887 to serve German, French, and Irish Catholic immigrants who had previously attended Mass at the Cathedral of St. Joseph, and was formally established as a parish in 1895. The current Gothic Revival church at 79 New Park Avenue was dedicated on July 26, 1925, and today serves a richly bilingual community with Masses celebrated in both English and Spanish. It is staffed by the Missionaries of Our Lady of La Salette (M.S.) and runs an outreach food pantry and soup kitchen that serves the wider Parkville area.
- Established
- 1887
- Patron
- Our Lady of Sorrows (the Blessed Virgin Mary in her Seven Sorrows)
- Rector
- Very Rev. John P. Melnick (Parish Administrator, appointed January 1, 2024, in addition to his role as Rector of the Cathedral of St. Joseph)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Hartford
Why belong here
Our Lady of Sorrows is one of Parkville's oldest Catholic institutions, deeply woven into the immigrant history of the neighborhood — first German, French, and Irish, and today primarily Puerto Rican and Hispanic families. The parish welcomes worshippers with a fully bilingual (English and Spanish) Mass schedule, a Saturday evening Vigil, daily morning Masses, and weekly Confession. Its parish-run food pantry and Saturday-morning soup kitchen serve neighbors in need, and its 1925 Gothic church — with the Connick stained glass and the original 1887 chapel bell — remains a Hartford landmark worth a visit in its own right.
Mass times at Our Lady of Sorrows
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 3:00 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. (in the Church)
- Or by appointment — call the parish office at (860) 233-4424
Parish History
Our Lady of Sorrows began in 1887 as a mission chapel built by Fr. William A. Harty at the corner of New Park Avenue and Grace Street to serve Parkville's Catholic immigrants. It was formally established as a parish in 1895. As the community outgrew the original wooden-frame chapel, Fr. Henry Galvin pushed forward construction of a much larger Gothic church, designed by O'Connell and Shaw of Boston. Ground was broken in 1922 and the present church, with seating for 1,200, was dedicated on July 26, 1925. The parish marked its centenary in 1987.
- 1887 – Mission chapel founded on Grace Street by Fr. William A. Harty
- 1895 – Chapel raised to parish status
- 1922 – Ground broken for the present church (designed by O'Connell and Shaw, Boston)
- July 26, 1925 – Church dedicated
- 1938 – Hurricane damages the building; tops of entrance towers removed
- 1987 – Centenary of the parish commemorated
The Church Building
The present-day church at 79 New Park Avenue is a Gothic Revival concrete structure roughly 175 feet long with a cruciform (T-shaped) plan, featuring a massive parabolic-arched main entrance, copper trim, and an aged-copper spire that reaches about 150 feet. The interior is lined with stained glass windows designed by Charles J. Connick of Boston, and the bell from the original 1887 chapel is still in use.
- Architect: O'Connell and Shaw of Boston
- Style: Gothic Revival (adapted from French and English Gothic)
- Seating capacity: 1,200
- Stained glass: Charles J. Connick (Boston)
- Spire height: ~150 feet
- Original 1887 chapel bell: still in use
Clergy & Staff
The parish is currently administered by Very Rev. John P. Melnick (also Rector of the Cathedral of St. Joseph) and is served by a bilingual pastoral team including a parochial vicar, a part-time parochial vicar, and two deacons, alongside parish secretary Rosa H. Mercano. The community has historically been served by the Missionaries of Our Lady of La Salette (M.S.).
- Very Rev. John P. Melnick — Administrator (since Jan. 1, 2024)
- Rev. Daniel Valente — Parochial Vicar
- Rev. Cornelius Kelechi Anyanwu — Part-time Parochial Vicar
- Deacon Victor Bilbraut
- Deacon Valentin Perez
- Fr. James Aherne, M.S.
- Fr. John Higgins, M.S.
- Sr. Margarita Castaneda, C.N.D.
- Rosa H. Mercano — Parish Secretary
Outreach & Food Ministries
Our Lady of Sorrows runs one of Parkville's longest-standing direct-service outreach programs. Through its Food Pantry and Saturday Soup Kitchen — both located at 37 Grace Street Rear — the parish feeds hundreds of local families and individuals each week, regardless of religious affiliation or background. Services require a photo ID and proof of address for pantry assistance.
- Soup kitchen (sandwiches): Saturdays 7:30–8:30 a.m. — open to anyone in need
- Food pantry: Fridays 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon
- Location: 37 Grace Street Rear, Hartford
- Eligibility (pantry): photo ID and proof of address; no fee
A Bilingual, Immigrant Parish
From its founding, Our Lady of Sorrows has reflected successive waves of immigration into Parkville — first German, French, and Irish, and over the last half-century primarily Puerto Rican and other Hispanic families. Today, the Spanish-language Sunday Mass is the most heavily attended liturgy of the week, and the parish has remained a spiritual anchor for the neighborhood's Catholic community.
- 1887–early 1900s: German, French, and Irish Catholic founders
- Twentieth century: increasingly Hispanic / Puerto Rican Catholic community
- Today: bilingual English/Spanish parish life
Visiting Our Lady of Sorrows
Visitors are warmly welcomed to Our Lady of Sorrows, which sits on the corner of New Park Avenue and Grace Street in Hartford. The parish office is reached at 16 Greenwood Street (entrance off Greenwood) and the main church is at 79 New Park Avenue. Directions from I-91 are available via local mapping tools; worshippers coming from neighboring towns in Hartford County frequently travel via I-84 West into Parkville.
- Main church: 79 New Park Avenue, Hartford, CT 06106
- Parish office: 16 Greenwood Street, Hartford, CT 06106
- Outreach / pantry: 37 Grace Street Rear, Hartford
- Office phone: (860) 233-4424
- Website: https://www.olsparishchurch.org/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. William A. Harty1887
Founder; purchased the Grace/New Park land for the original mission chapel.
- Fr. Henry Galvin
Proposed and pushed forward construction of the present Gothic church (ground broken 1922, dedicated 1925).
- Fr. Joseph M. O'Neil, M.S.
Pastor; listed as pastor on parish directories at least through 2019; La Salette Missionary.
- Very Rev. John P. Melnick2024–present
Appointed Administrator of Our Lady of Sorrows effective January 1, 2024, while remaining Rector of the Cathedral of St. Joseph.