About Saint Christopher Church of Saint Edmund Campion Parish · East Hartford, Connecticut
Saint Edmund Campion Parish was a Roman Catholic parish in East Hartford, Connecticut, formed on June 29, 2017, by merging three South-end parishes: Blessed Sacrament, Our Lady of Peace, and Saint Christopher. It belongs to the Archdiocese of Hartford and was served from its rectory at 538 Brewer Street. The parish was led by Father John Gwozdz and offered Mass at Saint Christopher Church (538 Brewer Street) and Our Lady of Peace Church (370 May Road), with confession on Saturdays, religious education (K–8), Confirmation and youth ministry (grades 9–12), choirs, Knights of Columbus, a food bank, prayer line, prayer shawl ministry, RCIA, Vacation Bible Camp, and many other lay-led ministries. Effective July 1, 2024, Archbishop Leonard P. Blair decreed that Saint Edmund Campion Parish was subsumed into North American Martyrs Parish, leaving Saint Christopher Church (alongside Saint Mary's) as a worship site of that larger combined entity.
- Established
- 2017 (Saint Edmund Campion Parish); 1965 (Saint Christopher Church as a parish); 1955 (Saint Christopher Church dedicated)
- Patron
- Saint Edmund Campion, SJ — English Jesuit priest and martyr (1540–1581), one of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales, canonized in 1970, patron of the British Province of the Society of Jesus
- Rector
- Rev. John Gwozdz
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Hartford
Why belong here
Saint Edmund Campion Parish welcomed Catholics of East Hartford's south end with the rhythm of a classic New England parish: Saturday Vigil Mass at 4:00 PM and Sunday Mass at 10:30 AM at Saint Christopher Church, a Tuesday–Thursday 8:00 AM daily Mass, Saturday confessions from 3:00–3:45 PM, and Sunday Mass at 8:30 AM at Our Lady of Peace Church. Families found cradle-to-Confirmation formation through Leo Forte's Religious Education program (K–8) and Kristina Gillespie's Confirmation Prep and Youth Ministry (9–12), plus Summer Vacation Bible Camp. Parishioners could join the Chancel Choir under Roberta H. De Fiore, the Family Choir under Toni Mintel, the Knights of Columbus (Grand Knight Ray Simeone), the Prayer Line, the Prayer Shawl Ministry, or bring their talents to one of the more than two dozen lay-led ministries, from the Food Bank to the Consolation, Homebound, and Parishioner-in-Need (PIN) ministries to the Adult Social Club, with a Pro Life Committee led by Deacon Phil Gosselin and pastoral guidance from Father John Gwozdz.
Mass times at Saint Christopher Church of Saint Edmund Campion Parish
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM (Saint Christopher Church, 538 Brewer Street)
Parish History
Saint Edmund Campion Parish was erected on June 29, 2017, as the canonical home of three South-end East Hartford parishes — Blessed Sacrament, Our Lady of Peace, and Saint Christopher — under the Archdiocese of Hartford's pastoral planning. The full history of its flagship church, Saint Christopher, reaches back to 1952, when Blessed Sacrament obtained a three-acre site on the Brewer Street Extension from the Terence Shannon family. Designed by architect Walter R. Furey of Thompsonville, built by Associated Construction Co. of Hartford, and decorated by Rambusch and Co. of New York, the church was dedicated on December 18, 1955, and grew through a 1957 addition. On September 16, 1965, Archbishop O'Brien erected Saint Christopher as an independent parish with Father Henry J. Murphy as its founding pastor. After decades of parish life, all three legacy communities were merged into Saint Edmund Campion Parish in 2017, and on July 1, 2024, that merged entity was itself subsumed into the wider North American Martyrs Parish by Archbishop Leonard P. Blair.
- 1952 — Blessed Sacrament acquires three-acre Shannon-family site on Brewer Street Extension
- 1954 — Ground broken November 11, 1954, by Father Henry J. Murphy
- 1955 — Saint Christopher Church dedicated December 18, 1955, by Archbishop Henry J. O'Brien
- 1956 — Addition blessed July 21, 1957, to accommodate growing parish
- 1965 — Saint Christopher erected as its own parish on September 16, 1965
- 2017 — Saint Edmund Campion Parish formed June 29, 2017, from the merger of Blessed Sacrament, Our Lady of Peace, and Saint Christopher parishes
- 2024 — Merged into North American Martyrs Parish effective July 1, 2024 (Archbishop Blair's decree of April 1, 2024)
Saint Christopher Church
The principal worship site of the parish was Saint Christopher Church at 538 Brewer Street, East Hartford. A mid-century modern Catholic church for the growing south end of town, it was the spiritual and administrative heart of Saint Edmund Campion Parish until the 2024 merger.
Our Lady of Peace Church
Saint Edmund Campion Parish's second worship site was Our Lady of Peace Church at 370 May Road, East Hartford, where a Sunday 8:30 AM Mass and a Monday 8:00 AM Mass were celebrated. With the 2024 merger into North American Martyrs Parish, Our Lady of Peace was closed as a place of regular Sunday Mass.
- 370 May Road, East Hartford, CT 06118
- Sunday Mass: 8:30 AM
- Monday Mass: 8:00 AM
Clergy & Staff
The parish was led by Father John Gwozdz, who served as pastor and also chaired the Finance Council and Building & Grounds Committee. Deacon Phil Gosselin was a member of the parish community and led the Pro Life Committee. Day-to-day faith formation was carried out by Leo Forte (Coordinator of Religious Education, K–8) and Kristina Gillespie (Director of Youth Ministry & Confirmation, grades 9–12).
- Rev. John Gwozdz — Pastor; Finance Council; Building & Grounds Committee
- Deacon Phil Gosselin — Pro Life Committee
- Leo Forte — Coordinator of Religious Education (K–8); Hospitality; Publicity
- Kristina Gillespie — Director of Youth Ministry & Confirmation (Grades 9–12); Summer Vacation Bible Camp
Faith Formation & Youth
Through its combined program the parish offered Religious Education for grades K–8 under Coordinator Leo Forte, and a Confirmation Preparation and Youth Ministry track for grades 9–12 under Director Kristina Gillespie. Registration and Confirmation preparation typically gathered in the Saint Christopher Church Hall, with the form-letter contact [email protected] and a Registration deadline in late August. A Summer Vacation Bible Camp rounded out the formation year.
- Religious Education, Grades K–8 — Coordinator: Leo Forte
- Confirmation Prep & Youth Ministry, Grades 9–12 — Director: Kristina Gillespie
- Summer Vacation Bible Camp — Kristina Gillespie
- Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) — Parish Office
- Religious Education contact email: [email protected]
Music Ministry
Saint Edmund Campion Parish sustained two complementary choirs. The Chancel Choir, directed by Roberta H. De Fiore, led the parish's principal liturgical music, while the Family Choir, under Antoinette 'Toni' Mintel, welcomed children and family participation at liturgies.
- Chancel Choir — Director: Roberta H. De Fiore (203-630-9295)
- Family Choir — Director: Antoinette 'Toni' Mintel (860-569-7593)
Parish Ministries & Lay Leadership
The parish's life was sustained by a wide network of lay-led ministries, from liturgical roles like Altar Servers, Lectors, and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, to outreach through the Food Bank, Homebound Ministry, PIN (Parishioner in Need) Ministry, Consolation Ministry, and Prayer Shawl Ministry. Pastoral councils included a Parish Council presided over by Jim Wilson and a Finance Council chaired by Father John Gwozdz, while parish life was enriched by a Knights of Columbus council under Grand Knight Ray Simeone, an Adult Social Club, and an active Prayer Line.
- Altar Servers, Lectors, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, Counter Ministry
- Building & Grounds Committee — Fr. John Gwozdz
- Parish Council — Jim Wilson, President
- Finance Council — Fr. John Gwozdz
- Food Bank — Michele Nelson
- Fundraising — Barbara Hanson
- Homebound Ministry — Barbara Hanson
- Hospitality — Leo Forte
- Knights of Columbus — Grand Knight Ray Simeone
- Prayer Line — Sally Ann Tanasi (e-mail prayer requests accepted)
- Prayer Shawl Ministry — Santa Vallone
- Consolation Ministry — Jean Nowik
- PIN Ministry (Parishioner in Need) — Parish Office
- Parish Library — Joan Perrone
- Adult Social Club — Frank and Joan Perrone
- Publicity — Leo Forte
- Pro Life Committee — Deacon Phil Gosselin
Sacraments
Sacramental life centered on Sunday and weekday Mass at Saint Christopher Church and Our Lady of Peace Church, with Saturday confessions. Preparation for the sacraments of Initiation flowed through the Religious Education program (K–8) and the Confirmation Prep program (9–12), while adults seeking Baptism, Confirmation, or full communion entered the parish through the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA). Homebound and Consolation Ministries carried the pastoral care of the sick and the consoling of the bereaved into homes and funeral rites.
- Baptism, First Reconciliation, First Communion — through Religious Education program
- Confirmation — Grades 9–12 Confirmation Prep Program
- RCIA — Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults
- Marriage — arranged through the Parish Office
- Anointing and Pastoral Care of the Sick — Homebound Ministry and Consolation Ministry
- Funeral / Bereavement support — Consolation Ministry (Jean Nowik)
Devotions & Prayer
Beyond the Mass schedule, the parish sustained a Prayer Line (led by Sally Ann Tanasi, with e-mail prayer requests accepted), a Prayer Shawl Ministry (Santa Vallone), and Eucharistic devotion through its Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion who carried Communion to the homebound. The parish also maintained a Pro Life Committee under Deacon Phil Gosselin, articulating the community's witness to the sanctity of life.
- Prayer Line — Sally Ann Tanasi (860-569-4072); e-mail prayer requests accepted
- Prayer Shawl Ministry — Santa Vallone (860-569-1772)
- Eucharistic Ministry to the Homebound — Barbara Hanson
- Pro Life Committee — Deacon Phil Gosselin
Parish Office & Contact
The parish offices were based at the Saint Christopher campus at 538 Brewer Street, East Hartford, Connecticut 06118. Phone (860) 568-5240, fax (860) 568-0673, and the general e-mail [email protected] served as the first point of contact for Mass Cards, Religious Education, bulletin requests, and general parish business.
- Mailing Address: 538 Brewer Street, East Hartford, CT 06118
- Phone: (860) 568-5240
- Fax: (860) 568-0673
- General E-mail: [email protected]
- Website: www.stedmundcampionparish.org
2024 Merger with North American Martyrs Parish
On April 1, 2024, Archbishop Leonard P. Blair issued a decree (effective July 1, 2024) under canons 121 and 515 §2 of the Code of Canon Law, subsuming Saint Edmund Campion Parish into North American Martyrs Parish. The newly merged entity kept the name North American Martyrs Parish and retained Saint Christopher Church and Saint Mary's Church as its sacred edifices; Our Lady of Peace Church and Saint Rose Church remained sacred places but lost their regular Sunday Mass schedules. The parish's assets, liabilities, sacramental registers, and historical records were transferred to North American Martyrs Parish, and the consolidated territorial boundaries became the combined boundaries of the former parishes. The Archdiocese of Hartford's Pastoral Planning Office cited consolidation as the 'municipal model' response to East Hartford's changed demographics and reduced priest availability.
- Decree signed by Archbishop Leonard P. Blair, April 1, 2024
- Effective July 1, 2024
- Surviving churches of the merger: Saint Christopher and Saint Mary's
- Closed as regular Mass sites: Our Lady of Peace and Saint Rose
- Sacramental registers and historical records transferred to North American Martyrs Parish
Saint Edmund Campion — Patron of the Parish
The parish's patron, Saint Edmund Campion (1540–1581), was an English Jesuit priest who left Oxford for Rome and was ordained, then returned to Elizabethan England as part of the first Jesuit mission. He ministered secretly to persecuted Catholics, wrote the famous Decem Rationes ('Ten Reasons') in defense of the Faith, and was captured at Lyford Grange, tortured in the Tower of London, and executed at Tyburn on December 1, 1581. He was beatified by Pope Leo XIII in 1886 and canonized by Pope Paul VI in 1970 as one of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales; his feast day is December 1.
- Born January 25, 1540, in London
- Ordained a Jesuit priest; returned to England in 1580 on the first Jesuit mission
- Author of Decem Rationes ('Ten Reasons')
- Martyred at Tyburn on December 1, 1581
- Beatified 1886; canonized 1970 by Pope Paul VI as one of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales
- Patron of the British Province of the Society of Jesus