About St. Patrick, St. Anthony · Hartford, Connecticut
St. Patrick–St. Anthony is a Roman Catholic parish in downtown Hartford, Connecticut, and the oldest Catholic church in the state, tracing its roots to Holy Trinity Parish founded in 1829 to serve Irish immigrants. Since 1990 it has been a mission of the Franciscan Friars (Order of Friars Minor, now of Our Lady of Guadalupe Province), and the parish shares its downtown campus with the Franciscan Center for Urban Ministry, a nonprofit that feeds, houses, and supports Hartford's most vulnerable neighbors. The parish motto is "Open hearts, open minds, open doors," and its worship life is centered on a vigorous music ministry and a robust schedule of daily and Sunday Masses celebrated in a welcoming, urban Franciscan tradition.
- Established
- 1829
- Patron
- St. Patrick and St. Anthony of Padua
- Rector
- Fr. Timothy J. Shreenan, O.F.M.
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Hartford
Why belong here
St. Patrick–St. Anthony is a downtown parish that takes seriously both the Eucharist and the call to serve. A parishioner finds a full schedule of daily and Sunday Masses with a celebrated music ministry (Gallery Choir, Treble Clef, and Bass Clef Choirs), the Sacraments celebrated in a Franciscan spirit, and more than 40 ministries — from feeding the hungry at the House of Bread and serving daily sandwiches at the church door, to housing women at Catherine's Place and men through the Open Hearth, to bereavement and prayer ministries. It is a place where the worship life of a 175-year-old Catholic community and the everyday work of urban ministry are woven together under the care of the Franciscan Friars.
Mass times at St. Patrick, St. Anthony
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday: 11:15 AM – 11:45 AM
- Wednesday: 11:15 AM – 11:45 AM
- Friday: 11:15 AM – 11:45 AM
- Saturday: 3:15 PM – 3:45 PM
Our Parish & Mission
St. Patrick–St. Anthony Parish and the Franciscan Center for Urban Ministry form a single welcoming, dynamic community of Christian disciples rooted in the Franciscan tradition of Roman Catholicism. The parish actively extends hospitality at the Eucharistic Table and ministers reciprocally and in solidarity among the alienated and the poor, nurturing mind, body, and spirit in the Greater Hartford Community. As a mission of the Franciscan Friars of Our Lady of Guadalupe Province (formerly Holy Name Province), the parish serves the Archdiocese of Hartford and welcomes a diverse population of parishioners that draws from Massachusetts and across Connecticut.
- Roman Catholic faith community in the Franciscan Tradition
- Mission of the Franciscan Friars of Our Lady of Guadalupe Province
- Parish motto: 'Open hearts, open minds, open doors.'
Our History
The parish traces its story back to 1829 and the founding of Holy Trinity, the first Catholic church in Connecticut, born to welcome Irish immigrants crowding into Hartford. After early growth — the state's first Catholic school (1830), first Catholic cemetery (1839), and first Sisters of Mercy convent (1852) — fire repeatedly visited the community: 1853, 1875, and again in 1956, when the interior of St. Patrick's was gutted. The present structure was rebuilt within those walls, financed in part by the 1958 merger of St. Patrick and St. Anthony parishes. In 1990 the Franciscans arrived and two years later launched the Franciscan Center for Urban Ministry, dedicated in a new facility on the church grounds in April 2000.
- 1829: Holy Trinity Parish founded — first Catholic congregation in Connecticut
- 1830: First Catholic school, Sunday school, and (1839) first Catholic cemetery in CT
- 1850: Cornerstone for St. Patrick's laid at Ann and Church Streets
- 1852: First Sisters of Mercy convent in Connecticut (now Catherine's Place)
- 1853, 1875, 1956: Three major fires shaped the buildings
- October 25, 1958: Merger of St. Patrick and St. Anthony parishes
- 1990: Franciscans (Holy Name Province) invited by Archbishop Whealon
- June 1992: Franciscan Center for Urban Ministry established in former convent
- April 2000: New Franciscan Center facilities dedicated on church grounds
- 2025: 25th anniversary of the Franciscan Center celebrated
The Franciscan Center for Urban Ministry
Established in June 1992 in the former convent of St. Patrick–St. Anthony and dedicated in expanded facilities in April 2000, the Franciscan Center for Urban Ministry is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit supported through grants, fundraisers, and the generosity of volunteers and donors. It strives to meet a growing demand for quality community services, reaching out to a diverse population — especially the poor, the alienated, and those seeking educational opportunities — in downtown Hartford, area neighborhoods, and surrounding cities and towns.
- 501(c)(3) nonprofit housed on the church grounds
- Partnerships with House of Bread, Open Hearth, Levo International
- Wellness Center — collaboration with University of St. Joseph
- Catherine's Place — transitional residence for homeless women
- Build Interfaith House (Windsor) and other affordable-housing partnerships
Our Team
The pastoral team is led by Fr. Timothy J. Shreenan, O.F.M., who became Pastor on October 1, 2020 after more than 30 years at the Church of St. Francis of Assisi in New York City. He is joined by four Franciscan parochial vicars and a strong lay staff of pastoral associates, faith formation catechists, business and communications leaders, music ministers, and outreach coordinators.
- Fr. Timothy J. Shreenan, O.F.M. — Pastor (ordained 1984; Siena College '76; MDiv Washington Theological Union '84)
- Fr. William Beaudin, O.F.M. — Parochial Vicar & Guardian (Siena College '76; Weston School of Theology; MA in Liturgical Music, Catholic University)
- Fr. Michael Johnson, O.F.M. — Parochial Vicar & Executive Director of the Franciscan Center (former attorney; founded St. Francis Builds and Saint Francis International School)
- Fr. John Leonard, O.F.M. — Parochial Vicar (assigned here since July 2010)
- Fr. A. Francis Soucy, O.F.M. — Parochial Vicar & Senior Associate Friar
- Patricia Curtis — Pastoral Associate (Adult Faith Formation, Baptism Prep, Clare Gallery, Women of Hope)
- Sarah Christopher — Director of Communications / Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
- Kristina Didominzio — Business Manager
- David Garrido Cid — Director of Music Ministry
- Allison Holst-Grubbe — Director of Outreach & Volunteer Ministry
- Deb Pelletier — Coordinator of Faith Formation
- Mary Gray — Family Program
- Lauren Kasperowski — Traditional Program
- Abby Sheehan — Focus 4:12 Teen Faith Formation
- Faith Vos Winkel — Confirmation Preparation
- Carolyn Abramo — Administrative Assistant; Stacie Mawson — Saturday Receptionist
- Gilberto Lisboa — Church Custodian; Juana — Housekeeper
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The Faith Formation team, led by Coordinator Deb Pelletier (a nationally recognized formation leader for Catechesis of the Good Shepherd), offers a complete sacramental and ongoing formation program for children, teens, and adults in the parish.
- Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (Levels 1 and 2)
- Traditional Faith Formation Program
- Family Program
- Focus 4:12 Teen Faith Formation
- Confirmation Preparation
- Adult Faith Formation
- Baptism Preparation
Music & Liturgy
Under Director of Music Ministry David Garrido Cid, the Music Ministry is well known in the Hartford area and beyond for its long-standing tradition of truly meaningful repertoire, presented at an exceptional degree of quality. Three choral groups — Gallery, Treble Clef, and Bass Clef — accompany Masses, with the 10:00 AM Sunday Mass featuring the Gallery Choir and the 5:00 PM Sunday Mass alternating between the Bass Clef and Treble Clef Choirs. All choirs are open to new members; prior music-reading experience is welcomed but not required.
- Gallery Choir — mixed voices, rehearses Wednesdays 7:00–9:00 PM, sings at 10:00 AM Mass
- Bass Clef Choir — lower voices, rehearses Mondays 6:30–7:45 PM, sings at 5:00 PM
- Treble Clef Choir — upper voices, rehearses Wednesdays 5:30–6:45 PM, sings at 5:00 PM
- Cantors accompany Sunday and weekday Masses
Pastoral Care Ministries
A network of lay and ordained ministers walks with parishioners through illness, grief, and the death of loved ones. Coordinated by Fr. John Leonard, O.F.M., the ministries collaborate with the friars, ministry coordinators, and parish nurses to offer holistic care.
- Care Ministry — helps families plan a loved one's Mass of Christian Burial
- Bereavement Ministry — 'New Day' 9-week support program
- Emmaus Ministry for Grieving Parents — monthly support meetings
- Parish Nurse Ministry
- Pastoral Care Outreach — visits to homebound and hospitalized parishioners
- Prayer Network — ~50 parishioners praying daily for those in need
Outreach & Charity
The parish sponsors more than 40 ministries. Among the best-known is the partnership with the House of Bread, where volunteer meal teams serve hot meals on Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. The parish also runs a daily Sandwich Ministry (365 days a year, over 20 years running) and operates Catherine's Place and the Open Hearth @ Catherine's Place for homeless women and men.
- House of Bread Meal Teams (Thursdays, Saturdays, Sundays)
- Weekly Sandwich Stock-up (50 PB&J sandwiches delivered weekly)
- Catherine's Place — transitional residence for homeless women
- Open Hearth @ Catherine's Place — housing and ongoing support for men
- Affordable Housing partnerships — Interfaith Action Alliance (GHIAA), Levo International, Build Interfaith House
- St. Francis Builds mission trips (founded by Fr. Mike Johnson, OFM)
- Wellness Center — University of St. Joseph partnership
- Volunteer coordination through Allison Holst-Grubbe, Director of Outreach & Volunteer Ministry
Food Security Ministries
Recognizing hunger as one of Hartford's most persistent challenges, the parish sustains several overlapping food ministries that work in tandem with partner organizations to reach those in need.
- House of Bread Soup Kitchen meal teams
- Friday Shoppers Ministry (BJ's Wholesale orders for the Weekend Meal Program and Franciscan Center)
- Daily Sandwich Ministry passed out at the church door
- Levo International partnership