About St. Philip the Apostle · Ashford, Connecticut
St. Philip the Apostle is a Roman Catholic parish in the Warrenville section of Ashford, Connecticut, serving the rural Catholic community of Ashford and neighboring Willington. The parish shares worship and pastoral life with its sister church, St. Jude in Willington, and is part of the Diocese of Norwich. The parish's identity is rooted in the farming families — many of Slovak descent — who literally built its stone church with their own hands during the Great Depression, and today it continues as a small, welcoming community committed to prayer, the Eucharist, and service to the surrounding countryside.
- Established
- 1921
- Patron
- St. Philip the Apostle
- Rector
- Father Michael Giannitelli
- Diocese
- Diocese of Norwich
Why belong here
St. Philip the Apostle is a small, close-knit Catholic community in the quiet corner of northeastern Connecticut where every face tends to be known. The parish offers a full weekend Mass schedule (Saturday evening and two Sunday morning Masses), daily weekday Masses mid-week, Eucharistic Adoration and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy each Friday, and a clear path to the sacraments — including Saturday confessions. Worship is shared with the parish family of St. Jude in Willington, and active groups such as the Women's Bible Study give newcomers an easy way to plug in. For Catholics in Ashford, Willington, and the surrounding hill towns, it is a place where a 1930s stone church, built by Slovak farming families, still feels like the heart of the community.
Mass times at St. Philip the Apostle
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00–4:00 p.m.
- By appointment
Adoration times
- Friday — Eucharistic Adoration begins following the 8:00 a.m. Mass; Chaplet of Divine Mercy at 11:50 a.m.; Adoration ends at noon with Benediction
Welcome and Parish Mission
St. Philip the Apostle describes itself as the Catholic community of Ashford and Willington. Its mission statement, posted on the home page, reads: "We, the people of God of St. Philip The Apostle and Saint Jude's Church, are called to witness and proclaim God's life among us through a community of prayer, praise and thanksgiving. As sisters and brothers in the Lord, we share the responsibility to use our God-given gifts of time, talent, and treasure toward building His Kingdom." The parish commits to worship, prayer, service, and evangelization under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Church History
The parish was founded in 1921 by the Diocese of Hartford (eastern Connecticut then still part of Hartford) with the Rev. William J. Dunn as its first pastor. Father Dunn celebrated Mass in the farmhouse where he lived for over a decade before construction of the present church began in 1933. The church was designed by New York architectural designer Paul Chalfin, a summer resident of Warrenville, and was built largely by parishioners using fieldstone gathered from local farms during the Great Depression. It was completed in 1937, and its Golden Jubilee was commemorated in 1987. Today the parish is part of the Diocese of Norwich and shares worship with its sister church, St. Jude in Willington.
- 1921 — Diocese of Hartford purchases a farmhouse with 135 acres in Warrenville, Ashford, and assigns Fr. William J. Dunn to found the new parish
- 1921 onward — Fr. Dunn celebrates Mass in a partitioned section of his own farmhouse for about 100 worshipers
- 1933 — Construction of the present church begins, designed by Paul Chalfin with donated engineering services
- 1937 — The native-stone church, with its Byzantine-style copper onion dome, is completed
- 1981 — Sister mission St. Jude Church in Willington is established
- 1987 — Parish marks its Golden Jubilee (50th anniversary)
- Today — Part of the Diocese of Norwich; shares a pastor with St. Jude, Willington
Architecture of St. Philip
The church is built of native stone, gathered and laid by the farming families of the parish during the 1930s. Its most distinctive feature is the Byzantine-style copper onion dome crowning the building — an architectural element typical of churches in the small Slovak villages from which many founding parishioners had come, and which Chalfin included as a tribute to them.
- Architectural designer: Paul Chalfin (best known for Villa Vizcaya, Miami)
- Construction: largely by parishioners using fieldstone from local farms and walls
- Defining feature: Byzantine copper onion dome honoring the Slovak heritage of the founders
The Sacraments
Beyond Mass and Confession, the parish prepares the faithful for the other sacraments. Couples wishing to marry at St. Philip should contact the Parish Office to begin marriage preparation, and parents preparing for a child's baptism are asked to do the same for the Baptismal Preparation program. The parish office (860-429-2860) is the point of contact for all sacramental preparation.
- Eucharist — celebrated daily per the published schedule
- Reconciliation — Saturday 3:00–4:00 p.m. or by appointment
- Baptism — Baptismal Preparation required; contact the Parish Office
- Marriage — Marriage Preparation required; contact the Parish Office
Ministries and Groups
The parish lists its active ministries and groups on a dedicated page. Preparation for the sacraments of Baptism and Marriage is coordinated through the Parish Office, and the Women's Bible Study, led by Julie Saegaert, is among the parish's named lay groups.
- Baptismal Preparation
- Marriage Preparation
- Women's Bible Study (Julie Saegaert)
Parish Staff
The parish is served by a small staff under the current pastor. The Main Office number (860-429-2860) is also the emergency contact line reaching the pastor.
- Rev. Michael Giannitelli — Pastor (emergency contact)
- Ann Phillips — Parish Secretary
- Patricia LaBonte — Bookkeeper
- Paula Vincent — Bulletin Editor
Contact, Location, and Office Hours
The parish office is located at 64 Pompey Hollow Road, Ashford, CT 06278, and is open Monday through Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The Main Office number (860-429-2860) also serves as the parish fax line and the after-hours emergency line to reach Father Giannitelli. Email is [email protected]. Sister church St. Jude is at 25 Old Farms Road, P.O. Box 240, West Willington, CT 06279.
- Address — 64 Pompey Hollow Road, Ashford, CT 06278
- Phone — 860-429-2860
- Email — [email protected]
- Office Hours — Monday–Thursday, 9:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m.
- Sister church — St. Jude, 25 Old Farms Road, P.O. Box 240, West Willington, CT 06279
Bulletin
The parish maintains an online archive of weekly bulletins on its website (under the Bulletin category), produced by bulletin editor Paula Vincent. Recent bulletins (e.g., June 7, 2026 and June 14, 2026) are posted regularly for parishioners who wish to follow announcements and readings at home.
- Weekly bulletin archived at saintphilipct.com/category/bulletin/
- Bulletin Editor — Paula Vincent
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. William J. Dunn1921–
Founding pastor; assigned by the Diocese of Hartford in 1921; celebrated Mass in the farmhouse that served as chapel; shepherded the construction of the present stone church, completed in 1937; endured harassment from local Ku Klux Klan members.
- Rev. P. Grzegorz Jednaki
Listed as pastor in the Diocese of Norwich parish directory (c. 2019).
- Rev. Michael Giannitelli
Current pastor; listed as emergency contact on the parish website.