About St. Therese Parish - St. Stephen · Quinebaug, Connecticut
St. Therese of Lisieux Parish, headquartered at 218 Providence Street in Putnam, Connecticut, is a multi-site Roman Catholic parish in the Diocese of Norwich that encompasses four worship sites: Saint Mary Church of the Visitation in Putnam, Most Holy Trinity Church in Pomfret, St. Stephen Church in Quinebaug, and St. Joseph Church in North Grosvenordale. The parish takes its name from St. Thérèse of Lisieux, the French Carmelite known as 'The Little Flower,' and serves a wide swath of the Quiet Corner of northeastern Connecticut with weekend and weekday Masses spread across its churches, including a Sunday Mass at St. Stephen in Quinebaug at 8:30 AM. Very Reverend David P. Choquette serves as pastor of the collaborative parish, supported by parochial vicars and a small office staff reachable at 860-928-6535.
- Patron
- St. Thérèse of Lisieux (parish patron); St. Stephen (patron of the Quinebaug worship site)
- Rector
- Very Reverend David P. Choquette
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Norwich
Why belong here
St. Therese of Lisieux Parish offers Catholics of the Quiet Corner four historic churches within a single, family-friendly parish family — including the 130 Old Turnpike Road St. Stephen Church right in Quinebaug — with daily and weekend Masses, Saturday confession, a Rosary devotion, a Prayer Shawl Ministry, parish Religious Education with First Holy Communion preparation, baptism preparation classes, and active outreach through the pandemic recovery documented on its website.
Mass times at St. Therese Parish - St. Stephen
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 2:45 PM (parish-wide, at St. Mary Church, Putnam — in the Sacristy)
About St. Therese of Lisieux Parish
St. Therese of Lisieux Parish is a collaborative Roman Catholic parish in the Diocese of Norwich that serves Catholics across the northeastern Connecticut 'Quiet Corner.' The parish was formed by bringing together four historic worship sites — Saint Mary Church of the Visitation (Putnam), Most Holy Trinity Church (Pomfret), St. Joseph Church (North Grosvenordale), and St. Stephen Church (Quinebaug) — into one parish family under a single pastor, currently Very Reverend David P. Choquette. The parish takes its name from St. Thérèse of Lisieux, the French Carmelite nun proclaimed a Doctor of the Church whose 'Little Way' of spiritual childhood has inspired countless Catholics.
- Parish offices: 218 Providence Street, P.O. Box 665, Putnam, CT 06260-1514
- Phone: 860-928-6535 • Fax: 860-928-7246
- Office hours: Mon–Thu 8:00 AM–2:00 PM, Fri 8:00 AM–12:00 PM (summer 8:00 AM–12:00 PM Mon–Fri)
Worship Sites
Rather than a single building, St. Therese of Lisieux Parish worships in four churches spread across Putnam, Pomfret, Quinebaug, and North Grosvenordale. Each site maintains its own identity and patron saint, while sharing one pastor and parish staff.
- St. Mary Church of the Visitation — 218 Providence St., Putnam, CT (parish office location)
- Most Holy Trinity Church — Pomfret, CT
- St. Stephen Church — 130 Old Turnpike Rd., Quinebaug, CT 06262
- St. Joseph Church — North Grosvenordale, CT
St. Stephen Church, Quinebaug
St. Stephen Church, the parish's Quinebaug worship site, stands at 130 Old Turnpike Road, Quinebaug, CT 06262, and is dedicated to St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr. It hosts a Sunday Mass at 8:30 AM, plus weekday Masses Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday at 8:00 AM, and is a touchstone of Catholic life for the small Quinebaug community along the Connecticut/Massachusetts border in the Diocese of Norwich.
- Address: 130 Old Turnpike Rd., Quinebaug, CT 06262
- Sunday Mass: 8:30 AM
- Weekday Masses: Mon–Wed 8:00 AM
- Phone: 860-935-5205
Devotions and Other Services
Beyond the Mass schedule, the parish maintains a regular Saturday morning Rosary at 8:00 AM and observes Stations of the Cross during Lent, with a rotating Lenten series hosted at each of the four parish churches in successive weeks.
- Rosary — Saturday 8:00 AM
- Stations of the Cross — Fridays in Lent
- Lenten Series rotating among the four parish churches
- Baptism Parent Preparation Class — held at St. Mary
Sacraments
The parish prepares parishioners for and celebrates the seven Catholic sacraments. Baptisms require attendance at a parent preparation class, currently scheduled at St. Mary. First Holy Communion is celebrated annually with Religious Education families (a reception immediately follows at St. Mary). Couples seeking marriage are asked to contact the parish office, and priests of the parish bring the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick to the sick and homebound.
- Baptism (parent prep class required)
- First Holy Communion
- Reconciliation (Confession)
- Confirmation (coordinated through the Diocese of Norwich)
- Matrimony
- Anointing of the Sick
- Holy Orders (vocations referrals through the diocese)
Faith Formation & Religious Education
St. Therese of Lisieux Parish runs a parish Religious Education program for children whose families are registered in the parish. Registration each fall is held in the parish hall with refreshments and activities, and the program's First Holy Communion Mass is celebrated at St. Mary Church in Putnam, followed by a reception for Religious Education families. The 2025 First Communion/End of Year Reception was scheduled for Sunday, April 27, 2025.
- Religious Education registration held in the parish hall each fall
- First Holy Communion celebration at St. Mary Church, Putnam
- Reception for Religious Education families after First Communion
Ministries and Parish Life
Parish life at St. Therese of Lisieux is centered on its churches and supported by lay volunteers. The Prayer Shawl Ministry gathers to bless and distribute handmade shawls to those in need of comfort. Parishioners serve as Lectors, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, Altar Servers, and choir members. The 2020 reopening letter from the pastor noted that liturgical ministries were temporarily suspended during the pandemic and were later restored.
- Prayer Shawl Ministry
- Lectors
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- Altar Servers
- Parish Choir
Clergy and Staff
St. Therese of Lisieux Parish is led by Very Reverend David P. Choquette, Pastor, with parochial vicars assisting the four-church mission. Reverend Lawrence J. Barile was appointed Parochial Vicar effective July 16, 2024, replacing Reverend George Busto, who was reassigned on the same date to Guardian Angels Parish in Colchester/Lebanon. Parish office staff includes Dan Shaughnessy, Heather Riel, Lauren Skene, Mrs. Janice Lindsay, and Mrs. Claire LaFramboise.
- Pastor: Very Reverend David P. Choquette
- Parochial Vicar: Reverend Lawrence J. Barile (since July 16, 2024)
- Former Parochial Vicar: Reverend George Busto (through July 15, 2024)
- Office Staff: Dan Shaughnessy, Heather Riel, Lauren Skene, Mrs. Janice Lindsay, Mrs. Claire LaFramboise
Diocese of Norwich
St. Therese of Lisieux Parish is one of the parishes of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Norwich, which covers the Catholic faithful of the Quiet Corner and eastern Connecticut (and a small portion of New York). The diocese was erected by Pope Pius XII on August 6, 1953, taking territory from the Diocese of Hartford. Its current ordinary is Bishop Michael R. Cote. Diocesan clergy appointments are announced periodically; the most recent round affecting this parish was the July 16, 2024 appointments of Fr. Barile to and Fr. Busto away from the parish.
- Diocese: Roman Catholic Diocese of Norwich
- Erected: August 6, 1953
- Ordinary: Most Reverend Michael R. Cote, D.D., Bishop of Norwich
Contact and Location
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office by phone (860-928-6535), fax (860-928-7246), or in person at 218 Providence Street, Putnam, CT 06260 (P.O. Box 665, Putnam, CT 06260-1514). St. Stephen Church in Quinebaug has its own direct line at 860-935-5205. The website at stthereseputnam.org carries the full bulletin, Mass schedule, events calendar, and contact form.
- Parish office: 218 Providence St., P.O. Box 665, Putnam, CT 06260-1514
- Phone: 860-928-6535
- Fax: 860-928-7246
- St. Stephen, Quinebaug: 860-935-5205
- Website: http://www.stthereseputnam.org/