About Sts. Peter and Paul · Norwich, Connecticut
Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church is a Roman-Latin rite parish located at 181 Elizabeth Street on the west side of Norwich, Connecticut. Founded in 1938 as the first Catholic church on Norwich's West Side, the parish has long served as a tight-knit faith community known for its hospitality, youth athletics, and multigenerational family ties. Today it operates as part of the Joint Norwich Catholic Cluster alongside St. Mary Church, under the pastoral leadership of Fr. Robert Washabaugh and within the Diocese of Norwich. The parish welcomes all who seek to celebrate the Eucharist and grow as disciples in the Catholic tradition.
- Established
- 1938
- Patron
- Saints Peter and Paul (the Apostles)
- Rector
- Rev. Robert Washabaugh
- Diocese
- Diocese of Norwich
Why belong here
Sts. Peter and Paul offers the warmth of a multigenerational west-side Norwich parish where parishioners describe the church as 'family,' with weekly Mass, Saturday confessions, and strong ties to local youth and community life. As part of the Joint Norwich Catholic Cluster alongside St. Mary, it combines the close-knit feel of a neighborhood church with the wider resources of a clustered Catholic community dedicated to prayer, the sacraments, and service to those in need.
Mass times at Sts. Peter and Paul
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM
About Sts. Peter and Paul
Sts. Peter and Paul is a Roman Catholic parish serving the west side of Norwich, Connecticut, at 181 Elizabeth Street. It is part of the Joint Norwich Catholic Cluster (JNCC), a partnership with nearby St. Mary Church in Norwich. The parish belongs to the Diocese of Norwich and welcomes worshippers to weekday and Sunday Masses, Saturday confessions, and the full sacramental life of the Church.
Parish History
The parish community was established in 1936 under Father Francis Eagan, with the cornerstone laid in 1937 and the first Mass celebrated on Easter Sunday, 1938. It was the first Catholic church built on Norwich's West Side, designed in the Romanesque style and built to accommodate around 600 worshippers. Funding came largely from parishioner donations, card parties, and lawn festivals.
- 1936 — parish community established
- 1937 — cornerstone laid
- 1938 — first Mass celebrated Easter Sunday
- 1942 — Father William J. Baldwin named pastor
- Late 1950s — catechism classes held at Mount Pleasant School; convent/recreation center planned on Elizabeth Street
- 1958 — new convent/recreation building destroyed by fire the night before its dedication
- 2011–2012 — significant exterior and interior renovation completed
- 2013 — 75th anniversary celebrated on the parish feast day with Bishop Michael R. Cote
Monsignor Baldwin and the West Side Youth
Father (later Monsignor) William J. Baldwin, named pastor in 1942, became a beloved figure on Norwich's west side for his work with young people. He organized athletic leagues and social programs that gave generations of children and teens a parish-centered community life. His dream of a Catholic school next to the church on Elizabeth Street never fully materialized after the 1958 fire destroyed the converted convent/recreation building the night before its dedication.
Parish Leadership and Staff
The parish is led as part of the Joint Norwich Catholic Cluster. Fr. Robert Washabaugh currently administers both Sts. Peter and Paul and St. Mary parishes, working with associate deacons and staff. Past pastors listed in parish history include founding pastor Fr. Francis Eagan, Fr. (later Monsignor) William J. Baldwin, and Fr. Leszek T. Janik (pastor at the time of the 2013 anniversary and the 2011–2012 renovation).
- Fr. Robert Washabaugh — Pastor / Cluster Administrator
- Associate deacons (Joint Norwich Catholic Cluster)
- Fr. Francis Eagan — founding pastor (1936–1942)
- Monsignor William J. Baldwin — pastor from 1942
- Fr. Leszek T. Janik — pastor at 75th anniversary, oversaw 2011–2012 renovation
Joint Norwich Catholic Cluster
Sts. Peter and Paul and St. Mary Church in Norwich together form the Joint Norwich Catholic Cluster (JNCC), sharing pastoral leadership, staff, and certain ministries. The cluster's website, JNCCFaith.org, presents the parishes as a single Catholic community welcoming everyone to follow the example of Christ through prayer, the sacraments, and service to others.
- Cluster website: JNCCFaith.org
- Partner parish: St. Mary, Norwich
- Cluster administrator: Fr. Robert Washabaugh
Ministries and Community Life
Long known as a parish with strong family and youth ties on Norwich's west side, Sts. Peter and Paul has historically been deeply involved in sports and social programs for parish children. The parish continues pastoral care for its members and partners with St. Vincent de Paul Place in Norwich in outreach to neighbors in need.
- Youth athletics and social programs (a tradition dating to Monsignor Baldwin's pastorate)
- Pastoral care for parishioners
- Outreach with St. Vincent de Paul Place
- Cluster-wide faith formation opportunities through the Joint Norwich Catholic Cluster
Sacraments
The parish celebrates the regular sacraments of the Roman Catholic Church. In addition to Sunday and weekday Masses, it offers the sacrament of Reconciliation on Saturday afternoons before the Vigil Mass. Preparation for First Communion, Confirmation, Baptism, Marriage, and Anointing of the Sick is available through the parish office.
- Eucharist — daily and Sunday Masses
- Reconciliation — Saturday 3:00–3:45 PM
- First Communion and Confirmation preparation
- Baptism, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick — by arrangement with the parish office
75th Anniversary (2013)
The parish community gathered on June 29, 2013 — the feast day of Saints Peter and Paul — to mark 75 years since the first Mass in 1938. Bishop Michael R. Cote celebrated the anniversary Mass, and roughly 140 people attended a reception in the church hall. Parishioners like Daniel Leone and Carol Cieslukowski spoke of the parish as family, recalling Confirmations, First Communions, and decades of community life on the west side.
Visiting the Parish
Sts. Peter and Paul sits at the top of a hill at 181 Elizabeth Street in Norwich. From I-395, visitors take Exit 80 east onto Route 82, then turn right onto Osgood Street. Parking is available on the parish grounds, and the church is accessible from the west-side neighborhoods that have called it home since 1938.
- 181 Elizabeth Street, Norwich, CT 06360
- From I-395: Exit 80 east on Route 82, right on Osgood Street to the top of the hill
- Parish phone: (860) 887-2565
- Cluster website: www.JNCCFaith.org
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Francis Eagan1936–1942
Founding pastor; oversaw construction of the church, with first Mass celebrated Easter Sunday 1938.
- Rev. William J. Baldwin1942–
Named pastor in 1942; known for youth athletics and social programs; planned the parish convent/school building that tragically burned down in 1958.
- Rev. Leszek T. Janik
Pastor at the time of the parish's 75th anniversary in 2013; oversaw the 2011–2012 exterior and interior renovation.
- Rev. Robert Washabaugh
Current pastor/administrator of the Joint Norwich Catholic Cluster including Sts. Peter and Paul.