Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Church (Hartford, Connecticut)


Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Church is a parish church in the Archdiocese of Hartford located in Hartford, Connecticut, United States. The parish was founded by Lithuanian immigants at the turn of the 20th-century. Begun in 1912, the current church building realized its current form in 1927.

History

Lithuanians began settling in the Hartford, Connecticut area in the 1890s. By 1894, Father Joseph Zebris, who had been celebrating Mass in Waterbury, Connecticut, began his mission in Hartford, where a nucleus of 20 Lithuanian families was established. His endeavor was to unify the Lithuanian families, and did so by organizing "The Sons of Lithuania Society" in Hartford in 1896, under the patronage of St. John the Baptist.
In June 1898, Father Zebris was appointed as pastor of a church in New Britain. This, however, did not diminish his fervor of Hartford's Lithuanian Catholics ability to celebrate Mass in their native tongue. During the latter half of the 19th century, many Lithuanians immigrated to foreign countries, most choosing the eastern part of the United States, where a better-developed industry offered more jobs and better wages. About 80 immigrants settled in Hartford. Father Zebris organized a meeting for all Lithuanian Hartfordites and those from Windsor and Poquonock to discuss offering Mass on Sundays in Hartford. The faithful and ardent immigrants held a July 4th bazaar/picnic, and from the proceeds were able to rent a large room in a building on the corner of Sheldon and Main Street for $12 a month. They celebrated their first Mass there on July 17, 1898.
By the year 1900, the Hartford Lithuanian mission had grown immensely, and Pastor J. Zebris addressed the diocese, that it recognize the Hartford Lithuanian Catholic community as its own entity. Therefore, this year is considered as the beginning date for the establishment of the Hartford Lithuanian Catholic church. Through the efforts of Reverend Zebris, property was acquired June 22, 1903, consisting of a lot and a two-story brick building on 41 Capitol Avenue, with a loan for $10,000. The parishioners renovated a part of this building to be used as a church, which on August 18, 1903, was consecrated and named "The Lithuanian Roman Catholic Church of the Holy Redeemer". A celebration followed with a parade, orchestra, and priests from various Lithuanian parishes, as well as organizations, i.e."The Lithuanian Roman Catholic Sons Society" and "The Knights of Lithuania, Chapter 6". At the ceremony, Vicar General Reverend John Synott and Pastor Zebris of Waterbury, and other Lithuanian priests, including Joseph Jakstys, Anthony Milukas, Peter Saurusaitis and John Ambot were present.
Although the parishioners material possessions were lean, their conviction to keep the church viable was strong. This goal was aided by more Lithuanians settling in Hartford and in the year 1912, the loan of $10,000, was paid off.

First pastor

From 1903, Father Zebris had dual pastor duties at the New Britain and Hartford Lithuanian Churches. In New Britain the ongoing construction of a Lithuanian church needed funds and Father Zebris, it was alleged, started borrowing unauthorized monies from Hartford's Holy Trinity Church. As a necessity, Father Zebris withdrew from Holy Trinity Church affairs in June 1912 and was transferred by Bishop John J. Nilan, to assume the duties of pastor at St. Joseph Polish Church, Norwich. Also in June 1912, Bishop Nilan appointed a Lithuanian Pastor, the Reverend John J. Ambot, to Holy Trinity Church in Hartford. Energetic and dedicated, Father Ambot worked for the parish and for the welfare of the Lithuanian community. The church flourished in attendance, and various Catholic Lithuanian societies were established. Father Zebris later died on February 8, 1915, but he had paid most of the money back to Holy Trinity Church.
Father Ambot was approached with a plan – to join together the New Britain and Hartford churches. He declined. All along, Father Ambot wished to build a cohesive church in Hartford. Because the present church could not accommodate the influx of Hartford's Lithuanian Catholics, Father Ambot had to expand the chapel. Since the lot for the church was very small, first the existing chapel was moved to the area behind the space for the new church building. Two horses were used to move the two-story building over six months in 1913 about. Construction was underway. The cornerstone of the new church was blessed in the summer of 1915. The high ceilinged basement and the engaging facade of the future church were completed by Christmas of the same year. The price was 30,000. dollars.
For 51 years, Father Ambot worked diligently and vibrantly as provost of Holy Trinity Church. Due to his capability, devotion, unending activity and understanding the needs of an ethnic church, this was a big stimulus to the parish. Holy Trinity began to flourish, as it moved forward.
In 1916, the lot adjacent to the church property, 53 Capitol Avenue, was purchased for $20,000. by the parish. This parcel of land contained two buildings - one was a brick structure, the other wooden. The brick home was used as the rectory. The wooden house was initially a residence for the organist and later as a place for Franciscan monks to live. Then in 1924, this building became a convent for the teachers of the parish school.
In 1925, it was decided by parishioners that a complete renovation of the church was needed, so that it would be uniform, not built at different times or added on. Costing slightly more than $100,000., the result was the church as we know it today. Two tall towers would grace the front of the church, one tower would hold 3 gold embossed bells. The inside of the church would house three altars with gold gilding, a large pipe organ, oak pews, and colorful statues as well as stained windows. This work was completed in March 1927 and on March 18, 1928, it was dedicated. For unknown reasons the previous parish name did not survive, and the church was renamed Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Church.
Bishop Maurice F. McAuliffe, on April 18, 1939, gave John J. Ambot, the title of Monsignor. Until his death on December 19, 1963, at the age of 93, Monsignor Ambot, was an experienced, beloved leader that by example, led the parishioners to work in unity, devoting their time to their church and cognizant of the spiritual value it presented to their lives.

The school

In 1923, Hartford's Holy Trinity Parish acquired a three-story, 18-room building at 339 Capitol Avenue for $50,000. There was unanimous agreement that it was necessary to educate future generations with a firm religious, cultural and ethnic background. The two lower floors of the building were used for classrooms and the third floor was remodeled with an auditorium complete with a stage for concerts, plays, and other educational and cultural events. The school was staffed by Lithuanian Franciscan Sisters from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,.
In 1924, Holy Trinity School started to accept students. In that year, there were 164 students in the elementary classes. Six Sisters were designated to teach under the direction of Mother M. Battista. The school evolved to include secondary grades of education. Holy Trinity School was the first Catholic School in the Hartford Diocese. Its good ranking attracted one of Governor John Dempsey's sons.
In 1964, the diocese ordered the school to be closed. The Hartford Diocese, in the meantime, built three new Catholic schools. The diocese sold the building, that was the Holy Trinity Catholic School, and the new owners demolished the building and built a gas station. During the forty years this school educated, provided religious guidance, and taught exemplary life skills to more than 6,000 students.

Invigorated parishioners

Many of the early Lithuanian immigrants were strong, energetic, and productive. The parish community of Hartford had grown to over 500 families, however, by the mid-twentieth century, the movement to the expanding suburbs and time had taken a toll on this aging colony. Shortly after the war an influx of about 300 displaced Lithuanian persons began to arrive in the Hartford area. The ranks of Holy Trinity Church were revitalized by drawing these devout Catholics to worship and socialize. During this time, many Lithuanian cultural, ethnic, and social organizations were formed. They were/are as follows: Lithuanian Scouts, Lithuanian Leadership Committee, BALFAS, Veterans' Society, choir "Aidas", Koffee Klub, Lithuanian Dance Group, Lithuanian Saturday School, Lithuanian Women's Federation Club, Men's Trio, etc. This growth of Lithuanian friendship, worship, and activity spanned around sixty years.
On February 13, 1964, Father Joseph Matutis was appointed as Pastor of Holy Trinity Church. In 1964 he implemented Vatican council rules for Catholic churches. Father Matutis also saw the need for church renovations. In 1975 the church proper and the basement were totally remodeled. He also, despite the deterioration of the surrounding neighborhoods, he was able to keep the parishioner population from declining because he was social by nature, and became an accessible friend to many parishioners. In 1975 there were 300 families in the parish. A lot of attention was paid to the Catholic holy days and ethnic holidays in his sermons. During Father Matutis's tenure, there was an era of burgeoning growth of the suburbs and many Lithuanian families left Hartford to live in these areas. However, their loyalty to their ethnic church did not diminish, and there was little decrease in Mass attendance.
In 1975 Father Matutis requested and was granted the services of Priest Albin J. Gurklis. He was a teacher of mathematics at Marianopolis High School in Thompson, Connecticut. The dedicated Father Gurklis traveled 50 miles every weekend for 33 years, no matter what the weather, to celebrate Mass at Holy Trinity.
In the decade of the 1980s, Father Matutis took part in celebrating two of the Lithuanian Catholic church's jubilees. On March 4, 1984, St. Casimer's 500-year jubilee was celebrated. On May 17, 1987, the 600th anniversary of Lithuanian Catholicism and the wayside cross, erected at Hartford's St. Joseph Cathedral was dedicated. During the dedication of this cross, Archbishop John Whealon celebrated a Mass for the Hartford parishioners. Joseph Matitus retired on October 16, 1990, and died October 22, 1999.
In 1990 Father John Moskus was appointed to succeed Father Matutis as pastor of Holy Trinity Church. Father Moskus was also of Lithuanian descent. While Father Moskus was the pastor of Holy Trinity Church, the church basement and rectory underwent renovation. He also renewed the traditional annual Parish May festival.
In 1990 Lithuania gained its independence from the Soviet Union, which brought a new wave of parishioners to Holy Trinity. On October 14, 1990, the Hartford Archdiocese, led by Archbishop John F. Whealon, and Lithuanian Bishop Paulius Baltakis along with many other bishops and priests, celebrated the Mass as a "Prayer Day for Lithuania".
In remembrance of the 1941 mass Lithuanian deportation to Siberia by the Soviets, a wooden wayside cross was erected in the front yard of the rectory in June 1992.
In 1996 Father Christopher Tiano was appointed an administrator of Holy Trinity Church. This was in addition to his duties as chief editor of "The Catholic Transcript". Sometime after his appointment Masses began to be said in English as well as Lithuanian, with the Sunday morning Mass being the only one spoken completely in Lithuanian by Father Gurklis.
Under Father Tiano, in 1997 Sister Mary Louise Rouleau, CSJ, began assisting in the day to day proceedings of Holy Trinity Church as the Pastoral Associate. One of her first actions was to create a prayer discussion group.
In 1999 the parish administrative duties were taken over by Father John P. Conte. He was also an advisor to the Hartford diocese. On December 16, 2000, Pope John Paul II, in recognition of Father Conte's achievements, bestowed the honorary title of Abbot upon him.
On June 1, 2001, Father Charles E. Jacobs was appointed an administrator of Holy Trinity Church. Although the registry of first and second-generation Lithuanians has dwindled, Holy Trinity Church more recently has become a more diverse and robust congregation, due to the outreach efforts of Father Jacobs, who embraces all who attend.

Priests