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Diocese of Norwich, Connecticut

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"Catholic Diocese of Norwich" redirects here. Not to be confused with the Roman Catholic Diocese of East Anglia centred on Norwich, England.

Diocese of Norwich

Diœcesis Norvicensis
Catholic
Cathedral of Saint Patrick, Norwich
Coat of arms
Location
CountryUnited States
TerritoryMiddlesex County, New London County, Windham County, Tolland County, Connecticut, and Fishers Island, New York.
Ecclesiastical provinceHartford
MetropolitanHartford
DeaneriesMiddletown, New London, Norwich, Old Saybrook, Putnam, Vernon, Willimantic
Coordinates41°31′50″N 72°04′38″W / 41.53056°N 72.07722°W / 41.53056; -72.07722
Statistics
Population
  •  
  • 228,520 (32.1%)
Parishes76
Information
DenominationCatholic
Sui iuris churchLatin Church
RiteRoman Rite
EstablishedAugust 6, 1953
CathedralCathedral of Saint Patrick
Patron saintSt. Anne
St. Patrick
Current leadership
PopeLeo XIV
BishopRichard Francis Reidy
Metropolitan ArchbishopChristopher J. Coyne
Vicar GeneralLeszek T. Janik
Judicial VicarTed F. Tumicki
Bishops emeritusMichael Richard Cote
Map
Website
norwichdiocese.org

The Diocese of Norwich (Latin: Diœcesis Norvicensis) is a diocese of the Catholic Church in the states of Connecticut and New York in the United States. The mother church of the diocese is the Cathedral of St. Patrick in Norwich.

History

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1600 to 1800

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Main article: Archdiocese of Hartford

In the 17th through the early 19th centuries, the Congregational, or Puritan, Church was the state church in the British Province of Connecticut. Its ministers were vociferously anti-Catholic in their writings and preaching. They viewed the Catholic Church as a foreign political power and of Catholics as being loyal only to the Vatican. At that time, there were very few Catholics living in the colony.[1] During the American Revolution, Catholic chaplains with the French Navy celebrated mass for French soldiers and sailors based on Fishers Island.[2]

After the American Revolution ended in 1783, attitudes towards Catholics in the United States began to change. The Connecticut General Assembly passed an act of toleration in 1784, allowing any Protestant to avoid paying taxes to support the local Congregational Church, provided that they could prove membership and regular attendance at another Protestant church.[1]

The US Constitution, ratified in 1789, guaranteed religious freedom for all religions.[3] That same year, the Vatican erected the Diocese of Baltimore to cover the entire territory of the United States, including Connecticut.[4] In 1791, the Connecticut General Assembly granted the same rights to all Christians, including Catholics. However, the act had little practical effect for Catholics as there were no parishes then in the state.[5]

1800 to 1900

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Several years later, in 1808, the Vatican erected the Diocese of Boston, containing Connecticut and the rest of New England. In 1818, the Connecticut General Assembly repealed Congregationalism as the official religion in the state, ending its taxpayer support. When that status was repealed, it opened the door for the Catholic Church to establish itself in Connecticut .[6][7]

The construction of the Norwich and Worcester Railroad in the 1830s brought Irish Catholic workers into the region, leading to establishment of the first Catholic population in the area.[7] It grew quickly. By the 1840s, Bishop Benedict Joseph Fenwick of Boston petitioned the Vatican for a diocese for Connecticut and Rhode Island.[8]

In 1843, Pope Gregory XVI established the Diocese of Hartford, taking all of Connecticut and Rhode Island from the Diocese of Boston. The Norwich area would be under the Diocese of Hartford for the next 100 years.[9] The first Catholic parish in Middletown, established in the 1830s to serve Irish immigrants was Saint John's Its church was completed in 1843. It is the oldest parish in the diocese.[10]

The first Catholic parish in Norwich, St. Mary's, opened in 1845 with 230 members. That number would increase to 5,000 by 1854.[7] In New London, Saint Mary Star of the Sea Parish opened in the 1840s in a storefront.[11] In Willimantic, the first parish was St. Joseph's, established in 1859 for Irish immigrants.[12]

1900 to 2000

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The Xavieran Brothers in 1904 opened the St. John’s Industrial School, a residential boarding schools for boys[13] in Deep River. It later became known as the Mount Saint John School.

The Diocese of Norwich was created by Pope Pius XII in 1953, taking its territory from the Diocese of Hartford.[14] He appointed Bernard Flanagan from the Diocese of Burlington as the first bishop of Norwich.[15] During his tenure, Flanagan oversaw the establishment of several secondary schools and parishes within his diocese.[16]

The Franciscan priest Eusebe Menard in 1957 founded Holy Apostles Seminary in Cromwell to serve older men wanting to enter the priesthood. Today it is Holy Apostles College and Seminary.[17] That same year, Pius XII transferred Fishers Island, a part of New York State in Long Island Sound, from the Diocese of Brooklyn to the Diocese of Norwich.[14] Pope John XXIII named Flanagan as bishop of the Diocese of Worcester in 1959.[15]

The second bishop of Norwich was Vincent Hines of Hartford, appointed by John XIII in 1959.[18] During his tenure, Hines led a $1 million fundraising campaign for schools in the diocese. He oversaw construction of Xavier High School in Middletown, Connecticut, for boys in 1963 and Mercy High School, also in Middletown, for girls in 1965.[19] Hines retired as bishop of Norwich in 1975.[18]

In 1975, Pope Paul VI appointed Daniel Reilly of the Diocese of Providence as the third bishop of Norwich.[20] He served in Norwich for 19 years before Pope John Paul II named him bishop of the Diocese of Worcester in 1994.[19] To replace Reilly in Norwich, the pope named Auxiliary Bishop Daniel Anthony Hart of Boston.[21] During his eight-year tenure, Hart helped raise over $15 million through his "Response of Faith Campaign" in 1998 for the support and maintenance of diocesan services.[22] He also expanded the diocesan Catholic Charities.[22]

2000 to present

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Bishop Coyne (2025)

Hart retired as bishop of Norwich in 2002.[21]John Paul II appointed Bishop Michael Richard Côté from the Diocese of Portland as the fifth bishop of Norwich in March 2003. He was installed in May 2003.[23]

In April 2010, Côté announced his opposition to a bill in the Connecticut General Assembly that would remove the statute of limitations for sexual abuse crimes. A letter signed by the Connecticut bishops said that this bill would cause tremendous damage to Catholic institutions and missions. In December 2010, Côté announced that he was replacing Haitian Ministries for the Diocese of Norwich with a new organization, Diocese of Norwich Outreach to Haiti, Inc. He mentioned that the diocese was slowly distributing $430,892 collected from parishioners in January 2010 to prevent waste and misappropriation. In 2013, the diocese closed the Mount St. John School due to reduced state funding and declining enrollment.[24]

The diocese in July 2021 filed for Chapter II bankruptcy protection. The diocese was facing a huge civil liability due to dozens of sexual abuse lawsuits filed by former residents of the Mount St. John School.[25]Pope Francis in 2024 accepted Côté's resignation as bishop of Norwich, submitted on his 75th birthday as required.[23] The pope appointed Archbishop Christopher J. Coyne of Hartford as apostolic administrator for the diocese.[26]

In February 2025, Francis appointed Richard Francis Reidy of Worcester as the next bishop of Norwich.[27] The diocese exited from bankruptcy in May 2025 after the court approved its reorganization plan.[28]

Reports of sex abuse

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Paul Hebert Jr., a priest at Most Holy Trinity Parish in Pomfret, resigned his position in 2004. Jonathan Roy sued the diocese in 2016, stating that he had been sexually abused by Hebert hundreds of times from 1990 to 1996, starting when Roy was 11-years-old. The diocese settled the lawsuit with Roy in March 2019, paying him $900,000.[29][30]

Over 20 men in 2018 sued the diocese, claiming that they had been sexually abused when they were boys residing at the Mount St. John School. They named the perpetrators as two Xaviaren brothers, Paul McGlade and Donald Paschal Alford.[31]

In February 2019, Côté released a list of 43 clerics from the diocese with substantial allegations of abuse against them. Of the 43 clerics, 33 were deceased and the remainder were not performing ministry.[32] He announced in July 2021 that the diocese was declaring Chapter 11 bankruptcy to facilitate settlement of sexual abuse lawsuits. By 2022, over 60 lawsuits had been filed against the diocese by former residents of Mount Saint John School.[33]

As part of its bankruptcy reorganization plan, the diocese in February 2025 proposed the establishment of $31 million trust fund for the victims of sexual abuse at Mount St. John School.[34]

Territory

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The Diocese of Norwich consists of:

Bishops

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Chancery, Norwich (2019)

Bishops of Norwich

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  1. Bernard Joseph Flanagan (1953-1959), appointed Bishop of Worcester
  2. Vincent Joseph Hines (1959-1975)
  3. Daniel Patrick Reilly (1975-1994), appointed Bishop of Worcester
  4. Daniel Anthony Hart (1995-2003)
  5. Michael Richard Côté (2003–2024)
  6. Richard Francis Reidy (2025-present)

Other diocesan priest who became bishop

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Education

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As of 2026, the Diocese of Norwich has four high schools and nine elementary/middle schools with an approximate enrollment of 3,500 students.[35]

High schools

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Holy Apostles College and Seminary

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Holy Apostles Chapel

The Diocese of Norwich funds Holy Apostles College and Seminary in Cromwell, a two and four-year institution that offers undergraduate and graduate degrees programs.[41]

References

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  1. ^ a b DiGiovanni, the Rev. (now Monsignor) Stephen M., The Catholic Church in Fairfield County: 1666–1961, 1987, William Mulvey Inc., New Canaan, Introduction: Catholic Roots in Fairfield County, page xxiv, hereafter DiGiovanni
  2. ^ "Early History of the Catholic Church on Fishers Island". Henry L. Ferguson Museum. June 25, 2025. Retrieved June 27, 2026.
  3. ^ "U.S. Constitution - First Amendment | Resources | Constitution Annotated | Congress.gov | Library of Congress". constitution.congress.gov. Retrieved May 18, 2026.
  4. ^ "Welcome to the Archdiocese of Baltimore". Archdiocese of Baltimore. Retrieved May 29, 2023.
  5. ^ DiGiovanni, p. xxiv
  6. ^ "Connecticut, Catholic Church in | Encyclopedia.com". www.encyclopedia.com. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  7. ^ a b c "Welcome to the Connecticut Irish-American Heritage Trail". ctirishheritage.org. Retrieved March 19, 2023.
  8. ^ "Welcome to the Archdiocese of Baltimore". Archdiocese of Baltimore. Retrieved May 29, 2023.
  9. ^ "Hartford (Archdiocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]". catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved March 19, 2023.
  10. ^ "Our Parish History". Saint John Roman Catholic Church. Retrieved January 21, 2026.
  11. ^ "Welcome to the Connecticut Irish-American Heritage Trail". www.ctirishheritage.org. Retrieved January 21, 2026.
  12. ^ "St. Joseph Parish History". SAINT ANNE'S CATHOLIC COMMUNITY. Retrieved June 27, 2026.
  13. ^ Daniel (January 30, 2014). "Mount St. John School (1908) - Historic Buildings of Connecticut". historicbuildingsct.com. Retrieved June 27, 2026.
  14. ^ a b "Norwich (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]". catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved March 19, 2023.
  15. ^ a b "Bishop Bernard Joseph Flanagan [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved May 18, 2026.
  16. ^ Diocese of Norwich. A Brief History of the Diocese of Norwich Archived May 1, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  17. ^ "History". Holy Apostles College & Seminary. Retrieved June 27, 2026.
  18. ^ a b "Bishop Vincent Joseph Hines [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved May 18, 2026.
  19. ^ a b "Vincent J. Hines, 77, Ex-Bishop of Norwich". The New York Times. April 25, 1990.
  20. ^ "Bishop Reilly enjoys being with the people". The Catholic Free Press, Roman Catholic Diocese of Worcester. Retrieved May 18, 2026.
  21. ^ a b "Bishop Daniel Anthony Hart [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved May 18, 2026.
  22. ^ a b Tuttle, Roberta (January 22, 2008). "Bishop Emeritus Daniel A. Hart dies at 80". The Catholic Transcript. Archived from the original on March 2, 2012. Retrieved September 17, 2009.
  23. ^ a b "Bishop Michael Richard Cote [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
  24. ^ "Former Mount Saint John Property Sold". zip06.com. Retrieved June 27, 2026.
  25. ^ Haigh, Susan. "Connecticut diocese files for bankruptcy amid abuse claims". National Catholic Reporter. Retrieved June 27, 2026.
  26. ^ "Pope Francis Accepts Resignation of Bishop Michael R. Cote of Norwich and Appoints Archbishop Christopher J. Coyne as Apostolic Administrator Sede Vacante". United States Conference of Catholic Bishops - Office of Public Affairs. September 3, 2024.
  27. ^ "Pope Francis Appoints Monsignor Richard Reidy as Bishop of Norwich | USCCB". www.usccb.org. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  28. ^ Zbierski, Dalton (May 22, 2025). "Diocese of Norwich exits from Chapter 11 bankruptcy". Fox61. Retrieved June 27, 2026.
  29. ^ "Norwich Diocese settles abuse case for $900K". Norwich Bulletin. Retrieved July 19, 2023.
  30. ^ "Woodstock Man Files Sex Abuse Lawsuit against Norwich Diocese, by Ryan Blessing, Norwich Bulletin, August 31, 2016". bishop-accountability.org. Retrieved July 19, 2023.
  31. ^ "20 Men Sue Norwich Diocese Over Alleged Priest Abuse". NBC Connecticut. November 29, 2018. Retrieved June 27, 2026.
  32. ^ "Bishop lists names of 43 priests who faced abuse allegations". Retrieved January 6, 2022.
  33. ^ CNA. "Diocese files for bankruptcy amid abuse lawsuits". Catholic News Agency. Retrieved January 6, 2022.
  34. ^ Larson, Andrew (February 14, 2025). "Reorganization plan for Diocese of Norwich includes $31M trust for survivors of sexual abuse". Hartford Business Journal. Retrieved June 27, 2026.
  35. ^ "Schools". www.norwichdiocese.org. Retrieved May 18, 2026.
  36. ^ "Girls Private High School Baltic, CT". Academy of the Holy Family. Retrieved May 18, 2026.
  37. ^ "Home". www.marianapolis.org. May 18, 2026. Retrieved May 18, 2026.
  38. ^ "Private Catholic High School | Hartford, New Haven & Middlesex Counties | Mercy High School". www.mercyhigh.com. Retrieved May 18, 2026.
  39. ^ "Home - Saint Bernard School". www.saintbernardschool.org. February 11, 2026. Retrieved May 18, 2026.
  40. ^ "Xavier High School". www.xavierhighschool.org. Retrieved May 18, 2026.
  41. ^ "About Us". Holy Apostles College & Seminary. Retrieved December 23, 2019.
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