St. Sebastian Church (Middletown, Connecticut)

	St. Sebastian Roman Catholic Church
	U.S. Historic district ; Contributing property
Location	155 Washington Street; Middletown, Connecticut
Built	1921
Architect	Raymond C. Gorrani
Architectural style	Renaissance Gothic
Part of	Main Street Historic District (Middletown, CT) (ID83001275)
Designated CP	June 3, 1983

Saint Sebastian Church^[1]
Saint Sebastian Church
Saint Sebastian's Roman Catholic Church
	St. Sebastian Church, January 2011
Location	155 Washington Street; Middletown, Connecticut
Country	United States
Denomination	Roman Catholic
History
Founder(s)	Middletown Italian Immigrants
Dedication	Saint Sebastian
Dedicated	December 06, 1931
Architecture
Architect(s)	Raymond C. Gorrani
Administration
Province	Hartford
Diocese	Norwich
Deanery	Middletown
Parish	Saint Sebastian
Clergy
Bishop(s)	Sede Vacante
Pastor(s)	Rev. James Thaikoottathil, J.C.D.
Laity
Organist(s)	Mr. Mark Corbett
OCIA coordinator	Mr. Ralph Coligan, Mrs. Joanne Coligan
	St. Sebastian Roman Catholic Church
	U.S. Historic district ; Contributing property
Built	1931
Architect	Raymond C. Gorrani
Architectural style	Renaissance Revival
Part of	Washington Street Historic District (Middletown, CT) (ID85001018)
Designated CP	May 9, 1985

Last updated September 04, 2024

Saint Sebastian is a Roman Catholic church in Middletown, Connecticut, part of the Diocese of Norwich.

History

In the early 20th Century, immigrants from the Sicilian town of Melilli moved in large numbers to Middletown. By 1920 there were enough families there to form a vibrant and close-knit Italian community that desired its own place of worship. Through a massive fundraising effort, the donation of materials, and the labor of masons, plasterers and stone carvers, the Italian community realized the dream of its own church, a significant local cultural symbol and the only Italian national parish in the Diocese of Norwich.^[1]

Building

The imposing 1931 Italian influenced Renaissance Revival church building was designed by architect Raymond C. Gorrani of Worcester, Massachusetts. Gorrani had designed the very similar Church of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel in Worcester a few years earlier and, according to a recent history of St. Sebastian, members of the parish actually traveled to Worcester to inspect Mt. Carmel Church before employing Gorrani. In keeping with the desire of his clients, Gorrani's finished design is heavily influenced by the design of the Basilica of St. Sebastian in Melilli.

In December 1931, shortly after construction on the church had begun, Fr. Rocco Guerriero was appointed the first resident pastor of St. Sebastian Church. Very shortly thereafter Fr. Guerriero appointed his brother, Daniel A. Guerriero as the supervising architect to oversee the completion of Gorrani's design. Little is known about Raymond Gorrani but it is known that after St. Sebastian, which was built while the architect was also designing a church for St. Ann Parish in Marlboro, Massachusetts, he had no additional commissions.

The building is listed as a significant contributing property of the City of Middletown Historic District.^[2]

Music

The Church's Organ is an Austin Organs, Inc. Opus 1828 that has 2 manuals and 15 ranks. The Church also has an Adult Choir and Children's Choir.

St. Sebastian Feast

The beloved Feast of St. Sebastian was first celebrated in Middletown in the early 20th century. Proceeds from the feast's early years helped finance the building of the church. Held annually, the three-day festival features a parade through Middletown's streets, carrying the statue of the patron saint.

Yoked Parish

The Parishes of St. Sebastian and St. John share a Priest since 2017, so Daily Mass and Sunday Masses are held at both Parishes. The Parishes are still their own entities and are not merged as a combined parish.^[3]

Priests that served St. Sebastian Parish

Rev. Rocco Joseph Guerriero (1931-1936)
Rev. John James Keane (1936-1952)
Rev. Richard David Curtin (1952- 1962)
Rev. Paul J. Rivard (1962-1965)
Rev. Maurice F. Sullivan (1965-1969)
Rev. Zenon Algrid Smilga (1969-1980)
Rev. Salvatore Bentivegna, O.S.J. (1980-1990)
Rev. Joseph Sibliano, O.S.J. (1990-1998)
Rev. Daniel Schwebs, O.S.J. (1998-2001)
Rev. Thomas J. Smith (2001-2004)
Rev. Augustine Naduvilekoot (2004-2007)
Rev. James Thaikoottathil, J.C.D. (2007–Present)

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References

1 2 Fluet, PH.D, Fr. Gregoire J. (2003). Responding to His Call A Celebration of the Diocese of Norwich. p. 87.
↑ https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/NRHP/83001275_text Main Street Historical District Middletown
↑ "Saint Sebastian Church/Home". www.stsebastianmiddletown.org. Retrieved December 4, 2019.

External links

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[Fluet-1] 1 2 Fluet, PH.D, Fr. Gregoire J. (2003). Responding to His Call A Celebration of the Diocese of Norwich. p. 87.

[2] ttps://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/NRHP/83001275_text Main Street Historical District Middletown

[3] "Saint Sebastian Church/Home". www.stsebastianmiddletown.org. Retrieved December 4, 2019.

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v t e Roman Catholic Diocese of Norwich
Ordinaries	Bishops Bernard Joseph Flanagan Vincent Joseph Hines Daniel Patrick Reilly Daniel Anthony Hart Michael Richard Cote
Churches	Cathedral Cathedral of Saint Patrick Parishes Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish, Quaker Hill St. Joseph Parish, Rockville St. Mary of Czestochowa Parish, Middletown St. John Parish, Middletown St. Sebastian Parish, Middletown
Education	College and seminary Holy Apostles College and Seminary Elementary schools Sacred Heart School, Groton Sacred Heart School, Taftville Saint James School, Danielson Saint John School, Old Saybrook Saint John Paul II School, Middletown Saint Joseph School, Baltic Saint Joseph School, New London Saint Joseph School, North Grosvernordale Saint Mary-Saint Joseph School, Willimantic Saint Michael School, Pawtucket Saint Patrick Cathedral School, Norwich High schools Academy of the Holy Family, Baltic Marianapolis Preparatory School, Thompson Mercy High School, Middletown Saint Bernard High School, Uncasville Xavier High School, Middletown
Catholicismportal


St. Sebastian Roman Catholic Church
U.S. Historic district Contributing property


Location	155 Washington Street Middletown, Connecticut
Built	1921 (1921)
Architect	Raymond C. Gorrani
Architectural style	Renaissance Gothic
Part of	Main Street Historic District (Middletown, CT) (ID83001275)
Designated CP	June 3, 1983