St. Augustine Cathedral (Bridgeport, Connecticut) Explained

St. Augustine Cathedral
Pushpin Map:USA Connecticut
Pushpin Label Position:none
Coordinates:41.1802°N -73.1957°W
Location:399 Washington Ave.
Bridgeport, Connecticut
Country:United States
Denomination:Roman Catholic Church
Founded Date:1842
Dedicated Date:March 17, 1868
Architect:Patrick C. Keely (original)
Style:Gothic Revival
Groundbreaking:1866
Completed Date:1868
Height:180.5 Ft (55)M
Spire Quantity:One
Materials:Granite
Bells:12
Diocese:Bridgeport
Bishop:Most Rev. Frank J. Caggiano
Pastor:Very Rev. Arthur Mollenhauer
Deacon:Dn. Jorge Casiano, Dn. Santos Garcia, Dn. Joseph Huong, Dn. Guillermo Bernal

St. Augustine Cathedral, located in Bridgeport, Connecticut, United States, is the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bridgeport.

History

St. Augustine's parish was established by Rev. Thomas J. Synnott, as St. James Church at Arch Street and Washington Avenue had become inadequate for the size of the congregation. The cornerstone for the present church was laid on August 28, 1865[1] and the completed church was dedicated by Bishop McFarland on St. Patrick's Day in 1868.[2] It became a cathedral when the Diocese of Bridgeport was established in 1953.

The edifice went through a major $4 million renovation in 2003 and the capacity was expanded to 750 people. The project was finished in 2004 with new marble tiles, repainted ceilings, a new altar, and other projects. On December 2, 2004, Archbishop Gabriel Montalvo, Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, celebrated the dedication Mass. Bishop William E. Lori and 12 other bishops from around New England and New York concelebrated, in the presence of Cardinal Edward Egan of New York, and Cardinal William Keeler of Baltimore. Archbishop Daniel A. Cronin of Hartford delivered the homily.

In 2014 the pipe organ was rebuilt and expanded to 42 ranks by the A. Thompson-Allen Organ Company of New Haven, Connecticut.[3]

Masses are currently said in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Latin (Extraordinary form of the Roman rite).[4]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. https://archive.org/details/historyofdiocese00odon_0/page/n166 O'Donnell, James H., History of the Diocese of Hartford, D. H. Hurd Company, 1900, p. 259
  2. Book: George Curtis Waldo. History of Bridgeport and Vicinity, Volume 1. 1917. S. J. Clarke. 317. 978-1-144-35927-8 .
  3. Web site: The Cathedral of St. Augustine, Bridegport. American Guild of Organists, Greater Bridgeport, Connecticut Chapter .
  4. http://216.47.165.199/bridgeport.shtml Diocese of Bridgeport