www.byzcath.org Forums News & Events Eparchial & Parish Events Holy Trinity, New Britain CT

Does anyone know the status of Holy Trinity Byzantine Catholic Church in New Britain, Connecticut? I will be in Conn. during lent and wonder if any Wed. or Fri Liturgies are planned there, or indeed, if the parish is still functioning on Sunday. They became administered by St Nicholas in Trumbull, CT., which is a good distance away and the nearest Ruthenian parish. Attendance was very low since parishioners have died or moved away, or gone over to the growing Ukrainian Catholic parishes.

RR,

It's administered by St John the Baptist in Trumbull. I'd call Father Joseph Bertha at St John's and check as to the schedule. His number is 203-377-5967.

Many years,

Neil

PS, if you go, we could use an exterior photo for our on-line directory

I am a former Connecticut resident. My recollection is that the New Britain parish, although administered by the pastor of the Trumbull parish, it has its own serving priest. There is a separate telephone number for the parish, which you can get at its web site, https://www.byzcath.org/HolyTrinity/ . The web site is a little dated, however, as it lists Fr. Frank Hanincik as the "pastor," (administrator); Fr. Frank left the Trumbull church (and, by extension, the New Britain church) last summer.

Irish Melkite and Andrew of Crete Fan,

Thanks for the info. I'll let you know what I find out, and will take a photo of the Church. I still use one-use film cameras, however, so the photo may take a while to arrive.

Father Tony De Fronzo was there in New Britain when I moved away to Cape Cod (I still maintain a residence in Hartford, CT., however.) Fr. Tony used to be based in Danbury and used to substitute for Fr. Robert Slesinski, who was the last pastor to live on the premises in New Britain, until about 5 years ago. Fr. Tony took over Holy Trinity then, when administration went to St. John's. Fr Bob's articles appear now and then in the Eparchy newspaper. We were fortunate to have had such a theologian for a pastor.

Pre-Sanctified Liturgy was attended by only 3 or 4 people when I last attended 3 years ago. There was talk of not having it anymore. Most parishioners who remain are very old-attendance at the Sunday Liturgy was very thin. It seemed that only two families with young children belonged to the parish. It is sad. In its day Holy Trinity was a vibrant parish. As Roman Catholic school kids, we were brought there in the 1960s to experience the Eastern Rite. Trumbull is a 90 minute drive.

I believe there is a Melkite Catholic Church in Springfield, Mass, which is closer to me. And of course, the Ukrainian Church is still growing in the area.

Does the Melkite Rite have Pre-Sanctified on Wed. and/or Fri. nights too?

There is a Maronite Catholic Church about an hour away from my Massachusetts place as well. What sort of Lenten Liturgies do they have?

Thanks again for the replies,
Many Years,
Charlie

Charlie,

Ok - based on Hartford and 'somewhere' on Cape Cod, these are the churches in Southeast, Central, and Western MA, RI, and CT.

Melkites:
CT: Danbury & Waterford
MA: Worcester (none in Springfield - was a small hermitage in Barre, but that was decades ago and long closed)
RI: Lincoln and Woonsocket

Ruthenians -
CT: Danbury, New Britain, & Trumbull

Ukrainians
CT: Hartford, Stamford, Ansonia, New Britain, Bridgeport, New Haven, Colchester, Terryville, Glastonbury, & Willimantic
MA: Ludlow, So. Deerfield, Pittsfield, & Fall River
RI: Woonsocket

Maronites -
CT: Danbury, Waterbury, & Torrington
MA: Springfield, Worcester, Brockton, Fall River, & New Bedford
RI: Lincoln

Syro-Malabar:
CT: Stamford
MA: Framingham

You can get info on ANY of those in Massachusetts at our on-line Directory at Massachusetts

CT and RI are still in process - so, I'd suggest you hit the eparchial sites:

St Maron in Brooklyn of the Maronites [stmaron.org]
Newton of the Melkites [melkite.org]
Passaic of the Byzantines [eparchyofpassaic.com]
Stamford of the Ukrainians [stamforddio.org]

I may be able to answer questions on some of them.

As far as schedules for Presanctified, you really need to check the parishes' own sites (the ones in our directory will have links to those sites, if they exist), as they vary from parish to parish.

Many years,

Neil

Dear Neil,

Thank you for taking the time to compile such a comprehensive and orderly packet of information for me. Your post contains everything I need to find Eastern Catholic resources in my area.

BTW, "Somewhere" is Wellfleet, which I think you know is pretty far out there. Like anyplace, it has its plusses and minuses. The population is overwhelmingly liberal humanist agnostic if not Protestant, but the peace and isolation can be very conducive to developing one's spirituality. In Winter, of course. When the cars come streaming over the bridge in June I go back to "civilization"

Many thanks and Many Years,
Charlie

No problem, Charlie. Between the fact of being webmaster of our directory and that you asked about an area with which I'm very familiar personally, it was pretty easily compiled.

Many years,

Neil

I served at Holy Trinity as deacon forty years ago with Fr. Eugene Fulton, luminous soul! He installed a breathtakingly beautiful iconostasis and, together with Fr. Archpriest Charles Mezzomo of blessed memory, restored a full schedule of services, especially during Great Lent. But even then the parish was, as they say, a tough village. There were also an OCA church (Holy Trinity), a Ukrainian Catholic Church (St. Josaphat's) and a Ukrainian Orthodox church (St. Mary's?) in town. I wonder how they fared. Oh yes, there was a lovely Assyrian Church of the East, as well. God bless New Britain's Eastern Christian communities!

Bless, Father Roman,

Holy Trinity (OCA), Nativity of Mary Mother of God (UOC), St Thomas (Assyrian), and St Josaphat (UGCC) are all still in New Britain.

Many years,

Neil

Neil: There remain three Orthodox off-shoots, now all in the ACROD, of St. John's Byzantine Catholic from Trumbull - formerly located on Artic Street in Bridgeport and the parish served for over thirty years by Father Orestes Chornock, prior to 1939. They are the majestic St. John's Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Church on Mill Hill Avenue in Bridgeport http://stjohnsmillhill.com/ and the two St. John's Orthodox Churches in Stratford, CT. http://www.stjohnthebaptist.stratford.ct.us/ and http://www.stjohnsilverlane.net/

I am a parish member and server at HT. Indeed, Father Tony DeFronzo is serving there. Good Friday service is at 3pm, Easter Sunday is at 9am. Please stop by and visit.

Neil,
The St. George Maronite Church has recently moved to Cranston, RI.
The parish purchased St. Mary's Church and is holding services there. I believe that there is a
roman Mass on Sunday for the old parishoners