St. Joseph Church Ansonia CT

St. Joseph Church welcomes Christians and those who seek to connect to Christianity in the Ansonia area.

We aim to make contact with and encourage others to join us in our life-changing Christian journey.

We are a friendly Christian community where we welcome others to join us in our worship and service to God.

Our vision is to make an impact for God, here in Ansonia, Connecticut by helping people understand the enriching messages of eternal hope given to us by Jesus Christ through His words and deeds.

Everyone is welcome, no matter your age, beliefs, or background. Come just as you are - we'd love to get to know you better.

 

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The history of St. Joseph's Parish is the history of a determined people, seeking things and working hard to obtain them. So it was that these God-loving people, desiring their children to learn about, and love God, the Ansonia Poles, since the early 1900's sent their children via street-car daily to St. Michael School in Derby.

In 1923, Polish organizations of Ansonia united and approached Rev. Paul Waszko, C.M., then pastor of the Derby parish, and urged him to obtain permission for a school to be built in Ansonia because St. Michael School's enrollment was over 700, and daily transportation to Derby was expensive.

Bishop Nilan would consent to a school being built only if a convent and church were included in the project. When agreement was reached, the organizing began - a parish for Polish speaking Catholics in Ansonia, with a church, school, and convent. Rev. Joseph Studzinski, C.M., purchased for $6,000 a parcel of property in Ansonia near Jewett St. The construction of the school on this land begun in 1925.

On July 12, 1925, the first Mass for the new parish in Ansonia was celebrated in a hall rented from the Figlii d'Italia Society on Central Street (today's Falcon Hall, "Sokolnia"). That afternoon parishioners welcomed their first pastor, Rev. Aloysius Zieleznik, C.M. On May 2, 1926, the cornerstone was blessed and on August 22, of the same year, to the great delight of the parishioners, the first Masses were said.

Fortunately, the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth agreed to staff our school and held registration on September 16, with an enrollment of 396 children. Sister M. Noela was the first principal.

The church complex appeared; a smart pale yellow brick rectangular building, set on Jewett St., housing the church and choir, dividing corridor and stairways, and seven class-rooms, five on the first floor, two on the second, one small priest's sacristy, the convent on the second floor, and in the basement, an auditorium underneath the church, a smaller hall and two small meeting rooms.

In 1933, Father Janowski bought, from the Water Company, a miniature paradise; 34.6 acres of virgin forest about two miles away from the church, with a pond, and a small stream running through a portion of the land. "Warszawa," as it was called is known today as Warsaw Park.

In October of 1941, five acres of land were purchased near the church. The land in and around the area, part gully, was filled in with at least 11,000 trucklododatki of sand and earth from Farrel-Birmingham foundry. That was foresight and for that we are ever thankful to Father Kwiatkowski since today that land has become the church parking area.

In August of 1950, in Winchester, New Hampshire, Father Kwiatkowski found a church bell for sale in front of an abandoned Protestant church. The bell was cast in 1842 and weighed 1200 pounds. It was purchased. The bell was blessed in October of the same year.

Since then our parish was growing and downsizing. Right now, we have approximately 540 families registered in the parish and more then 620 people attending weekend Masses. There are 145 children in St. Joseph School. Mrs. Carmel Brown is the principal... Please check our school web pages...

We have a wonderful parish community of many nationalities and origins… If you live nearby - please stop in our church. You will be welcomed. You will find your spiritual home here. Please come and join us...

SHORT HISTORY OF THE SCHOOL

The people of Ansonia, since the early 1900's sent their children via street car daily to St. Michael School in Derby. This expense, and more so, the solicitude for the welfare of their children, prompted the Polish residents of Ansonia to seek permission to build a school in Ansonia.

Bishop Nilan listened to the request and would approve to a school only if a convent and church were included in the project. The people began to work immediately, and on May 2, 1926 the cornerstone was blessed. The first pastor was Rev. Aloysius Zieleznik, C.M.

On September 16, 1926 the school opened with a total enrollment of 396 children under the direction of the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth, who worked here till June 1998.

In the memorial book commemorating the 50th anniversary of the parish we read: "The church complex appeared thusly; a smart pale yellow brick rectangular building set on Jewett Street housing the Church, dividing corridor and stairways, and seven classrooms, five on the first floor, two on the second, one small priest's sacristy, the convent on the second floor; in the basement, an auditorium underneath the church, a smaller hall and two meeting rooms."

In 1956 enrollment was on the rise and more space was needed. At this time the Sisters were still living in their tiny cubicles. There was need for a new convent which became the reality in July of 1957 when a south wing was added to the church. The former convent was converted into three classrooms.

Within the 60 years, the school had prepared hundreds of young men and women for responsible positions in the professional, business, and industrial world. it has always had an excellent reputation, since the youth have been endowed with the principles of a good Christian education.

The physical structure of the school has undergone changes during its existence with major renovations done in 1967-68 under the direction of Rev. John Starzec, C.M.,pastor. The library was added in 1974. During this same year the Home-School Association was formed.

By the decision of the Archbishop of Hartford, Henry Mansell, St. Joseph School was closed due to low number of students and financial dificulty on June 30, 2004..