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Our Lady Of Sorrows
Essex
CT
06426-1049
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Who we are
Welcome to our new parish of St. Teresa of Calcutta. This is your parish family embracing more than 700 families in faith and love. We strive to keep our church a place of prayer, a sanctuary of peace and our parish a community cultivating the values of Christ.
There is place and role for everyone: from babies to seniors; from teens to couples; and from devotees to active participants.
Mother Teresa said, “I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world.”
I invite you to become pencils that the love letter of God may reach our parishioners and those in our society.
There is place and role for everyone: from babies to seniors; from teens to couples; and from devotees to active participants.
Mother Teresa said, “I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world.”
I invite you to become pencils that the love letter of God may reach our parishioners and those in our society.
Location of worship / Church Address
Church Pastor
Reverend Arul Rajan Peter
Pastor
14 Prospect Street
Essex,
CT
06426-1049
United States
Phone: 860-767-1284
Download Pastor Reverend Arul Rajan Peter vCard with Bio
Quote of the Day
Psalms 91:2
I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.
I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.
Denomination
Roman Catholic
Roman Catholic churches in Essex, Connecticut, United States
Roman Catholic churches in Connecticut, United States
Roman Catholic churches in United States
All churches in Essex, CT
Affiliations:
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Leadership
Leader Name:
Reverend Arul Rajan Peter
Leader Position:
Pastor
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Leader Address:
Tel:
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Leader Bio:
Father Arul Rajan Peter hails from a traditional catholic village on the shore of the Indian Ocean at the southern tip of India. His ancestors were baptized by St. Francis Xavier in the 1540s. Perhaps because of this long tradition, this parish has given birth to two Bishops, more than forty five priests and over one hundred nuns.
His parents are deceased and he has four brothers and two sisters. He entered the seminary when he was sixteen years old and was ordained as a priest at the age of twenty six on the 21st of May 1984. He worked in his native diocese Thoothukudi for six years in three different parishes. Then God’s providence, since the year 1990, had been guiding him through a few countries, presenting him with opportunities to do some studies and pastoral ministry.
He did his Masters in communication at the University of the Philippines and obtained a diploma in Media production from Maynooth College Ireland. In 1995 the Cardinal of the Archdiocese of Montreal, Canada asked him to start a new parish for the Srilankan Tamils residing in Montreal. ‘Our Lady of Deliverance’ was established in 1996. In 1998 he landed in the Bronx and served as an associate pastor at St. Barnabas parish.
He was a chaplain at St. Joseph Living Center, Windham, CT from 2002 to 2005. Bishop Cote appointed him as Temporary Administrator of St. Stephen parish, Quinebaug in 2006. From 2008 to 2013 he was Administrator of the yoked parishes of St. John the Apostle, Plainfield and St. Augustine, Canterbury. On February 15, 2013 he was appointed pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows, Essex, CT. In August 2013 Bishop Cote appointed him as pastor of the yoked parishes of St. Joseph, Chester and Our Lady of Sorrows, Essex. The two parishes were merged as one parish under the new name St. Teresa of Calcutta on December 3, 2018.
His parents are deceased and he has four brothers and two sisters. He entered the seminary when he was sixteen years old and was ordained as a priest at the age of twenty six on the 21st of May 1984. He worked in his native diocese Thoothukudi for six years in three different parishes. Then God’s providence, since the year 1990, had been guiding him through a few countries, presenting him with opportunities to do some studies and pastoral ministry.
He did his Masters in communication at the University of the Philippines and obtained a diploma in Media production from Maynooth College Ireland. In 1995 the Cardinal of the Archdiocese of Montreal, Canada asked him to start a new parish for the Srilankan Tamils residing in Montreal. ‘Our Lady of Deliverance’ was established in 1996. In 1998 he landed in the Bronx and served as an associate pastor at St. Barnabas parish.
He was a chaplain at St. Joseph Living Center, Windham, CT from 2002 to 2005. Bishop Cote appointed him as Temporary Administrator of St. Stephen parish, Quinebaug in 2006. From 2008 to 2013 he was Administrator of the yoked parishes of St. John the Apostle, Plainfield and St. Augustine, Canterbury. On February 15, 2013 he was appointed pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows, Essex, CT. In August 2013 Bishop Cote appointed him as pastor of the yoked parishes of St. Joseph, Chester and Our Lady of Sorrows, Essex. The two parishes were merged as one parish under the new name St. Teresa of Calcutta on December 3, 2018.
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Our Lady Of Sorrows Leadership Photos
Administration
Admin Name:
Irene Listorti
Admin Position:
Office Administrator
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Mailing Address
Driving Directions to Our Lady Of Sorrows
Travel/Directions Tips
Parking
Our Lady Of Sorrows Essex Mass Times
WEEKEND MASS
SATURDAY
4:00 p.m. in Chester, CT
5:30 p.m. in Essex, CT
SUNDAY
8:30 a.m. & 12:00 p.m. in Essex, CT
10:00 a.m. in Chester, CT
WEEKDAY MASS
MONDAY, WEDNESDAY & FRIDAY
8:30 a.m. in Essex, CT
TUESDAY, THURSDAY & SATURDAY
8:30 a.m. in Chester, CT
HOLY DAY MASS
VIGIL MASS
7:00 p.m. in Essex, CT
FEAST DAY MASS
7:00 p.m. in Chester, CT
Mass Times last updated on the 7th of April, 2024
SATURDAY
4:00 p.m. in Chester, CT
5:30 p.m. in Essex, CT
SUNDAY
8:30 a.m. & 12:00 p.m. in Essex, CT
10:00 a.m. in Chester, CT
WEEKDAY MASS
MONDAY, WEDNESDAY & FRIDAY
8:30 a.m. in Essex, CT
TUESDAY, THURSDAY & SATURDAY
8:30 a.m. in Chester, CT
HOLY DAY MASS
VIGIL MASS
7:00 p.m. in Essex, CT
FEAST DAY MASS
7:00 p.m. in Chester, CT
Mass Times last updated on the 7th of April, 2024
Worship Languages
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Additional Info:
Our Lady Of Sorrows Photo Gallery
Our Lady Of Sorrows History
A few miles up the Connecticut River on its west bank lies the river port of Essex. Catholic settlers there in the 1850s and 1860s were few, and their history at the beginning is bound closely to the of the Old Saybrook Catholic Community. In 1876 Essex is mentioned as a mission out of the now firmly established parish at Chester, St Joseph's. It was a Chester pastor, Rev. Andrew Harty, who bought an old Episcopalian church in Essex and made it in 1898 a suitable and attractive place for the Catholic to worship. For over 25 years this converted church served the growing Catholic community in Essex, but in 1925 it was destroyed by fire.
Rev. Francis Kuster was pastor in Chester at the time of the Essex fire and to him fell the task of rebuilding. Through the generosity of the family of Patrick Campbell, a New Yorker who for many years had made his summer residence the quaint Connecticut town, Father Kuster was given a new building site, land in Essex Village on which the foundations of a demolished inn still stood. Far from being considered ruins waiting only to be removed these foundations of the old Pettipaug Inn proved of some use in the building of the new church. Partially resting upon them, Our Lady of Sorrows church, second to bear the name and still only a mission church, was ready for dedication in November 1926.
Father Kuster's later years were marked by much illness. For long periods Rev. David O'Keefe, resident
at the time of St John's School in Deep River, administered the Essex Mission. In 1936 Our Lady of Sorrows was granted full parish status, though by the way of exception its first pastor, Rev. Patrick Killeen,
also served as chaplain at St John's and for several years early in his pastorate continued to reside there.
The second pastor of the parish was Father Francis Murphy. He replaced Father Killeen, and remained the pastor of the parish for 32 years, until his death, in January 2000. Father Bradley Pierce was the temporary administrator until May 16, 2000. Then the new pastor, Father Paul Gaumond, was assigned as
the resident pastor. In the last few years the parish has been growing fast with many new families
and serves almost 500 families.
(Source: Old Saybrook Deanery)
Previous Pastors:
Father Patrick Killeen: Became the first pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows in 1936. Our Lady of Sorrows was granted full parish status, though by the way of exception. Fr. Killeen also served as chaplain at St John's and for several years early in his pastorate continued to reside there.
Father Francis Murphy -The second pastor of the parish was Father Francis Murphy. He replaced Father Killeen, and remained the pastor of the parish for 32 years, until his death, in January 2000.
Father Paul Gaumond –Became the third pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows in May of 2000. He served until his death, in December of 2012.
Current Pastor - Father Arul Rajan Peter
Rev. Francis Kuster was pastor in Chester at the time of the Essex fire and to him fell the task of rebuilding. Through the generosity of the family of Patrick Campbell, a New Yorker who for many years had made his summer residence the quaint Connecticut town, Father Kuster was given a new building site, land in Essex Village on which the foundations of a demolished inn still stood. Far from being considered ruins waiting only to be removed these foundations of the old Pettipaug Inn proved of some use in the building of the new church. Partially resting upon them, Our Lady of Sorrows church, second to bear the name and still only a mission church, was ready for dedication in November 1926.
Father Kuster's later years were marked by much illness. For long periods Rev. David O'Keefe, resident
at the time of St John's School in Deep River, administered the Essex Mission. In 1936 Our Lady of Sorrows was granted full parish status, though by the way of exception its first pastor, Rev. Patrick Killeen,
also served as chaplain at St John's and for several years early in his pastorate continued to reside there.
The second pastor of the parish was Father Francis Murphy. He replaced Father Killeen, and remained the pastor of the parish for 32 years, until his death, in January 2000. Father Bradley Pierce was the temporary administrator until May 16, 2000. Then the new pastor, Father Paul Gaumond, was assigned as
the resident pastor. In the last few years the parish has been growing fast with many new families
and serves almost 500 families.
(Source: Old Saybrook Deanery)
Previous Pastors:
Father Patrick Killeen: Became the first pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows in 1936. Our Lady of Sorrows was granted full parish status, though by the way of exception. Fr. Killeen also served as chaplain at St John's and for several years early in his pastorate continued to reside there.
Father Francis Murphy -The second pastor of the parish was Father Francis Murphy. He replaced Father Killeen, and remained the pastor of the parish for 32 years, until his death, in January 2000.
Father Paul Gaumond –Became the third pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows in May of 2000. He served until his death, in December of 2012.
Current Pastor - Father Arul Rajan Peter