Basilica of Saint John the Evangelist

41°03′06″N 73°32′24″W﻿ / ﻿41.0517°N 73.5400°W﻿ / 41.0517; -73.5400

Church in Connecticut, United States

Basilica of Saint John the Evangelist

Location| 279 Atlantic St
Stamford, Connecticut
Country| United States
Denomination| Roman Catholic
Website| stjohnbasilica.org
Architecture
Architect(s)| James Murphy
Administration
Province| Hartford
Diocese| Bridgeport
Clergy
Bishop(s)| Most Rev. Frank J. Caggiano
Rector| Rev. Msgr. Stephen M. DiGiovanni, H.E.D.
Laity
Organist(s)| Nicholas Botkins

The Basilica of Saint John the Evangelist is a Catholic parish church and minor basilica in Stamford, Connecticut, USA. It was founded in the 1850s and the current church was built in 1868 to meet the increasing needs of the congregation. It serves a multi-lingual congregation, including descendants of the original congregation.

## History

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Interior of the Basilica

In 1849, Stamford's small Catholic community purchased land, and, on July 4, broke ground for the original church of Saint John the Evangelist on Meadow Street. The small, one-story wooden framed church structure measured 60 feet by 40 feet, with some rudimentary gothic decorations, a small steeple and a bell. It was dedicated in 1851. By 1854, Saint John's became an independent mission, with Father Edward J. Cooney, its first pastor.[1][2][3][4]

To meet the growing Catholic population, a larger church was built in 1868. A few years later, the adjacent property and private home was purchased to serve as a rectory, and another parcel was purchased to be used in the future for the new parish school and convent.[5][nb 1] James Murphy of Providence, Rhode Island was the architect of the new stone church, having designed and constructed fifty-six of the Catholic churches throughout New England. The interior was designed by John Ennis, a Dublin theater designer. The Saint John the Evangelist church was completed and consecrated on May 30, 1886, by Bishop Lawrence Stephen McMahon. It was the largest in the state at the time. It is known as "The Mother Church of Stamford."[7][8][9]

Two new convents were constructed at the site of the new church on Atlantic Street. The Saint John's School, completed in 1906 and directly behind the new church, was staffed by the Sisters of Mercy and operated until its closure in 1973.[10] Saint John's Parish donated most of the funding for the construction and outfitting of Saint Joseph's Hospital, which opened its doors in Stamford in 1942 and served the community until 1999.[11]

### Diverse community

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Saint John's Parish had been founded by impoverished Irish Catholic immigrants and over time served a congregation of widening backgrounds. Since 1890 apostolates have begun for the Italian immigrants (1890), Polish and Slovak immigrants (1900), Hispanic community, and Haitian Catholics (1972).[12]

### Urban development

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In response to Saint John's support of the city's urban development program through donations of seed money and land, the city named the three affordable housing apartments, Saint John's Towers after the parish. The Bishop of Bridgeport and the Pastor of Saint John's Church are ex-officio members of the board of directors of the Saint John's Urban Development Corporation, the legal entity that oversees the housing complex.[13]

### Minor Basilica

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On July 16, 2009, Pope Benedict XVI raised Saint John's Parish to the dignity and title of Minor Basilica based upon its sanctuary size, historical importance, art and recognition within the Diocese. At that time, there were 65 Minor Basilicas in the United States and 1,561 in the world.[3][14] Regarding the state of the sanctuary and its artwork:

> The gothic High Altar of white Carrera marble and golden Mexican onyx dates to the church’s opening in 1886. The altar crucifix above the tabernacle is from the original 1851 church. The three stained-glass windows above the sanctuary, depicting the Incarnation, the Crucifixion, and the Resurrection, are Dutch in origin and the oldest in the church, dating to 1886."[3]

## Overview

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The rector of the church is Monsignor Stephen M. DiGiovanni. Mass is held and confessions are heard each day. On Sunday there are Latin, English and French & Creole services.[15][16]

Saint John's membership consists of people of domestic and international backgrounds. Confessions are heard daily before each Mass in Italian, Spanish, French, Creole, Portuguese, as well as English.[17]

The church has a seating capacity of 1,600 and exterior dimensions of 100 by 180 feet.[18]

## Notes

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1. ^ The rectory and adjacent buildings had been used prior to the Civil War as a stop on the Underground Railroad, which assisted hundreds of African American slaves to freedom.[6]

## References

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1. ^ Stamford Advocate, January 28, 1851.
2. ^ Thomas S. Duggan. (1930). The Catholic Church in Connecticut. New York: States History Company. p. 453.
3. ^ a b c Saint John the Evangelist Church in Stamford is elevated to a "Minor Basilica" by Pope Benedict XVI; First Basilica in Fairfield County. Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine Diocese of Bridgeport. Retrieved September 3, 2012.
4. ^ Bulletin For Sunday January 23, 2011 - 1851 dedication of the wooden clapboard chapel of Saint John the Evangelist. Basilica of Saint John the Evangelist. Retrieved September 3, 2012.
5. ^ James H. O’Donnell. (1900) The History of the Diocese of Hartford. Boston. pp. 285–286. (Reprinted in 2011. ISBN 1178501035)
6. ^ The Fairfield County Catholic, July/August 2003
7. ^ The New York Times, May 31, 1886
8. ^ Just, Olivia. (December 17, 2010). Vibrant wall paintings reemerge at Basilica of St. John the Evangelist. Stamford Advocate. Retrieved September 3, 2012.
9. ^ Saint John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church. Emporis. Retrieved 3 September 2012.
10. ^ William A. Nagle. (1976). St. John Catholic Church. So. Hackensack, NJ. pp. 8–9.
11. ^ Ann Callahan & Brian E. Wallace. (1992). The Promise of a Hospital. Stamford: St. Joseph Medical Center. pp. 1–85.
12. ^ tephen Michael DiGiovanni. (1987). The Catholic Church in Fairfield County, 1666-1961. New Canaan: W. Mulvey. pp. 224–225, 255–270. ISBN 0934791120
13. ^ The Stamford Advocate, November 27, 1970
14. ^ The Stamford Times, October 25, 2009
15. ^ The Basilica of Saint John the Evangelist. Diocese of Bridgeport. Retrieved September 3, 2012.
16. ^ Masses. Archived 2012-04-30 at the Wayback Machine The Basilica of Saint John the Evangelist. Retrieved September 3, 2012.
17. ^ The New York Times, February 21, 2009.
18. ^ [1] Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine The Basilica of Saint John the Evangelist. May 26, 2013 Bulletin. Retrieved January 13, 2016.

## External links

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* Basilica of Saint John the Evangelist (Official site)
* Photo Gallery of the Basilica
* Audio Files
* Photos of the restored interior of Basilica of Saint John the Evangelist
* Early post card depicting St. John the Evangelist Church
* List of Basilicas in the United States
* Diocese of Bridgeport

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Roman Catholic Diocese of Bridgeport

Ordinaries|

Bishops
Lawrence Shehan
Walter William Curtis
Edward Egan
William E. Lori
Frank Joseph Caggiano

Churches|

Cathedral
St. Augustine Cathedral

Basilica
Basilica of Saint John the Evangelist, Stamford

Parishes
St. Agnes, Greenwich
St. Anthony of Padua, Fairfield
St. Benedict-Our Lady of Montserrat, Stamford
Blessed Sacrament, Bridgeport
St. Bridget of Ireland, Stamford
St. Catherine of Siena, Riverside
St. Catherine of Siena, Trumbull
St. Cecilia, Stamford
St. Charles Borromeo, Bridgeport
Christ the King, Trumbull
St. Clement of Rome, Stamford
SS. Cyril and Methodius, Bridgeport
St. Gabriel, Stamford
St. George, Bridgeport
St. Gregory the Great Church, Danbury
Holy Family, Fairfield
Holy Name of Jesus, Stamford
Holy Name of Jesus, Stratford
Holy Spirit, Stamford
Immaculate Heart of Mary, Danbury
St. James, Stratford
St. Jerome, Norwalk
St. John, Darien
St. Joseph, Brookfield
St. Joseph, Danbury
St. Joseph, South Norwalk
St. Ladislaus, South Norwalk
St. Lawrence, Shelton
Saint Margaret Shrine, Bridgeport
St. Marguerite Bourgeoys, Brookfield
St. Mark, Stratford
St. Mary, Bridgeport
St. Mary, Greenwich
St. Mary, Norwalk
St. Mary, Stamford
St. Matthew, Norwalk
St. Maurice, Stamford
St. Michael the Archangel, Bridgeport
Notre Dame, Easton
Our Lady of Grace, Stratford
Our Lady of Guadalupe, Danbury
Our Lady of Peace, Stratford
Our Lady of the Assumption, Fairfield
Our Lady of the Assumption, Westport
Our Lady Star of the Sea, Stamford
St. Paul, Greenwich
St. Peter, Bridgeport
St. Peter, Danbury
St. Philip, Norwalk
St. Pius X, Fairfield
St. Roch, Greenwich
St. Rose of Lima, Newtown
Sacred Heart, Georgetown
Sacred Heart, Greenwich
Sacred Heart, Stamford
Sacred Heart of Jesus, Danbury
St. Stephen, Trumbull
St. Theresa, Trumbull
St. Thomas Aquinas, Fairfield
St. Thomas the Apostle, Norwalk

Education|

Seminary
St. John Fisher Seminary

Higher education
Fairfield University
Sacred Heart University
St. Vincent's College, Bridgeport

High schools
Convent of the Sacred Heart, Greenwich
Fairfield College Preparatory School, Fairfield
Immaculate High School, Danbury
Kolbe Cathedral High School, Bridgeport
Notre Dame Catholic High School, Fairfield
St. Joseph High School, Trumbull
Trinity Catholic High School, Stamford

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