German Catholic immigrants settling in Meriden first attended Mass at St. Rose of Lima Church and later joined with French-Canadians to establish St. Laurent Church in 1880. A decade later, their numbers were large enough that an independent parish was organized. The first St. Mary parish church, built of wood on Church Street, was dedicated on December 6, 1891. Bishop John J. Nilan blessed the cornerstone of a new church on October 27, 1912 and dedicated the completed Gothic church on October 19, 1913. The church continues to have a German-American congregation residing in Meriden and other nearby towns. Its parishioners share their clergy with St. Joseph’s Church in Meriden. St. Mary School opened in 1894 and closed in 2006.
St. Mary Church, Meriden (1912)
The Archdiocese of Hartford sold St. Mary’s church building to the Pentecostal Church of God IM in July of 2019 for $275,000.
I can’t believe that it was sold. That breaks my heart. As it is such a majestic looking building, and so, very unique. The inside is even more beautiful. I was a parishioner at St. Rose of Lima while being an altar boy, and graduating from Saint Rose School in 1981. I am also in love with that church. Many magical memories.