A Parish Rooted in Stafford Springs Since 1869
St. Edward the Confessor Parish sits at 59 High Street in Stafford Springs, Connecticut, in the rolling country of Tolland County. It is the only Catholic church in the Town of Stafford and has ministered to local Catholic families since 1869. Roughly 1,200 families now make up the parish, drawn from the small hill towns of eastern Connecticut. The parish belongs to the Diocese of Norwich, and its rectories and offices have long been a steady presence on Church Street.
The parish mission is framed in plain, direct language: "Blessed by the grace of God and nurtured by the Eucharist as we walk in the footsteps of Jesus Christ, our mission as the Roman Catholic Church of St. Edward the Confessor is to support the spiritual needs of our community. We engage in outreach guided by the Holy Spirit, using our time, talent, and treasure to serve God's people." Many parishioners volunteer not only in parish ministries but also as first responders and leaders who sit on Town of Stafford committees and boards.
Mass Times, Confessions and Adoration
Mass is celebrated Saturday evening at 4:00 p.m. and Sunday morning at 9:00 a.m. Weekday Masses are held Monday through Wednesday at 8:00 a.m. and Friday at noon; there is no morning Mass on Thursday. If the local school system cancels or delays classes, the morning Mass that day is also canceled.
Confessions are heard Saturday from 3:00 to 3:30 p.m. and at other times by appointment through the parish office. Eucharistic Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is offered on Tuesday mornings from 9:00 a.m. to noon in the church, with the Eucharist exposed in a monstrance on the altar. At least one adorer is present at all times, and most spend a full hour. Drop-ins are welcome, and worship materials are provided.
A Church for Visitors and Newcomers
The parish welcomes new faces warmly. Worship aids in each pew guide visitors through the order of Mass, the postures and the responses, so that anyone who is unsure when to sit, stand or kneel can simply follow along. Children are welcome at every Mass. Ushers are glad to bring a worship aid to anyone whose pew does not have one.
Visitors are not expected to put money in the offering; if the basket passes by, it may be let pass. Catholics in the state of grace are invited to receive Holy Communion. Those who are not Catholic are asked not to receive, but anyone who comes forward with arms crossed over the chest is acknowledged with a special blessing. Dress is comfortable: in summer, sandals, shorts and a shirt are common, and clothing is asked to be respectful and conservative. Parking is available behind the rectory next to the church, with additional parking in the parish hall lot at 27 Church Street directly behind the church.
The Seven Sacraments
St. Edward celebrates all seven sacraments instituted by Christ. Baptism, Holy Eucharist and Confirmation are the sacraments of initiation; Penance and the Anointing of the Sick are the sacraments of healing; Matrimony and Holy Orders are the sacraments at the service of communion.
Baptism marks entry into supernatural life and the reception of sanctifying grace. Parents seeking the sacrament for an infant or child are asked to contact the parish office. First Communion is prepared through the Faith Formation program for children and through RCIA for adults. Confirmation, ordinarily received in grades nine and ten after two years of preparation, is celebrated when the Bishop visits the parish; adult candidates are prepared through RCIA.
Penance is offered Sat at the scheduled time and by appointment. Anointing of the Sick is given to Catholics who, by reason of illness or old age, have begun to be in danger of death, and provides comfort, peace, courage and forgiveness of sins. Couples planning to marry at St. Edward are asked to contact Father Peter at least one year in advance; engaged couples are expected to attend an Engaged Encounter weekend or a Couple-to-Couple marriage preparation program. Men discerning a call to Holy Orders are encouraged to speak with the pastor, who can direct them to the Diocese of Norwich Office of Vocations.
Faith Formation for Children and Teens
The Faith Formation program serves students from kindergarten through tenth grade, with classes meeting Sunday mornings at 10:20 a.m. The program is being expanded to include a Wednesday evening option for kindergarten through eighth grade, depending on interest and volunteer teachers. Volunteer catechists are always needed.
Andrea Broer serves as Coordinator of Religious Education, working with Joanne Deskus as Faith Formation Chair. Registration forms, the class calendar and Confirmation documents, including the Choice of a Confirmation Name, Community Service Verification and Sponsor Information forms, are available from the parish office. The bishop visits each year to confer the Sacrament of Confirmation on the candidates.
RCIA and Adult Faith
Adults who are not Catholic, those who have not been confirmed, and Catholics who want to learn more about the faith are invited to enter the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. The parish RCIA program prepares candidates for full reception into the Catholic Church and welcomes inquirers throughout the year. An RCIA Information Form is available, and the parish office takes the first call.
Liturgical Ministries
The parish Liturgy Committee plans each season's Masses and spiritual needs. Within the liturgies, lay men and women serve in a number of roles.
- Altar Servers. Young people in at least fourth grade assist the priest at Mass and other ceremonies, including serving as Book Bearer and Candle and Cross Bearer.
- Lectors. Confirmed members of the parish who are comfortable speaking in public proclaim the readings and offer the general intercessions. Training is provided.
- Eucharistic Ministers. Confirmed parishioners assist in distributing the Body and Blood of Christ at Mass and bring the sacrament to the homebound, hospital and nursing home.
- Music Ministry. Cantors, choir members and instrumentalists provide music for the liturgy.
- Arts and Environment. This ministry decorates the church for the seasons of the liturgical year and for special feast days, especially Christmas and Easter.
- Ushers. Ushers greet and seat the assembly and assist with the flow of the liturgy.
Parish Organizations
Four long-standing organizations are closely tied to parish life.
The St. Edward Ladies' Guild was established in 1955 to support the spiritual, educational and philanthropic life of the parish. Over more than seventy years, the guild has paid for missalettes, meditation books, the Paschal Candle, a sound system, altar cloths, vestments, Advent candles, a parish hall gas stove and many other items. The guild meets on the third Tuesday of the month from March through June and from September through December at 6 p.m. in the parish hall meeting room, and hosts the parish's Polish Dinners, bake sales, pierogi and cookie sales, and Christmas Bazaars.
The Reverend Felix J. O'Neil Knights of Columbus Council #1395 was chartered at St. Edward in 1908. The local council supports St. Edward Faith Formation contests, scholarships for graduating Stafford High School students, persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and seminarians. Members meet on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of each month in the parish hall at 6 p.m.
The St. Clare Fraternity of the Secular Franciscans gathers the parish's Secular Franciscan Order community, led by a council minister, vice minister, director of formation and treasurer. A Conventual Franciscan priest serves as Spiritual Assistant. The fraternity meets monthly for formation, prayer and fellowship, and publishes regular newsletters.
Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts meet at the parish on Wednesday evenings at 6:30 p.m., with the Boy Scouts in the Parish Hall and the Cub Scouts in the Parish Center.
St. Edward Cemetery
St. Edward the Confessor Cemetery lies at 22 West Stafford Road, beside Dunkin' Donuts, and is open from daylight to dusk. The Code of Canon Law recognizes the parish church and the Catholic cemetery as the two sacred sites of a parish, and the cemetery is considered holy ground blessed by the Bishop. Two columbaria, each with 48 niches, surround the statue of St. Anthony for the interment of cremated remains; the Church does not allow the scattering of cremains. Plots and niches are often purchased in advance, and the cemetery is maintained for the burial of the faithful departed of St. Edward and other Catholic parishes in the area.
Prayer and the Rosary
The parish offers an intercessory prayer line for anyone in need of prayer for a special intention. Calls to the parish office are kept in strict confidence. The Rosary is also a regular devotion, with the Joyful Mysteries on Mondays and Saturdays, the Luminous on Thursdays, the Sorrowful on Tuesdays and Fridays, and the Glorious on Wednesdays and Sundays. The Rosary is a Scripture-based prayer that gathers the Hail Mary, the Our Father and the Apostles' Creed around the central mysteries of Christ's life.
Hospital and Homebound Visitation
Father Peter and the Eucharistic Ministers visit the hospital and local nursing homes to bring Holy Communion and pastoral care to Catholic patients. Families are asked to contact the parish office when the need arises so that no parishioner is missed.
Support, Giving and Getting Involved
Parishioners and visitors may give online through the parish's online giving portal, by check or cash at Mass, or by mail or drop-off at the parish office at 27 Church Street. Weekly giving envelopes are available on request. Memorial donations may be made in honor of a departed loved one, with special cards available at the parish office.
Volunteers are always needed. Current openings include sacristans for Sunday Mass, those who care for altar linens, members of the Arts and Environment committee, people willing to clean, dust and vacuum the altar and church, and a webmaster to keep the parish's online presence current. A volunteer interest form is available from the parish office.
Parish office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The office number is 860-684-2705, the fax is 860-684-0757, and the email is stedwardparish@stedward-stafford.org.