East Hartford‘s St. Rose Church Closes Doors After Century of Service
East Hartford, CT – St. Rose Church, the second oldest Catholic church in east Hartford, officially closed its doors Monday, marking the end of an era for generations of local families. The church, located at 33 Church St., has been sold to Ben Bronz Academy, a West Hartford-based school for students with disabilities established in 1985.
The closure was visibly marked by the removal of the church’s crosses at 10 a.m. with assistance from the East Hartford Fire Department. For longtime parishioners, witnessing the event was deeply emotional.
“It didn’t look real, and you couldn’t understand it was really coming down. Now you see it, and you realize, it’s done,” said Dennis Sheridan, a St. Rose parishioner. Virginia Alleano, another parishioner, reflected on personal connections to the church, stating, “I was thinking of my husband…This was our parish. our daughters were married here, received all their sacraments here, and he was buried here.”
St. Rose first opened as a place of worship in the 1920s and held its last mass in June 2024. State Representative Henry J. Genga described the event as “a sad event [and] a formal process for a Catholic church closing,” noting the church “provided spiritual guidance to its residents for decades.”
The Archdiocese of Hartford attributes the closure, and those of other churches, to a shortage of priests and declining attendance. “We’re really going gung-ho recruiting men for the priesthood. that is why so many churches are closing, it’s because we don’t have enough priests to supply them,” explained Father Timothy Ryan, pastor of North American Martyrs Parish, which includes St. Mary’s, St. Christopher, and St.Rose.
Despite the sadness, parishioners emphasized the enduring spirit of the church community. “As sad as it is, it’s just the building. The church is the people,” said Mike Zebedeo, a St. Rose parishioner.
Ben Bronz Academy expressed excitement about utilizing the campus. “We are overjoyed at the prospect of this campus becoming the new home for Ben Bronz Academy,” said Dr. Gail Lanza,Executive Director. “This move represents a meaningful investment in our students’ futures…offering facilities that foster creativity, physical activity, and academic achievement.” The academy anticipates beginning its next school year on the former St. Rose campus.
The removed crosses will be stored at the archdiocese of Hartford.
