Dan Antion

Thursday Doors – The Church of St Patrick

Church of Saint Patrick

I realize that it’s been a while since I focused a Thursday Doors post on a single building. I also realize that that building was a church and it was, at least partially, named St. Patrick’s.

I was originally planning to use this church for St. Patrick’s Day in 2016, but then I got sick and couldn’t get the photos. Then I tagged it for St. Patrick’s Day in 2017, and I totally forgot. When I agreed to feed our daughter’s cats last night and this morning, I realized that I had a doorpotunity(1) I shouldn’t pass up. I could snag the photos I need on my way over and write the post while binge-watching Twilight Zone and Star Trek Next Generation episodes on Netflix. Moncton and Preston love to help me.

The church of St. Patrick is one of those curiously aged churches, where the congregation predates the physical building by a good long time. Fortunately, it isn’t one of the many churches whose history spans multiple buildings that were destroyed by fire. This beautiful stone structure has stood for almost 100 years.

St. Patrick’s is in Farmington, CT. We have visited this little neighborhood before, as it is home to St. James Episcopal church and Miss Porter’s School. I’ve featured other Farmington doors, but those two are right around the corner from today’s church.

The history page for the church details the chronology, but it doesn’t make a lot of sense unless you’re familiar with Connecticut geography. Suffice it to say, the sacred needs of Farmington Catholics were cared for priests from churches in neighboring towns, including Hartford, which is about 10 ½ miles away. That’s about 2 ½ hours on horseback, similar to making that commute today during rush hour. I exaggerate, but not by much.

In 1870, Father Patrick Duggett bought an old building on Farmington Avenue to serve as the Farmington’s first Catholic Church. From the churches’ history page:

In the fall of 1918, Bishop John J. Nilan made St. Patrick’s a parish with Father M. Ernest Wilson as first pastor. Bishop Nilan instructed Father Wilson to build a new church on a Main Street site chosen by the prelate himself.

With much help from his parishioners, the pastor soon had a basement church constructed and dedicated on November 27, 1919.

The completed superstructure was dedicated on June 11, 1922.

Today, the church’s parking lot abuts a sports field complex that is part of the expanded presence of Miss Porter’s School. As for Miss Porter’s there is at least one tangible link between the school and this church. The history page of the church’s website pointed me to an article in the New York Times about this area of Farmington. The article contained this interesting bit of history:

“At the small fieldstone St. Patrick’s Church at 112 Main Street, a brass plaque reading “Misses Bouvier” remains on the pew donated by the future Mrs. Kennedy and her sister when they were at Miss Porter’s in the 1940’s.”

This post is part is part of a weekly blogfest sponsored by Norm Frampton. This is where I would normally cast Norm in a significant role in the organization of all things doors. Today, I want to switch gears. You should check out Norm’s doors. You should also click on the Blue Frog to see the other doors. But, I hope you will also consider joining another blogfest, The Cherished Blogfest. I won’t say more, here, but please take a look at the #CBF page.

(1) I tried ‘do-opportunity’, ‘door-opportunity’ and ‘dorportunity’, but this sounded better to me.

You can click on any photo to start a slide show.

Miss Porter’s School athletic fields
Back of the church
Miss Porter’s School athletic fields
Handicapped entrance
Saint Patrick
The stone is low and curved into the landscape in many places
Intricate stone structure
Handicapped entrance
Church of Saint Patrick
Church of Saint Patrick
Parsonage
Upper and lower doors from the parking lot
From the parking lot
Access to lower level
Back of the church – I love the slate roof
Alter end of the church as seen from the parking lot
Back of parsonage
Side of the church near the main entrance
Preston, on my laptop

61 comments

  1. Preston had a snack attack, eh? 😉 What a grand old building. I love the stone work. And the part about Jackie BKO was a nice surprise. Always great doors from you Dan. I’ll likely not get a post up today. Have a great one. I’m so busy and so lagging for the CBF. Sorry.😞

    Liked by 2 people

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  5. I love the stonework and sloping roof on this church. And the Kennedy’s were involved. That is so interesting. Beautiful church, Dan. Preston is a new cat? Did he get a reward if you could comb through his fur?

    Liked by 1 person

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    • Thanks Lois. Preston has been around Faith’s for a good long time, but he usually isn’t in the public eye. I should have included a photo of his tuxedo brother, but his antics might get their own post.

      Liked by 1 person

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  6. Preston is such a cutie that I forgot about the doors.
    I love all the stonework. With the relatively simple doors it was a charming effect. Ant that window in the side is spectacular. Such a lovely structure. Have a thriving Thursday, Dan!

    Liked by 1 person

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    • Thanks Teagan. Sometimes I work to get the gallery lined up the way I want. This time, Preston ended up the by chance and I decided not to mess. Have a wonderful Friday-eve.

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  8. A lovely building well worth setting aside for its own post. Nicely done Dan. Doorpotunity, eh? Along with Doorfie and Doorscursion – It seems like we door nuts really are developing a whole list of our own words.
    One could even call it our own doorcabulary :-D

    Liked by 2 people

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  10. What a lovely quaint church, with some fun history. Glad the cat feeding came with a picture too:) Funny how we pass things and think, I should photograph that and put it off. I did that with a few things and now they are gone… Now you are going to have to fun a new Saint Patrick’s Day 2018 post.

    Liked by 1 person

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  12. I love this church with it’s pretty stone work. I’m not sure which photo it is – I counted #6 from the beginning of the slideshow – but I love this photo. It took a while before I realized that the massive chimneys weren’t part of the small building at the back, but the larger building in front. The perspective on this photo is so interesting.

    Liked by 1 person

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  13. Was Preston trying to steal your Chex mix?

    Beautiful church, Dan. Love the stonework and roof, and I really like the curviness of the doors. It looks like a church that should be in a small town in England, sitting amid the cottages, but I guess New England is good too.

    Liked by 1 person

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    • Preston and Moncton raided the bag of Bugles. They tried tearing into it and when I did open it, they begged and stole some.

      The church is really pretty. I’m glad you like it. This part of Farmington has a very small town feel to it. Albeit, very expensive small town. The slate roof is very well done.

      Liked by 1 person

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  15. Beautiful building. Definitely my kinda thing. Love the photo (well two) with all the curves and angles, all that ivy and stone. That’s dreamy stuff! Nice big place, definitely glad you went around it.
    Also, Preston is cute! I would share my snacks with him! :)

    Liked by 1 person

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  19. Ok, Faith’s Preston won my heart and attention. I love this photo, Dan!
    I particularly liked the variegated colors of the field stones used in this mighty church. I really liked the quality of the entrance for those who may have challenges or handicaps. It was really pretty and the wood stain is lustrous.
    I also liked the connection to Miss Porter’s school and the sisters Bouvier, with one beautiful Mrs. Jackie Kennedy. Lovely St Patrick’s statue, too.
    You could replay or reblog this over St. Patrick’s Day! 🍀

    Liked by 1 person

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