Parish History

In the early 1900's, God planted the seed for a new Catholic parish in Avon. However, the seed may have been planted earlier, in 1848, when
the pastor and founder of St. Mary's Church in New Britain may have extended pastoral care to the few Irish Catholics in  Avon. The Rev. Luke Daly offered monthly Masses in the Sheridan, McCarthy, and O'Neill homes in the Avon Center area.1

During the largest immigration period in America’s history, from 1890-1910, the Irish Catholics in  Avon were joined by large numbers of Italian and Polish immigrants. Private homes would no longer accommodate the growing congregation. Avon became a mission of St. Patrick's Church in Collinsville during the first decade of the 20th century and the pastor, the Rev. William P. Kennedy, made arrangements to have Masses celebrated in the teacher's room and adjoining hallway at School No. 5 (later called Towpath School). Soon after a fund-drive was started by Father Kennedy for his mission. With support from Avon Catholics and some of their Protestant neighbors, the goal was reached in 1917. Land on Mountain View Avenue was donated by Mr. and Mrs. William  G. Manion, and a chapel seating 150 people was built and dedicated in 1919.2

For the next three years the mission of Avon, with its pretty little wooden church, was given to the care of the Rev. Edwin A. Flynn, resident chaplain of St. Mary's Home in West Hartford. His tenure was brief and St. Ann's then became a mission of St. Patrick's in Farmington whose priests,
especially Father Austin Dignam, "took conscientious care of the Avon flock" for twenty-two years. The two churches shared organists and choirs and the joint choirs performed on the churches' major feast days and at an annual musical to raise money for both churches.1  
The Rev. John T. Hynes was appointed the parish's first resident pastor in 1944. He was described by The Catholic Transcript as "singularly unexcitable, deliberate, and regular, a man who ordered his life very carefully and anticipated almost any development. He was a noted preacher, and his establishment of regular organizational and financial procedures is said to have served the parish
well in its growing years." 1

Other pastors appointed by the Archdiocese in historical order were: Rev. William Gerrity, Rev. John Bennett, Rev. Thomas McCarthy, Rev. Thomas Sas, Rev. John McHugh, Ph.D, and Fr. Alphonso Fontana.

Forty years later, in 1957, our parish had outgrown the chapel. Again, parishioners responded generously, and our present church on West Avon Road was built. Father Bennett Hall was added in 1980 to accommodate the needs of our growing parish.

From our beginning in 1917 as a small chapel in old Avon Center to our status today as a vibrant, active, growing parish ministering to more than 2,000 families, our Lord has seen us through growth and change and given us abundant grace.

Today, we look forward, confident that this present generation of St. Ann's parishioners will write the next chapter in parish history with similar passion and generosity, ensuring continued progress for
our mission of "Worship, Service and Lifelong Learning for all."

History prepared by William Goralski.

Footnotes: 
1. The Reverend Henry P. Cody, "Saint Ann Parish —A History" appearing in Avon, Connecticut —
an historic story, by Mary-Frances MacKie.
2. Avon, Connecticut, by Mary-Frances MacKie