St. Lawrence Church

By Dan Shine,

Voice Columnist

It was only a mile from home to St. Lawrence Church, but Michael Keeney remembers it as sometimes feeling like much, much more.  His mother would lead her six children on foot to Mass in every kind of weather, and afterwards, lead them home again, this time by way of Wolfe’s Bakery.  Michael also remembers shaking in his boots while he waited to make his confession to Father Heller; sometimes after hearing young Michael’s confession, Father Heller would yell at him, for such is sometimes the way with boys.  No doubt, many others can recall similar memories of Mass and confession.

But how did it all start?  Well, it’s like this…

It started with people.  And it started in the 1880s.  They had fled the poverty of Europe, and arrived in America seeking opportunity, safety, freedom and liberty, and a place to worship as they chose.

They came with the Irish Diaspora; and they came from the troubles of Germany, and from the poverty of Italy, and elsewhere.  And they arrived in the ports of New York and Boston.  There, they learned of job opportunities in the growing city of New Haven, where they could find work making shirts, firearms, horse-carriages, buckles, ships, hardware, clocks, and so many other things in the multitude of factories of that era.

And homes and apartments could be found in the nearby community of West Haven, where factory workers could be transported to and from their jobs by way of horse-drawn streetcars.

However, many of these new arrivals were dismayed to discover that there was no convenient house of worship, within which they could follow their Roman Catholic traditions.  Indeed, the nearest churches were in New Haven: St. John’s Church on Davenport Avenue, and Sacred Heart Church on Columbus Avenue.

And so it was that in April of 1886, the first Mass was celebrated in the Thompson Building—today known as the Atlschuler Building—at Campbell Avenue and Main Street.

Later on that year, the cornerstone was laid for the first edifice of St. Lawrence Church; it was a simple wooden structure, located on Union Avenue, and it served the community’s Roman Catholic population until 1903, when the present St. Lawrence Church was opened for worship.  At that time, the Parish numbered about 200 people.

The church was named for St. Lawrence, martyred Roman deacon, who when ordered to turn over his church’s riches to the Prefect of Rome, presented the prefect with the church’s poor, the sick, the blind and the suffering, telling him “these are the church’s riches.”  For this, he was summarily put to death.

The growth of the summer population in the Old Savin Rock area made it necessary to establish the St. Lawrence Chapel.  The Chapel was located at the corner of Summer Street and Savin Avenue, and the first Mass was celebrated there in 1910.  By 1965, it had become a separate parish, St. John Vianney, with the Rev. Joseph Reynolds as its pastor.

Today, St. Lawrence Church is active in the community, and regularly supports a group of committees that address a variety of church-related topics.  Mass is held on Saturdays at 4:00 PM and on Sundays at 8:00 and 10:30 AM.

After many years at St. Lawrence Church, Father Jette has recently departed for another calling in another parish.  His parting words were, “I am grateful to God for my years in West Haven and for all the wonderful people I have come to know here. Your faith, hope and love were an inspiration to me.”

St. Lawrence Church is an active parish, with a proud history.  For more information, call (203) 934-8351.

To Be Continued-

By Michael P. Walsh

Special to the Voice

Led by contractor Brian Banning, Mayor Edward M. O’Brien on July 18 toured — and touted — a ranch-style house at 41 Harold St. that Banning recently refurbished, an example of the new partnership between the city and local contractors to improve West Haven’s aging housing stock.

Four years ago, the city foreclosed on the single-family home as well as a single-family home at 43 Linden St. that contractor Anthony Cordone has since remodeled, said Frank Fanelli III, a property maintenance/zoning enforcement officer of the Building Department who oversees the foreclosure sale process for West Haven.

Both houses were also severely blighted, affecting the quality of life in each neighborhood, Fanelli said.

After assuming ownership of the homes, the city put the properties out to bid, with Banning obtaining the Harold Street bid for $55,000 and Cordone securing the Linden Street bid for $52,000.

Banning and Cordone, known for building single-family homes in West Haven, then gutted the houses, giving them an extensive interior and exterior makeover — complete with such modern amenities as granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, hardwood flooring, and vinyl siding and windows.

O’Brien said the upgrades have significantly increased the value of the properties while growing the city’s grand list of taxable property.

The reconstructed homes, which are listed for sale, join several other city-owned properties that are being renovated by bid-winning contractors, underscoring the importance of the unique partnership, O’Brien said.

“What strikes me is that both builders have put significant dollars into the houses and are selling them for values greater than the highest-price homes in the area,” said Planning and Development Commissioner Joseph A. Riccio Jr., who supervises the Building Department. “These contractors show great faith and confidence in West Haven.”

Democratic Mayoral candidate Nancy Rossi is charging that Mayor Ed O’Brien is not being truthful with the residents of West Haven when he boasts about the claimed growth in the grand list, which represents the aggregate value of the taxable property in the city. Rossi, who is expected to face O’Brien in a Sept. 12 primary, charged the mayor is misrepresenting the facts, and uses his own numbers to bolster her case.

“Mayor O’Brien sent out a mail piece this week that claimed that he was responsible for an increase of $150,000,000 in the grand list, and that is absolutely not true” said Rossi, who is a Certified Public Accountant. “The grand list, when the mayor took office in December, 2013, was $2,822,778,324. The grand list value of taxable properties this fiscal year 2018 is $2,650,190,218, which is a decrease of $172,588,106. These numbers are printed in Mayor O’Brien’s budgets, but it does not surprise me that the mayor would be creative with the numbers to try to make himself look competent. Using the real numbers would just confirm what a disaster his administrations has been.

She wondered where the differential in the amounts shown in the city’s budget estimates and this new campaign literature originated.

“My question is: where did Mayor O’Brien come up with an increase in the grand list of $150 million? The actual numbers printed in his budgets show the grand list decreased by $172.6 million. This is precisely the lack of fiscal responsibility and transparency I’m talking about with this administration. If Mayor O’Brien is taking into account projects not yet completed, or even started, and hoping they will drive up our grand list, his statement is incredibly misleading and plainly untrue,” Rossi said.

In response, the mayor said new development, fostered by his administration, is the source of the new numbers.

“The O’Brien Administration has created millions of dollars in private investment and developments in West Haven. The amount of economic development currently happening in our city is unprecedented. Every single new development and every business that expands in West Haven is good for our Grand List and for the city as a whole,” he aid..

The mayor then used a campaign talking point he has in the past when discussing his opponent; lack of experience.

“Nancy’s negative comments highlight, yet again, her inexperience and her lack of understanding in how municipal budgets work.  Anyone can add the private investments projects initiated under the O’Brien Administration and conclude that $150 million is a conservative estimate in terms of West Haven’s economic growth.  Nancy’s misleading and divisive interpretation of West Haven’s positive economic growth smells of political desperation.

The mayor then pointed to several developments in the city’s ongoing economic picture:

* Allingtown is currently going through a complete revitalization with the completion of The Atwood and two similar projects coming soon. These developments give the center of Allingtown much needed aesthetic upgrades and will be worth nearly $20 million each;

* Several smaller businesses have opened across the city in new, taxable developments including O’Reilly Auto Parts, Chipotle, Aspen Dental, and T-Mobile;

* New development is capped off with the high-end outlet mall The Haven still moving forward. The Haven is set to add an estimated $200 million to the Grand List he asserts.

“When we look at businesses that are expanding within West Haven we see another success story. Enthone is currently working on an expansion worth over $12 million, Watson Foods has a major expansion and has added almost 30 jobs, and AAIS Corporation has recently expanded and added nearly 40 jobs. These expansions once again add up to millions and millions of dollars,” the mayor said.

The mayor summed up his statement, saying the city is in need of leadership, not charges and counter-charges.

“ West Haven does not need unending negativity and constant checking of the rear-view mirror, West Haven needs a leader that looks to build a stronger future for all of us,” he said.

By Michael P. Walsh

Special to the Voice

The 36th annual Savin Rock Festival starts tonight in Old Grove Park with four days of games, food, rides and entertainment.

The event, which pays homage to the legacy of Savin Rock Park, features its second beer garden — complete with live music — since the festival began in 1982.

It kicks off at 5 p.m. with welcoming remarks from Mayor Edward M. O’Brien and the national anthem sung by Caitlin Morrissey.

Santana tribute group Sacred Fire performs at 5:15 p.m., followed by party rock band The RumRunners at 7:15 p.m.

The festival, sponsored by the University of New Haven, is today, 5-9 p.m.; Friday, 5-10 p.m.; and Saturday-Sunday, noon-10 p.m.

Marenna Amusements is offering wristbands for unlimited rides for $30, 24 tickets for $24 and 12 tickets for $10. Otherwise, tickets cost $1 each.

On Friday, Turbulence, “Connecticut’s favorite party band,” opens at 5:15 p.m., followed by the History of Rock & Soul Starring Pauly and the Goodfellas at 8:30 p.m.

Local organizations are setting up informational booths, and the food court is serving up the fare — fried seafood, split hot dogs, frozen custard — that catapulted old Savin Rock to notoriety as “the Coney Island of Connecticut.”

On Saturday, the West Haven High School dance team and the Top Hat Dance Academy perform at noon and 12:15 p.m., respectively, followed by alternative rock group Clockwork at 1 p.m. and country cover band Boondocks at 2:30 p.m.

Rubber City, powered by a horn section that rivals such bands as Chicago and Tower of Power, goes on at 4 p.m., followed by “music that’ll move ya” by Ball in the House at 5:30 p.m.

Elements, anchored by a 12-piece band, start at 8:30 p.m., performing a 90-minute set of Earth, Wind & Fire hits, including “September,” “Can’t Hide Love,” “Boogie Wonderland” and “Fantasy.”

If it rains, Pauly and the Goodfellas and Elements are set to play in the Carrigan Intermediate School auditorium, 2 Tetlow St.

On Sunday, Simply Dance is on at noon, followed by classic rock band Stratus at 1 p.m., oldies group Vinnie Carr at 2:30 p.m., pop rock group Sister Funk at 4 p.m. and rhythm and blues band Nu Groove at 5:30 p.m.

At 8 p.m., the festival closes with a two-hour concert by The Wayouts, “Connecticut’s freshest and most diversified cover band.”

The West Haven High School Band Parents is holding a craft fair Friday, 4-8 p.m.; Saturday, noon-8 p.m.; and Sunday, noon-6 p.m.

To help with expenses, the Savin Rock Festival Committee is selling T-shirts and other merchandise in the hospitality tent. It is also charging nonresidents $10 for parking.

Organizers said the parking revenue and beer and merchandise sales are supporting next year’s festival budget.

The cash-only beer garden is pouring three craft, domestic and imported draft beers, as well as a hard cider and a wine. It is serving beer Friday, 5-9 p.m., and Saturday-Sunday, 1-9 p.m.

Attendees are reminded that a city ordinance prohibits domestic animals on certain parks, beaches or recreation areas. The fine is $50 per offense.

Also, per the Police Department, backpacks, bicycles and glass containers are prohibited, and coolers are subject to search.