About us

OUR HISTORY

a cherished pillar of faith and community

Established in 1885, the present-day Parish of María Reina de la Paz traces its roots to the growing Catholic presence in the southwest section of Hartford during the mid-19th century. From 1859 to 1881, the early Catholics of this area belonged to St. Peter Parish on Main Street. By the 1870s, the Catholic population had grown to approximately 400 faithful, prompting Father Lawrence Walsh of St. Peter to acquire land at the corner of Wilson and Laurel Streets (later Hillside Avenue) for the construction of a chapel. The new chapel, dedicated to Father Walsh’s patron saint, was blessed on December 3, 1876, by Bishop Thomas Galberry. In 1881, jurisdiction over the mission chapel passed to the Cathedral of St. Joseph. Two years later, in 1883, the mission was elevated to parish status by Bishop Lawrence S. McMahon, who appointed Father John F. Lenahan as its first pastor. In 1895, Father James J. Smith purchased land at the corner of Wilson Street and Hillside Avenue to build a lyceum to serve the youth of the community. Later, with support from Bishop John J. Nilan, Father John A. Dooley acquired four lots on New Britain Avenue in February 1926. On April 29, 1928, a well-built basement chapel was blessed by Bishop Nilan. Father John J. Kelley completed the superstructure of the church, which was dedicated on October 24, 1954, by Archbishop Henry J. O’Brien. In late 1956, after a fire destroyed the Cathedral of St. Joseph, Saint Lawrence O’Toole Church served as the Pro-Cathedral of the Archdiocese until the new cathedral was constructed. With the pastoral appointment of Rev. Alexander Avendaño in 2017, and within the context of the pastoral restructuring of the city of Hartford, the community of the Saint Peter Church (closed and merged with Sacred Heart and Saint Lawrence) was entrusted to his pastoral care. In a moment of great historical significance, on December 3, 2017, His Excellency Most Reverend Leonard P. Blair, Archbishop of Hartford, canonically erected the Parish of María Reina de la Paz, officially assigning it a Spanish name as a sign of welcome to the growing Hispanic community in Hartford. Since then, the parish has flourished into a vibrant, active, and deeply Marian community, celebrating the faith through lively liturgies, pilgrimages, vigils, catechesis, missions, and archdiocesan events such as "María de las Américas." As a fruit of this spiritual and pastoral growth, on December 13, 2024, the parish formally submitted the request for elevation to the rank of Archdiocesan Shrine to His Excellency Most Reverend Christopher J. Coyne, Archbishop of Hartford. This petition recognizes the essential role that María Reina de la Paz fulfills as a gateway of faith, healing, and welcome for immigrants and Catholic faithful across the Archdiocese of Hartford, as well as from neighboring dioceses throughout the state of Connecticut and nearby regions. Thus, María Reina de la Paz moves forward with determination into this new stage as a Shrine, a visible sign of the living presence of the Virgin Mary among her pilgrim people.