St. Augustine's Roman Catholic Church

35 Washington Avenue • Seymour, CT • New Haven County

Historical Significance

Rev. James Smyth of New Have offered the first Catholic Mass in Seymour to six Irish immigrants in 1844. The first St. Augustine's Church (now the rectory) was dedicated in 1856. Ground is broken for a new church in 1888 and it is formally dedicated on May 18, 1890. The new church has a capacity of 600 and it cost $13,000. The congregation at that time was a mix of Irish, Polish and German.

Photo: St. Augustine's Church view northwest. (Tod Bryant)

A tolling bell is placed in the bell tower in 1895 and an organ is purchased in 1910. The church interior sees the installation of new altar, new lights, pews and Stations of Cross in 1936. The Sanctuary is also enlarged at that time, the tolling bell is removed from tower and the tower's height is cut back. In the 1930s the church census showed a greater influx of Polish and Slovak parishioners.

The wooden exterior of the church was completely covered with brick in 1937 and rededicated. The church interior was redecorated, the basement renovated and a handicapped ramp installed on the north side of the church building in 1968.

In 2005 major renovations were made to the interior of the church including restoration of plaster and wooden walls and stain glass windows, restoration of the existing statues of Mary and Joseph, repair and painting of the ceiling, refinishing of the pews, rewiring of lighting and some up-dating of the electrical systems.

A new main altar with a white marble frieze of the Last Supper along with a new tabernacle were moved back to the center of the sanctuary. A mural of St. Augustine and St. Monica was painted onto the wall, and a hanging crucifix hung over the main altar. A handicapped bathroom was also added to the vestibule of the church.

Sources

"History." St. Augustine Church, Seymour Connecticut.

Notable Features of Building or Site

The church faces east onto Washington Avenue. It has a square tower with buttresses on the north of the facade. There are three entrances in Gothic porches on the facade and the center entrance is flanked by lancet windows.

There is a round stained glass window flanked by round-arched lancet windows centered on the facade above the center entrance and a tripartate Gothic stained glass window above the entrance in the tower. The entrances are reached by two flights of concrete stairs which span the width of the façade.

Interrelationship of Building and Surroundings

The church is in a residential neighborhood of moderate density. It is surround by mostly two story wood frame houses.


Additional Information

Date(s):  Built in 1888
Style(s):  Gothic Revival
Historic Use:  Church
Present Use:  Church


Accessibility:
Exterior visible from public road.
Interior accessible (During services and at other times.).


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