St. Michael’s Roman Catholic Church, SIRS and Grammar School
29 Wooster Place & 234 Greene Street (current and former)
Postcard of St. Michael’s Church, c. 1910. Courtesy Joe Taylor.
St. Michael’s, the first Italian church in Connecticut, was established in 1889 to serve a burgeoning community of Italian immigrants, largely through the philanthropy of Paul Russo. Fr. Vincenzo Astorri, C.S., a Scalabrinian father, served as the first resident pastor. Much of the church’s beautiful artwork was brought from Italy more than 100 years ago by its first parishioners. It is today a strong community of over 500 families and hosts the societies that make up the Southern Italian Religious Societies (S.I.R.S): St. Ann, St. Andrew the Apostle (both ladies and men), Santa Maria Maddalena, St. Trofimena, Santa Maria Della Vergine and St. Catello. In 1936, Fr. Leonardo Quaglia opened a parish school at 125 Greene Street, staffed by the Apostles of the Sacred Heart, replaced in 1940 by St. Michael’s Grammar School at 234 Greene Street. St. Michael’s formed minds and hearts and forged lifelong friendships for many people. St. Michael’s was and still is an important part of the Italian American community in the Wooster Square area.
Text source url and courtesy Theresa Argento.
On the Wooster Square Tour
1 | Sally’s Pizza
3 | Pepe’s Pizzeria Napoletana
4 | Midolo’s Bakery
5 | Generoso Muro Macaroni Factory
9 | Society of Santa Maria Maddalena
10 | Maiorano’s Cheese Factory
11 | Carrano’s Market
13 | Shoninger’s & Chestnut St. Fire
13 | Slineyville Area
14 | Longobardi’s Funeral Home
15 | St. Andrew the Apostle Society
18 | St. Michael’s Roman Catholic Church, SIRS & Grammar School
19 | Columbus School aka Greene Street School
20 | Sacred Heart Academy
21 | Italian Consulate
22 | Congregation B’nai Scholom
23 | Winchester Davies Shirt Manufacturing Co.
27 | Luisa DeLauro Corner