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History Part 2

The priest who talked to us that Sunday morning from the auditorium stage of Gideon Welles Junior High School acknowledged that it was understandable that we were filled with fear, doubt and anxiety. It was Sunday June 21, 1970 and it was not the raging war half a world away nor the sagging economy at home that was foremostin our minds as we participated in the celebration. Instead, it was the lack of security that accompanies a significant change in the routine of our lives.

This change had been thrust upon us a few Sundays earlier. From the altar of St. Paul's church, it was announced that the residents of East Glastonbury would shortly break away from the mother parish and becomethe founding parishioners of a mission church. The exploding population growth and the distance of some of its citizens from Glastonbury Center were foremost in the Archbishop's mind when he decreed that the time was now to better serve the burgeoning Catholic population. Thus, we were suddenly members of St. Paul's Mission Church.

To the optimistic among us Sunday, June 21st marked the start of a period of great challenge, some hardship and certain reward. The priest who delivered the sermon that morning, like ourselves, also harbored the fears and anxieties that accompany the new and the unfamiliar. While reassuring us he also asked for our help. Yet as we listened to him, we knew from the determined tone of his voice that the Archbishop bishop had chosen wisely when he selected the Reverend Joseph R. Bannon to shepherd this new flock.

Events transpired rapidly during the early days of our infant parish. A priority task was to choose a name for the new parish as its first event. Deciding that it would bear a uniqueness within the Archdiocese, a list of possible names, none of which was assigned any other parish was offered. From these the parishioners selected the name St. Dunstan and on August 8, 1970 we became the Church of St. Dunstan.

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