Welcome to St. John Church, located on Route 372 East in Cromwell, Connecticut.  We are a Roman Catholic faith community whose focus is on being a family.  Through Baptism, our members are all daughters and sons of one Father.
 
St. John’s is in the Diocese of Norwich, Connecticut, with the Most Reverend Michael R. Cote, D.D. as its Bishop.
 
Since 1995, the Franciscan Friars of Our Lady of Angels Province of the Order of Friars Minor Conventual have staffed the Parish.  
 
If you are new to Cromwell or are looking for a church in the area, we invite you to come and join us for a weekend liturgy.
 
If you are already a member of St. John Parish family, we encourage you to continue to live your faith and to build a Parish family in the spirit of the Gospel.   We are grateful that you generously share your faith, love, time, talent, and treasure - all for the glory of God and in service to others.

Fr. Mark L. Curesky, OFM Conv.
Pastor

St. John Church
5 Saint Johns Court
Cromwell, CT 06416
(860) 635-5590

                                                                                              
Office of the Pastor   
                                                                                                                                                                                  January 20, 2023

Dear Parishioners,

            In November of 2021, I wrote to you about the bankruptcy of the Diocese of Norwich and how it would impact our parishes.  At that time I indicated that, as a result of the bankruptcy process, our parishes will no longer have the protection of the Diocese in terms of covering parish legal costs, financial settlement costs, and insurance coverage in regard to liability claims against the Diocese and parishes for alleged actions committed prior to July 15, 2021.

            I also indicated at that time that the 51 parishes of the Diocese would be seeking to be included in the channeling injunction that the Diocese will receive and which will bar future lawsuits for matters that occurred before July 15, 2021, including lawsuits alleging the sexual abuse of minors.

            Since that time, several things have occurred.
 bankruptcy, all 51 parishes formed the Association of Catholic Parishes of the Diocese of Norwich so as to hire one legal team to represent the parishes during the diocesan bankruptcy process, as this process does impact parishes.  After considering three recommended bankruptcy lawyers in Connecticut (two of whom were already working for other parties in the diocesan bankruptcy case), we opted to go with another recommended attorney, Mark Mintz, of Jones Walker, LLC, of New Orleans, Louisiana.  With experience of working with several diocesan bankruptcies across the country, and with the assistance of his colleague, Attorney Samantha Oppenheim, Mark has been representing us in all of the proceedings that can impact our parishes, including several rounds of mediation, as the Diocese has been working to create a bankruptcy reorganization plan.  As a result of working together, all of the legal fees for these services are divided and shared by all 51 parishes. 

            This past week, the Diocese of Norwich filed its Chapter 11 Bankruptcy plan of reorganization.   As part of the present proposed Plan, the Association of Catholic Parishes will contribute $2.5 million and the Saint Mary School property in Jewett City (either through sale proceeds or transfer) which was appraised in 2021 for $400,000.  In addition, $845,000 owed by the Diocese to five parishes will be forgiven. 

            In arriving at this amount, the pastors and trustees or each parish corporation were asked to prayerfully consider what their parish could contribute toward the bankruptcy settlement in exchange for gaining the protection of the channeling injunction that the Diocese will receive.  It was agreed that each parish would contribute a minimum amount and the remainder of each parish’s contribution would be determined based upon weekly offertory and available cash and investments and for parishes with debts owed to the Diocese, a payment toward those debts with the remaining debt being forgiven.  Since the Plan has not been approved yet and will undoubtedly have several amendments and other changes made to it, we do not yet have a specific amount that each parish will contribute.  Once I know the specific amount, I will present that to you. 
        
           As the process continues, I ask you for your prayers and support.  First of all, please pray for the victims and survivors of sexual abuse and for their families.  Secondly, please pray for our parishes and all of our parish families.  Please also pray for those involved in the bankruptcy negotiations, that their deliberation and work will yield fruitful results. 

          Is this process ideal?  No.  As one speaker has put it, “What we are trying to do is use our limited resources to arrive at a resolution that has some semblance of justice and which helps to foster healing.”  The solution is not ideal, but it is the best we can do right now.   

                                               Sincerely,

                                               Fr. Mark L. Curesky, OFM Conv
                                               Pastor

Office (860) 635-5590
Fax (860) 635-5591
Faith Formation Office (860)635-5156

Monday - Thursday
9:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Friday
Parish Office Closed