The Cathedral Campus Projects
The next step in the Archdiocese of Hartford’s Master Plan to create a one-stop on the Cathedral Campus
for social services, meditation, green space and worship
For six years, The Hartford Bishops’ Foundation (HBF) has supported the restoration of the Cathedral of Saint Joseph and its grounds in Hartford to create a welcoming respite in the city and a central location for human services.
As the spiritual center of the Archdiocese of Hartford (AOH), the Cathedral exemplifies the humanitarian work of the Church in fulfilling critical needs such as food, medical care and housing.
Since 2016, with the founding of the HBF, the Archdiocese has completed crucial components of its Master Plan for the Cathedral’s Farmington Avenue property, including repurposing vacant buildings, creating green space and offering a place of hospitality and resources for the community.
On Sept. 20, the HBF will host a grand opening of the Cathedral Community Center in a repurposed building on the campus, to house a stationary Malta House of Care Medical Clinic – which had been delivering care by bus - and to relocate the Food and Fellowship Mission from the lower level of the Cathedral.
Also, the former St. Joseph School on campus is now an affordable housing unit called Cathedral Green. And the HBF has supported restoration of the Cathedral’s steeple, bells and tower, and the creation of The Mothers’ Garden and Orientation/Donor Pavilion, two meditative gardens with walkways and plaques inscribed with names of loved ones.
And now, in keeping with the AOH Master Plan, HBF supports the renovation of Hoffman Hall to serve ministries, parishes, Catholic schools, and social service nonprofits such as Catholic Charities and Malta House of Care, and some community nonprofits. The Hall, on the lower level of the Cathedral, will be transformed into an event space, with a commercial kitchen, audio-visual systems, and portable partitions, and the flexibility to host groups as large as 800 and as small as 25 for liturgical celebrations, education activities, conferences and meetings.
With your generosity, the Archdiocese and its surrounding communities (including our state capital) will be made stronger and more beautiful by the ministries, resources and amenities offered on the Cathedral
grounds.
With the transformation of Cathedral Hall, the Archdiocese will have created an actively visible one-stop for all: a Cathedral for prayer; a respite in the Mother’s Garden and Donor Pavilion public gardens,
green spaces, and meditative corners; a resource for health care, food and housing; and a space for ministries and others to meet to find ways to strengthen and broaden their outreach.
To help HBF raise funds for the Cathedral Hall renovation, attend our
Connecticut Golf Classic on Sept. 25 at the Hartford Golf Club or attend our Wine Fest date TBD.
