Our story
About Saint Lawrence Parish
A community of faith rooted in Shelton, Connecticut since 1955
Rev. Ciprian Bejan
Pastor
A word from our pastor
Welcome to Saint Lawrence Parish
“Whether you have worshipped here for decades or are walking through our doors for the first time, you are home. Saint Lawrence Parish has been a place of encounter with God’s grace since 1955 — through seasons of growth, change, and quiet faithfulness.”
Our patron saint, Saint Lawrence, was a deacon who understood that the true wealth of the Church is its people — especially those who are most in need. That same spirit animates everything we do here in Shelton: our ministries, our sacramental life, our outreach, and our welcome to every person who finds their way to us.
I invite you to explore this page, learn about the saint whose courage names us, and discover the life of this community. Please do not hesitate to reach out — my door is always open.
Rev. Ciprian Bejan
Pastor, Saint Lawrence Parish
About our patron saint
Saint Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr
c. 225 AD · Rome, August 10, 258 AD · Feast Day: August 10
Lawrence was one of seven deacons serving the Church in Rome under Pope Sixtus II — a role that placed him at the very center of the early Church’s life. Deacons in the third century were not merely liturgical assistants; they administered the Church’s material resources, distributed alms, and cared for the widows, orphans, and poor of the city. Lawrence held the most senior of these posts, entrusted with the entire temporal treasury of the Roman Church.
His ministry was one of radical service. The ancient sources place him among those who embodied the Church’s preferential care for the vulnerable — a witness the Church Fathers would hold up for centuries as a model of diaconal fidelity.
In August 258 AD, Emperor Valerian issued an edict ordering the immediate execution of all bishops, priests, and deacons throughout the empire. Saint Cyprian of Carthage, writing in real time to a fellow bishop, recorded the edict’s terms and the swift response in Rome: Pope Sixtus II was seized in a catacomb and executed on August 6th, along with four of his deacons.
Lawrence, as the last remaining of the seven deacons, was arrested shortly after. According to St. Ambrose, when Lawrence encountered Pope Sixtus being led to martyrdom, the young deacon pleaded to share his fate. The Pope told him he would follow in three days — and so he did.
Before his arrest, Lawrence was ordered by the Roman prefect to surrender the wealth of the Church. He asked for three days to gather it. He spent those days distributing what remained of the Church’s goods to the poor and sick of Rome. When he returned to the prefect, he brought with him a gathering of the city’s poorest — the blind, the lame, the destitute — and presented them with the words: these are the treasures of the Church.
It is one of the most powerful acts of prophetic witness in Christian history. St. Ambrose recounts it not merely as defiance, but as a theological declaration: the poor are not the objects of charity but the living wealth of a Church that takes the Gospel seriously.
On August 10, 258 AD, Lawrence was executed on a gridiron — a form of slow death by burning — recorded by St. Ambrose and celebrated with extraordinary poetic force by the Latin poet Prudentius in his Hymn II of the Peristephanon, written around 400 AD. Prudentius describes the deacon’s composure in the fire as a final act of witness: faith made visible in the extremity of suffering.
Since the fourth century, Lawrence has been among the most venerated martyrs of the Roman Church. Emperor Constantine built an oratory over his burial place on the Via Tiburtina. Pope Sixtus III raised a great basilica there. His feast day — August 10 — has been observed without interruption since at least the Almanac of Philocalus in 354 AD, making it one of the oldest continuously celebrated feasts in Christianity.
He is the patron saint of deacons, the poor, and — fittingly, given his manner of martyrdom — cooks.
Feast Day: August 10
One of the oldest continuously observed feasts in the Roman Church, kept without interruption since the Almanac of Philocalus (354 AD). Saint Lawrence is the patron of deacons, the poor, and cooks.
Shelton, Connecticut · Founded 1955
Our roots in Shelton
The Parish of Saint Lawrence was born from the growth of the Huntington neighborhood — a section of Shelton that Bishop Shehan foresaw would need its own faith community. From that first Mass in a school auditorium, our roots have run deep in this city ever since.
1955
Parish founded by Bishop Shehan; first Mass at Huntington School auditorium
1958
New church dedicated by Bishop Shehan, October 5th
1965
Parish school and hall built
1991
New rectory and parish offices constructed
2001
Church, school and parish center expanded
2004
New marble floor, Blessed Sacrament altar, pulpit and Baptismal font
2008
50th anniversary of dedication celebrated by Bishop Lori
2012
New Rodgers organ installed
2021
Rev. Ciprian Bejan becomes pastor
When Bishop Lawrence J. Shehan founded this parish in 1955, he placed it under the patronage of a saint whose example of servant leadership and courage has guided us ever since — a deacon who gave everything for the poor and faced death without fear.
The Parish of Saint Lawrence was founded on February 11, 1955, foreseeing the growth of the Huntington section of Shelton. Beginning with 150 families and a first Mass celebrated in the Huntington School auditorium, the community took root quickly. Bishop Shehan dedicated the new Church on October 5, 1958, and the parish school and hall followed in 1965.
Under the leadership of Monsignor Fitzgerald, the parish grew in two deliberate stages: a new rectory and offices in 1991, followed by a major expansion of the Church, school, and parish center in 2001. The years since have brought a new marble sanctuary floor, a restored statue of Our Lady at the Brick Memorial Walk, and a new Rodgers organ installed in December 2012.
The spiritual and service life of the parish has deepened alongside every physical improvement. The Women of Saint Lawrence continue to collect food for the Merton House in Bridgeport, books for the Mercy Learning Center, and coordinate the Christmas Giving Tree — a parish-wide effort that delivers over 750 gifts each year to families in need.
Our pastors
Shepherds of Saint Lawrence Parish since 1955
- 1 Rev. [Founding Pastor] 1955 – 1958
- 2 Rev. John F. Culliton 1958 – 1967
- 3 Rev. Philip J. Morrissey 1968 – 1974
- 4 Msgr. Francis Galla 1974
- 5 Msgr. Joseph M. Fitzgerald 1974 – 2004
- 6 Rev. Michael K. Jones 2004 – 2021
- 7 Rev. Ciprian Bejan Current 2021 – present
The people who serve you
Parish leadership
Shelton, Connecticut · Diocese of Bridgeport
Our bishop
Bishop of Bridgeport
Most Rev. Frank J. Caggiano
Bishop Caggiano is the fifth and current Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bridgeport, which includes all of Fairfield County, Connecticut.
Diocese of Bridgeport →
Clergy
Pastor
Rev. Ciprian Bejan
Father Ciprian has served as Pastor of Saint Lawrence Parish since 2021, bringing a deep commitment to the sacramental life and pastoral care of the community.
Parochial Vicar
Rev. Claudiu-Gabriel Neculaesi
Father Claudiu serves as Parochial Vicar, supporting the parish’s sacramental and pastoral ministries alongside Father Ciprian.
Deacons
Deacon
Deacon Anthony Cassaneto
Assists at Mass and serves the community through ministry and outreach.
Deacon
Deacon Joseph Klimaszewski
Assists at Mass and serves the community through ministry and outreach.
Deacon
Deacon Frank Masso
Assists at Mass and serves the community through ministry and outreach.
Office & administration
Music
Parish council & governance
Lay Member, Parish Corporation
Carol Calandra
Serves on the Parish Corporation, supporting the governance of Saint Lawrence Parish.
Lay Member, Parish Corporation
James Woods
Serves on the Parish Corporation, supporting the governance of Saint Lawrence Parish.
Parish Council President
Bill Farmer
Leads the Parish Council in advising on pastoral planning and parish life.
Finance Council Chair
Bill Magi
Chairs the Finance Council, overseeing the parish’s stewardship and budget.
Buildings & grounds
Buildings & Grounds
Rich Plavnicky
Oversees the maintenance and upkeep of the parish buildings and grounds.
Faithful stewardship
2025 Accountability Sunday
In the spirit of transparency and faithful stewardship, Saint Lawrence Parish makes its financial documents available to parishioners following Accountability Sunday. We are grateful for the generosity that sustains this community and allows us to serve the needs of our neighbors.
Download 2025 financial documents
