Monsignor Thomas R. Bride

Rev. Msgr. Thomas R. Bride, Vicar General of the Diocese of Norwich, is the Pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Quaker Hill. Monsignor Bride became Pastor on August 24,1998 and was installed by Bishop Hart of the Diocese of Norwich on September 6,1998.

Monsignor Bride was ordained in 1967 in the Cathedral of Saint Patrick in Norwich by the Most Reverend Vincent J.Hines, the second Bishop of Norwich. He served as Associate Pastor of the Cathedral from 1967 to 1973 when he became Secretary to Bishop Hines. In 1976 after serving as Chairman of the Ceremony Committee for the Ordination and Installation of Bishop Daniel Reilly and his Secretary for one year, Monsignor Bride became Chancellor of the Diocese. In
1986 he was named a Prelate of Honor with the Title of Monsignor by His Holiness, Pope John Paul II. In 1989 he was appointed Vicar General of the Diocese of Norwich. In 1992 he was elevated to a Protonotory Apostolic, the highest honor given to a Catholic Priest by the Church by Pope John Paul II. When Bishop Reilly was named Bishop of Worcester in 1994, Monsignor Bride was elected Administrator of the Diocese and served until Bishop Hart became
Bishop of Norwich in 1995. He has served the national church as President of the Diocesan Fiscal Management Conference and as President of Catholic Umbrella Pool, an organization of 28 dioceses which pool their resources for coverage of liability needs. In 1998 he was named a Knight of the Holy Sepluchre. He is a native of Middletown, Connecticut, and son of the late Thomas and Mrs.Frances Bride of Middletown.