During the period just after the Civil War, Torrington's Italians were served by Winsted's Father Leo Rizzo da Saracena, O.F.M. Soon the immigrants began attending St. Francis Church. On April 28, 1907, Father Joachim C. Martinez was named pastor of Italian immigrants by Bishop Michael A. Tierney and St. Peter parish was born. On May 11, this prelate presided at the groundbreaking for St. Peter's basement chapel on Center Street. The completed chapel was dedicated on November 15 by Msgr. John Synnott, administrator of the Diocese. Priests from St. Francis attended to St. Peter for a month. When Bishop John J. Nilan announced that St. Peter would be closed, a parish committee successfully appealed for the restoration of a permanent pastor. In response, on September 25, 1914, Father Salvatore Bonforti was appointed administrator. With the purchase of property on East Main Street in September 1926, the church expansion project progressed. Ground was broken for a new church on March 1, 1927. On May 13, 1928, Bishop Nilan dedicated St. Peter Church. In 1956, Father William P. Botticelli opened a parish school staffed by the Filippini Sisters of New Jersey.

107 East Main Street, Torrington CT 06790-5493
Telephone: 860-482-4433 Fax: 860-489-4070
Deanery: Litchfield | Vicariate: Waterbury