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B Y K AAREN V ALENTA

Thirty bishops, monsignors, priests and deacons joined parishoners at St Rose

Church Monday morning to celebrate a Mass of Christian Burial for the Right

Rev Monsignor Walter R. Conroy, former pastor of the parish.

"The life of Msgr Conroy was interwoven with that of his parish, perhaps as no

other priest in the diocese of Bridgeport" said the Most Rev Edward Egan,

bishop of the diocese, who officiated at the Mass.

Msgr Conroy spent his entire active priesthood of 42 years in St Rose parish.

When he retired in 1970 he moved to the Queen of Clergy Residence in Stamford,

the home for retired clery of the diocese, where he died on July 17 at the age

of 96.

The impressive gathering of clergy, including the Most Rev Walter W. Curtis,

retired bishop of the Bridgeport diocese, paid homage to a priest who was

known for his quiet, gentle ways.

"Msgr Conroy left some rather clear directions about his funeral," Bishop Egan

said. "I was to say the Mass but he said it was not necessary to have a

homily, `unless you want to.'"

"Msgr Conroy was a man who some recall - in the very best sense - as simple in

his approach to life. He was focused on the essentials," Bishop Egan said. "He

was without airs, without affectation, a simple, quiet, dedicated man."

During Msgr Conroy's years as pastor, the church, the St Rose School and the

convent (now the parish center) were built and bus service was implemented for

the children who attended the parochial school.

Msgr Conroy was born in Palmer, Mass., on September 28, 1990, a son of Thomas

and Mary Courtney Conroy. He was raised in Hartford and graduated from

Hartford High School in 1920.

He studied for the priesthood at St Thomas Seminary in Bloomfield, and

graduated from St Mary's Seminary in Baltimore.

He was ordained on June 2, 1928, in St Joseph's Cathedral in Hartford by the

Most Rev John J. Nilan. He served as parochial vicar of St Rose Church from

1928 until he was made pastor in 1946. In 1964 Pope Paul VI appointed him

domestic prelate with the title of Right Reverend Monsignor.

During the 42 years that Msgr Conroy was at St Rose, both Newtown the parish

grew considerably. In 1928, St Rose Church provided spiritual services for

Stepney, Southbury and Southford, and Msgr Conroy travelled to these mission

churches to say Mass and administer the sacraments of the church. The Stepney

mission is now St Stephen's Parish and the Southbury mission is Sacred Heart

Parish.

During his pastorate, St Rose School and the convent were constructed in 1958.

In 1969, the new St Rose Church was built, replacing the church which had been

built in 1883. And under Msgr Conroy's guidance a chapel was constructed at

Fairfield Hills Hospital where he said Sunday Mass and served as chaplain for

many years, caring for the spiritual needs of patients and employees.

As The Bee said in an article printed on June 18, 1970, announcing Msgr

Conroy's retirement, "Countless numbers of people have come to him for help

and no one really knows all the good he has done for many people here in

Newtown." Then Bishop Curtis cited Msgr Conroy's years of service in Newtown

as "an unusual distinction" and praised his "dedicated priestly service."

Remembering Msgr Conroy

"He was a very quiet, very holy man," recalled Earl Smith Jr. "I remember

showing up at church one morning - I think it was in 1966 - with my daughter,

Judy, who was a baby, in my arms and finding the church doors locked and a

sign saying the building has been condemned. Under Msgr Conroy's direction, we

decided to erect a new church rather than renovate the old one. Msgr Conroy

implemented a very successful fund-raising drive to be able to put up the new

church."

Michael and Josephine Lucas, who celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on

January 25, were married by Msgr Conroy.

"He was a wonderful man," Mr Lucas said. "It's too bad that many of (today's)

parishoners don't know him because he retired 27 years ago."

Mae Schmidle, who was Msgr Conroy's secretary, recalled many stories told

about Msgr Conroy.

"When he was a new curate, it was his job to get three quarts of milk for the

rectory every day," she said. "He would get a quart of milk at the farm at The

Boulevard and Church Hill Road, which had rich milk from Jersey cows, for two

cents. Then he would walk a mile to Sandy Hook to a farm that had Holstein

cows to get two quarts of milk for a penny each. He was willing to walk two

miles to save two cents a day."

The Mass

Assisting Bishop Egan in the celebration of the Mass were Deacon Kenneth

Stroud, who proclaimed the Gospel; Msgr George Birge, pastor of St Rose; Msgr

Joseph Kohut, former St Rose pastor; the Rev Lawrence Larson, parochial vicar,

and Msgr Charles Stubbs. Among those attending was the Rev Jude Faye, former

parocial vicar at St Rose, members of the staff of St Joseph's Medical Center

and from the Queen of the Clergy home.

Peggy Baiad was the lector for the Mass. Roseanne Loring led the congregation

in the singing of "Holy God We Praise Thy Name," "Faith of Our Fathers," and

"How Great Thou Art" and also sang a solo, "Ave Maria."

Students from St Rose School and the religious education classes participated

by bringing the gifts to the altar.

Msgr Conroy is survived by two nieces, Mary Ellen Harkins of Valparaiso, Ind.,

and Mary Beth Scully of Farmington, and a nephew, Joseph Conroy of Manchester.

The Honan Funeral Home, 58 Main Street, was in charge of the funeral

arrangements.