Parish History

St. Elizabeth Church
Established 1966
More than 700 households

St. Elizabeth, Branford, was established in June 1934 by Bishop Maurice F. McAuliffe as a mission under the care of St. Vincent de Paul Parish, East Haven. On August 18, the first mission Mass was celebrated in temporary quarters in a Bradley Street dance hall. In December 1935, a mission chapel at Short Beach was dedicated to St. Elizabeth. In 1947, St. Elizabeth passed to the care of the newly created St. Clare parish, East Haven. Despite rapid growth in the Short Beach area during the post-World War II years, parish status was not conferred until September 22, 1966. Father John F. Tierney was appointed first pastor of St. Elizabeth by Archbishop Henry J. O'Brien. Soon a splendid new church on Burban Drive replaced the old Short Beach Chapel, dedicated on December 7, 1969, by Archbishop John F. Whealon.