Obituary of Rev. Msgr. Bartholomew J. Laurello

Reverend Monsignor Bartholomew J. Laurello, age 84, a retired priest for the diocese of Bridgeport, died Monday, July 19, 2004 in St. Joseph Manor, Trumbull. Born in New Haven on April 30, 1920, he was the son of the late Bartholomew and Marie Russo Laurello.

Msgr. Laurello studied at St. Thomas Seminary in Bloomfield and completed his philosophy and theology studies at St. Mary Seminary in Baltimore. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1946. His first assignment was as parochial vicar of Holy Rosary Parish in Bridgeport and he later served as parochial vicar of St. Anthony Parish in Hartford, St. Catherine of Siena Parish in Riverside and St. Raphael Parish in Bridgeport. After teaching at Notre Dame Catholic High School in Fairfield, Msgr. Laurello was name the founding principal of St. Joseph High School in Trumbull in June of 1962. He guided the school in its early formative years, while also serving as chaplain at St. Joseph Manor in Trumbull. In 1964 he became pastor of St. Roch Parish in Greenwich and later served as pastor of St. Mary Parish in Stamford and Christ the King Parish in Trumbull.

In 1976, Msgr. Laurello resigned as pastor of Christ the King to begin graduate studies on the psychology of aging at the Catholic University of America in Washington and at the University of Maryland where he earned a masters degree. He earned a second masters degree in education from Fairfield University. In July of 1980, Msgr. Laurello was named the pastor of Our Lady of Grace Parish in Stratford. He was named a Prelate of Honor with the title of Monsignor by His Holiness Pope John Paul II in August of 1991.

He was the author of two books on aging, Afternoon at Fathers House and Ministering to the Aging: Every Christians Call. He also co-edited A Time to Live: Pastoral Ministry to the Aging. Msgr. Laurello founded and directed the diocesan Commission on Aging and assisted in establishing counseling for many senior citizen groups. He was the third director of the diocesan Priests Personnel Board and was the diocesan consultant on aging. He retired as pastor in 1995.

Survivors include two sisters, Rose Silvestro of North Haven and Helen Connor of Northford as well as several nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews. He was pre-deceased by four brothers, Clement, Nicholas, Ralph and Joseph Laurello and two sisters, Fay Meranda and Mary Cubbelotti. 

Friends are invited to meet directly in Our Lady of Grace Church, Stratford on Thursday, July 22, 2004 at 10:30 a.m. for a Mass of Christian Burial with the Most Rev. William E. Lori, S.T.D., Bishop of the Diocese of Bridgeport celebrating and Rev. Msgr. Nicholas V. Grieco as homilist. Interment will follow in All Saints Cemetery, North Haven. Friends may call at the Abriola Parkview Funeral Home, 419 White Plains Road, Trumbull, on Wednesday, July 21, 2004 from 4-8 p.m. A wake service including the Office of the Dead will take place on Wednesday evening at 7:15 p.m. in the funeral home. 

In lieu of flowers, those desiring may make memorial contributions to the Our Lady of Grace Memorial Fund, 497 Second Hill Lane, Stratford, CT 06614.