Rev. Msgr. William J. Mullen
Deceased: 2011-01-02
Diocese: HARTFORD
CSM Graduation Year: 1958
ICTE Fall: 1989
MULLEN, Rev. Msgr. William J. Rev. Msgr. William J. Mullen, 83, ofWest Hartford, passed away peacefully Sunday (Jan. 2, 2011). Born in Waterbury, July 15, 1927, son of the late William J. and Nora (Hyland) Mullen. Msgr. Mullen began his studies for the priesthood, attending Saint Thomas Seminary in Bloomfield, Saint Mary’s in Baltimore, MD, and Saint John’s in Brighton,MA. Msgr. Mullen was ordained May 3, 1951, at the Cathedral of St. Joseph in Hartford, by The Most Rev. Henry J. O’Brien, D.D., then Bishop and later Archbishop of Hartford. Msgr. Mullen served many parishes within the Archdiocese of Hartford, beginning at St. John the Evangelist Church, West Hartford in 1951 and St. Patrick Church, Hartford in 1953. Msgr. Mullen furthered his studies in Canon Law at the Gregorian University in Rome. In 1955, Msgr. Mullen was appointed Secretary to Archbishop Henry J. O’Brien, appointed Papal Chamberlain in 1963, Promoter of Justice to the Metropolitan Tribunal in 1966, Pro-Synodal Judge of Metropolitan Tribunal in 1969, Chancellor and Archdiocesan Consultor in 1970. Msgr. Mullen served the following parishes, St. Thomas the Apostle in West Hartford, St. Dunstan in Glastonbury, Our Lady of Lourdes in Waterbury, St. Patrick in Farmington, and finally St. Mark the Evangelist in West Hartford. Msgr. Mullen retired in 2002 and has been in residence at St. Thomas Seminary since 2007. Msgr. Mullen is survived by his sisters, Betty Shutts, Marie Kelliher, Nancy Collins and her husband George, and Patricia Shaw, and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. He was predeceased by his brother, James Mullen and his wife Madeleine, and his brothers-in-law, Emmett Shutts, John Kelliher, Jack Kelly and Lee Shaw. Relatives and friends may call at St. Thomas Seminary,467 Bloomfield Ave., Bloomfield, on Thursday (Jan. 6) from 3-7 p.m. The Funeral Liturgy will be celebrated Friday (Jan. 7) at 10 a.m. in the Chapel at St. Thomas Seminary with The Most Rev. Henry J. Mansell, Archbishop of Hartford, as Principal Celebrant. Burial will be in the family plot at St.BridgetCemetery, Cheshire. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Catholic Charities, Development Office, 839-841 Asylum Ave., Hartford, CT 06105 or to the Alzheimer’s Association.
