On Saturday evening, March 2, at the Greenwich Hibernian Association annual St. Patrick’s dinner dance, Monsignor J. Peter Cullen will be installed as the Grand Marshal of the 45th annual Greenwich St. Patrick’s Parade.
The Parade will be held on Sunday March 24 at 2:00pm.
Monsignor Cullen was born in Boston, Massachusetts, the third of five children. His family moved to Greenwich in 1958 when he was in college. Monsignor received both his B.A. and Masters Degree in Theology from St. Mary’s Seminary and University in Baltimore, Maryland. In addition, he received a Doctorate of Ministry from Jesuit School of Theology in Berkeley, California and a Certificate of Intercultural Communication from the Catholic University of Puerto Rico.
Monsignor Cullen was ordained a priest in 1967 and was assigned initially to Puerto Rico and later to St. Mary and St. Peter Parish in Bridgeport, Connecticut where he worked for many years in the Hispanic Apostolate. While in Bridgeport he served on the Affirmative ActionAgency of Bridgeport and the City Board of Fire Commissioners. Monsignor was then transferred to St. Aloysius Parish in New Canaan where he was pastor for 17 years.
From there, he was transferred in 2007 to St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Greenwich where he served as pastor until his retirement. While at St. Michaels, Monsignor served as Chairman of Greenwich Catholic School.
In addition to his parish duties, Monsignor, in 2002, was named by Bishop William Lori as Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia in the Diocese of Bridgeport. As Vicar General, Monsignor assisted the Bishop in governance of the Diocese and as Moderator of the Curia he assisted in coordination of the work of the Diocesan staff.
Monsignor Cullen is a dedicated member of the Knights of Columbus for more than 30 years. In 1998 he was awarded the honors of a Fourth Degree Knight. He is also a member of the Fr. Myron V. Miller Assembly 1794 in Stamford.. He has been a dedicated Chaplain to Orinoco Council 39 in Greenwich and is also Connecticut State Chaplain Monsignor has very strong Irish roots. His Irish ancestors include the Cullen, Collins, Nawn and Curley families. His Cullen ancestors came from Ireland to Boston in the 1850s. His ancestors came from counties Roscommon and Cork.