Monsignor Cornelius Philip Teulings
Cornelius Philip Teulings was born July 24, 1887 in New Haven, the son of Anton N. and Mary (Van Der Hayden) Teulings. He attended New Haven public schools and graduated from Hillhouse High School and St. Thomas Seminary in Bloomfield. He studied abroad, being ordained July 9, 1911 at the American College in Louvain, Belgium. He said his first high mass at St. Francis Church in New Haven. After his ordination he taught French, Greek and English at St. Thomas Seminary while taking courses at Harvard University and obtained his Master's Degree, Summa Cum Laude from the Supplicant Seminary in Baltimore. Several years later he was instrumental in founding Sacred Heart High School in Waterbury, the first Catholic High School in the state and served as its first principal.
In 1930 he was named to the original faculty of St. Joseph's College in West Hartford where he was chaplain and professor of religion and philosophy. He was active as a lecturer and was frequently called upon to conduct retreats for lay people and days of recollection for both clergy and laity. He served as professor at St. Josephs until 1957 and was given the title of professor emeritus, the first teacher to be so honored. He believed that knowledge should not be hoarded but shared with others.
As a religious scholar he was named a prosy nodal judge of the Diocesan Matrimonial Tribunal in 1934 and a synodal examiner in 1959. The late Pope Pius XII named him a domes tic prelate in 1958 with the title of right reverend monsignor. The following year Archbishop Henry J. O'Brien of Hartford named him dean of the New Haven East Deanery of the Arch diocese of Hartford. In recognition of his years of service in education, Fairfield University conferred the honorary degree of doctor of humane letters in 1961.
Msgr. Teulings was assigned to St. Mary's Church on September 25, 1957, which was only his third church assignment. In 1961 he marked a milestone in his clerical career when he celebrated the 50th anniversary of his ordination with a Solemn Mass of Thanksgiving at St. Mary's Church. Immediately after his appointment at St. Mary's Church he started planning for construction of a new school and convent in Branford. He spearheaded a community campaign and St. Mary's School and Convent was dedicated June 3, 1961. He is remembered as a brilliant scholar, a quiet, inspirational figure.
The Right Reverend Monsignor Cornelius Teulings retired from St. Mary's Church in January 1968 and later that year died on December 13, 1968 in West Hartford at the age of 81. His life as a cleric and teacher was celebrated with a Pontifical Mass at St. Mary's Church with burial at St. Lawrence Cemetery in New Haven. A sister and a brother survived him.
In 1930 he was named to the original faculty of St. Joseph's College in West Hartford where he was chaplain and professor of religion and philosophy. He was active as a lecturer and was frequently called upon to conduct retreats for lay people and days of recollection for both clergy and laity. He served as professor at St. Josephs until 1957 and was given the title of professor emeritus, the first teacher to be so honored. He believed that knowledge should not be hoarded but shared with others.
As a religious scholar he was named a prosy nodal judge of the Diocesan Matrimonial Tribunal in 1934 and a synodal examiner in 1959. The late Pope Pius XII named him a domes tic prelate in 1958 with the title of right reverend monsignor. The following year Archbishop Henry J. O'Brien of Hartford named him dean of the New Haven East Deanery of the Arch diocese of Hartford. In recognition of his years of service in education, Fairfield University conferred the honorary degree of doctor of humane letters in 1961.
Msgr. Teulings was assigned to St. Mary's Church on September 25, 1957, which was only his third church assignment. In 1961 he marked a milestone in his clerical career when he celebrated the 50th anniversary of his ordination with a Solemn Mass of Thanksgiving at St. Mary's Church. Immediately after his appointment at St. Mary's Church he started planning for construction of a new school and convent in Branford. He spearheaded a community campaign and St. Mary's School and Convent was dedicated June 3, 1961. He is remembered as a brilliant scholar, a quiet, inspirational figure.
The Right Reverend Monsignor Cornelius Teulings retired from St. Mary's Church in January 1968 and later that year died on December 13, 1968 in West Hartford at the age of 81. His life as a cleric and teacher was celebrated with a Pontifical Mass at St. Mary's Church with burial at St. Lawrence Cemetery in New Haven. A sister and a brother survived him.