Who We Are

Cathedral and Parish

As the Cathedral of the Archdiocese of Hartford, this beautiful church is the place where the local Archbishop presides over services attended by Catholics from throughout the Archdiocese. The Cathedral is also a parish in its own right, serving Catholics living in the Asylum Hill section of Hartford and in surrounding areas.
We are blessed with a beautiful environment for worship, one which features a superb four manual Austin pipe organ, exquisite stained glass windows crafted in Paris, and a ceramic tile mural behind the altar that is the largest of its kind in the world. Even more importantly, the Cathedral parish, which includes parishioners born on every continent in the world, is a vital one offering many activities, a place where sacred music and social outreach play significant roles.

Most Reverend Leonard P. Blair
Archbishop of Hartford

Archbishop Blair was ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Detroit on June 26, 1976, following studies at Sacred Heart Seminary College, Detroit; the North American College, Rome; and the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome. Archbishop Blair holds a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in History from Sacred Heart Seminary College; a Bachelor of Sacred Theology (S.T.B.) from the Pontifical Gregorian University; a Licentiate in Theology (S.T.L.) with a specialization in Patristics and the History of Theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University; and a Doctorate in Theology (S.T.D.) from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum), Rome.

Very Reverend Daniel J. McLearen
Rector

Fr. McLearen is a native of Virginia and worked as an engineer in the oil fields of the Gulf of Mexico for Schlumberger Offshore Services for seven years before leaving the work force to begin his studies for the priesthood.  His education includes a Bachelor’s degree in Geology from the University of Virginia and his degree in Ocean Engineering from Florida Atlantic University. In the fall of 1986, he began his seminary training at St. Mary’s Seminary and University where he received a Baccalaureatum in Sacra Theologia and a Masters of Divinity in 1991. He was ordained to the Priesthood on January 25, 1992 here at the Cathedral of St. Joseph, and following several assignments throughout the Archdiocese of Hartford as Parochial Vicar and Pastor, he became the Rector of St. Joseph Cathedral on February 24, 2020. He is also the Administrator of Sacred Heart of Jesus Korean Catholic Parish. He has been a member of the Hartford Bishops Foundation from its inception, is presently its Secretary, and sits on the HBF Vibrant Parish Committee Subcommittee. He is the Chair of the Campaign Advisory Committee for the Forward Faith Campaign, and sits on the Pastors Advisory Council for the Archbishops Annual Appeal. He is presently the Dean of Deanery Number #3, which places him on the Presbyteral Council as well as the Personnel Board.

Rev. George S. Mukuka, J.C.L., Ph.D
Judicial Vicar, Vice Chancellor and
part-time Parochial Vicar
in Residence

Fr. George Mukuka, born in Zambia, Africa, was ordained on May 14, 2011, by the Most Reverend Archbishop Henry Mansell, D.D., at Saint Joseph’s Cathedral in Hartford. He studied at Holy Apostles College and Seminary in Cromwell, where he earned a Post Master’s Degree in Theology in 2011. As a transitional deacon, he worked at Sacred Heart Parish in Bloomfield with Fr. Aidan Donahue. While studying at Holy Apostles Seminary, he began his studies for a Licentiate Degree in Canon Law (JCL) at the Catholic University of America, Washington, DC., which he completed in 2014. After ordination, he was appointed as parochial vicar of St. Francis of Assisi, in Naugatuck and   worked briefly as a temporal Chaplain to the Sisters of the Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Hamden.  Fr. Mukuka was then appointed parochial Vicar and later Administrator and Pastor at St. Joan of Arc in Hamden. At that time, concurrent with his job as Pastor, Fr. Mukuka was appointed to the Metropolitan Tribunal as Judge and Defender of the Bond. On July 1, 2015, he was appointed as Chancellor of the Archdiocese. On June 1,  2016, he was appointed as Administrator of Saint Timothy Parish in West Hartford, and in December 2016, he was then appointed as Judicial Vicar (Officialis) of the Archdiocese of Hartford. Finally, in 2020, he was appointed as Vice-Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Hartford. Fr. Mukuka has lived in the USA for the past twelve years.

Rev. Michael  A. Ruminski
Director of the Office of Divine Worship
In Residence

Fr. Michael Ruminski, from Watertown, CT, was ordained in 2014 for the Archdiocese of Hartford. He graduated from The University of Hartford’s Hartt School in 2008 with a Bachelor’s in Organ Performance and Sacred Music (B.Mus.). While at the Hartt School, he was also the Director of Music for Saint Justin Parish in Hartford. Entering seminary in 2008, he studied philosophy at Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary in Wynnewood, PA and theology at Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. He graduated with a Baccalaureatum in Sacra Theologia (S.T.B) and a Masters in Divinity (M.Div) in 2014. He is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Liturgical Studies at the University of Saint Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, IL. He has had assignments as parochial vicar in Windsor and at the Cathedral of Saint Joseph. He was pastor of Our Lady of Hope Parish in Harwinton/New Hartford. Currently, he is pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Bloomfield and Director of the Office of Divine Worship for the Archdiocese of Hartford.