Resurrection Parish was founded in 1963 to meet the needs of the growing Catholic population on Wallingford’s east side. Archbishop Henry J. O’Brien appointed Father George T. O’Neill as the founding pastor on September 12, 1963. With no church or rectory buildings yet available, the first Masses were celebrated at Lyman Hall High School, and the Downey Home at 138 Long Hill Rd provided by the Consolata Fathers served as a rectory. Parish life began quickly, with organizations such as the Ladies’ Guild and Men’s League forming within weeks.
Fundraising efforts including an annual Mardi Gras Ball led to the purchase of land on Pond Hill Road on January 1, 1964, and the new church groundbreaking took place on December 19, 1965. The church—modern in design and reflective of the liturgical reforms of Vatican II—was dedicated on December 11, 1966. Resurrection won an award in 1969 from the National Conference of Religious Architecture, one of only 12 national commendations within a five-year period. Later developments included building a rectory on the church grounds after a fire in 1988 destroyed the Downey Home, and ongoing expansion of ministries. Ministries including the Knights of Columbus, a vigorous CCD program as well as an active Youth Ministry, holiday collections for area works of charities, and annual live presentations of Good Friday, the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ, and the birth of Jesus Christ during Advent helped solidify Church of the Resurrection’s identity as a strong, community focused parish serving over 1,000 families. In 2026 a portion of the rectory will be dedicated to Father Hugh McDonald for his many contributions to the parish and the merger process.