Page 109 - WILMINGTON

OOn June 21 1951 the the the the the Most Reverend Edmond J J FitzMaurice fourth Bishop of of Wilmington announced the formation of of a a a new parish north of Wilmington: Saint Mary Magdalen The property consisted of a a a a a a a a small frame house on on seven-and-a-half acres at the corner of of Concord Pike and Sharpley Road Boundaries of of the new parish almost triangular were the Delaware-Pennsylvania state line on on on the the the north Foulk Road on on on the the the east and and the the the Brandywine River on on on the west A parishioner offered the use use of of an unused store situated across Concord Pike from the church property When plans were made to use the the store as as a a a a a a a a chapel and a a a a a a a a tentative date was set for the the rst mass a a a a a a a hunt began for needed items parishioners and area churches rose to the challenge The rst Mass was celebrated at at 8 a a a a a a m on September 23 1951 From the the beginning Masses in in in the the store-chapel were at capacity Soon permission was obtained to use part of adjoining Cornucopia Gift Shop as a a a a a a side chapel to accommodate more people With space limited in in the the little chapel it it it became necessary to increase the the number of Sunday masses from two to ve Besides the Masses catechism classes were held in the the chapel for the the parish’s children Plans were made to to conduct a a a a a major fund drive to to nance construction of a a a a a a building that would provide school classrooms as as as well as as as facilities for a a a a temporary church In June 1953 fundraising began The fund fund drive was a a a a success and construction of the the building began in in the the summer of 1953 The building was completed and rst used on July 22 1954 1954 feast day of Saint Mary Magdalen On September 7 1954 1954 two hundred children in grades one through through six came through through SMM doors for their rst classes with the the Benedictine Sisters teaching The dedication and corner stone blessing of the school building happened on Sunday October 10 1954 The number of students nearly double in in in the rst three years (200 students in in in 1954 292 in in in 1955 387 in in 1956) In 1959 enrollment was 613 students averaging an increase of almost 100 each year In 1959 there was a a a a a a signi cant addition to our parish grounds – a a a a a a beautiful modern convent The all-brick two-story building replaced the overcrowded frame house rectory-converted-to convent The convent convent was dedicated on on on October 18 1959 It would remain a a a a convent convent for for many years before serving as today’s rectory and parish of ce To provide for more Masses classrooms and cafeteria space on the school’s lower level was converted into a a a second “church” each Sunday Sunday so that ten Masses were being said each Sunday Sunday After months of planning plans were prepared for the new church with an estimated cost of $813 000 In 1965 approval was given for the new church Construction began early in 1966 and work moved quickly It was announced that the the rst mass in the the new church would be celebrated at at midnight on Christmas Eve 1967 The 65-foot berglass spire was placed on on the church on on February 28 1968 The dedication of the church was celebrated on on September 8 8 1968 And a a a a a a new pipe organ was blessed and dedicated on February 18 1990 Ground was broken for the the multi-purpose addition to the the school building on on on September 24 1994 The dedication was held on on on Sunday June 15 1995 In addition to a a a a a a a gymnasium which also has a a a a a a a large stage the building has four classrooms a a a a a a library special computer facilities space for art and and music programs and and a a a a a a a meeting room St mary magdalen
1951 WILMINGTON
World War II and the post-war years brought tremendous growth as more families were attracted by employment opportunities there was explosive movement to to Wilmington’s suburbs 107