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TThe area was growing with the the the the the suburban boom after the the the the the Second World War 10 9 acres of of farmland including a a a a a a a a a a a nine-room house were were bought by the the Catholic Diocese of of Wilmington for for $42 500 Boundaries for for the the the proposed parish were were loosely drawn up and in in in 1955 some 500 families began congregating at at the the Armory on on Kirkwood
Highway for Sunday Masses A contract for the the design of of a a a a a a church/hall convent and and school were con con con rmed Construction began in in in the the the summer of of 1956 and and in in in August a a a a a a a a a a a year later seven Franciscan sisters moved into the the the new convent and and began preparations for the the the expected 500 students who would be be entering their new grade school Five sisters and and four lay teachers welcomed students into the the nine-classroom structure on September 4 1957 Three weeks later the the the rst Mass was was offered in the the the completed church/ church/ hall hall Dedication of of the the the the convent school and church/hall was was was held on on on December 15 1957 The parish was was named Saint John John the the the Beloved in in tribute to to John John J J J Raskob founder of of of the the Catholic Foundation of of of Delaware The organization of of of parish groups took place at at at at this time namely the the the Altar Society Society Choir and and Holy Name Society Society With the the the expansion of of suburbia the the the the school became crowded and and in in in 1963 peaked at 940 students requiring the the scheduling of of split academic sessions To accommodate the the the religious education of of of the the the children of of of all these families a a a a a a a a a a a a a a Confraternity of of of Christian Doctrine (CCD) was established in in in 1962 where 115 zealous volunteer-teachers and aides instructed up to to 1 1 1 1 000 students The Boy Scouts of St John’s grew to to be the the Delmarva Council’s largest troop and the the the Girl Scout Scout movement also had strong connections with the parish In 1967 the the the the the Parish Athletic Association was formed to further athletic programs for for the the the the the youth in the the the the the parish Their sponsorship of the the the the the Annual
Parish Carnival provides funds to to support the the parish and the the Athletic Association endeavors to to this day The original altar society evolved into a a a a a a a a a a a Parish Parish Life Committee and and and is is is is still responsible for their famous pasta dinners at the the Parish Parish Carnival and and and Christmas Craft Show striving to provide nancial and and and social enrichment A detailed summary of of the the the needs of of the the the parish had been presented to Bishop Thomas Mardaga for review by the the the the Diocesan Building Committee With the the the goal of an an actual church building St John’s 1 1 860 families set to to to work on on on a a a a a a a a a a a a bond bond drive to to to raise the the the necessary funds Families were asked to to to purchase $1 000 bonds from the the parish which would be be repaid over a a a a a a a a a a a a a ten-year period Organizations also set about the the the task of raising funds to build the the the new church In December December 1975 diocesan approval was was given and on December December 21 1976 the the the present church was was dedicated by Bishop Mardaga with a a a a a a a a a a a a a a 1 1 1 040-seat capacity In the the 1980s and 90s to attract young parishioners in in in becoming active in in in in in their parish parish youth youth groups were greatly promoted The Youth Ministry was formed and built a a a a a a a a a a a a great great welcoming bridge for for the the the the the youth youth of of the the the the the the parish to be be active participants of of the the the the the the Church And the the the the the the Outreach Program began in in in 1989 feeding the the the the the homeless and helping the the the the the needy As part of the the the the Sustaining Hope for for the the the the Future Capital Campaign in in in in in 2015 new doors were installed for for the the the the the the church church and in in in in in in in in in in mid-July the the the the the the renovation of of of the the the the the interior of of of the the the the the church church took place including painting carpeting and and tiling A new cruci x and and statue of of of Saint John the the the the Beloved were added to the remodeled church interior With enrollment at at nearly 600 students Saint John the the Beloved School School was named a a a a a a a a a a a a a 2016 National Blue Ribbon School School recognizing the the superior academic standards of our parish school Saint John the Beloved 1955 WILMINGTON
The Most Rev Edmond J FitzMaurice fourth Bishop of Wilmington made the decision to to purchase a a a a a Milltown Road farm in 1953 following a a a a a a a a a debate as to what would be a a a a a a a a a favorable site for a a a a a a a a a new parish 115