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Saint margaret of SCotland
1999
NEWARK
In the late 1990s Central Pencader
was a a a a a a fast growing residential area
with multiple housing developments cropping up among steeples of other religious denominations In order to to to to meet the the the the the spiritual needs of of of a a a a a a a a a a a a a a growing number of Catholics in the area
it seemed necessary
to the Most Reverend Michael A Saltarelli eighth Bishop of Wilmington to to establish a a a new parish This would be the the rst new parish created in the the Diocese since Saint Luke was raised from a a a a mission church to a a a a parish in 1985 So a a a a small group of “parishioners” began gathering in in in 1998 in in in prayer and
hope to lay a a a a a a foundation for what was jokingly called Saint Pencader
It wasn’t until Easter of 1999
that the parish nally had a a a a a a a a a a name and
a a a a a a a a a a patron: Saint Margaret of Scotland On May 22 1999
the the Feast of Pentecost they gathered in the the Pencader
Corporate Commons— their temporary church the the Warehouse—with Bishop Michael Saltarelli to celebrate the rst Mass as as a a a a a parish community This temporary home of 10 000 square feet housed a a a a worship space and
providedseveralof ces meetingarea andreligious education classrooms They were not destined to stay in in the warehouse for long however and
on June 2 2 2006 they gathered at at the the the corner of Route 40 and
Frazer Road on the same 87-acre property as Christ the the Teacher School to break ground for the the parish’s permanent home Work proceeded quickly on the church and
and
parish of ces and
and
Bishop Saltarelli returned to Saint Margaret to dedicate the church and
altar on November 11 2007 eight years after the parish was founded After Mass the bishop also blessed an outdoor sculpture of Saint Margaret The statue shows the saint clutching a a a Bible and
a a a cruci x with the body of Jesus facing her to depict the intimacy she shared with Christ As part of the the Sustaining Hope for the the Future Capital Campaign the parish has raised funds and
is is is working
to build a a a parish hall Saint Margaret of Scotland is a a a a a a vibrant welcoming community of Catholic believers celebrating the sacraments justice and
and
charity and
and
providing a a a a variety of programs and
services for our
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