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AAs the the the the the eighteenth century turned into into the the the the the nineteenth changes to to to to the the cultural makeup of the the city created a a a a a much greater need for
a a a a church More and more Catholics began to settle in the city The island of Saint Domingue erupted into a a a a full-scale rebellion during the French French Revolution and and many wealthy French French land owners ed north to to cities along the North American coast Wilmington was one such safe harbor and many French families set down roots in the developing city A French priest named Reverend Etienne Faure arrived with them and in 1796 began the the rst sacramental register of what is is now the the Cathedral Parish of St Peter A French businessman named Peter Bauduy was an an advocate for
and a a a a a a a a a liberal contributor to to the establishment of St Peter’s Irish immigrants also began to arrive in in in growing numbers during this time period as Wilmington’s industries ourished Church attendance of those working for
the the DuPont Company in in the the early nineteenth century was so prevalent that employees could have St Peter’s pew rents deducted directly from
their pay And the the funeral of James Doras from
Ireland was the rst to take place at St Peter’s The early diversity of St Peter’s parishioners provided by the French and Irish Catholics never homogenized as the parish continues to welcome a a a a wide array of people with many different backgrounds September 13 1818 was a a a day of rsts for
St Peter’s For decades Wilmington’s Catholic community either celebrated Mass in their homes or
traveled to St Mary
of of the Assumption at Coffee Run More than two years after land was leased for
the the construction of St Peter’s on on on September 13 1818 they were able to celebrate within the the the walls of their new church for
the the the rst time On the the the same day Anne McDermott had the the the honor of being the the the rst person baptized there The Sisters of Charity in Emmitsburg Maryland were enlisted to to help the the orphans of Wilmington Becoming the the first group of religious women in Delaware the Sisters (also known as the Daughters of of Charity) arrived in 1830 to assume charge of of Wilmington’s orphanage at 3rd and West streets Shortly thereafter they moved to the the northwest corner of Sixth and West establishing both a a a a a a a day school school and a a a a a a a boarding school school for
girls to accompany the orphanage While the the boarding school closed around 1850 the the day school would eventually become the diocesan elementary school currently situated on Sixth and Tatnall Streets (St Peter Cathedral School) With the the ood of mid-nineteenth century immigrants the the number of Catholics in in the Unites States was growing quickly In 1868 Pope Pius IX carved out a a new Wilmington Diocese that encompassed the entirety of the Delmarva Peninsula On August 23 of that year Bishop Thomas A Becker was installed as as as the rst Bishop of Wilmington St Peter’s was identi ed as as the the the diocesan seat and given the the the title of pro-cathedral Because the church was physically attached to a a a a a a school and rectory the the full title of cathedral would not
be be bestowed upon the church until 1905 Cathedral of St Peter 1796 WILMINGTON
Throughout the the latter half of the the eighteenth century the Wilmington area was one of many stations
on on on an an itinerant ministry conducted by priests traveling on on on horseback
from
Philadelphia and and Maryland 29