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Saint franCiS Xavier “old Bohemia”
1704
WARWICK
With growing animosity in in the Maryland State House the Jesuits sought to establish a a a a mission away
from the the Western Shore and continue to to minister to to their ock So in in in in 1704
Father Thomas Mansell SJ acquired 488 acres of of of land land on on on on Little Bohemia Creek for the the the the mission mission named Saint Xaverius in in in honor of the the the the the great Jesuit missionary St Francis Xavier From the the the the the outside it it it resembled the the the the the the plantations in in the the the the the the area with a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a few notable differences: the the the the the the proprietor of the the the the the the land was was was a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a “bachelor” he he he he he he he he was was was seldom at at home and and there was was was a a a a a a a a a a a a a chapel in the the the the the the the house This did not not escape the the the the the notice of their anti-Catholic neighbors who protested the the the the the boldness with which “popery” was being practiced The Jesuits also started an illegal Catholic academy at at Old Bohemia which is is considered the the the beginnings of of Georgetown University Students of of of the the the the the school included the the the the the later Archbishop John Carroll Carroll and Charles Carroll Carroll the the the the sole Catholic signer of of of the the the the Declaration of Independence After the the the the birth of of of the the the the nation and the the the the guarantee of of of religious freedom in in the the the the the Bill of of of Rights work began on on on on a a a a a a a a a a church building—one that would not be be hidden within the the plantations’ house/rectory It was was completed in in in 1797 One of its famous communicants was was Kitty Knight who danced with George George Washington at a a a a a a a a a a a a a Philadelphia ball and helped save the the the town town of of Georgetown during the the the War of of 1812 She is buried in the the graveyard Call the the the “Mother Church of of the the the Diocese of of Wilmington ”
its its priests first Jesuits and and and and later diocesan would found and and and and serve many missions—in Maryland Delaware and and and and Pennsylvania Saint Saint Rose of of of Lima in in in in in in in Chesapeake City was was established as as as as a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a mission mission of of of Saint Saint Saint Francis Xavier in in in in in in August of of of of of 1874 as as as as was was Saint Saint Joseph in in in in in in Middletown in in in in in November of of of of 1883 In In 1890 they reported a a a a a a a a a a total of of of of 350 registered Catholics with a a a a a yearly income of of of $850 In In 1898 the the Jesuits turned the the care of of “Old Bohemia”
over to the the diocese along with its cemetery and 177 acres In 1908 Saint Saint Francis became a a a a a a a a a a mission of of Saint Joseph Tragedy struck on New Year’s Day 1912 The pastor was saying the the the the early Mass Mass at at at at Saint Saint Joseph when he he he he he he he received the the the the alarming news that Saint Saint Francis Xavier was on re re re Father and all at at at at the the the the the the the Mass Mass rushed to help save the the the the the building but when they arrived the the the the the entire roof roof was was on on on re re re A bucket-brigade was was quickly formed and and men stationed themselves on on on on the the the roof roof of of of the the the unoccupied rectory and and by pouring water on on on on on it saved that building The church was was completely gutted and and only the walls remained standing Bishop Monaghan was was determined that this cradle of Catholicism should be rebuilt The church arose from its ashes and was rededicated by Bishop Monaghan on on Thursday October 24 1912 less than a a a a a a a a a a year after the re!
In 1954 three men—a Catholic a a a a a a a a a Quaker and a a a a a a a a a Methodist—formed the the the the the Old Bohemia Historical Society Recognizing the the the the the value of of of the the the the the place to to to to the the the the the the history of of of Christianity they bought back 120 acres of of of land surrounding the the the the the church farmhouse/rectory and and barn that had been sold to to to to raise money during the the the the Great Depression They inspired others from nearby Delaware and and and Maryland to to to help in in in in in the the the the the restoration of of this national treasure Since then the the the the the Society has installed a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a new roof and and and and ceiling restored restored the the the the the interior and and renovated the the the the the bell tower In 2002 the the the the the the the rectory was restored restored adding a a a a a a a museum The old barn which has been there since the the the the the the 1700s belonged to to to to the the the the the the Jesuits when they owned the the the property was restored in in 2006 Saint Francis Xavier observed its tercentenary in in in 2004 and Mass continues to be celebrated there three times throughout the the year