Page 49 - WILMINGTON

Saint denniS
1856
GALENA
St Dennis Roman Catholic Church was originally organized in in 1855 by the Jesuits from Old Bohemia Mission near Warwick in Cecil County The rst church church building was a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a 50 by 35 feet brick brick structure built at at Lambson’s Station outside of of Galena on on on the the edge of of the the Dennis Dennis J McCauley McCauley farm Dennis Dennis McCauley McCauley obtained permission from Archbishop Kenrick of Baltimore to build a a a brick church at this location He deeded one acre of his his best land for this purpose to the Archbishop on September 17 1853 The blessing and laying of the cornerstone of the rst rst church took place on on August 29 1885 The church was completed and dedicated on February 3 1856
In 1881 St St Dennis Church moved from Lambson’s Station to to the town of of Galena following a a a a a a suggestion made sixteen years But instead of of building a a a new and more expensive church the parish economized by buying the the the Galena M P Church (called the the the Nicholas Chapel) and the the the ground on which it stood for $700 Dedicated January 15 1882 this second church was used by the the parishioners of St Dennis for the the next fty-two years In April of 1982 an 835-pound bell was ordered for $175 and is still in use today Ground was broken for the third (and present) St Dennis Church on on on October 16 1933 and the cornerstone was laid on on on December 3 3 3 1933 by the Most Reverend Edmond J FirzMaurice fourth Bishop of Wilmington The new church was made possible chie y through the generosity of of John J J and Helena Greene Raskob The dedication of of the new St Dennis was held Monday May 7 1934 The corner stone for the the rst St Dennis Church sits beneath the the current building’s Recently much needed repairs to to the church and rectory have been made including updating the the sound system and the the purchase of a a a a a new organ for the church 47