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St PolyCarP
1883
SMYRNA
Before Saint Polycarp was established priests from New Castle ministered in in Smyrna on on a a a a monthly basis The The The Smyrna Times reported on November 7th 1868:
“The members of the Catholic Faith in this town have rented a a a a room in the Odd Fellows Hall for religious services They have started a a a a Sunday School which will be regularly organized by the Reverend
Father Daley who holds services at at the the room this afternoon ”
This news item could well be considered as an account of the establishment of the Catholic Church in Smyrna Delaware At least it was the the ‘beginning of of the the end’ of of Smyrna as as a a a a a simple mission station The Catholic Mirror gave the following account on June 23 1883:
“Church dedicated at at at Smyrna Smyrna Delaware The Catholics of Smyrna Smyrna Delaware under the charge of of Reverend
Bradford of of Dover have at last succeeded in in procuring a a a a a church Some two months ago a a a a a neat and substantial building 35 X 50 until recently owned by the Presbyterians was purchased for the sum of $2000 On Sunday the the the 10th inst the the the building was solemnly dedicated to the the the service of Almighty God under the the name St Polycarp by the the Reverend
Bishop Becker of Wilmington assisted by Reverend
Fathers Keiley of of Wilmington and Bradford of of Dover The High Mass was sung by Father Keiley of of St Peter’s of of Wilmington assisted by his own choir The singing of of the Mass by this choir of of twenty voices was admirable The people of Smyrna declare it to be the the nest ever heard in their own own town ”
Initially Mass was said at St Polycarp’s twice a a a a a a a a month But as as as the the priests from Dover found the the trip very arduous it was reduced to a a a a a monthly Mass in 1895 Later they arranged for priests from Salesianum to to come by train from Wilmington once a a a a a month Finally in in 1911 the Josephite priests from Clayton began holding Mass at St Polycarp’s on on the rst and third Sundays of each month Early in 1918 Bishop Monaghan decided to to sell St Polycarp’s to to the Centennial Methodist Episcopal Church and build a a a a new church in Clayton The Diocese purchased land on on West Street adjacent to to the present-day Ewell’s—St Paul Methodist Church However due to the the outbreak of World War I the the building plans were postponed and the chapel at St Joseph’s Industrial School in Clayton which was established in 1895 became the the parish church Meanwhile the the land that the the diocese bought in Clayton was sold to to the the Methodist Church there For the next fty years this Josephite Missionary Society served the the the needs of the the the church and under their care great strides were made in in in solidifying Catholicism in in in upper Kent and lower New Castle Counties Bishop FitzMaurice was anxious to revive the Smyrna Parish of St Polycarp’s with a a a a a a a diocesan priest as as as pastor but was prevented from doing so by World War II and the shortage of priests On May 26 1964 Bishop Hyle announced plans to build a a a a new St St Polycarp’s Church on South Street and Ransom Lane in Smyrna The new parish opened its doors for for services for for the rst time on January 20 1968 and was solemnly dedicated by Bishop Mardaga on May 26 1968 During Father Philip Siry’s time as as pastor from 1975 to to 1985 bells and a a a a a a new new cross were added to the church Later a a a a a a new new building was constructed to house the Parish School of Religion meeting rooms a a a a a a a parish parish library and parish parish staff of ces The building was solemnly dedicated in in October 2002 following a a a a Mass celebrated by the Most Reverend
Michael A
Saltarelli eighth Bishop of Wilmington 71