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our our lady of lourdeS
1938
SEAFORD
The Catholic presence in in in Seaford began in in in the Martin home
when the the priest from Cape Charles Virginia would visit to say Mass every other month In 1905 when Saint Francis de de Sales parish is is is is is is is is built Catholic Catholic families from the area began driving to Salisbury for Mass But by 1937 more Catholic families had settled in Seaford and they travel by the the carload to Salisbury One Sunday they have an an accident and this prompts them to to to appeal to to to the the Bishop to to to open a a a mission church
in Seaford With approval of the Bishop Salisbury’s pastor and this small group of Catholics begin a a a a a mission church
in in a a a a a little vacant grocery store on on Pine Street in in in Seaford It is is named Saint Mary’s Mission The altar was salvaged from an an old counter left in the the store and other shelves were converted to kneeling benches The rst Mass was said on on Mother’s Day May 8
8
1938
The arrival of DuPont Company to Seaford brought many Catholic families to Saint Mary’s Two Masses were held every Sunday by visiting priests from Saint John the Apostle in in in Milford By 1940 parishioners were spilling out into the the sidewalks and kneeling in in in in the the streets In 1945 Saint Mary is is is established as a a a a a a parish with its own resident pastor By 1947 with a a a a a growing congregation the parish and Diocese made the decision to build a a a church
in Seaford On May 11 1948 ground is broken for the new church
to be named Our Lady of Lourdes The Most Reverend Edmond J FitzMaurice fourth Bishop of Wilmington visited the the construction on on on on November 28 1948 to to lay the the cornerstone Final touches are being made to to the exterior (The belfry is later destroyed by lightning in in 1964 )
Our Lady of Lourdes is dedicated on on June 5 1949 Large angels on on either side of the the altar are brought from Saint Mary’s Mission Rectory is is added to to the parish complex in 1951/1952 Shortly after a a a a a Grotto is built with a a a a a statue of Saint Bernadette kneeling before Our Lady of Lourdes In May 1984 the Parish Parish breaks ground for a a a a a a Parish Parish Hall Hall goes up quickly and is dedicated on December 16 1984 A cemetery board is is formed in 1971 In the early 1980’s a a a project is is begun to beautify the cemetery including a a a a a brick wall It was dedicated by Fr Lennon in November 1986 With the the the hard work of the the the pastors and parishioners the the the Parish Hall mortgage is paid off in record time A mortgage burning ceremony is is held in in 1987 at a a a a parish picnic help at at Trap Pond State Park Golden Jubilee in in 1999 the parish continues to ourish with over 700 registered families within its 600 square miles area Stained glass windows are installed in in in in the the early 1960’s In the the 2000’s the altar is is adorned with with a a a a a a a large statue of Christ with with outstretched arms 2009 - 2012 – A major renovation of the sanctuary is completed with a a a a campaign conducted by the Parish The Re-Dedication is held on on January 16 2011 2014 - The church
basement is renovated to provide modernized classroom space for CCD RCIA and to also serve as as meeting rooms With the the in ux of many agricultural migrant workers and families the the Diocese of Wilmington requests that the the Redemptorist Fathers come to to to Our Lady of Lourdes since they have a a a a a worldwide multilingual reach Since then the the Redemptorists have served our Parish Fr John Stevens was the the rst Redemptorist Pastor (1970 to to to to 1972 )
In addition to to to to the the C Ss R Migrant Ministry twenty priests have followed for the next 45 years 2001- Saint Vincent de de Paul establishes a a a a a dedicated distribution center at the Parish 97