“The church of Our Lady of Fatima is a beautiful expression of the faith and love existing among the members of the parish. Facing a busy highway, it serves as a reminder to all who pass by of the presence of God among His people. It is a rallying point for priests and people to gather together in the unity of faith for mutual encouragement and help; it is a Holy Place where God and His people encounter one another in prayer and in the Sacraments. It is a shrine where all can drink from the fountain of eternal truth and be nourished with the Bread of Eternal Life. It is a House of God and a Gate of Heaven, where all men of good will may find peace and rest for their souls.”
Most Reverend Michael W. Hyle, D.D., Bishop of Wilmington
in his letter to the priests and members of our parish on April 9, 1965.
Since 1942 Our Lady of Fatima Parish has blessed the community of New Castle, Delaware with faith, love and sense of community. With God’s guiding hand we have created a diverse parish with over 2000 families and continue to grow each year. Without the knowledge, creativity and perseverance provided by our pastoral staff, parishioners and volunteers, and the values set in place by those before us, Our Lady of Fatima would not be what it is today. Take a journey with us as we look back to see where it all began.
1942
September 14: The Stahl Realty Co. had conveyed a tract of land bounded by the DuPont Boulevard, Pennsylvania Avenue, Grant and Harrison Avenues to the Diocese of Wilmington with the intention of establishing a parish. This area belonged to St. Peter’s Parish of New Castle. Father McElwaine, an assistant there at the time, took up a census and found it evident that Wilmington was no exception to the building boom following World War II and areas once considered rural, fast developed into heavily populated suburban communities.
1948
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August 5: The Most Rev. Bishop Edmond J. Fitzmaurice established Our Lady of Fatima Parish with the appointment of the Rev. Edmund J. McDonough, as the pastor and founder of the church to be developed in the Wilmington Manor area. Father McDonough was an assistant at St. Elizabeth’s in Wilmington and principal of its high school.
August 19: Mass was celebrated for the first time in the Civic Club. Father McDonough commuted from Wilmington to celebrate Mass every Sunday and Holy Day, using the kitchen of the Civic Club to don his vestments.
1949
February 27: Mass was said for the first time in the newly constructed 400 seat chapel on Pennsylvania and Harrison Avenues. At this time there were 483 homes in Wilmington Manor.
March 18: Purchase of the present rectory and surrounding grounds took place, doubling the size of the property and extending the boundary to Roosevelt Avenue. At this time, there were approximately 300 families.
1950
May 14: The original First Holy Communion Class received the Holy Eucharist.
1952
February 23: Father McDonough died suddenly. Until another pastor was assigned, Father Leo Montgomery was appointed Administrator.
April: Bishop Fitzmaurice conferred the Sacrament of Confirmation on members of the parish for the first time.
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May 13: Rev. Roderick B. Dwyer was officially named pastor. Father Dwyer had been pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Chestertown, Maryland. Under his leadership, the parish was able to develop its customs and devotions were established.
November 23: The first devotion of the Forty Hours opened and twenty-nine priests of the diocese were in attendance on closing night.
1953
March 5: The parish was formally incorporated by Bishop Fitzmaurice, Msgr. Joseph Sweeney, the Vicar General, Father Dwyer and the trustees, Mr. Daniel Matassino and Mr. William Smith.
July: As a result of the rapid population increase, the new pastor was confronted with the need to replace the temporary school and overcrowded church, as well as finding a home for the nuns. To help with this task, the Bishop assigned an assistant, Father Henri I. Foltz.
1954
September 30: A contract for building a church and school, designed by Philadelphia architects, Gleason and Mulrooney, was signed between Father Dwyer and C.J Dougherty and Sons, at a price of $242,363. Contractors Greggo and Ferrara broke ground on the following day. A building fund campaign was initiated with Henry G. Hoffman as General Chairman using the theme, “At Least a Day’s Pay A Month for Thirty Months.”
1955
December 24: Father Dwyer sang the first Mass in the new church at midnight Mass on Christmas.
1956
January: Father Anthony DiMichele succeeded Father Foltz as assistant pastor.
November 25: The building was officially dedicated by Bishop Hubert James Cartwright, the Coadjutor to the Bishop of Wilmington; this was the first parish event at which Bishop Cartwright presided after his arrival in the diocese. The cornerstone of white marble bears only the date “A.D 1955” and a cross. In it were placed religious medals, a booklet containing the history of the parish, pictures of Bishop Fitzmaurice, Coadjutor Bishop Cartwright, Father Dywer, Father McDonough, Father DiMichele, the original First Communion class, and views of the exterior and interior of the new church, school and school buses. A copy of “The Morning News” with a story and picture of the building was also placed in the cornerstone. At the time of the dedication, the parish numbered 900 families.
1958
March 30: A diocesan census, entitled the “Survey of Souls,” planned by Bishop Cartwright was taken. It was a memorable event in the life of the parish and an authentic piece of Catholic action. Hundreds of our men worked hard and produced unprecedented results. One of its immediate effects was the definite setting of our parish boundaries.
June 12: Father DiMichele was transferred to become pastor of St. John’s in Hockessin and was replaced by Father Bruce Byrolly.
September: Father Bernard Pagano was added as another assistant pastor. One of the last great acts of the reign of Pope Piux XXII was the instruction on the active participation of people in the Holy Mass.
1959
February 1: The Dialogue Mass was introduced to parishioners for the first time and was received with great enthusiasm, thanks to the untiring efforts of Father Byrolly. The Adult Choir with the assistance of Mrs. Louise Gam, the parish organist, sang for the first time all the sacred texts required by the Holy Week liturgy.
August: The convent was completed at a total cost of $154,000 and ten sisters including Sister Dolores, the Superior, occupied their new quarters.
1961
February 4: Msgr. Francis J. Desmond was assigned as pastor and Msgr. Dwyer was transferred to Christ Our King Parish. The renewal of the Catholic Church inaugurated by Pope John XXIII and the Second Vatican Council (1961-1965) had its impact on the worship and life of Our Lady of Fatima Parish. Under the leadership of Bishop Hyle, the parishes of the Diocese introduced the liturgical reforms approved by the Church; the Mass was celebrated facing the congregation, participation in prayers and hymns, and laymen serving as lectors and commentators. Father Bruce Byrolly, assistant pastor, was instrumental in accomplishing many of these changes.
November: Transportation for the nuns was satisfied by an extraordinary project. Under the leadership of the Blessed Virgin Sodality, 1125 S&H Stamp Books were collected. These books were redeemed and an eight passenger station wagon was purchased and donated to the good sisters.
1964
The parish had grown from the original 300 families to nearly 1300 families. Overcrowding of the church and school continued as the main problem facing the pastor. Plans were made to build a new church and Fletcher and Buck of Greenville were selected as architects with TIm O’Connell and Sons as the General Contractor.
May 24: Ground was broken for the new church. The church was circular in design with nine aisles leading to the altar which is located in the center. It was designed to accommodate 800 parishioners with no member of the congregation more than 40 feet away from the altar. This was the first church in the Diocese built “In the Round” with a free standing altar.
June: Father Patrick A. Brady was assigned to succeed Father Byrolly as assistant pastor.
1965
April 9: The church was dedicated by Bishop Hyle. In his letter to the parishioners , he commented about the structure, “Facing a busy highway, it serves as a reminder to all who pass by of the presence of God among his people…” A sophisticated public address system was built into the new church. The celebrant wore a wireless transmitter under his vestments and his voice amplified through speakers mounted in the lighting fixtures. This system was later abandoned because of interruption of church services by radio messages from the fireboard and air base tower.
November 22: Call for greater involvement of the laity in the Church’s life extended beyond the liturgy to include all phases of parish activity. Along with other parishes in the Diocese, Our Lady of Fatima established its Parish Council. After a period of preparation the first meeting was held and Mr. John J. Traynor was elected the first president.
1967
June 9: Msgr. Desmond was transferred to St. Helena’s and Rev. Leo Montgomery, formerly an associate at Our Lady of Fatima, returned as pastor.
1972
May 31: Father Montgomery was reassigned and was succeeded by Rev. John F. O’Brien.
1973
February: Joseph DiMauro, of our parish, an Oblate Seminarian, was raised to the office of Deaconate. During the weekend of the 25th – 27th, a special observance of Our Lady of Fatima was held to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of its founding. Two neighboring parishes, St. Peter, (New Castle) and Holy Spirit (Garfield Park) joined the celebration. The focal point of the three days was the hand carved wooden statue from the Fatima Shrine in Portugal.
April: The appointment of Extraordinary Ministers of Communion brought about another great change in the parish. Under Vatican regulations on the reception of Communion, which allows the bishop to give pastors the power, Father O’Brien appointed Mr. Robert K. Bupp, Mr. James A. LeNoir, Mr. Hugh Ryan, Mr. Edward J. Summerton and Mr. James Stott as lay ministers who would assist with the distribution of Communion at certain Masses. Coincidently, the practice of receiving the Holy Eucharist in the standing position started at the same time.
June: Rev. Mr. DiMauro was ordained to the priesthood and offered his first Mass in our church.
1974
Due to the closing of St. Peter’s Cathedral for repairs, Our Lady of Fatima hosted a diocesan ordination ceremony. Rev. Paul F. Jennings, Jr. and Rev. Clemens D. Manista, Jr. were ordained in the special rite, officiated by Bishop Thomas J. Mardaga.
1977
February: The new Rite of Reconciliation became effective. The former baptistery in the church vestibule was converted for this purpose and finished to express an atmosphere of comfort, quiet and joy.
1978
January 22: A covenant was ratified by Our Lady of Fatima and Asbury Methodist Church, the first covenant of its kind in the United States between Catholic and Methodist Churches. The covenant was based upon the belief that Catholic and non-Catholic religious groups should seek to promote harmony and goodwill as they embark upon programs of mutual interest. The covenant includes the announced offering of prayer for one another at various services, ecumenical worship and sermonizing, cooperative youth programs and the sharing of church facilities. The covenant was signed by our Pastor, Father John O’Brien and attended to by Henry Metz of Our Lady of Fatima, while Rev. Thomas Short and Delvin Burns did likewise for Asbury Methodist Church
June 7: Having experienced tremendous growth, it was determined by the diocese that a new parish was needed to serve the needs of the growing catholic population. The southern section of Our Lady of Fatima parish was reapportioned and the new parish of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton established on Route 7, in Bear.
1980
May 10: John W. Freebery became the first permanent Deacon at Our Lady of Fatima, a member of the first class of permanent Deacons ordained in the Diocese at St. Peter’s Cathedral by Bishop Thomas J. Mardaga. Below the minimum age requirement at the time, Deacon Freebery was granted a special dispensation for ordination.
1981
The Parish Outreach office, organized to give physical and spiritual assistance to the less fortunate in our parish, was established. Pat Wham gave impetus to the program as its first Director and it expanded rapidly under her direction. Food, clothing and other necessities were made available to those in need. “The Angel Tree” at Christmas, through which hundreds of presents are made available to the needy, is an extension of this very worthy endeavor as well as “Meals-On-Wheels”, a hot meal home delivery service and the “Emmanuel Dining Room” project, wherein parishioners unselfishly volunteered their time and efforts to prepare meals for hundreds of needy.
1982
Father John F. O’Brien, Pastor of Our Lady of Fatima for the past ten years, was reassigned as Pastor of St. Elizabeth’s Parish in Wilmington. Replacing Father O’Brien was Father Stanley J. Russell, Pastor at Holy Rosary Parish in Claymont.
The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) was officially organized within the parish by Father Russell. The program included a process of faith development designed to welcome adults into full communion of the Catholic Church through the reception of the Sacraments of Initiation: Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist. Also welcomed were baptized Catholics and Christians from other denominations who wished to complete their Sacraments of Initiation.
The first Parish Life Committee was organized. The primary goal of this group was to organize the parish family by coordinating all parish activities, including fundraising efforts, and oversee the parish calendar.
In a special ceremony, Father Russell had the honor of burning the mortgage on the church property.
1984
March: Joseph Romans was welcomed as the second permanent Deacon in the parish, replacing John Freebery who moved to St. Mary of the Assumption in Hockessin. Deacon Romans was ordained by Bishops Mulvee and James C. Burke at St. John the Beloved Church.
November: The Kitty Wilson Award was established in her memory, recognizing the many years she unselfishly donated her time and efforts to a host of projects within the parish. The award was presented annually at Thanksgiving Day Mass to a parishioner who has made outstanding contributions to the parish ministries.
1988
July – October: The church was closed for renovations with approximately $200,000 being invested in the project. The entire cost of the renovation was raised through donations, with those contributors being acknowledged by a Scroll of Recognition in the main vestibule and the Remembrance Tree in the side vestibule.
The undertaking included the replacement of all carpeting and kneelers and the construction of chapels for the Blessed Sacrament and Our Lady of Fatima. Replaced by two chapels, the cry rooms were relocated to the two side vestibules. The audio system was completely refurbished and the organ and choir space relocated to the opposite side of the altar. Sufficient qualities of original iron and oak were salvaged during restoration to take care of all the needs of renovation.
Sunday Masses and all other religious services were moved to Msgr. Dwyer Hall during this period, sparking memories of days long passed. The newly renovated church, in conjunction with the 40th anniversary of the parish, was rededicated at a special Mass by Bishop Robert Mulvee.
1989
May 12: A special ceremony following Confirmation in which Bishop Robert Mulvee blessed our new shrine that honors Our Lady of Fatima. The beautiful hand-crafted statue of Mary with three children and their sheep were carved by artists from the Alpine area of northern Italy.
July 5: The first general meeting of the Our Lady of Fatima Leisure Club was held. With more than 40 parishioners attending, bylaws were adopted and Jim Corcoran elected the club’s first president. Planned primarily as a social club for parishioners 55 and over, it fulfilled this objective admirably and expanded to become an enthusiastic, readily available service resource group.
1990
Mary Lou May joined Our Lady of Fatima as the Choir Director and Coordinator of Cantor Ministry. Her duties were later expanded to include coordination of music ministry and liturgy. Since her association with the parish, the cantor program has been initiated and a youth choir was organized. Music within our liturgies has been greatly expanded and enhanced using ensemble instrumentalists and increased participation by the entire assembly. The adult choirs have grown not only in size but in the quality of their musical presentations.
We also welcomed Ms. Sheryl Cook as the Executive Secretary. Her duties comprised of administration to the pastor, bulletin coordination, maintaining sacramental books, collection of tuition, etc. and then expanded to fundraising with Golf Tournaments, Wine Events and Silent Auction fundraisers.
1991
The diocesan wide “Renew” program was instituted in all parishes. It was designed to afford parishioners the opportunity to strengthen their faith and understanding through prayer, scripture readings and discussion within small groups. Some 224 parishioners within 22 groups took advantage of this opportunity, meeting weekly for six week periods. The individual small groups all endeavored to take on worthy projects, one of which resulted in the collection of more than 80 blankets, later distributed to the homeless.
1992
May: The annual Our Lady of Fatima May procession took on special meaning as it also marked the 75th anniversary of Mary’s appearance to the children of Fatima, Portugal in 1917.
1994
April 11: A group of dedicated volunteers who had been active in the “Renew” program, and intent on providing the opportunity for parishioners to increase their faith and knowledge of the church, assembled for the first time. Thus, the Adult Education Committee was founded and immediately embarked on a program to accomplish their mission.
September: The Adult Education Committee established a lending library of video tapes and printed material for individuals and groups within the parish.
Father Russell was reassigned as Pastor to St. Helena’s in Bellefonte. He was replaced as Pastor by a former Our Lady of Fatima associate, Father Michael J. McDermott
December 15: The Knights of Columbus became a reality in the parish when Our Lady of Fatima Council #1469 was issued a charter. Dave Cloughley was elected the first Grand Knight by the 52 men who comprised the new council. Primarily dedicated to service within the community, the Fatima Council is placing special emphasis on the youth of the parish. The Knights’ motto: “Charity, Unity, Fraternity and Patriotism” best sums up their lofty mission.
1995
The Diocese officially notified the parish that the position of altar server would be open to all in the parish, regardless of gender. The parish quickly adopted this policy and now had a large contingent of young men and women contributing to the parish ministry. The parish registry has grown from 1,500 families in 1973 to 2,700 families.
1996
June 27: Rev. John J. Mink was assigned to the parish as associate pastor. Our staff added Mrs. Kathleen Cullen as our Accountant to maintain the many aspects of the accounting books of the parish. Both Mrs. Cullen and Ms. Cook are alumni of Our Lady of Fatima School.
In anticipation of the parish’s 50th anniversary in 1998, Father McDermott called for the organization of committees to formulate plans for the upcoming celebration. Newly formed liturgy, history and social committees, with the help of many established parish groups, worked hard for several months planning meaningful religious and social events to celebrate the Jubilee. The inaugural event featured “Return Day” Masses with informal receptions and a parish picnic, to which special invitations were extended to all former clergy, religious and parishioners. Liturgical events held through the Jubilee Year featured special emphasis on the anniversary as well as expanded devotions to Our Lady of Fatima.
1997
September: Sister Theresa Ulshafer, OSF joined the parish as the coordinator of Pastoral Care. Sister Theresa is responsible for outreaching those in the parish who find it difficult to participate actively without assistance, primarily shut-ins, the sick and the hospitalized.
Along with Sister Theresa, Sister Joan Ference, OSF helps in the Parish Office with secretarial duties. OLF was the first parish to extend the ministry of EMHC to properly trained and commissioned high school and college age students 18 and older (16 with parent’s permission) with Bishop Saltarelli’s approval, opening all liturgical ministries to our young people.
1998
May 24: Father John J. Mink was appointed Pastor by Bishop Michael Saltarelli and officially installed at a special ceremony.
September 27: Our Lady of Fatima officially closed its yearlong Golden Jubilee celebration at a special mass celebrated by Bishop Michael Saltarelli.
1999
December: Plans were made for our Millennium Celebration with a New Year’s Eve Party in the Msgr. Dwyer Hall. The event was well attended with over 300 celebrants in attendance to bring in the 2000 year of our Lord.
2008
Our 60th Diamond Anniversary as a parish was celebrated with the theme being “The many facets of Fatima – Faith, Family, Future.”
2010
October 24: A 25th Anniversary Celebration was prepared for our Pastor, Rev. John J. Mink, ordained October 26, 1985. Over 30 priests from the diocese were in attendance with over 400 past and present parishioners. The Mass was followed by a sit-down dinner in Msgr. Dwyer Hall.
2012
Father John Mink (our longest serving pastor) was transferred to St. Ann’s Parish, Wilmington and Our Lady of Fatima welcomed Rev. Msgr. George Brubaker, who previously served as pastor at St. John, Milford and was the Judicial Vicar for the Diocese of Wilmington.
2015
With the close of our school, the enrollment in our RCIC program began to grow. Classes were held on Sunday mornings in English and Wednesday evenings in Spanish in the school building for students in Kindergarten through 8th grade.
We are now in the planning stages of developing the 100th Anniversary Year Celebration of the Apparition of Our Lady of Fatima to the three children in Portugal. Many events are beginning to take place with speakers, a statue of Our Lady of Fatima from Portugal being displayed and monthly talks. Our current census is 2900 families and our parish is still thriving.
2016
We welcomed Rev. David F. Murphy as an associate to our parish community.
2020
With the outbreak of the Coronavirus (COVID-19), the diocese implemented new guidelines for social distancing. In accordance with these guidelines our parish made the decision to offer the option of “virtual Mass” where the parishioners could watch Mass weekly, live on our website or on our Facebook page. If parishioners decided to still come in person, they were required to wear masks and distance themselves from others as much as possible.
2022?
Our parish religious education program merged with St. Peter the Apostle (New Castle) and Holy Spirit. The second floor of the school building was used to hold classes weekly for students from Kindergarten to 8th Grade.
Our own area of Wilmington Manor saw a surge of newly active parishioners in our Hispanic community. With this onset, we have since developed a Hispanic Community Center along with a Spanish Mass on Saturday evenings. With our Hispanic Community, we developed a Spanish Choir,
Our Lady of Guadalupe celebrations happen each year on her feast day of December 12th and we continue to implement a Spanish baptism program along with a Spanish Committee. Our Spanish Center is operational three nights a week for those that need assistance within the parish community.
2023
Father David F. Murphy, a previous associate pastor succeeded Msgr. Brubaker
2025
September: The RCIC program was relocated to the St. Peter the Apostle school building in New Castle and Ms. Migdalia Ibarrondo was appointed Coordinator of Religious Education.
October: We welcomed Mrs. Jenifer Parsons to our office staff as an Office Assistant. A lifetime parishioner and graduate of our school, Mrs. Parsons manages our Parish Website as well as assists Mrs. Cullen and Ms. Ibarrondo with filing and other office duties.
