Our Delaware is a monthly series that will explore the history of communities and the institutions that serve them around the state. To suggest a potential topic for an upcoming feature, email Editor-In-Chief Jacob Owens.
Why Should Delaware Care?
St. Mary of the Assumption Church is a cornerstone of Delaware’s history, serving as the state’s oldest Roman Catholic parish. Its ability to balance tradition with modern outreach, from youth programs to community service, has allowed it to remain stable during times of change. Beyond its historical significance, the church remains an important part of the Hockessin community, fostering connection and support for thousands of families.
The season of Advent has begun, a time of reflection and preparation for Catholics as they await the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ on Christmas day.
At St. Mary of the Assumption Church, this holiday spirit came to life as a few hundred men, women and children gathered under the glow of tree lights for the parish’s first annual tree-lighting ceremony.
Dressed as St. Nicolas, Pastor Joe Piekarski lit and blessed the towering 15-foot Christmas tree, while children played and adults laughed and conversed.
“Sundays come and go, and people come on Sundays, but to have alternate events that allow the community to kind of come together during the week. It’s actually a really nice touch because you get to know people on a different level,” said Patrick Lafrankie, who has been a parishioner of the church for 20 years.
It’s through these kinds of events that the church stays connected with its congregation, and by emphasizing the importance of community, St. Mary has been able to remain the oldest Roman Catholic church in Delaware.
A pre-Revolution start
St. Mary of the Assumption Church’s rich history spans over 250 years, dating back to the 18th century when Jesuit missionaries traveled from Maryland to tend to the growing Catholic population in the northern parts of Delaware.
Father John Lewis is credited with being the first pastor to serve Delaware’s Catholic community, helping to establish a permanent mission at the site known as Coffee Run in Hockessin and laying the foundation for St. Mary of the Assumption Church.
In 1772, a 208-acre farm was purchased in the name of Father John, creating a permanent base for the traveling priest and the first site of the Catholic Church in Delaware.
Almost 20 years later, a log chapel was built, marking the church’s first structure. Throughout the years, the parish has worshipped in five different churches throughout Hockessin.
Initially, the church served working-class Irish settlers who farmed and labored in clay pits and quarries. Over time, the parish expanded with the increase of Polish and Italian immigrants, many of whom worked in the local tobacco mill and local quarries.
But by the mid-20th century, the area had become a suburban community and the growing Catholic population required a much larger facility than what was previously used.
So in 1960, the Catholic Foundation purchased a 14-acre site for the church near Lancaster Pike, and in 1965 the current location of St. Mary of the Assumption was established.
“It’s not like in Europe, where you have churches that are from the 1200s. So to be part of something that, at least, was a couple hundred years old, you feel like you’re part of that continuity of all the people who have come before you. And then looking to the future, you hope it will continue for hundreds more years,” said Lauren Brecht, a local who’s been a part of the parish for 20 years.
Fostering community
When the Catholic ministry first came to Delaware, it operated through traveling priests who served a scattered Catholic population. But today St. Mary’s parish is a thriving community of 2,000 families, with about 1,000 who are active.
Most of the church’s current attendees reside in Hockessin and near Pike Creek, while some travel from the Pennsylvania border, New Jersey and even as far out as the outskirts of Maryland.
The parishioners keep the church thriving through their generous donations and volunteer work. Their support enables the church to maintain its facilities.
“I would say, on average, we make maybe about $12,000 a weekend,” said Father Piekarski, who is in his second year with the parish.
With their help, the church is able to offer daily masses, a preschool and a full slate of programs that intertwine faith and community.
Deepening faith with community
Today, St. Mary houses over 40 faith groups, outreach programs and organizations that allow parishioners to strengthen their spirituality, serve local communities and foster connections with others.
Mike Bailey, who joined the parish 35 years ago, is an active member of different men’s faith groups, one which is the Men’s Cornerstone Retreat. It’s an annual event where male parishioners gather to connect through speakers, shared meals, and meaningful discussions about faith.
Since retiring in 2018, Bailey has become more involved in the church, volunteering to help with maintenance and renovations, while joining different groups that have allowed him to discover new things about himself.
Through groups like Cornerstone, Bailey can connect with men who share similar experiences.
He said that hearing how they navigated their faith and overcame challenges deeply inspired him.
“It’s a very emotional but very rewarding experience,” he said.
Other faith groups at St. Mary are tailored to different groups of adults, women and elders, each exploring different aspects of the church through activities like Bible studies, gospel readings, meals, film viewings and group discussions.
Supporting community through outreach
In addition to fostering faith and connections within the parish, St. Mary’s ongoing community outreach enables members to support others through initiatives like Thanksgiving food drives and gift-giving for Christmas and Valentine’s Day, while also promoting enjoyable activities that encourage social engagement.
The Knights of Columbus is one of the church organizations that helps with this goal.
The Knights are a global Catholic-based fraternal organization that operates through local councils to support parishes and communities with charitable work, faith-based activities and other programs.
Bailey is part of the Knights’ Coffee Run Council, which operates out of St. Mary, and supports the parish through maintenance tasks, fundraising, and organizing social events.
Each year, the council hosts events like Lenten fish fries, chili cook-offs, and bonfires to raise funds. They raise around $100,000 annually to distribute to different organizations such as Sojourners Place, Coats for Kids, Habitat for Humanity, the Global Wheelchair Mission, and various pro-life groups.
The Knights also provide financial support to the church and the St. Vincent De Paul Society, another church outreach group that helps people pay their rent and utility bills when they are unable to afford it.
While the events help to raise awareness, outings like the bonfire also help to bring parishioners together.
“You know, [it’s] kind of just for everyone to come together, mingle, maybe get to know some people that you don’t see so much,” Brecht said.
Brecht, who leads, teaches and facilitates discussions for the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA) program, also highlighted St. Mary’s dedication to supporting its parishioners, addressing their needs, and being there in their times of greatest need.
She recalls how the church played a crucial role in supporting her family after the loss of one of her children, and said that receiving that type of help from the parish is common for her and others.
“This is a place where they can find someone to talk to, where they can just find quiet and solace,” Brecht said.
Active listening creates future
St. Mary also works to understand some of the parish’s other needs through surveys that ask them how the church can be improved and what they would like to see more of.
Feedback from a 2016 survey inspired the creation of the group Refresh to create more welcoming spaces, update the technology with TVs and projectors, enhance security with cameras and door lock systems, and upgrade the medical and emergency equipment.
The church had conducted another survey after the COVID pandemic, as the period had slowed down a lot of St. Mary’s activities and programs, making it difficult to connect with parishioners as they had before.
Deacon Joe LoPorto said the survey allowed the parish to restore the social environment that had faded for some time.
“They said, ‘Reach out to the youth,’ which we’re trying to do; ‘Be more community-oriented,’ which is the tree lighting event; and ‘[Be] more welcoming,’ which includes the socialization after Mass, hospitality, and similar activities,” LoPorto said.
After the pandemic the church saw a gap in youth parishioners, and have been trying to develop more programming to keep them engaged.
LoPorto explains that after young parishioners receive the Sacrament of Confirmation, a rite of initiation typically completed around age 13, many see it as a “graduation” from church involvement, leading to a decline in attendance, which can be further influenced by social media and peers.
So, over the past year the church launched a youth ministry tailored to teenagers, offering opportunities to explore their faith while enjoying social events like dances and pizza parties.
Unlike other Catholic churches, St. Mary does not have a school affiliated with the parish, so they have catered to the younger population through other means, like their athletic association, which serves several hundred kids between third and eighth grade. They also have a religious education program (PREP) that’s offered for those between first and eighth grade.
The parish’s smaller children are mostly tended to through their preschool, which serves over 100 children, with some as young as 18 months.
The 9:30 a.m. Sunday mass is also popular for families with small children because during mass the small children are taken into a separate room where they are taught a children’s version of religious scripture.
As the times continue to change, the parish finds it important to preserve the church’s history and roots, while addressing the needs of the new generations.
“Some of the vessels that we use are still from the original church. Many of the things, our stained glass windows also have our history, what it was, what it presently is,” Father Piekarski said.
While balancing tradition, the church strives to support those in non-traditional situations which are now more common, such as those who’ve been divorced and remarried or couples living together before marriage.
Deacon LoPorto says that rather than judging, they rejoice in the process people want to go through, and offer guidance through processes like annulments and reconciliation to help individuals align with church teachings.
Through its rich history, community programs and commitment to supporting parishioners in every stage of life, St. Mary continues to thrive as a spiritual home for its members, maintaining its stability in bringing people closer to their faith and to one another.
“I wouldn’t have ever called myself a devout Catholic until I got here and started working with all these people, and I said, ‘Huh, you don’t have to be a holy roller, Bible-hugging individual to be faithful. You can still have a lot of fun, enjoyment, and accomplish a lot,’” Bailey said.
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