St. Paul, Delaware City, DE

So, in 1837, a plot of ground as purchased at William and Monroe Streets and landscaped into a Catholic cemetery. In 1852, and even earlier, they would gather at the home of Mrs. Ellen O'Neil on Washington Street for a visiting priest to offer Mass and the sacraments. It was at this time the saintly Bishop of Philadelphia, the Most Reverend John Neumann, founded the Saint Paul Mission in Delaware City and had a church built on the cemetery grounds in 1853. When the Diocese of Wilmington was established in 1868, St. Paul, with all the churches on the Delmarva Peninsula, fell under its jurisdiction. By 1880, there were approximately 160 persons in the parish with 70 students in Religious Education classes.

In the early 1900s there was a need for a larger church, so in 1904 a cornerstone was laid for the present church on Washington Street, which was completed and consecrated in 1905. In 1942, a plot of ground on Cox Neck Road was obtained from Elizabeth and Henry Curlett for use as an additional cemetery. In time, the Old Delaware City Public School building at Fourth and Clinton Streets was purchased and used as the parish hall. In 1953, the hall was converted into the Parish School. In 1969, St. Paul's School was closed and sold to Delaware City for use as a Municipal Building. Without a school or hall, parish children attended Religion Classes at the parish convent at 5th & Clinton Streets.

Major renovations were undertaken at the church in 1979, and in time the Diamond State Telephone Building on Adams Street was purchased for use as a parish hall. It doubles as the center for Religious Education for the parish's children.

In 2014, Saint Paul was linked with Our Lady of Fatima in New Castle County, and both churches are served by the same priests. In 2015, Saint Paul became the home of the Korean Catholic Community. Currently, the parish has 196 families registered, consisting of 451 members, with 24 children in the Religious Education program.