St. Edmond Catholic Church celebrates its 75th Diamond Jubilee

St. Edmond Catholic Church in Rehoboth Beach celebrated its 75th Diamond Jubilee Sept. 13. The Rev. W. Francis Malooly, bishop of the Diocese of Wilmington, celebrated the Mass with priests of the diocese concelebrating. The church was standing room only to help the church recognize the significance of the Mass.

With the nearest Catholic Church 16 miles away in Milford, Most Rev. John J. Monaghan, third Bishop of Wilmington, felt that it was time to build a church to meet the needs of the increasing Catholic population in the Lewes, Rehoboth Beach area. In 1905, the Diocese of Wilmington purchased property in Rehoboth Beach for the site of a Catholic Church. All the property, which ran the full length of the oceanfront block between Laurel Street and Brooklyn Avenue, was originally owned by the Rehoboth Beach Camp Meeting Association of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The diocese established a rectory and a chapel on the property, with two large cottages for the Franciscan teaching and nursing order as a summer vacation retreat for the nuns.

The small chapel was unable to accommodate all the Catholic worshipers who began swelling the Rehoboth Beach community in the summer. So, a new frame church, overlooking the ocean, was built. The church was named in honor of St. Agnes, the patron saint of the first Mother Superior of the Order of Saint Francis of Assisi. Bishop Monaghan celebrated the first Mass there on July 7, 1906. The church when dedicated was known by St. Agnes-by-the-Sea. The parish was in the charge of the Reverend Father Felix Hintermeyer, O.S.B., of St. Mary's College, Belmont, N.C. St. Agnes-by-the-Sea was a mission to St. John the Apostle Church in Milford. Services were predominantly celebrated during the summer months; Sunday services during the winter depended upon the availability of a priest.

The early history of St. Agnes-by-the-Sea was influenced considerably by severe storms that battered Delaware's Atlantic Coast. After receiving some damage after a Nor'easter on December 7, 1914, the church was moved farther back from the beach and turned so that its front faced the beach and ocean. After another severe storm in April of 1918, the church was again moved further back from the oceanfront. During the Great Storm of March 1962, the old church suffered irreparable damage and was razed shortly thereafter.

Because of the increasing numbers of Catholics in the region, a new church -Saint Edmond's- was begun in 1939 at King Charles Avenue and Laurel Street. The first Mass was Sunday, May 12, 1940. The church was dedicated on September 1, 1940. Most Rev. Edmond Fitzmaurice, fourth Bishop of Wilmington (1925–1960) and for whom the church was named, conducted the dedication service.

After St. Edmond's was established, the Diocese of Wilmington deeded title to the old St. Agnes-by-the-Sea Church property to the Franciscan Order. A new residential facility was built and used by the nuns until the end of the summer of 1941. In 1946, the Order decided that operating its seaside retreat was becoming too great a burden. It sold the entire property and buildings. Today, the Star-of-the-Sea condominiums occupy the site of the former church and Franciscan retreat. In 1952, St. Edmond's was no longer a mission of St. John the Apostle and became a parish in its own right. Monsignor Francis J. Desmond was the first pastor.

In 1954, St. Edmond's built an elementary school on the property adjacent to the church. This school, staffed by Benedictine Nuns from Ridgely, Md., was opened with classes for grades one through eight. Students came from Milton, Georgetown, Millsboro, Lewes and Rehoboth Beach. In 1969, the school was closed when the Benedictine community was obliged to withdraw first some and then all of the sisters.

In 2007, Fr. Forester and the parish Building and Maintenance Committee determined that major interior and exterior renovations were needed to meet increasing ministry needs. Interior renovations began in December 2007, requiring the closing of the church. Renovations included a new insulated ceiling, fans and light fixtures; refinished pews, and new kneelers: new carpeting: the walls were painted; new Stations of the Cross plaques and a new Crucifix were installed.

These renovations were completed in April 2008. Exterior renovations began in December 2008, and included re-pointing the church stone entrance way, replacing several pre-cast stones and installing new front steps and exterior lights. The renovations were completed in April 2009.

In June 2013, Fr. Ray Forester, pastor of St. Edmond's since 2000, retired. On June 27, 2013, Fr. Joseph Piekarski was appointed the 11th pastor of St. Edmond Church. On June 24, 2015, Fr. William Cocco was appointed the 12th pastor of St. Edmond Church when Fr. Joe Piekarski was reassigned to a different parish.