About Immaculate Conception · Marydel, Maryland
Immaculate Conception Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in the small town of Marydel, Caroline County, Maryland, just across the Delaware state line. Established in 1914 and worshipping in its current church building since 1918, it is a bilingual community with a particularly large Hispanic Ministry alongside traditional English-language ministries. Since 2013 it has been twinned with neighboring Holy Cross Parish in Dover, Delaware, sharing priests and a coordinated sacramental schedule.
- Established
- 1914
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary, under the title of the Immaculate Conception
- Rector
- Fr. Norm Carroll (Parish Administrator, shared with Holy Cross Parish, Dover, Delaware)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Wilmington
Why belong here
Immaculate Conception is a small but bilingual Catholic community with a real parish-family feel — parishioners know each other by name, the Knights of Columbus host a monthly Pancake Breakfast after Sunday Mass, and the Hispanic Ministry runs Masses, classes, and devotions in Spanish. Families can enroll children in a long-standing Religious Education program, the parish is twinned with the much larger Holy Cross in Dover for additional Mass and confession opportunities, and a St. Vincent de Paul Society serves those in material need across Caroline County.
Mass times at Immaculate Conception
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Thursday evenings at Marydel — after the 6:00 pm Spanish Mass (if Mass is cancelled, confessions are also cancelled)
- Saturday mornings — at twinned parish Holy Cross, Dover, Delaware, 8:30 am – 10:00 am (weekly)
- Reconciliation Friday (the Friday before Palm Sunday) at Immaculate Conception, 3:00 pm – 8:00 pm
- Reconciliation Monday (the day after Palm Sunday) at Holy Cross Parish, Dover, 3:00 pm – 8:00 pm
- Advent and Lent — additional confession times added at Holy Cross in Dover, plus a regional (Deanery) Penance Service
Adoration times
- Thursday evenings at Marydel — Holy Hour following the 6:00 pm Spanish Mass
Parish Identity & History
Immaculate Conception Parish was established in 1914 in the small Eastern Shore town of Marydel, Maryland, and moved into its current church building four years later in 1918. The building was expanded in the 1980s to keep pace with the growing community. In 2018 the parish marked the centennial of the church building with a published history, 'The History of Immaculate Conception Parish 1918–2018,' still available for sale through the parish website. In 2013 the parish entered into a 'twinning' arrangement with Holy Cross Parish in Dover, Delaware, sharing clergy and sacramental resources across the state line.
- Parish established: 1914
- Current church building constructed: 1918 (expanded 1980s)
- Twinned with Holy Cross Parish, Dover, DE: 2013
- Centennial of church building celebrated: 2018
Parish Clergy & Staff
Immaculate Conception shares its priests with its twinned partner parish, Holy Cross in Dover, Delaware. The parish is currently administered by a Parish Administrator, with two Parochial Vicars serving both communities. A small lay staff handles parish office, religious education, and Hispanic Ministry coordination.
- Fr. Norm Carroll — Parish Administrator
- Fr. John Enemuo — Parochial Vicar
- Fr. Rommel Padilla — Parochial Vicar
- Marilyn Dixon — Office Manager
- Alicia Poppiti — Director of Religious Education
- Susan Venezia — Business Manager / Bookkeeper
- Arline Dosman — Director of Hispanic Ministry (shared with Holy Cross)
Religious Education & OCIA
Immaculate Conception runs a Religious Education program under the direction of Alicia Poppiti for English-speaking families, alongside a parallel Spanish-track Escuela de Religiosa. Sacramental preparation is offered for First Communion, Confirmation, and Baptism (including required pre-Baptismal classes for Spanish-speaking parents). OCIA (the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) is offered for both English and Spanish-speaking inquirers, typically meeting weekly.
- Religious Education (English) — Director: Alicia Poppiti
- Escuela de Religiosa (Spanish faith formation)
- First Communion preparation — English and Spanish tracks
- Confirmation preparation — English and Spanish tracks
- OCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) — English and Spanish
Hispanic Ministry (Ministerio Hispano)
The parish describes its Hispanic Ministry as 'very large' — a defining feature of community life. The ministry offers a weekly Spanish Mass, faith-formation classes (Escuela de Religiosa), sacramental preparation for First Communion and Confirmation, a youth leadership group (Directiva de Jóvenes), educational Catholic videos, spiritual writings and prayers, family activities, and a Catholic-faith forum ('Foro Cristiano — Conozca Su Fe Católica'). Direction is shared with Holy Cross Parish through Arline Dosman.
- Misa en Español — Sunday afternoon and Thursday evening
- Escuela de Religiosa — school of religion
- Directiva de Jóvenes — youth leadership council
- Foro Cristiano 'Know Your Catholic Faith' — periodic evenings
- Clases Pre-bautismales — pre-baptismal classes
Knights of Columbus — Our Lady of Guadalupe Council #12509
The parish's Knights of Columbus council is named 'Our Lady of Guadalupe Council #12509,' a name that reflects the strong Marian and Hispanic identity of the parish. The Council supports parish life by hosting a monthly Pancake Breakfast after Sunday Mass, and welcomes practicing Catholic men 18 and older in union with the Holy See to join.
- Council #12509 — Our Lady of Guadalupe
- Monthly Sunday Pancake Breakfast after Mass
- Membership: Catholic men, 18+, in good standing with the Church
Outreach — St. Vincent de Paul Society
Immaculate Conception maintains a parish conference of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, the worldwide Catholic lay charitable organization dedicated to serving neighbors in material need. The conference is part of the parish's regular ministry life and provides an organized avenue for parishioners to assist the poor of central Caroline County.
- St. Vincent de Paul Society (parish conference)
- Outreach to those in material need in Caroline County
Twinned with Holy Cross Parish, Dover, Delaware
Since 2013, Immaculate Conception has been formally twinned with Holy Cross Parish in Dover, Delaware. The two parishes share priests and coordinate their sacramental calendars: for example, Masses for Holy Days of Obligation are distributed between the two sites, and Saturday-morning confessions and Holy Week Reconciliation services rotate between them. Parishioners of each are considered part of one combined pastoral community.
- Holy Days of Obligation: Masses split between ICC (Marydel) and Holy Cross (Dover)
- Weekly Saturday confessions: Holy Cross, Dover, 8:30–10:00 am
- Holy Week Reconciliation services alternate between the two parishes
Contact & Visit
Immaculate Conception Parish is located on Main Street in the center of Marydel, just over the Delaware state line. The parish office is open during business hours at 410-482-7687; the parish publishes a weekly bulletin and supports online giving through its website, and also maintains an active Facebook presence. A commemorative parish history book can be purchased online through the parish website.
- Address: 522 Main Street, PO Box 399, Marydel, MD 21649
- Phone: (410) 482-7687
- Fax: (410) 482-7253
- Website: http://www.iccmarydel.org/
- Facebook: facebook.com/ICCMarydel
- Online giving and weekly bulletin available on the website