About St. Ann · Wilmington, Delaware
St. Ann Catholic Parish is a historic Roman Catholic parish located in Wilmington, Delaware, part of the Diocese of Wilmington. Originally founded in 1868 as the Parish of St. James, it was relocated and renamed St. Ann in 1887 after the construction of the B&O Railroad tracks next to the original church. Today the parish serves a diverse community of Wilmington residents and New Castle County families, anchored by St. Ann School (celebrating over 125 years of Catholic education) and a wide range of liturgical, educational, and outreach ministries.
- Established
- 1868
- Patron
- St. Ann (mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary)
- Rector
- Fr. John J. Mink
- Diocese
- Diocese of Wilmington
Why belong here
St. Ann's is a parish where longtime Wilmington families sit alongside newcomers in a community described by its own pastor as 'welcoming, faith-filled people who will want to get to know you and make you feel part of the family.' Rooted in a tradition that goes back to 1868 and renewed through its parish school, daily Mass, seven-day Eucharistic Adoration, and ministries like the St. Vincent de Paul Conference and Knights of Columbus, the parish offers many ways to deepen one's spiritual life and live out the call of Baptism — and its pastor notes that young adults who grew up at St. Ann are now returning to raise their own children here.
Mass times at St. Ann
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM
Adoration times
- Sunday 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM (Chapel of The Divine Mercy, N. Grant Avenue between Gilpin & Shallcross Avenues)
- Monday 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM
- Tuesday 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM
- Wednesday 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM
- Thursday 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM
- Friday 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM
- Saturday 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Parish History
The parish's story begins in 1868, when a group of benefactors gathered on the Feast of St. James the Greater to found a church serving the area between Van Buren Street, Mt. Salem Lane, 8th Street and the Brandywine River. Originally called St. James and located on Lovering Avenue, the parish was forced to relocate when the B&O Railroad tracks were laid too close to the original church. In December 1887 the parish rebuilt at Gilpin Avenue and Union Street, was renamed St. Ann in honor of the mother of the Vicar General's mother, and has flourished ever since.
- 1868 — Parish founded as St. James, Lovering Avenue
- 1869 — St. James Chapel built with permission of first diocesan bishop Thomas R. Becker
- 1887 — Relocated to Gilpin Avenue & Union Street; renamed St. Ann after the Vicar General's mother
- 1892 — Second story and tower added to the church
- 1899 — St. Ann School opens
- 1910 — New convent built for the Franciscan sisters
- 1933 — Major Depression-era renovation; church 'lowered'
- 1935 — Rededication of renovated church
- 1969 — New Social Hall and Gym dedicated
- 1995 — School wing expansion, Franciscan and Taggart Wings; Mary Mother of the Church Grotto dedicated
- 1999 — St. Ann School centennial
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The parish offers the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA, formerly RCIA) for those inquiring about the Catholic faith. Sessions run once a week over six months, beginning in October and concluding the week after Easter the following year (with breaks for Thanksgiving and Christmas). Inquirers are guided to discern entering the Church at the Easter Vigil. Practicing Catholics are encouraged to be ambassadors by leading others to the waters of Baptism or by continuing their own conversion to receive Confirmation and Eucharist.
- OCIA / RCIA — adult inquiry sessions beginning each October
- Inquiry contact: parish office 302-654-5519
St. Ann School
St. Ann School opened in 1899 and is still operating more than 125 years later, making it one of the oldest continuously operating Catholic schools in the Diocese of Wilmington. After a major 1995 expansion the school building was divided into the Franciscan Wing (lower grades) and the Taggart Wing (upper grades, specialty classrooms, and parish meeting spaces). In 2018 the parish established the St. Ann School Annual Fund to help secure the legacy of Catholic education for future students.
- Opened 1899
- Centennial celebrated 1999
- Franciscan Wing (lower grades) and Taggart Wing (upper grades)
- St. Ann School Annual Fund established 2018
- Spirit of St. Francis Fund
Parish Staff & Clergy
The parish is currently led by Pastor Fr. John J. Mink, with Fr. Eric Frimpong serving as Associate Pastor / Parochial Vicar. Following Fr. Mink's stroke in July 2025, Msgr. John P. Hopkins was appointed Administrator of St. Ann (in addition to his ongoing role as Pastor of St. Joseph on the Brandywine). Patrick Cullen serves as Director of Operations.
- Fr. John J. Mink — Pastor
- Fr. Eric Frimpong — Associate Pastor / Parochial Vicar
- Msgr. John P. Hopkins — Administrator (since July 17, 2025)
- Patrick Cullen — Director of Operations
Parish Mission
Stated by the parish: 'Worship and furthering the Gospel message of Jesus Christ are the central core of our being.' The parish sees itself as a welcoming family rooted in 1868 tradition, with members drawn from the immediate neighborhood, elsewhere in Wilmington, and across New Castle County — including young adults returning to raise their own children in the parish where they grew up.
Outreach & Charity
The parish supports both local and diocesan works of charity. Locally, the St. Vincent de Paul Society (St. Ann Conference) and the Knights of Columbus are active ministries, and the parish participates in the diocesan Faith and Charity Catholic Appeal, which funds meals for the hungry, shelter for the homeless, care for the elderly and infirm, mental health counseling, youth activities, marriage preparation, hospital chaplaincies, deacons' ministry, evangelization, and pro-life activities.
- St. Vincent de Paul Society — St. Ann Conference
- Knights of Columbus
- Faith and Charity Catholic Appeal (Diocese of Wilmington)
Support the Parish
The parish accepts donations through several channels to support both the parish and St. Ann School. Gifts can be designated to the St. Ann School Annual Fund, the Spirit of St. Francis Fund, or the St. Vincent de Paul Society (St. Ann Conference).
- St. Ann School Annual Fund
- Spirit of St. Francis Fund
- St. Vincent de Paul Society (St. Ann Conference)
- PayPal: @StAnnWilmington
- Venmo: @StAnnParishWilmington
- Parish Giving (Electronic Funds Transfer)
Architecture & Campus
The present church is the product of three major building campaigns: the original 1887 one-story church at Gilpin and Union, the 1892 addition of a second story and tower, and the defining 1933 Depression-era renovation that lowered the floor, removed the front stone steps, lowered the ceiling, added Gothic pews, and added the rear stone wing. The campus also includes the Social Hall and Gym (1969), the Mary Mother of the Church Grotto (1995), and the renovated school complex with its Franciscan and Taggart Wings.
- 1887 — original one-story church
- 1892 — second story and tower added
- 1933–1935 — church 'lowered,' Gothic pews, tracery windows
- 1969 — Social Hall and Gym
- 1995 — Grotto, school wings
Devotions & Patronal Feast
The parish observes its patronal feast of St. Ann with an annual novena held around July 17–25, including a brief prayer after each weekday 8:00 AM Mass. The novena was specifically observed in 2025 as a prayer for then-ill pastor Fr. John Mink.
- St. Ann Novena — July 17–25
- Patron: St. Ann, Mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- Feast day: July 26
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Very Rev. John A. Lyons (Vicar General of the Diocese)1887
Funded the new church building at Gilpin Avenue and Union Street after the parish relocated from Lovering Avenue; the parish was renamed St. Ann in honor of his mother.