About St. Elizabeth · Wilmington, Delaware
St. Elizabeth Roman Catholic Parish is a historic Westside Wilmington parish serving the city since 1907 (with the first Mass celebrated in 1908), within the Diocese of Wilmington. Founded to minister to a growing urban population, it has long welcomed Catholics from many ethnic backgrounds — Italian, Irish, German, Polish, and others — and that heritage is visible in the church's statues and the global saints depicted in its stained-glass windows. Today the parish remains home to St. Elizabeth School (pre-K through 12, founded in 1908 with the parish) and continues a tradition of Benedictine-rooted hospitality, service, and humility under Pastor Fr. Roger DiBuo, two permanent deacons, and a parish staff committed to Word, Sacrament, and community.
- Established
- 1907
- Patron
- St. Elizabeth
- Rector
- Rev. Roger F. DiBuo, S.T.L., V.F.
- Diocese
- Diocese of Wilmington
Why belong here
St. Elizabeth offers a place in a more than century-old Westside Wilmington parish with deep roots and remarkable diversity. Parishioners can worship at multiple daily and weekend Masses, draw on a permanent diaconate for ministry, join the parish choir, serve as lectors or extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, raise children in an on-site Religious Education program that meets Sunday mornings, and send their children to St. Elizabeth School — Delaware's only Catholic pre-K through 12 campus on one site, founded in the Benedictine tradition of hospitality, humility, prayer, and service. The parish's identity, written into its statues and stained glass, is one of welcoming people from every background as part of one Catholic family.
Mass times at St. Elizabeth
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturdays at 8:45 AM (immediately following the 8:15 AM Mass)
- Other times by appointment — call the parish office to arrange a time with the pastor
Adoration times
- Holy Hour on Mondays and Fridays, 12:45–1:45 PM (following the noon Mass)
- First Mondays: St. Elizabeth devotions at 6:00 PM
Parish History
St. Elizabeth Parish was established in 1907 to meet the spiritual needs of Wilmington's growing west-side population, with the first Mass offered by Bishop John J. Monaghan on June 1, 1908. Father William Temple, the founding pastor, led the parish from 1908 until his death on the feast of the Immaculate Conception in 1939. He was succeeded in 1940 by Father (later Monsignor) James M. Grant, who that same year opened the parish high school and began planning the present church building. Ground was broken on October 21, 1945 by Bishop Edmond J. Fitzmaurice, the cornerstone was laid on June 27, 1947, and the completed church was formally dedicated on November 9, 1947 by Cardinal Samuel Stritch. Monsignor Grant, ordained in Rome in 1909 and born in Wilmington in 1879, was raised to the rank of domestic prelate in 1949.
- Founded 1907; first Mass June 1, 1908
- Founding pastor: Father William Temple (1908–1939)
- Monsignor James M. Grant appointed 1940; built the present church
- Stained-glass windows depict saints of every continent, with the two sanctuary windows honoring North and South America
- Statues represent patron saints from Italy, Ireland, Germany, and Poland
Parish Staff and Clergy
The parish is served by a pastor, two permanent deacons, a parish secretary, a music director, and a volunteer coordinator for religious education. Fr. Roger DiBuo became pastor on June 22, 2024, moving from St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in Bear. Deacons Walter 'Jay' Ferris and Kenneth Pulliam assist in word and service. Marion Jacob directs the parish's music ministry, Kelly Ugolini serves as parish secretary, and Barbara Maddams coordinates Religious Education.
- Rev. Roger F. DiBuo, S.T.L., V.F. — Pastor
- Deacon Walter E. 'Jay' Ferris, Jr. — Permanent Deacon
- Deacon Kenneth R. Pulliam — Permanent Deacon
- Kelly Ugolini — Parish Secretary
- Marion Jacob — Music Director ([email protected])
- Barbara Maddams — Coordinator of Religious Education ([email protected])
Mass and Sacramental Schedule
St. Elizabeth offers a steady schedule of weekend and daily Masses in English, with a Saturday Vigil and three morning Sunday and weekday Masses spread across the week. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is heard each Saturday morning following Mass, and additional times can be arranged through the parish office. Holy Hours follow the noon Mass twice a week, and the parish livestreams Masses on YouTube for those who cannot attend in person.
- Saturday Vigil: 4:00 PM
- Sunday: 7:30 AM and 10:00 AM
- Weekdays: 12:15 PM (Mon, Fri); 7:15 AM (Tue, Wed); 8:15 AM (Sat)
- Confessions: Saturdays at 8:45 AM, or by appointment
- Holy Hour: Mondays and Fridays, 12:45–1:45 PM
- YouTube livestream of Masses
Liturgy, Music, and Devotions
The parish's music ministry is led by Director Marion Jacob, supported by a parish choir that rehearses Wednesday evenings and sings at the 10:00 AM or 4:00 PM Mass. Lectors and extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion round out the liturgical ministries, with schedules published for three-month periods. Devotional life is anchored by the weekly Monday and Friday Holy Hours and a St. Elizabeth devotion on the first Monday of each month.
- Parish Choir — Wednesday rehearsal 6:30–8:00 PM
- Lectors and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- Holy Hour: Mondays & Fridays, 12:45–1:45 PM
- St. Elizabeth Devotion: First Mondays, 6:00 PM
Religious Education and Faith Formation
St. Elizabeth's Parish Religious Education Program meets in the school building on Sunday mornings from 9:00 to 9:55 AM, with attendance at the 10:00 AM Mass encouraged. The program serves first through seventh graders, with Confirmation preparation held in the fall of the eighth-grade year. Barbara Maddams serves as the volunteer coordinator for religious education.
- Classes for Grades 1–7
- Sundays, 9:00–9:55 AM in the school building
- Confirmation sessions in the Fall of 8th Grade
- Coordinator: Barbara Maddams — [email protected]
St. Elizabeth School
St. Elizabeth School has been part of the parish since 1908, when the Benedictine Sisters from Ridgely, Maryland founded it to serve the surrounding neighborhood. Today it is the only Catholic school in Delaware where students can complete pre-kindergarten through 12th grade on a single campus. Its identity is grounded in the Benedictine tradition of hospitality, service, humility, prayer, and work, and reflects the parish's commitment to ethnic and cultural diversity.
- Founded 1908 by the Benedictine Sisters of Ridgely, Maryland
- Pre-K through 12 on one campus — only Catholic school in Delaware with this distinction
- Modern sixteen-room elementary school completed 1930
- High school established 1940
- Campus: 1500 Cedar Street, Wilmington, DE 19805 — (302) 656-3369 — steschools.org
- Interim Principal: Adrienne Tolvaisa; Interim Vice Principal: Stacey Reyburn
Ministries and Outreach
Beyond the school and liturgical ministries, the parish supports community life through the St. Elizabeth Athletic Association and a structured program of parish ministries outlined in the parish's Ministry Handbook. Worshippers are invited to share their time and talent as lectors, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, choir members, or CCD catechists.
- St. Elizabeth Athletic Association
- Lectors
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- Parish Choir
- Religious Education catechists (CCD)
Visit, Contact, and Getting Involved
The parish office is open Wednesdays from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM and by appointment; staff are happy to help arrange appointments for sacraments or to talk about getting involved. Address, phone, and email are listed on the parish website and printed bulletin. Pastoral council members, ministry leaders, and the parish secretary can connect newcomers with ways to participate in parish life.
- Address: 809 S. Broom Street, Wilmington, DE 19805
- Phone: (302) 652-3626
- Email: [email protected]
- Office Hours: Wednesdays 9:00 AM–3:00 PM, and by appointment
- Mass livestream on YouTube (linked from steparish.org)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father William Temple1908–1939
Founder and first pastor of St. Elizabeth's; died on the feast of the Immaculate Conception, 1939.
- Monsignor James M. Grant, D.D.1940–after 1949
Appointed pastor in 1940; established the parish high school the same year and planned the present church. Elevated to domestic prelate November 21, 1949.
- Rev. Roger F. DiBuo, S.T.L., V.F.2024–present
Began as pastor on June 22, 2024; previously pastor of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in Bear; grew up in St. Matthew's Parish.