Fifth grade teacher Michelle Conner prepares her classroom for the first day of school at St. John the Beloved School. Dialog photo Don Blake

Back to School

Catholic Schools: Kingdom-Builders in our Midst

By Louis De Angelo, Ph.D.

Superintendent of Schools, Diocese of Wilmington

In serving as Superintendent of Schools the past 11 years, I’ve done my fair share of driving throughout the Diocese of Wilmington visiting our 30 Catholic schools in Delaware and Maryland’s Eastern Shore which serve 8,600+ students.

A more recent observation I’ve had in my travels is the number of new housing developments under construction throughout Kent and Sussex Counties and the lower counties of the Eastern Shore. While varying in size, shape, and amenities, all of the new developments share a few basic items. First, there is generally a single builder of each development. Second, all of the homes require a secure foundation. Third, there is a basic blueprint for the homes in the development. The combination of these factors leads to a successful construction project appealing to new residents.

In much the same way, the start of the 2023-2024 school year incorporates the three basic items found in the new construction “below the Canal.” Our diocesan school-wide theme this year is “Let Us Build the Kingdom of God.” This theme reminds all of us in Catholic education that we are kingdom-builders. Our primary builder is Jesus Christ who serves as the secure foundation on which all of our faith and teaching is built. The blueprint for development in our schools and in our lives this school year will be the Beatitudes…

To read the full article in The Dialog, click here.

Drone Camp participants gather with Bishop Koenig at St. Matthew Drone Camp. Dialog photos Don Blake.

Drone Camp has Youngsters Flying High

The kids at “Drone Camp” at St. Matthew parish may have thought Bishop Koenig was surprising them with a visit to join the fun. But they turned the tables of surprises when they presented a cake to celebrate the bishop’s 67th birthday.

Boys and girls were not just buzzing the flying drones and otherwise learning on the fly. They watched as Bishop Koenig joined in on one of two weeklong camps held at the parish.

(above photo) Bishop Koenig experiences a flight simulator with campers.

Forty-five boys and girls between the ages of 7 through their mid-teens attended the first drone camp at St. Matthew’s Church in the Woodcrest section of Wilmington. A similar number joined the second camp. Kids learned the rules of drone flight, participated in team drone races and spent time in a flight simulator flying different types of aircraft. Some donned the virtual reality headsets, which offered even more flight-related activities.

Both groups traveled to Dover to visit the Air Mobility Command at Dover Air Force Base.

“Turns out our flight simulator is better than their flight simulator,” said Father Michael Darcy, the pastor of St. Matthew’s and nearby Corpus Christi parishes.

Back to School Section Article courtesy of The Dialog.

Our Newest Staff Member!

Please welcome Stephanie Kelton, Fund Development and Public Relations Manager, to the Diocese of Wilmington family! Stephanie comes to us with an impressive background in development and business advancement from the Diocese of Camden, and we are thrilled to have her bring her talents to our organization. Her commitment to serving others and her dedication to making a difference in the lives of those in need perfectly align with the core values that underpin our work in the Diocese.

With her expertise and passion, she will be working tirelessly to advance the mission of Catholic Charities, significantly impacting our ministries and programs. Stephanie's role will be vital in elevating our mission and expanding our reach to help more individuals and families in our community. 

Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Wilmington Named by Delaware to Provide Legal Immigration Help to Afghans

Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Wilmington has received a $49,474 contract from Delaware Health and Social Services (DHSS) to provide legal immigration assistance to eligible Afghan arrivals. To be eligible, the person must be from Afghanistan and have entered the U.S. on or after July 31, 2021, and meet certain criteria. The individual may not be an unaccompanied minor.

To assist with application for asylum and navigation of the immigration process, the scope of services that Catholic Charities will be providing includes basic legal orientation on immigration statuses and protections under the law, conducting seminars and training on relevant immigration-related legal assistance topics, assisting in the replacement or correction of immigration documents, interpretation services, translation of documents into a client’s preferred language, physically filling out relevant forms, and securing fee waivers for forms.

Other services offered are representing the client in legal immigration appointments, responding to inquiries from the U.S. Department of State, and responding to inquiries from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The contract is effective from August 10, 2023 through July 31, 2024.

Fritz Jones, executive director of Catholic Charities, said “We are profoundly honored to receive this contract from Delaware Health and Social Services, which will enable us to provide essential support to Afghan asylum seekers and navigate the intricate immigration process, ensuring they find solace and new beginnings.”

Article and photo courtesy of The Dialog.

Catholic Charities Immigration Services

“After arriving to the U.S. with my husband and children, my mother got very ill. To see her, I was at risk of losing my immigration status and my opportunity to become a Permanent Resident in the U.S. Catholic Charities helped me obtain emergency travel authorization and travel documents. My family and I are grateful for the help of Catholic Charities.”

To learn more about Catholic Charities Immigration Services, click here.

To help our next client, click here. Designate your gift by choosing "Immigration Services."

The Sights and Sounds of Christmas with the NY Tenors.

Christmas Concert to Benefit Catholic Charities

December 10 • 4pm

Saint Mark’s High School Theater

2501 Pike Creek Road • Wilmington, DE 19808

The Sights and Sounds of Christmas come alive from the Stars of Carnegie Hall with the NY Tenors. Join The New York Tenors, Andy Cooney, Christopher Macchio & Daniel Rodriguez, and a special guest direct from Ireland, world-class soprano Deirdre Masterson, for a night that will bring the Spirit and Magic of Christmas into all of your hearts! 

The Sights and Sounds of Christmas concert will benefit Catholic Charities of the Catholic Diocese of Wilmington as we focus on giving and caring for those affected by hunger and homelessness. Please join us for an evening filled with beautiful music to support those in need in our community.

Ticket Pricing: $40, $50, and $60

VIP Reception with Tenors and Bishop Koenig after the Show: $50

Share the Love: We will be accepting donations of new or gently used winter clothing,

such as hats, gloves, scarves and socks for those in need. Thank you!

_______________________

Would you or your company like to sponsor this event?

For sponsorship opportunities, contact Stephanie Kelton at skelton@cdow.org or 302-573-3120.

2023 Bishop’s 5K Run/Walk

Saturday, November 18

Sign In 8am • Race 9am

Saint Mark's High School • 2501 Pike Creek Road • Wilmington, DE 19808

This Year's Race is in Memory of Andrea Rotsch

Exemplary Employee of Catholic Charities Diocese of Wilmington

Be an Event Sponsor!

Choose from 3 levels of Sponsorships! Each level includes your logo on the Bishop 5K t-shirt. Deadline for logo submission: October 20, 2023.

For more info, contact Sheryl Cook: scook@cdow.org or 302-573-3118.

To download the Sponsorship form, click here.

To sign-up online, click here.

Show Your School Team Spirit!

Students, sign up for the team challenge offered to all Diocesan Catholic Schools with the highest participants, including family & friends.



Win cash prizes! $1,000 1st place, $500 2nd place, $500 3rd place! 

A combined 15 supporters from your school are required to qualify.

To download the information flyer, click here.

Thank You 2023 Bishop's 5K Sponsors!

Applications Available Oct. 2 – Oct. 16

Affordable Housing for Low Income Senior Citizens

Marydale Retirement Village, a ministry of Catholic Charities, provides affordable housing to low income senior citizens in a lovely, garden apartment setting in Newark, Delaware. Our waiting list will be opening briefly between October 2 & October 16.

Apartments are 1-bedroom and include a kitchen, living room, and bathroom. Qualifying applicants must be at or below annual gross income of $39,100 for one person, and at or below annual gross income of $44,650 for two persons to qualify.

Interested persons over 62 years of age are invited to call or stop by to receive an application and criteria for admission between Oct 2 and Oct 16. Completed applications are due by Nov. 17, 2023. 

Click here for more information about Marydale Retirement Village.

Marydale Retirement Village

135 Jeandell Drive • Newark, DE 19713 • 302.368.2784

Catholic Charities Diaper Bank

National Diaper Awareness Week - September 18-24

One in two U.S. families struggles to provide enough diapers to keep a baby or toddler clean, dry, and healthy. 3 in 5 parents miss work or school because they can’t afford the diapers required to leave their baby in childcare. By working together, we can ensure that all babies have access to clean diapers and other basic necessities required for them to thrive and reach their full potential.

Clean diapers are a basic need of every baby and toddler.

The Catholic Charities Diaper Bank is currently helping over 200 families.

We invite you to get involved! Catholic Charities Diaper Bank provides diaper distributions to families in need with children ages 3 and under.

We accept donations of diapers, hygiene items, cash and gift cards at all Catholic Charities locations Mon-Fri 9am-4pm. For more information, click here. For the location closest to you, click here.

To make an online donation to Catholic Charities Diaper Bank, please click here. Designate your gift by choosing "Diaper Bank."

If you or someone you know is in need of diapers, click here for registration materials.

Catholic Charities Diaper Bank is an affiliate of the National Diaper Bank Network.

Thank You to All Our Supporters & Partners! 

We Appreciate the following Catholic Charities Partners

Delaware State Housing Authority, Somerset County Commissioners, United Way of Delaware, United Way of Lower Eastern Shore, Delaware Community Foundation, Community Foundation of Eastern Shore, Raskob Foundation, Laffey-McHugh Foundation, Catholic Charities USA.

Catholic Charities serves the most vulnerable in Delaware and the 

Eastern Shore of Maryland, regardless of religion, race, or ability to pay.

For more information about Catholic Charities, click here.

To make a donation to Catholic Charities, click here.

To learn about employment opportunities, click here.

To follow us on Facebook, click here.

Catholic Charities Mission

Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Wilmington exists to help fulfill the Christian duty to love and serve God's people. Our mission is rooted in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The universal and local Church proclaims the Gospel and teaches the recognition of the dignity and sacredness of each human life and the belief that we are called to share our resources with the most vulnerable among us.

It is the mission of Catholic Charities to address human suffering and to promote and restore the well-being of people and society by:

• Providing, as a primary focus, caring service to families and persons in need;
• Coming together with members of the community to become informed about and to take action on critical social issues; and,
• Advocating publicly for social policies which enhance human dignity and safeguard basic human rights.

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No person is excluded from service because of race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, or national origin.

© 2023 - Catholic Charities - Diocese of Wilmington

501(c)(3) Non-Profit Organization