August 8, 2025
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Every August we are asked to contribute to the annual special collection to benefit the Cathedral of Saint Peter, the seat of the Diocese of Wilmington. This year, the collection is held the weekend of August 16-17. Bishop Malooly started this special collection ten years ago, with the strong support of our diocesan pastors, to help the Cathedral community maintain their beautiful and historic buildings and sustain their ministry to the neighborhood.
Located in the historic Quaker Hill section of Wilmington, Saint Peter’s has been a symbol of Catholicism in Delaware since 1816. French, Irish, Haitian, and immigrants from many other nations have flocked to Saint Peter’s to practice their faith and receive the sacraments.
Since becoming the Cathedral of the newly formed Diocese of Wilmington in 1868, Saint Peter’s has been the spiritual home of the Catholic community of Delaware, Maryland’s Eastern Shore — and up until 1974 — Virginia’s Eastern Shore. It has been the location of countless priesthood ordinations, confirmations, and other special liturgies. Just within the last few months, our Cathedral was the site for a memorial Mass for Pope Francis, a Mass of thanksgiving for the election of Pope Leo XIV and a farewell Mass for the Daughters of Charity who concluded their 195-year ministry at the Cathedral of Saint Peter School.
The Cathedral of Saint Peter is not only my home church and that of my nine predecessors, but it is your home church as well, or more concisely, a second home in addition to your parish church. If you haven’t done so recently, I encourage you to visit our remarkable Cathedral for a Sunday Mass or special event.
Won’t you please consider joining me in contributing to our annual collection on August 16/17? You can get more information and make a secure, online donation at DownTownCatholic.com or CDOW.org/cathedral.
See you at the Cathedral!
Faithfully yours in Christ,
Most Reverend William E. Koenig, D.D.
Bishop of Wilmington
