The history of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish began with the hardy group of Catholics who lived and worshiped in Seaford long before the church established a home there. The most convenient Catholic church at that time was in Cape Charles, Virginia. It was from there that Father Mickle would come to Seaford every other month to say Mass. Back then, there was only one Catholic Family in Seaford, the Martins. By 1930, other Catholic families had settled in the Seaford area.

The weekly journey to Mass in Salisbury became a part of the lives of the earnest group.

In 1937, Bishop Fitzmaurice approved a mission church to be opened in small building on Pine Street. It was named St. Mary's Mission. The first Mass was said in St Mary's Mission on Mother's Day, May 8, 1938. The fifty chairs were not enough for the 67 people who attended the Mass.

In the Fall, the Mission was turned over to Father Eugene McCarthy, Pastor of St. John's Church, Milford. With his assistant, Father Daniel M. Power, it was now possible to have Mass every Sunday.

The little Mission seemed adequate until early 1939 when the DuPont Company started construction on their Nylon Plant. With the influx of DuPont personnel, among them many Catholic families, the congregation grew, and soon two Masses were held every Sunday.

It was necessary at times for many people to stand outside. During the early 1940's, the ludicrous sight of people peering in windows, spilling out onto the sidewalks and kneeling in the street, was an occurrence at Sunday Mass. Catholics were considered a strange breed by native Seafordians and the peculiar goings on each Sunday at the humble little store church didn't exactly enhance their stature. The many young Catholic families that arrived with the DuPont Company helped dispel that image. They all became actively involved not only in church but in community and school affairs, and by 1945; the Catholic Church became an accepted part of the western Delmarva peninsula.

On January 1, 1945, Bishop Fitzmaruice established St. Mary's as a Parish and appointed Father Power as the first Pastor. It was no longer a mission. Father Power moved from Milford and took up residence at the Seaford Inn, then later in a small rented house on Poplar Street. An Active program of parish work began.

As an outgrowth of Bishop Fitztmarurce's visit to
Seaford in June of 1947, a decision was made to build a new Church in Seaford. Then, in a letter to the whole diocese of Wilmington he made an impassioned pleas to support and help the Church of Seaford.

During the years following the end of World War II, the likelihood of a new church building seemed possible with the number of Catholic families growing to more than 200. 

The groundbreaking ceremony was held in May 1948 and the cornerstone laying ceremony took place in November of 1948, and on June 1949, the dedication of Our Lady Of Lourdes was held with Bishop Fitzmaurice presiding. Over the ensuing years our Parish has continued to flourish. The number of Parishioners grew as did the Church complex.