About Archdiocese of Louisville
The Archdiocese of Louisville (Latin: Archidiœcesis Ludovicopolitana) is a metropolitan archdiocese of the Latin Church Catholic Church serving central Kentucky. The second-oldest diocese west of the Appalachian Mountains, it traces its origin to 1808 as the Diocese of Bardstown and today covers 24 counties across 8,124 square miles, with 110 parishes and missions, 48 Catholic schools, and a Catholic population of roughly 200,000. Its mother church is the Cathedral of the Assumption in downtown Louisville, and its patron is Saint Joseph. The current Archbishop is Shelton J. Fabre, the fifth Archbishop of Louisville, appointed in 2022.
- Archbishop
- Shelton J. Fabre
- Established
- 1808
- Cathedral
- Cathedral of the Assumption, 433 South Fifth Street, Louisville, KY 40202
- Territory
- 24 counties of central Kentucky (Adair, Barren, Bullitt, Casey, Clinton, Cumberland, Green, Hardin, Hart, Henry, Jefferson, LaRue, Marion, Meade, Metcalfe, Monroe, Nelson, Oldham, Shelby, Spencer, Taylor, Trimble, Washington, and one additional county as listed in the official directory), covering 8,124 square miles.
- Parishes
- 110 parishes and missions
- Province
- Metropolitan See; its ecclesiastical province includes the suffragan dioceses of Covington, Lexington, Owensboro, and (in Tennessee) Memphis and Nashville.
History of the Archdiocese of Louisville
The Archdiocese of Louisville is the second-oldest diocese west of the Appalachian Mountains, descending from the Diocese of Bardstown erected on April 8, 1808. Bardstown was one of four dioceses created when Pope Pius VII subdivided the see of Baltimore, and its vast territory reached from the Great Lakes to the Gulf and from the Allegheny Mountains to the Mississippi. Bishop Benedict Joseph Flaget, a Sulpician and French exile of the Revolution, led the diocese from Bardstown until 1841, when he transferred the seat to Louisville and the see was renamed in 1841. The Diocese of Louisville became the Archdiocese of Louisville on December 9, 1937, under Pope Pius XI, with the concurrent erection of the Diocese of Owensboro and the designation of Covington and Owensboro as its first suffragans; the Diocese of Lexington joined the province in 1988.
- Erected April 8, 1808 as Diocese of Bardstown
- Renamed Diocese of Louisville February 13, 1841
- Elevated to Archdiocese December 9, 1937
- Province of Louisville covers Kentucky and Tennessee
- Suffragans: Covington, Lexington, Owensboro, Memphis, Nashville
Past Bishops and Archbishops
The see has had ten bishops/archbishops since 1808. Benedict Joseph Flaget (1808–1850) led the diocese for its first forty-two years; Martin John Spalding (1850–1864), Peter Lavialle (1865–1867), and the long-serving William George McCloskey (1868–1909) oversaw the institutional building of late-nineteenth-century Louisville. The twentieth century introduced Archbishop John A. Floersh (elevated 1937), the post-Vatican II reformer Archbishop Thomas McDonough, and Dominican Archbishop Thomas C. Kelly, O.P., who led a twenty-five-year strategic planning process. Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz served from 2007 until his retirement in February 2022; he has been succeeded by the fifth Archbishop, Shelton J. Fabre, a Louisiana native previously Bishop of Houma-Thibodaux.
- Benedict Joseph Flaget, P.S.S. (1808–1850)
- Martin John Spalding (1850–1864)
- Peter Joseph Lavialle (1865–1867)
- William George McCloskey (1868–1909)
- Denis O'Donaghue (1910–1924)
- John A. Floersh (1924–1967; first Archbishop 1937)
- Thomas J. McDonough (1967–1981)
- Thomas C. Kelly, O.P. (1981–2007)
- Joseph E. Kurtz (2007–2022)
- Shelton J. Fabre (2022–present)
Cathedral of the Assumption
The Cathedral of the Assumption, 433 South Fifth Street in downtown Louisville, is the mother church of the Archdiocese. Designed in Neo-Gothic style by William Keely and Isaiah Rogers, it was dedicated October 3, 1852, in the presence of eight bishops and America's first cardinal. The 287-foot spire and steeple, designed by Henry Whitestone and rebuilt in 1858, was at its completion the tallest in North America. The cathedral's Coronation window is one of the oldest surviving examples of hand-painted stained glass in the United States. Bishop Flaget's remains rest in the cathedral undercroft in the Chapel of the Bishops.
- Mass Monday–Friday: 12:00 noon
- Saturday anticipatory Mass: 5:30 p.m.
- Sunday Masses: 9:30 a.m., 12:00 noon, 5:30 p.m.
- Holy Day Masses: 12:00 noon and 5:30 p.m.
- Reconciliation: Wednesday 11:00–11:45 a.m.; Saturday 4:00–5:00 p.m.
- Phone: (502) 582-2971
- Website: cathedraloftheassumption.org
Parishes and Regional Deaneries
The 110 parishes and missions of the Archdiocese are organized into eleven regional deaneries (Regions I–XI) that span 24 counties in central Kentucky. Parishes inside Jefferson County form the urban core; outside Jefferson County each parish is listed with its county for ease of reference. The Proto-Cathedral of St. Joseph in Bardstown remains a basilica in Nelson County and continues the heritage of the original 1808 diocese.
Catholic Schools
The Office of Catholic Schools, led by Superintendent Dr. Mary Beth Bowling, oversees 48 Catholic PreK–12 schools serving more than 18,973 students across seven counties. The Archdiocesan Elementary School Plan, part of the 2014 Strategic Plan, stabilized enrollment through an Archdiocesan Voucher Fund supported by all parishes and directed to families wishing to send children to Catholic elementary schools. In April 2025 the Catholic Education Foundation announced a $100 million capital campaign to further expand tuition assistance.
- 48 PreK–12 Catholic schools
- Enrollment approximately 18,973 students
- Catholic high schools include Assumption, Trinity, and Bethlehem
- Tuition assistance via Catholic Education Foundation and Archdiocesan Voucher Fund
Faith Formation and Religious Education
The Faith Formation Office, located at the Maloney Center (1200 South Shelby Street), coordinates parish religious-education programs, adult faith formation, Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA), and Sacramental preparation across the 110 parishes. The Catholic Enrichment Center (3146 West Broadway) offers enrichment programming and meeting space for parish catechists.
Worship and Liturgy
The Office of Worship promotes the liturgical life of the archdiocese, supports the work of musicians, sacristans, and liturgical ministers, and oversees the Rite of Election and archdiocesan celebrations such as the Chrism Mass and the Good Friday collection. Cathedral Mass and reconciliation schedules are published on the cathedral website; regional parish schedules are accessible through the archdiocesan website.
Vocations and Seminarians
The Vocation Office, located at the Maloney Center, fosters vocations to the priesthood and religious life; the archdiocese currently has 19 seminarians in formation. Diocesan priestly formation has historically centered on St. Joseph, St. Meinrad, and Saint Meinrad seminaries; Archbishop Kurtz was himself a graduate of St. Charles Seminary.
Family and Life Ministries
The Family and Life Ministries Office, also at the Maloney Center, supports Catholic family life through Marriage Preparation, Natural Family Planning education, post-abortion ministry, and Bereavement support. Counseling Services are offered by appointment through the same office at (502) 636-1044. The Family Ministries Office also coordinates the Victim Assistance ministry and response to reports of abuse.
- Marriage preparation and enrichment
- Counseling services
- Bereavement support
- Natural Family Planning education
- Victim Assistance
Multicultural and Hispanic Ministry
The Office of Multicultural Ministry serves African American, Hispanic/Latino, Vietnamese, Haitian, and other ethnic Catholic communities in the archdiocese. The Catholic Enrichment Center (CEC), 3146 West Broadway, hosts cultural and faith-formation events, while parish-based ministries offer Spanish, French/Creole, and Vietnamese Masses around the diocese.
Catholic Charities of Louisville
Catholic Charities of Louisville (2911 South 4th Street, cclou.org) is the social-services arm of the archdiocese, providing food, housing, refugee resettlement, immigration legal services, counseling, and disaster response. It serves more than 233,893 persons annually through Catholic hospitals, home-health agencies, homes for the aged, and specialized social-service centers across the 24-county territory.
- Refugee resettlement and immigration services
- Counseling and mental-health services
- Adoption services
- Disaster response and recovery
- Member agency of Catholic Charities USA
Catholic Cemeteries
Catholic Cemeteries of Louisville, located at 1600 Newburg Road, operate the archdiocesan cemetery system, providing Catholic burial, mausoleum, and cremation services. The office can be reached at (502) 451-7710.
- Catholic burial, mausoleum, and cremation
- Pre-need planning
- Mailing address: P.O. Box 4096, Louisville, KY 40204
Flaget Retreat Center
The Flaget Center, 1935 Lewiston Drive, is the only retreat center in the Louisville area that can accommodate multiple groups of up to 300 people at a time, with overnight accommodations for up to 110. Its chapel seats approximately 150, and nine meeting rooms support parish retreats, faculty in-services, and ecclesial gatherings. Educational, ecclesial, and ecumenical groups—including the Presbyterian Church U.S.A., the University of Notre Dame's V Encuentro, the University of Kentucky, and the University of Louisville—have used the center for retreats.
- Nine meeting rooms and 150-seat chapel
- Up to 110 overnight guests
- 150 parking spaces
- Phone: (502) 448-8581; Email: [email protected]
Metropolitan Tribunal
The Metropolitan Tribunal at the Pastoral Center adjudicates marriage cases under Canon Law for the Archdiocese and serves as the appellate court for its suffragans. Petitioners seeking declarations of nullity or other matrimonial processes contact the Tribunal through the Pastoral Center.
Patron Saint: Saint Joseph
The Archdiocese is dedicated to the patronage of Saint Joseph. During the worldwide Year of Saint Joseph proclaimed by Pope Francis (December 8, 2020 – December 8, 2021), the archdiocese hosted a day of prayer on March 19, 2021, and restored a more-than-160-year-old statue of St. Joseph that had been part of the cathedral's decoration since 1854. Many archdiocesan institutions—Saint Joseph Proto-Cathedral in Bardstown, Flaget Center, parishes and schools—carry the name of Joseph.
Communications and Media
The Archdiocesan Communications Office, at the Maloney Center, publishes The Record newspaper, the official archdiocesan weekly, and operates radio and television ministries. Live-streamed liturgies from the Cathedral of the Assumption and other parishes are available through the archdiocesan website and social-media channels.
Contact and Pastoral Center
The Pastoral Center, home to the Archbishop's Office, Communications, Parish Leadership Development, Priest Personnel, Continuing Formation of Clergy, Finance, Mission Advancement, the Metropolitan Tribunal, and Personnel, is located at 3940 Poplar Level Road, Louisville, KY 40213-1463. Additional offices include the Maloney Center (1200 South Shelby Street, with Faith Formation, Family Ministries, Worship, Youth & Young Adults, Vocations, and the Diaconate), the Flaget Retreat Center, Catholic Cemeteries, and Catholic Charities.
- Pastoral Center: 3940 Poplar Level Road, Louisville, KY 40213 — (502) 585-3291
- Maloney Center: 1200 South Shelby Street, Louisville, KY 40203 — (502) 636-0296
- Catholic Charities: 2911 S. Fourth Street, Louisville, KY 40208 — (502) 637-9786
- Catholic Cemeteries: 1600 Newburg Road, Louisville, KY 40204 — (502) 451-7710
- Flaget Center: 1935 Lewiston Drive, Louisville, KY 40216 — (502) 448-8581
