About Cathedral of the Assumption · Louisville, Kentucky
The Cathedral of the Assumption is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Louisville, located at 433 South Fifth Street in downtown Louisville, Kentucky. Completed in 1852 and designed in the Gothic Revival style by architects William Keely and Isaiah Rogers, it is the third-oldest Catholic cathedral in continuous use in the United States and the fourth-oldest public building in Louisville. Its 287-foot spire, rebuilt in 1858 by Henry Whitestone, was the tallest in North America at the time. Today the parish serves around 1,000 registered families, runs a renowned daily lunch program feeding 140+ homeless and low-income guests every day of the year, and houses the Archdiocese of Louisville History Center across the street.
- Established
- 1852
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary (under the title of her Assumption)
- Rector
- Very Rev. Frederick W. Klotter, V.F. (Rector)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Louisville
Why belong here
The Cathedral of the Assumption is the spiritual heart of the Archdiocese of Louisville — a historic, diverse urban parish where the Gospel call to social justice is lived out daily. Parishioners worship in a stunning 1852 Gothic Revival sanctuary with a 287-foot spire (once North America's tallest), home to the rare 1883 Coronation Window and a celebrated Steiner-Reck pipe organ, while also running one of the most remarkable social-outreach ministries in the region: the Sandefur Dining Hall, which has served a hot lunch to homeless and low-income guests 365 days a year since the Great Depression and currently feeds 140+ people daily. With robust adult faith formation, OCIA (RCIA), children's religious education, two parish choirs, and the Archdiocese of Louisville History Center next door, it offers an unusually rich mix of heritage, liturgy, formation, and hands-on service.
Mass times at Cathedral of the Assumption
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday 11:00 – 11:45 a.m.
- Saturday 4:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Adoration times
- Wednesday 11:00 – 11:45 a.m. (in connection with Confessions)
- First Saturday Devotion (Mass at 9:00 a.m. followed by adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, Fatima prayers, rosary with meditation, and music)
History of the Cathedral Parish
The Catholic presence in Louisville began with rare, informal Masses in private homes (one by Father Benedict Joseph Flaget in 1792 near today's Fifth and Main) and regular visits from Father Stephen Badin, the first priest ordained in the United States, beginning around 1805. The congregation built its first church in 1811 on Tenth Street and adopted the name St. Louis in honor of Saint King Louis IX of France. After the first resident pastor, Father Philip Hosten, died in 1822, the parish moved to a new church on Fifth Street in 1830. In 1841, Pope Gregory XVI moved the episcopal seat from Bardstown to Louisville, and Bishop Flaget — then in his 70s — designated St. Louis Church as the Cathedral. He laid the cornerstone for a far larger new building on August 15, 1849, the Feast of the Assumption, and the new American Gothic structure, designed by William Keely, was dedicated on October 3, 1852.
- First resident pastor: Father Philip Hosten (1821–1822)
- Cornerstone blessed by Bishop Flaget on August 15, 1849 (Feast of the Assumption)
- Dedicated October 3, 1852, with eight bishops and the first American cardinal present
- Site of the 1855 'Bloody Monday' anti-Catholic riot, defused by Mayor John Barbee
- Civil War memorial services held for both Union and Confederate soldiers
- Used as a flood shelter during the 1937 Ohio River flood
- Parish iron fence donated for WWII scrap-metal drive
- Added to the National Register of Historic Places, September 21, 1977
Architecture & Building Features
The Cathedral is a mid-Victorian Gothic Revival brick-and-limestone church with a 90-by-187-foot main vessel, designed by William Keely with the spire and steeple completed in 1858 by Henry Whitestone. Rising 287 feet, the spire was the tallest in North America at the time. The interior features a 966-seat nave with individual chairs and kneelers, faux-limestone walls, white-oak floors, and a blue ceiling studded with 8,000 gold-leaf stars above restored carved wooden bosses. Among the Cathedral's most celebrated treasures are the 1883 Coronation Window — one of the oldest and largest hand-painted stained-glass windows in the United States — and the Steiner-Reck pipe organ installed in 1983 with a hand-carved mahogany Gothic case.
- Gothic Revival style; architects William Keely (1816–76) and Henry Whitestone (1819–93)
- 287-foot spire (tallest in North America when completed in 1858)
- Main vessel 90 feet wide × 187 feet long
- Nave seats 966 in individual chairs with kneelers
- 8,000 gold-leaf stars on blue ceiling; bosses marked 'IHS' and 'Virgo Maria'
- Assumption ceiling fresco painted over in 1964, restored in 1994
- Coronation Window (1883) by Blum Art Company of Louisville
- Steiner-Reck pipe organ (1983) — 42–43 ranks, three manuals, hand-carved mahogany casework
- Steel strand beams added in 1994 to stabilize a building discovered to be cracked in the middle
Coronation Window
Designed and installed in 1883 by the Blum Art Company of Louisville, the Coronation Window depicts the crowning of the Virgin Mary as Queen of Heaven and is considered one of the oldest and largest surviving hand-painted stained-glass windows in the United States. It was removed from the sanctuary in 1912 and stored in the bell tower, then removed again in 1994 and sent to Conrad Schmitt Studios in New Berlin, Wisconsin, for restoration before being reinstalled in its original location in the sanctuary.
Steiner-Reck Pipe Organ & Gallery
The Cathedral's three-manual pipe organ was built by Louisville's Steiner-Reck, Inc. in 1983 with forty-three ranks and mechanical key action; fanfare trumpets, 32-foot ranks, and full MIDI capability were added during the 1994 renovation. The Gothic-style casework is hand-carved mahogany. The loft railing's center section is original, with pointed arches and a reproduction of the side-section design. Historically, the gallery was divided into two sections — one for children and one for enslaved people.
Worship Schedule, Sacraments & Devotions
The Cathedral celebrates daily noon Mass Monday through Friday, a 5:30 p.m. Saturday vigil, and three Sunday Masses at 9:30 a.m., noon, and 5:30 p.m. Holy Day Masses are at noon and 5:30 p.m. Reconciliation is heard Wednesday mornings and Saturday afternoons, and the parish hosts a First Saturday Marian Devotion that includes Mass, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, Fatima prayers, the rosary with meditation, and music. Masses are also live-streamed for those unable to attend in person.
- Daily Mass: Mon–Fri 12:00 noon
- Saturday vigil: 5:30 p.m.
- Sunday: 9:30 a.m., 12:00 noon, 5:30 p.m.
- Holy Days: 12:00 noon, 5:30 p.m.
- Confession: Wed 11:00–11:45 a.m.; Sat 4:00–5:00 p.m.
- First Saturday Devotion: 9:00 a.m. Mass, Adoration, Fatima prayers, rosary
- Live-streamed Masses available
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith formation at the Cathedral spans the entire life span. The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA, formerly RCIA) welcomes adults seeking baptism, those baptized in another Christian denomination preparing for full communion, and Catholics seeking confirmation. Children's Religious Education classes meet Sunday mornings from 10:30 – 11:45 a.m., August through May, and include sacramental preparation for First Communion, First Reconciliation, and Confirmation. Adult Faith Formation is grounded in the U.S. bishops' statement Our Hearts Were Burning Within Us and offers a variety of programs and resources throughout the year.
- OCIA / RCIA — classes meet Sunday mornings after the 9:30 Mass, Fall through Easter
- Children's Religious Education — Sundays 10:30–11:45 a.m., August–May
- First Communion, First Reconciliation, and Confirmation preparation
- Catechist and teacher-assistant opportunities (background check required)
- Contact: [email protected] / (502) 582-2971
Music & Liturgy
The Cathedral's music program supports two parish choirs: the Cathedral Choir, which provides traditional classical music for the 9:30 a.m. Sunday liturgy from September through May (with Wednesday-evening rehearsals), and the Cathedral Singers, who lead contemporary music at the 5:30 p.m. Sunday liturgy (with Tuesday-evening rehearsals). The Art and Environment Committee envisions and coordinates the adornment of the Cathedral through the liturgical seasons, while Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion serve those unable to attend Mass in person.
- Cathedral Choir — traditional/classical, 9:30 a.m. Sunday Mass
- Cathedral Singers — contemporary, 5:30 p.m. Sunday Mass
- Art and Environment Committee — seasonal flowers, décor, sewing
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion / Ministry to the Sick
- Live Streaming ministry
Social Concerns & Outreach
The Cathedral's Social Concerns Ministry is rooted in Catholic Social Teaching and is one of the most visible in the region. The flagship program is the Sandefur Dining Hall / Feed My Neighbor lunch program, which has served a hot meal 365 days a year since the Great Depression and now feeds an average of 140+ homeless and low-income guests daily. The parish also runs a State ID Voucher Program, an 'Ask a Lawyer' hotline, a Pet Food Pantry, special seasonal collections, and a sister-parish relationship with St. Louis of France Cathedral in Jérémie, Haiti.
- Daily Lunch Program (Feed My Neighbor) — 12:15–1:00 p.m., 365 days a year
- Sandefur Dining Hall — commercial-grade kitchen opened January 7, 2002
- State ID Voucher Program — twice monthly
- Ask a Lawyer Hotline (Louisville Catholic Bar Association)
- Pet Food Pantry
- Housing Initiatives (Repair Affair, Habitat for Humanity, Project Warm)
- Special Collections (hats/gloves, baby items, school supplies, Christmas gifts)
- Sister parish: St. Louis of France Cathedral, Jérémie, Haiti
Daily Lunch Program (Feed My Neighbor)
Born during the Great Depression when cheese sandwiches were served from the front steps of the rectory, the program moved to 'bologna alley' behind the Cathedral and then, in 2002, into a modernized commercial kitchen funded by Brown & Williamson in memory of former Chairman & CEO Thomas E. Sandefur Jr. About 300 volunteers each month now help serve a daily lunch of homemade soup, a bologna sandwich, dessert, and a drink. Social Services Coordinator Joe Best and Peggy McCarty are on hand four days a week to refer guests to outside agencies.
- Lunch served 12:15 – 1:00 p.m. every day of the year
- Approximately 140+ guests served daily
- About 300 volunteers per month
- Volunteers must be 14 or older and scheduled in advance — contact Jason Seelbach at (502) 657-5226
Clergy, Staff & Parish Leadership
The Cathedral is led by Rector Very Rev. Frederick W. Klotter, V.F., alongside Permanent Deacon Christopher F. McDonell. The Archbishop of Louisville, Most Rev. Shelton J. Fabre, is in residence. A team of lay staff coordinates faith formation, music, worship, social services, the lunch program, communications, and finance under the rector's direction, and parish governance is shared with a Parish Council and Finance Committee guided by the parish mission statement and long-range strategic plan.
- Rector: Very Rev. Frederick W. Klotter, V.F.
- Permanent Deacon: Christopher F. McDonell
- Archbishop in residence: Most Rev. Shelton J. Fabre
- Faith Formation Coordinator: Melani McDonell
- Director of Music: Dr. Philip Brisson
- Director of Worship: Maggie Cyphers
- Coordinator of Social Services: Joe Best
- Director of Daily Lunch Program: Paul Tadatada
- Parish Nurse: Open (volunteer)
- Director of Parish Life and Communications: Angela Wiggins
- Director of Finance: Kathy Roser
- Parish Council and Finance Committee (governance)
Visiting, Tours & the Archdiocese History Center
The Cathedral welcomes visitors to weekday and Sunday liturgies, and trained docents lead tours of the building. The parish office is open Monday – Friday 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. A self-guided Cathedral Audio Tour is available. Across the street at 424 South Fifth Street, the Archdiocese of Louisville History Center is open Sundays 10:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., with group tours available by appointment through the parish office.
- Office hours: Mon–Fri, 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
- Phone: (502) 582-2971 | Fax: (502) 582-3919
- Cathedral Audio Tour available
- Archdiocese of Louisville History Center — 424 S. 5th Street, Sundays 10:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
- Group tours by appointment
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Stephen Badinc. 1805–1811 (visits from Bardstown)
First Catholic priest ordained in the United States; made regular priestly visits to the small Louisville congregation that would become the Cathedral parish.
- Father Philip Hosten1821–1822
First permanent resident pastor; a young Belgian priest who died in 1822 of a pestilent fever contracted while ministering to the sick.
- Father John McGillantebellum era (mid-19th c.)
Cathedral pastor who later became a bishop elsewhere.
- Father Ignatius Reynoldsantebellum era (mid-19th c.)
Cathedral pastor who later became a bishop elsewhere.
- Father Michael Bouchetturn of the 20th century
Renowned linguist and inventor.
- Very Rev. Michael T. Wimsatt2016 (administrator, June 22) – 2017 (pastor, June 21) – 2020 (Aug 5)
Previously assigned to Basilica of St. Joseph (Bardstown) and St. Michael (Fairfield); ordained May 29, 2010, at St. Mary's Seminary, Baltimore. Transferred to St. James, Elizabethtown.
- Very Rev. Martin A. Linebach, V.G.2020 (Aug 5) – present (per Cathedral website history), succeeded by Klotter
Born in Louisville; ordained May 30, 1987; served as pastor of St. James, Elizabethtown from 2014; appointed Vicar General Feb. 1, 2018; also served as director of the archdiocese's Vocation Office.
- Very Rev. Frederick W. Klotter, V.F.current (as of 2025)
Current Rector; holds the title V.F. (Vicar Forane).
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