About Holy Spirit · Bowling Green, Kentucky
Holy Spirit Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Bowling Green, Kentucky, belonging to the Diocese of Owensboro. It was created in 1969 when Bishop Henry J. Soenneker divided the historic Saint Joseph Parish to accommodate Bowling Green's growing Catholic population. Originally starting with roughly 250 families, the parish has since grown to more than 950 families and remains one of the most culturally diverse parishes in the diocese, celebrating Mass in English, Burmese, rotating Myanmar dialects (such as Zomi), and Swahili to serve immigrant and refugee communities. The parish shares its Bowling Green home with a thriving campus that includes a daily Mass chapel, a dedicated music ministry (the parish choir and ensembles rehearsing in the St. Cecilia Music Room), youth and young-adult programming, and active refugee outreach.
- Established
- 1969
- Patron
- Holy Spirit
- Rector
- Fr. Randy Howard
- Diocese
- Diocese of Owensboro
Why belong here
Holy Spirit Catholic Church is a large, multicultural parish where the universal Catholic faith meets the real diversity of Bowling Green. Weekend Mass is offered in English, Burmese (with rotating Myanmar dialects such as Zomi), and Swahili, and a dedicated Transportation Ministry helps refugee and immigrant families get to church. With an active OCIA/RCIA process, robust youth and young adult programs, Faith Formation Stations for children K–6, First Sacraments preparation, Marriage Prep sponsor couples, a parish choir and instrumental ensembles, daily Mass in a chapel Monday through Friday, weekly Saturday confessions, monthly Eucharistic Adoration with Benediction, and outreach through International Outreach, Habitat, and Ministry of Praise, Holy Spirit gives Catholics of every age and background a place to worship, serve, and grow.
Mass times at Holy Spirit
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Adoration times
- First Wednesday of every month: 12:30 PM – 4:30 PM in the Chapel, ending with Benediction (also 12:30–5:45 PM per the parish's own description)
- First Sunday of every month: 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM in the Church (Burmese Eucharistic Adoration)
Parish History: From Saint Joseph to Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit Parish was created in 1969 when Bishop Henry J. Soenneker divided Saint Joseph Parish, Bowling Green's mother church founded in 1859 by Father Joseph DeVries to serve Irish and German railroad workers. Founding pastor Father Willett guided the new parish until a church on Smallhouse Road was dedicated on December 6, 1970. The parish grew from about 250 families at its founding to more than 950 by the time of its 2008 groundbreaking, and in December 2010 Bishop William F. Medley dedicated a new sanctuary designed by Beringer, Ciaccio, Dennell and Mabrey Architects.
- 1969: Parish created by division of Saint Joseph
- Dec. 6, 1970: First Holy Spirit church dedicated on Smallhouse Road
- Founding pastor: Father Willett
- Sept. 10, 2008: Groundbreaking for new sanctuary under Father Jerry Riney and Bishop John Jeremiah McRaith
- Dec. 2010: New sanctuary dedicated by Bishop William F. Medley
- Architects: Beringer, Ciaccio, Dennell and Mabrey
- Building project overseen by parishioner Art Kunkle
Clergy and Parish Staff
The parish is currently served by Pastor Fr. Randy Howard and Parochial Vicar Fr. John Paul Mang, supported by a team of lay staff and ministry coordinators.
- Fr. Randy Howard — Pastor (x110)
- Fr. John Paul Mang — Parochial Vicar / Young Adult Ministry contact (x102, [email protected])
- Kelly Lewis — Liturgy Director & Pastoral Assistant (x104, [email protected])
- Bill Rankin — Director of Music (x107, [email protected])
- Raeanne Allande — Adult Faith Formation / OCIA / OCIC (x105)
- Allison Steen-Baker — Faith Formation Stations & First Sacraments (x106)
- Leslie Pfingston — Stewardship & Office Volunteers (x103)
- Jane Wilson — Finance Committee Chair
Pastoral Council, Finance, and Stewardship
Three lay leadership bodies help set the direction of the parish. The Parish Pastoral Council connects parish committees and meets the first Thursday of each month on a three-year member commitment. The Finance Committee plans and oversees the parish budget under the pastor, and the Stewardship Committee develops ways to call parishioners to intentional discipleship and stewardship.
- Parish Pastoral Council — meets 1st Thursday monthly
- Finance Committee — chaired by Jane Wilson
- Stewardship Committee — contact Leslie Pfingston
Liturgical Ministries
A wide range of liturgical ministries are open to parishioners at every level of experience, from serving at the altar to proclaiming the Word, singing in the choir, running the livestream, and caring for the sacred vessels and environment.
- Altar Servers — contact Billy Mills (270-784-0935)
- Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist — contact Mary Ellen Krohn
- Eucharistic Adoration Team
- Lectors of the Holy Word — contact Barbara DeFebbo
- Greeters and Ushers / Ministers of Hospitality
- Sacristan Ministry — Nancy Irons, Martha Winn
- Liturgical Art and Environment
- Media Ministry (livestream 9 AM Mass)
- Sound Ministry — Bill Rankin, Eric Tuttle
- Parish Choir (7th grade–adult) — rehearsals Thursdays 6:00 PM, St. Cecilia Music Room
- Cantor / Psalmist Ministry
- Instrumentalists — guitar, brass, woodwind, strings, percussion
- Liturgy Core Group
Faith Formation & Sacramental Preparation
Holy Spirit offers lifelong faith formation, beginning with Faith Formation Stations for children in Kindergarten through 6th grade on Sunday mornings between Masses, and continuing through OCIA (adults) and OCIC (children age 7+). A dedicated First Sacraments Preparation Team helps families walk through Reconciliation and First Communion.
- Faith Formation Stations (K–6) — Sundays 10:15–11:15 AM, twice a month
- First Sacraments Preparation Team — family retreats & parent meetings
- OCIA (adults) — Thursdays 6:00–8:00 PM
- OCIC (children 7+) — Sundays 10:15–11:15 AM
- Adult Faith Opportunities — ongoing courses and studies
Marriage Preparation
Engaged couples preparing for marriage at Holy Spirit are paired with experienced Sponsor Couples from the parish who journey with them through the preparation process.
- Marriage Preparation Sponsor Couples — contact Raeanne Allande (x105)
Youth and Young Adult Ministry
Holy Spirit invests in its youngest parishioners with programs spanning 6th grade through young adulthood, including Bible study, social and service activities, and an annual youth retreat.
- Youth Ministry for 6th–12th grades — Instagram @hsccyouth
- Senior High Youth Group (9th–12th grade) — Sundays 6:00–7:30 PM
- Young Adult Ministry (ages 18–39) — spiritual and social activities
- Young Adult Core Team
- Young Adult Bible Study (weekly)
- Annual youth retreat in February
Outreach, Pastoral Care, and Refugee Ministry
Holy Spirit's outreach reflects its identity as a multicultural parish. The International Outreach Ministry works with refugees and immigrants, a Transportation Ministry provides rides to Mass for refugee families, and Ministers of Care visit the homebound, hospitalized, and those in nursing care. The parish also supports Habitat and other community efforts.
- International Outreach Ministry — contact Jan Lange (270-535-5589)
- Transportation Ministry — Kelly Lewis (x104)
- Ministers of Care to the Sick — weekly Friday visits and Sundays after Mass
- Habitat
- Ministry of Praise — parish prayer support
- Newcomers Committee — welcoming new members
Parish Music and the Arts
Music is a vibrant part of Holy Spirit's liturgical life under Director of Music Bill Rankin. The Parish Choir (7th grade through adult) rehearses on Thursday evenings in the St. Cecilia Music Room from mid-September through May, with additional ensembles and instrumentalists augmenting the assembly's singing throughout the year and at Feast Days.
- Parish Choir — Thursdays 6:00 PM (mid-Sept. – May)
- Cantor / Psalmist Ministry
- Instrumentalists (guitar, brass, woodwind, strings, percussion)
- Special ensembles for Christmas, Holy Week, and Feast Days
Office, Operations, and Practical Information
The parish office is open during regular hours and is supported by Office Volunteers. Money Counters serve weekly, and the parish holds an annual Community Yard Sale fundraiser that supports Catholic Heart Work Camp Bowling Green.
- Office Volunteers — contact Leslie Pfingston (x103)
- Money Counters — weekly
- Annual Community Yard Sale benefiting Catholic Heart Work Camp BG
- Parish phone: (270) 842-7777
- Parish website: holyspiritcatholic.org
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Willett1969 – c. 1973
Founding pastor when Bishop Henry J. Soenneker divided Saint Joseph Parish in 1969; oversaw construction and dedication of the new Holy Spirit church on Smallhouse Road on December 6, 1970.
- Father Joseph Millsby 1975
Listed as pastor of Holy Spirit Church at the August 1975 Knights of Columbus installation Mass.
- Father Jerry Rineyat least 2008
Pastor at the September 10, 2008 groundbreaking for the new sanctuary; told parishioners the building project had been 'about eight years in the making.'