About Holy Trinity · Louisville, Kentucky
Holy Trinity is a large, historic Catholic parish in the St. Matthews / Cherrywood neighborhood of Louisville, Kentucky, belonging to the Archdiocese of Louisville. Founded in 1882, it has grown from 165 families to roughly 1,716 registered families (about 5,765 parishioners), and over more than a century has given birth to seven daughter parishes. Today the parish runs a K–8 parish school across two campuses, an extensive Faith Formation program built around the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, a busy Music & Liturgy office, a thriving Social Outreach Committee (including the Holy Trinity Conference of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul), and more than 85 ministries and organizations.
- Established
- 1882
- Patron
- Holy Trinity
- Rector
- Rev. Fr. Shayne R. Duvall
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Louisville
Why belong here
Holy Trinity offers an unusually full Catholic life for a parish in eastern Jefferson County: weekday and Sunday Masses in English, regular Eucharistic Adoration on Tuesdays, weekly Confession on Saturday afternoons (plus First Fridays), and a thriving Music & Liturgy program. Families can choose between two parish-school campuses (Clifton and St. Matthews) — both built around Catechesis of the Good Shepherd — along with a parish Religious Education program, an active Youth Ministry for grades 6–12, and sacramental preparation for Baptism, Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation. Outreach is also a hallmark: the parish's St. Vincent de Paul conference, long-running partnership with St. Augustine Parish on Thanksgiving food baskets, Habitat builds, food-pantry support, and visits to the homebound all give parishioners concrete ways to serve Louisville and Eastern Kentucky.
Mass times at Holy Trinity
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturdays 3:30–4:30 p.m.
- First Fridays 8:45 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Adoration times
- Tuesdays, following the 5:00 p.m. Mass until 9:30 p.m.
- First Fridays 8:45 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
History of Holy Trinity Parish
Holy Trinity traces its roots to 1882, when Bishop William G. McCloskey secured a plot on the Shelbyville Pike and Father Louis C. Ohle became its first pastor. From 165 families at the turn of the 20th century, the parish has grown into one of the largest in the Archdiocese of Louisville, and over 140 years has given rise to seven daughter parishes. Key milestones include the construction of a combined church/school/convent in 1915, the 1937 fire that destroyed the church and school (rebuilt by 1938), the 1953 donation of the Shelbyville Road property that became Trinity High School, and the move of the parish to its current Cherrywood Road campus — where the distinctive triangular church seating 850 was built in 1969 and expanded with a large gathering space in 1993.
- 1882 — Parish founded; first church dedicated December 17
- 1885 — Ursuline sisters establish the school
- 1915 — Combined church/school/convent dedicated
- 1937 — Fire destroys church and school
- 1953 — Shelbyville Road property donated; new campus built on Cherrywood Road
- 1969 — Current triangular church built (850 seats)
- 1993 — Large gathering space added
- 2003 — Long-range renovation and expansion plan adopted
Parish Leadership & Staff
Holy Trinity is led by Father Shayne R. Duvall as Pastor, with Father J. Wayne Jenkins serving as Senior Associate and Deacon Christopher J. Kelly assisting in permanent diaconate ministry. A large lay staff runs the parish's day-to-day operations across administration, formation, music, outreach, and the parish school.
- Pastor — Rev. Fr. Shayne R. Duvall
- Senior Associate — Rev. J. Wayne Jenkins
- Permanent Deacon — Christopher J. Kelly
- Director of Finance and Human Resources — Allison Deaton
- Business Manager — Bruce Hines
- Director of Operations & Facilities — Steve King
- Director of Mission and Engagement — Molly Willer
- Stewardship and Engagement — Betty Jean Cobb
- Pastoral Care and Outreach — Mary Scott Herrington
Holy Trinity Catholic School
Holy Trinity Catholic School serves Pre-K through 8th grade across two campuses — the St. Matthews campus (K–8) and the Clifton campus (K–8) — under one administration, with Paula Watkins as Principal of the Clifton campus and Jack Richards as Head of Schools. The school has been recognized twice as a U.S. Department of Education National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence, and integrates Catechesis of the Good Shepherd and Theology of the Body into its religion curriculum. Students participate in weekly Mass, Rosary, and Adoration, prepare for the sacraments of First Eucharist, Reconciliation, and Confirmation, and engage in service-learning through seven parish-supported missions. The Clifton campus additionally offers programming for students with specific language-based learning differences.
- Two campuses: St. Matthews (K–8) and Clifton (K–8)
- Two-time National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence
- Weekly Mass, Rosary, and Adoration for students
- Integration of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd and Theology of the Body
- Service-Learning program with seven parish-supported missions
- Language-based learning differences program at Clifton campus
- Head of Schools: Jack Richards
- Principal, Clifton Campus: Paula Watkins
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Holy Trinity's Formation Ministry encompasses Family Ministry, Youth Ministry, Religious Education, Sacramental Preparation, OCIA/RCIC, and Adult Enrichment. The signature approach is the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS), a Montessori-based program offered during the school day, after school, and on Sundays for toddlers through 4th grade. Children who do not attend the parish school are welcomed into a parish Religious Education program that meets Sunday mornings between Masses, from 9:45 to 10:45 a.m.
- Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) — ages 0–12
- Parish Religious Education — grades 1–8, Sundays 9:45–10:45 a.m.
- Sacramental Preparation — Baptism, First Reconciliation, First Communion, Confirmation
- OCIA / RCIC for adults and older children
- Adult Faith Formation and Adult Enrichment
- Family Ministry
- Contact: Chris Allison, Director of Faith Formation
Youth Ministry
Holy Trinity Youth Ministry welcomes all 6th through 8th graders to participate on most Wednesday evenings during the school year from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m., and provides High School Leadership opportunities as well. Families can sign up for the communications list by emailing the Director of Youth Ministry.
- Junior High Program (grades 6–8) — Wednesdays 7:00–8:00 p.m.
- High School Leadership program
- Vacation Bible School
- Contact: Rachael Egger, Director of Youth Ministry
Sacred Music & Liturgy
Elizabeth Jackson leads the parish's Music & Liturgy ministry as Director of Sacred Music & Liturgy, supporting the sung prayer of Holy Trinity's weekend and weekday Masses, holy days, and the parish's strong tradition of Eucharistic Adoration. The 1969 triangular church and 1993 gathering space are configured to support full, music-rich liturgies in the Archdiocese of Louisville tradition.
- Director of Sacred Music & Liturgy: Elizabeth Jackson
- Weekend Masses: Saturday 5 p.m.; Sunday 8:30 & 11 a.m.
- Weekday Masses: M/W/F 8:15 a.m.; T/Th 5 p.m.
Social Outreach & Service
Outreach is a hallmark of Holy Trinity. The Social Outreach Committee brings together chairs from the parish's various service ministries — including the Holy Trinity Conference of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, the Housing Committee, Service Learning, and GIFT — meeting quarterly to coordinate charity and advocacy work. The parish also operates a robust Service-Learning program in its school, with seven supported missions that give students hands-on ways to live the faith.
- Society of St. Vincent de Paul — Holy Trinity Conference (Emergency Assistance, food pantries, Friendship Visits, Thanksgiving baskets, Christmas Links of Friendship)
- Housing Committee
- Habitat for Humanity parish builds
- Thanksgiving baskets in partnership with St. Augustine Parish (since 2008)
- Parish school Service-Learning program with seven missions
Society of St. Vincent de Paul — Holy Trinity Conference
The Holy Trinity Conference of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul uses parishioner donations to provide Emergency Assistance (rent, utilities, and food) to needy families in zip code 40207 and the surrounding area. In addition to direct aid, the conference staffs food-pantry drives and volunteers for the SVdP Campus food pantries, makes monthly friendship visits to homebound parishioners, organizes Thanksgiving Food Baskets in partnership with St. Augustine Parish in Louisville's West End, and runs the Christmas Links of Friendship program that delivers Christmas gifts to those in need in Eastern Kentucky and at Boys & Girls Haven in Louisville. The conference meets on the second Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. and welcomes visitors.
- Emergency Assistance: rent, utilities, food in zip code 40207
- Food-pantry collections and volunteers at SVdP Campus
- Monthly Friendship Visits to homebound and assisted-living parishioners
- Thanksgiving Food Baskets with St. Augustine Parish
- Christmas Links of Friendship for Eastern Kentucky and Boys & Girls Haven
- Meets 2nd Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m.
- Contact: Susan Means
Getting Involved
With more than 85 committees, ministries, and organizations, Holy Trinity offers many ways to participate — from liturgical ministries and music, to the parish school and faith-formation catechesis, to service through St. Vincent de Paul, Habitat builds, the Housing Committee, sports ministry, and the parish school's Service-Learning program. New parishioners can register through the parish office and get connected to a ministry that matches their gifts of time and talent.
- More than 85 ministries and organizations
- Liturgical, music, and formation ministries
- St. Vincent de Paul, Housing Committee, Habitat builds, Service Learning
- Sports Ministry and parish-school Service Learning
- Parish office phone: (502) 897-5207
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Louis C. Ohle1882–
First pastor of Holy Trinity, appointed by Bishop William G. McCloskey at the parish's founding on December 17, 1882.