About Holy Trinity · Springfield, Kentucky
Holy Trinity Catholic Church is a rural parish serving the historic Catholic community of Fredericktown (locally known as 'the Burg') in Washington County, Kentucky, between Bardstown and Springfield. Founded in 1883 when Catholic families could no longer travel on horseback five miles to St. Rose or Holy Rosary at Manton for Mass, the parish today numbers roughly 1,000 parishioners (about 260 registered households) and is part of the Archdiocese of Louisville. Worship is offered in a 1955 Bedford-stone church seating 400, complemented by a 2003 Parish Center, with daily and Sunday Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, and a wide range of lay ministries that knit the community together.
- Established
- 1883
- Patron
- Holy Trinity (the Blessed Trinity)
- Rector
- Rev. Augustine Judd, O.P.
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Louisville
Why belong here
Holy Trinity is a small but vibrant Catholic community where parishioners genuinely know and support one another across generations. With daily Mass three days a week, two Sunday Masses plus a Saturday Vigil, weekly Eucharistic Adoration, and a robust RCIA program through the parish's FORMED partnership, there are ample ways to grow in faith. Active ministries — from lectors and altar servers to the Bereavement Committee, Flowers and Grounds, and the beloved annual Turkey Supper — give every parishioner a place to serve, while the Parish Center built in 2003 keeps the parish ready to welcome new families.
Mass times at Holy Trinity
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 3:15 pm - 3:45 pm
Adoration times
- Wednesdays following the 8:30 am Mass
- First Sunday of the month following the 11:00 am Mass, ending in Benediction
Parish History
Holy Trinity traces its origin to 1883, when the Catholic families of Fredericktown — long traveling on horseback to St. Rose or Holy Rosary at Manton — finally built a church of their own. That first building served the parish for 72 years before being replaced in 1955 by the present Bedford-stone church, dedicated April 15, 1955, with room for 400 worshippers. A Parish Center followed in 2003, replacing the old auditorium. The Ursuline Sisters of Mount St. Joseph shaped parish life for decades, running the Catholic elementary school from 1962 to 1972 and teaching in Fredericktown's public schools from 1916 to 1978.
- 1883: original church dedicated October 15; Fr. William M. Buckman first pastor (1883-1901)
- 1955: new Bedford-stone church and rectory dedicated April 15, seating 400
- 1962-1972: Catholic elementary school staffed by Ursuline Sisters of Mount St. Joseph
- 2003: Holy Trinity Parish Center built after old auditorium demolished
Parish Staff & Leadership
Holy Trinity is led pastorally by Rev. Augustine Judd, O.P., a Dominican friar who has served as pastoral administrator of Holy Trinity in Fredericktown and Holy Rosary in Manton since July 2024. Fr. Augustine was born and raised in Connecticut, ordained in 1996, and has served as a college and seminary instructor, chaplain for cloistered nuns, and parochial pastor before coming to the Burg. He resides with his Dominican brothers at nearby St. Rose Priory in Springfield. Supporting him are a parish manager, bookkeeper, caretaker, and Director of Religious Education and Liturgy.
- Rev. Augustine Judd, O.P. — Pastoral Administrator (Dominican, ordained 1996)
- Erin McCarty — Parish Manager / Secretary
- Marda Weakley — Bookkeeper
- Betty Hamilton — Caretaker
- Judy Gordon — Director of Religious Education and Liturgy
- Pastoral emergencies: (502) 617-0711
Pastoral Succession
The parish has been served by a succession of priests since its founding in 1883. While a formal 'former pastors' plaque is not published online, archdiocesan and directory records document the men who have led Holy Trinity across the decades.
- Fr. William M. Buckman — 1883-1901 (first pastor; oversaw the dedication of the original church)
- Rev. Herman J. Lammers — 1937-1939 (later Monsignor; directed Catholic Charities of Louisville)
- Rev. Christopher B. Lubecke — served after 2013 ordination
- Rev. Nicholas J. Brown — served after ordination; later pastor of St. Bartholomew
- Rev. William M. Bowling — served as pastor
- Rev. Matthew T. Hardesty — pastor through June 2024; ordained 2011; also Archdiocesan Marian Committee director
- Rev. Augustine Judd, O.P. — pastoral administrator since July 2024
Liturgical Ministries
Lay parishioners fill the essential roles at every Mass and devotion, with training and formation offered through the parish.
- Altar Servers — boys and girls from Grade 3 and up
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (serving at Mass and to the sick and homebound)
- Lectors
- Ushers
- Liturgical Linen Service (washing and ironing of purificators, corporals, and altar linens)
- Offertory Counters
Faith Formation & Becoming Catholic
Holy Trinity supports lifelong faith formation, from a parish subscription to FORMED (the Catholic streaming and study platform) to the RCIA process that welcomes new members into the Church. The parish frames faith formation as 'not just for children, but for all of us as we grow as Catholics,' with many opportunities to explore throughout the year.
- RCIA — Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults; communal preparation for adults seeking Baptism, Confirmation, or reception into the Catholic Church
- FORMED — online Catholic movies, studies, and audio for parishioners
- Faith formation for children and youth
- Confirmation and First Communion preparation through the parish
Parish Life & Community
The parish website describes Holy Trinity as 'a place where parishioners belong, care, work and pray together.' Beyond the liturgy, lay-led groups meet social, spiritual, and practical needs — from grief support to groundskeeping — and the annual Turkey Supper remains a beloved parish tradition that draws the wider community.
- Parish Pastoral Council (liturgical and spiritual life)
- Finance Council (advises pastor; approves annual budgets)
- Bereavement Committee (coordinates social gatherings and pastoral outreach)
- Flowers and Grounds (beautification of the church campus)
- Annual Turkey Supper (parish fundraiser and community tradition)
Facilities: The 1955 Church & 2003 Parish Center
The current church is a Bedford-stone building dedicated on April 15, 1955, designed to seat 400 people and described by the parish as 'the center of the community.' An attached rectory was built at the same time. In 2003 the old parish auditorium was demolished and replaced by the Holy Trinity Parish Center, which 'has proved to be a great asset to the community' and accommodates ongoing growth.
- 1955 Bedford-stone church with attached rectory (dedicated April 15, 1955)
- 2003 Holy Trinity Parish Center replacing the old auditorium
- Site off Route 150 at the Nelson/Washington county line
School Heritage: The Ursuline Years
Holy Trinity once operated a Catholic elementary school staffed by the Ursuline Sisters of Mount St. Joseph from 1962 until 1972, when the building was converted to a public school. The Ursulines' service to Fredericktown was broader still: they taught in the community's public elementary and secondary schools from 1916 to 1978, shaping several generations of local children.
- 1962-1972: Catholic elementary school, staffed by Ursuline Sisters of Mount St. Joseph
- 1916-1978: Ursuline Sisters teaching in Fredericktown's public elementary and secondary schools
- 1972: school building converted to a public school
Contact & Visit
Parishioners and visitors can reach Holy Trinity by phone, email, or in person. The parish office is open during normal business hours, and a pastoral emergency line is staffed after hours.
- Address: 306 Fredericktown Road, Springfield, KY 40069
- Phone: (859) 284-5242
- Email: [email protected]
- Pastoral emergencies: (502) 617-0711
- Located off Route 150 between Bardstown and Springfield, at the Nelson/Washington county line
- Sunday bulletins available on the parish website
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. William M. Buckman1883-1901
First pastor of Holy Trinity; oversaw the dedication of the original church on October 15, 1883.
- Rev. Herman J. Lammers1937-1939
Listed at Holy Trinity in the Official Catholic Directory; went on to direct Catholic Charities of Louisville and was named a monsignor in 1955.
- Rev. Christopher B. Lubecke
Served at Holy Trinity (and St. Albert the Great) in the years after his 2013 ordination; later reassigned as pastor elsewhere in the archdiocese.
- Rev. Nicholas J. Brown
Served at Holy Trinity after ordination; later assigned as pastor of St. Bartholomew Church.
- Rev. William M. Bowling
Served as pastor of Holy Trinity and Holy Name churches.
- Rev. Matthew T. Hardestythrough June 2024
Pastor of Holy Trinity (Fredericktown) and Holy Rosary (Manton); also served as Archdiocesan Marian Committee director and assistant to the vicar for priests; ordained May 28, 2011.
- Rev. Augustine Judd, O.P.since July 2024
Current pastoral administrator for Holy Trinity and Holy Rosary; Dominican friar, ordained 1996; resides at St. Rose Priory in Springfield.