About Immaculate Conception · New Haven, Kentucky
Immaculate Conception is a small Roman Catholic parish in the rural community of Culvertown, Nelson County, Kentucky (mailed through New Haven, KY 40051). It is part of the Archdiocese of Louisville and, since 2018, has been clustered with nearby St. Catherine in New Haven and St. Vincent de Paul in New Hope under a single pastoral team. With roughly 100 registered families, the parish is known for its close-knit feel, public Marian devotion, pro-life advocacy, and traditional Corpus Christi processions. Mass is celebrated on Sunday mornings at 7:00 a.m. and on Wednesday mornings during the week.
- Established
- 1938
- Patron
- Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- Rector
- Rev. A. Biju Chathely, C.M.I. (Administrator; resides at Immaculate Conception rectory)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Louisville
Why belong here
Immaculate Conception is a small, close-knit rural parish of around 100 families in the rolling country between Bardstown and New Haven. Belonging here means joining a community that publicly lives its faith — through Marian devotion, Corpus Christi processions, and steady pro-life witness — and that has been clustering its life with neighboring St. Catherine and St. Vincent de Paul parishes since 2018. The parish hosts a weekly A.A. group, keeps a religious education program running in its old school rooms, and welcomes new members through its registration of about 100 families. For Catholics in western Nelson County looking for an intimate, traditional, sacramental parish life, Immaculate Conception offers that genuine small-parish experience.
Mass times at Immaculate Conception
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Any time by appointment
- Saturday: 5:10–5:25 p.m. (before the 5:30 p.m. Mass, per cluster schedule)
- Friday: after the 8:45 a.m. Mass
About Immaculate Conception Parish
Immaculate Conception is a Roman Catholic parish serving the unincorporated community of Culvertown in Nelson County, Kentucky, in the heart of the Archdiocese of Louisville. The parish sits at 8191 New Haven Road and serves approximately 100 registered families. It is part of a three-parish cluster with St. Catherine in New Haven and St. Vincent de Paul in New Hope, sharing one pastor and a common bulletin. Though small, the parish is lively, with public Marian devotion, pro-life advocacy, Corpus Christi processions, and a weekly A.A. meeting among its characteristic activities.
- Established 1938 (mission status since 1927)
- Roman Rite, Archdiocese of Louisville
- About 100 registered families
- Clustered with St. Catherine (New Haven) and St. Vincent de Paul (New Hope) since 2018
History of the Parish
Immaculate Conception began in 1927 as a mission served from St. Thomas Parish in Bardstown, with Mass first celebrated in the 'Old School House' in Culvertown. After years of petitioning the Archbishop, the community was granted a resident priest in 1938 and the mission became a parish. The first pastor, Father Bertrand Brian, lived in a trailer and slept in the sacristy while a rectory was built; a gift from St. Francis of Assisi in Louisville helped fund that rectory. Construction of the church began in 1938 and was completed in 1939, with volunteers building the benches, confessional, and cellar, painting, and setting up the altar. Archbishop John A. Floersh blessed the new church and parishioners erected the Stations of the Cross the same year. In 1960 the parish finished a gymnasium and cafeteria, and the Altar Society furnished the rectory.
- 1927 — Mission established; Mass in the 'Old School House'
- 1938 — Elevated to parish status
- 1938–1939 — Church constructed and blessed by Archbishop John A. Floersh
- 1957–1970 — Immaculate Conception School, staffed by the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth
- 1960 — Gymnasium and cafeteria completed
- 1973 — Church renovation; Mass temporarily in gymnasium
- 2005 — Clustered with St. Catherine and St. Vincent de Paul
- 2018 — Re-clustered with St. Catherine and St. Vincent de Paul (current configuration)
Patron and Feast Day
The parish is named for the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary — the dogma solemnly defined by Pope Pius IX in 1854 that Mary was conceived without original sin. As with Catholic churches of this patronage worldwide, the parish's patronal feast is celebrated on December 8.
- Patron: Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- Feast Day: December 8
Clergy and Pastoral Staff
The parish is led by an Administrator who serves the three-parish cluster, with a Presbyteral Moderator and a Permanent Deacon supporting the pastoral team. The Administrator resides at the Immaculate Conception rectory in Culvertown, the historic pastoral home of the parish. Day-to-day parish operations are handled by a small staff of lay administrators.
- Administrator: Rev. A. Biju Chathely, C.M.I. (Congregation of the Missionaries of St. Francis of Assisi) — cluster pastor, lives at 8191 New Haven Rd. rectory; cell 502-690-1124
- Presbyteral Moderator: Rev. Jeffrey S. Nicolas
- Permanent Deacon: Deacon Dean R. Giulitto (cell 270-268-0653)
- Senior Deacon: Deacon Arnold Downs (502-348-6329)
- Business Manager: Dawn Scamihorn
- Administrative Assistant: Katie Robertson
- Bookkeeper: Marda Weakley
Pastoral Succession
The Archdiocese's official history of the parish names only its founding pastor by name; a full succession list is not published online. The known early pastor is Father Bertrand (J.) Brian, who served from the parish's founding in 1938 through at least 1968, when archdiocesan records list him as Pastor of Immaculate Conception. Father Lawrence Lindle is named as the administrator who, in 2005, took on the three-parish cluster and pledged Immaculate Conception's financial support to St. Catherine School.
- Rev. Bertrand J. Brian — first pastor, 1938 through at least June 1968
- Rev. Lawrence Lindle — cluster administrator in 2005
- Rev. A. Biju Chathely, C.M.I. — current Administrator
Parish Ministries and Devotional Life
Despite its size, Immaculate Conception has a vibrant devotional and outreach life. The parish is characterized by public Marian devotion and a clear pro-life witness, and it maintains the traditional Corpus Christi procession. The parish also hosts a weekly A.A. (Alcoholics Anonymous) group, opening its facilities to recovery ministry in the community. Religious education, once housed in the parish school (1957–1970, staffed by the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth), continues today in those same school rooms adjoining the gym and cafeteria.
- Marian devotion (public advocacy)
- Pro-life advocacy
- Corpus Christi procession (annual)
- Weekly A.A. meeting
- Religious education program
- Altar Society (historical furnishing and ongoing support)
Sacraments and Sacramental Preparation
Because Immaculate Conception is clustered with St. Catherine (New Haven) and St. Vincent de Paul (New Hope) since 2018, sacramental preparation is coordinated across the cluster. Reconciliation is offered before weekend Masses and by appointment; Sunday and Wednesday Masses provide regular opportunities for Eucharistic worship.
- Eucharist: Sunday 7:00 a.m.; Wednesday 8:45 a.m.; Holy Days see bulletin
- Reconciliation: by appointment; Saturday 5:10–5:25 p.m.; Friday after 8:45 a.m. Mass
- Cluster-wide sacramental preparation shared with St. Catherine and St. Vincent de Paul
Clustered Parishes
Since 2018 Immaculate Conception has been clustered with two neighboring parishes in western Nelson County under a single pastoral team led by Rev. Biju Chathely, C.M.I. Together the three parishes share clergy, bulletin, and sacramental preparation, while each retains its own worship space, history, and identity.
- St. Catherine — New Haven, KY (413 N. 1st Street)
- St. Vincent de Paul — New Hope, KY
- Single pastor (Rev. A. Biju Chathely, C.M.I.) and shared sacramental preparation
Giving and Stewardship
The parish maintains its own online giving page through ChurchGiving, allowing parishioners and visitors to support Immaculate Conception directly. Donations and registrations are handled through the parish office.
- Online giving: https://immaculateconceptionculvertown.churchgiving.com
- Parish office phone: (502) 549-3680
- Fax: (502) 549-5410
Visiting Immaculate Conception
Immaculate Conception is a rural parish tucked into the rolling country of Nelson County, Kentucky, between Bardstown and New Haven. Visitors are warmly welcomed at Sunday Mass at 7:00 a.m. The parish office is reachable by phone or email, and confessions can be arranged at any time by appointment.
- Address: 8191 New Haven Road, New Haven, KY 40051-6030 (Culvertown)
- Phone: (502) 549-3680
- Email: [email protected]
- Mailing address: Immaculate Conception, c/o Saint Catherine, 413 N. 1st Street, New Haven, KY 40051-6392
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Bertrand Brian (Bertrand J. Brian)1938 – c. 1968
First pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish. Lived in a trailer and slept in the church sacristy while the rectory was under construction. Archdiocese records later place him as Pastor of Immaculate Conception from June 1968.