About Our Lady of Perpetual Help · Campbellsville, Kentucky
Our Lady of Perpetual Help is a Roman Catholic parish in Campbellsville, Kentucky, belonging to the Archdiocese of Louisville. Established in 1879 as a mission church, it was raised to parish status in 1962 and today serves more than 500 registered parishioners along with Catholic students from nearby Campbellsville University. The parish sits on a three-acre property along North Central Avenue that C.W. Wright deeded to its founding priest in 1879 for $900. Mass is celebrated Sunday morning and three weekdays, with Eucharistic adoration and reconciliation offered weekly and on First Wednesdays.
- Established
- 1879
- Patron
- Our Lady of Perpetual Help
- Rector
- Rev. Saju M. Vadakumpadan, C.M.I.
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Louisville
Why belong here
Our Lady of Perpetual Help offers the full rhythm of Catholic parish life in a small, rural setting: Sunday Mass, weekday Masses three days a week, weekly confession, monthly Eucharistic adoration with benediction on First Wednesdays, adult Scripture study during Advent and Lent, and a parish-based RCIA program that begins each September. It also serves Campbellsville University's Catholic students, runs a religious education program for children, supports a Knights of Columbus council, and welcomes lay involvement through more than a dozen named ministries — from lectors and extraordinary ministers to altar servers, greeters, ushers, gift bearers, sacristans, the music ministry, the funeral luncheon team, and a Young Catholic Adults group for ages 18–35. The parish describes itself as a community of worship and family sustained by good, orthodox priests.
Mass times at Our Lady of Perpetual Help
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesdays 4:45–5:15 p.m. (with Adoration)
- Sundays 9:45–10:15 a.m.
- First Wednesdays 4:30 p.m. (with Adoration, before Benediction and Mass)
Adoration times
- First Wednesdays 4:30–5:20 p.m. (Exposition, Confession, Benediction at 5:15 p.m., followed by 5:30 p.m. Mass)
- Wednesdays 4:45–5:15 p.m. (regular weekly Adoration before Mass)
Parish History
Our Lady of Perpetual Help was founded in the fall of 1879 when Rev. John Paul Kelleher, acting on the wishes of Bishop William George McCloskey, rode a work train from Lebanon and established a mission church in Campbellsville. Early Masses were celebrated in the home of John T. Newton and in the former residence of C.W. Wright. On November 19, 1879, Wright deeded three acres to Fr. Kelleher for $900; two years later a church was built on the present site and the Catholic community grew from about ten parishioners into a thriving rural parish. The name was bestowed by Father Louis Deppen of Louisville's Cathedral of the Assumption, who presented a picture of Our Lady of Perpetual Help touched to the miraculous icon in Rome at the dedication.
- 1879 — Mission established by Rev. John Paul Kelleher at Bishop McCloskey's direction
- 1879 — C.W. Wright deeds three acres to the parish for $900
- Early hardships — three of the first five pastors contracted typhoid or fell from horses on rural rounds
- 1962 — Mission raised to parish status
- 1966 — New church (capacity 400) consecrated October 23 with over 1,000 in attendance
- 1970 — Parochial school closes due to declining enrollment
- 1976 — Original church building razed
- 1995 — Parishioner Butch Wheatly begins crafting new stained-glass windows
- 2007 / 2010–2011 — Interior renovation moves sanctuary east, retiles vestibule, installs new exterior doors
The Church Building & Architecture
The present church was built in 1966 and originally designed for the post-Vatican II liturgy, with a single central altar and a fan-shaped nave seating 400. In 2007 the interior was renovated, with further work in 2010–2011, moving the sanctuary to the east end of the building. Two long aisles of pews now face a beautiful altar beneath a life-size crucifix, the vestibule was retiled, and new wooden exterior front doors with stained-glass side panels replaced the previous glass-and-metal doors. Stained-glass windows begun in 1995 by parishioner Butch Wheatly are a distinctive feature of the worship space.
- 1966 construction, 400-seat capacity, fan-shaped nave
- Single central altar (original design)
- 2007/2010–2011 interior renovation moved sanctuary east
- Life-size crucifix above the altar
- Custom stained-glass windows by Butch Wheatly (begun 1995)
- New wooden front doors with stained-glass side panels
Parish Staff & Clergy
The parish is served by clergy of the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (C.M.I.), along with a permanent deacon and lay staff.
- Pastor — Rev. Saju M. Vadakumpadan, C.M.I. ([email protected])
- Administrator / Presbyteral Moderator — Rev. Sheejan P. George, C.M.I.
- Permanent Deacon — James D. "Jimmy" Richerson
- Parish Secretary — Libby Barlow
- Bookkeeper — Mike Newcomb ([email protected])
Becoming Catholic — RCIA
The parish runs a parish-based Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) program. RCIA classes generally begin in September and meet once a week at 6:30 p.m. through May. The process welcomes both unbaptized adults seeking full initiation through Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation, and baptized Christians from other traditions seeking full communion with the Catholic Church through Eucharist and Confirmation.
- Classes begin in September, 6:30 p.m. weekly through May
- Sponsors and RCIA team support inquirers throughout the process
- Catechumens and candidates are received at the Easter Vigil
- Contact: parish office, (270) 465-4282
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Adult Scripture Study classes are held in the church hall on Monday evenings during Lent and Advent at 6:30 p.m. The parish also runs a Religious Education program for children in grades 1–8 with co-teacher catechist teams, and parents are urged to volunteer to teach.
- Adult Scripture Study — Monday evenings, Lent & Advent, 6:30 p.m., church hall
- Religious Education for grades 1–8
- Catechists needed — co-teachers assigned per grade
Parish Ministries & Organizations
Our Lady of Perpetual Help supports more than twenty lay ministries and organizations. If you are interested in serving, the parish office invites you to call (270) 465-4282.
- Knights of Columbus — 2nd Tuesday, 7:00 p.m., school building
- Music Ministry / Choir — Wednesday rehearsals at 7:00 p.m.; choir director 270-789-1422
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- Altar Servers, Greeters, Ushers, Gift Bearers
- Lectors and Sacristans
- Offertory Counters
- Finance Council and Parish Pastoral Council
- Arts & Environment (contact: Pat Hash)
- Funeral Luncheons (contact: Eugene Goode)
- Grounds and Facilities Caretakers
- Young Catholic Adults Group — ages 18–35, 3rd Thursday at 7:00 p.m.
Music Ministry
The parish music ministry leads worship at the 10:00 a.m. Sunday Mass, with rehearsals on Wednesday evenings at 7:00 p.m. in the church. Singers of all abilities are welcome to join as their schedule allows.
- Rehearsals — Wednesdays, 7:00 p.m., church
- Sings at 10:00 a.m. Sunday Mass
- Contact the choir director at (270) 789-1422
The On Fire Catholic Cluster
Our Lady of Perpetual Help is one of three parishes in the On Fire Catholic cluster, which serves Campbellsville and the rural communities of Taylor and Marion Counties in central Kentucky. The cluster shares the onfirecatholic.com website for news, Mass schedules, ministry information, and contact details.
- Three-parish cluster: Our Lady of Perpetual Help (Campbellsville), Our Lady of the Hills (Finley), Our Lady of Fatima (Campbellsville area)
- Cluster website: http://www.onfirecatholic.com/
Visit, Contact & Practical Information
Parishioners and visitors are warmly welcomed at Mass and are encouraged to introduce themselves to the pastor after liturgy. The parish office is open by phone and email; bulletins and Holy Day schedules are posted on the website.
- Church location — 425 N. Central Avenue, Campbellsville, KY 42718-2043
- Parish office / mailing address — 213 University Drive, Campbellsville, KY 42718-2192
- Phone — (270) 465-4282
- Rectory — (270) 465-5280
- Fax — (270) 789-9669
- Email — [email protected]
- Website — http://www.onfirecatholic.com/
- Diocese — Archdiocese of Louisville
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. John Paul Kelleher1879–
Founded the mission church in Campbellsville in the fall of 1879 at the request of Bishop William George McCloskey.
- Father Louis Deppen
Of Louisville's Cathedral of the Assumption; named the parish and presented a picture of Our Lady of Perpetual Help touched to the miraculous icon in Rome at the dedication.