About Saint Augustine · Augusta, Kentucky
St. Augustine Parish is a Roman Catholic parish located at 215 East 4th Street in the small Ohio River town of Augusta, Kentucky, in Bracken County. It belongs to the Diocese of Covington and serves the local Catholic community with a Sunday morning Mass, a Saturday evening vigil, and weekday Masses. The parish is notable for its long partnership with the Sisters of Notre Dame, who have staffed and ministered at the parish school since 1875, and is pastored today by Father Joseph C. Shelton.
- Established
- 1859
- Patron
- Saint Augustine of Hippo (Bishop and Doctor of the Church)
- Rector
- Rev. Joseph C. (Joey) Shelton
- Diocese
- Diocese of Covington
Why belong here
St. Augustine offers a warm, traditional parish life in the heart of historic Augusta, with weekday and Sunday Masses, weekly Eucharistic Adoration on Wednesdays, regular Confession, and an active Catholic school where the Sisters of Notre Dame have ministered continuously since 1875. It is a small enough community that parishioners know one another well, yet it draws on the full life of the Diocese of Covington and a religious-order heritage going back 150 years. Visitors and newcomers are welcomed to celebrate Mass, attend Adoration, enroll children in the school, and join the parish's outreach to those in need.
Mass times at Saint Augustine
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday: 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
- Saturday: 4:15 PM – 5:15 PM
- Or by appointment
Adoration times
- Wednesday: 8:30 AM – 7:00 PM (Exposition begins after 8:00 AM Mass; Benediction at 7:00 PM)
- Wednesday Children's Adoration: 3:30 PM – 4:00 PM
History of St. Augustine Parish
St. Augustine Parish traces its origins to May 29, 1859, when Bishop George Aloysius Carrell, S.J., the first Bishop of the Diocese of Covington, laid the cornerstone of the church on East 4th Street in Augusta, Kentucky. The church was formally dedicated by Monsignor Thomas Butler on October 7, 1860. In the spring of 1875 — only a year after the Sisters of Notre Dame had landed in the United States from Germany — three sisters (Mary Paula, Mary Marzellina, and Mary Clara) traveled to Augusta and established the parish school. That religious-order presence has never been interrupted: 122 Sisters of Notre Dame have served the parish and school over 150 years, and today Sr. Nance Hehman continues that tradition as the on-site sister.
- Cornerstone laid May 29, 1859 by Bishop George Aloysius Carrell, S.J.
- Church dedicated October 7, 1860 by Monsignor Thomas Butler
- Sisters of Notre Dame arrived in Augusta in 1875
- 150th anniversary of the sisters' ministry celebrated in June 2025
- 122 Sisters of Notre Dame have served the parish since 1875
Parish Life & Clergy
St. Augustine Parish is served by Rev. Joseph C. (Joey) Shelton, who also pastors neighboring St. James Parish in Brooksville. Ordained May 19, 2018, Father Shelton moved into the Augusta rectory in 2020. He is assisted by Deacon Frank A. Estill. The parish staff includes Parish Secretary Trish Rogers, Business Manager Amanda Lang, and Music Director Rose Berns. The parish belongs to the South East Deanery of the Diocese of Covington, which serves Augusta, Brooksville, Falmouth, Cynthiana, Flemingsburg, Mays Lick, Maysville, Minerva, and Vanceburg.
- Rev. Joseph C. Shelton — Pastor (also St. James, Brooksville)
- Deacon Frank A. Estill
- Trish Rogers — Parish Secretary
- Amanda Lang — Business Manager
- Rose Berns — Music Director
St. Augustine Catholic School
Founded in 1875 by the Sisters of Notre Dame, St. Augustine Catholic School is a PreK–5 parish elementary school serving approximately 50 students in the Augusta area. The school shares the Sisters of Notre Dame's charism of discipline, direction, and quality Catholic education. After 150 years and 122 sisters who have served there, the school remains a vital part of the parish mission under the direction of Sr. Nance Hehman and the parish staff.
- Grades: PreK–5
- Founded 1875 by the Sisters of Notre Dame
- Approximately 50 students enrolled
- Rolling admissions
- Sisters of Notre Dame have served the school continuously for 150 years
The Sisters of Notre Dame in Augusta
In the spring of 1875, three Sisters of Notre Dame — Mary Paula, Mary Marzellina, and Mary Clara — traveled to Augusta, Kentucky, one year after their congregation arrived in the United States from Germany, to serve the educational and spiritual needs of the parish. Though those original sisters stayed only three years, the order's presence at St. Augustine has been unbroken ever since. In June 2025, Father Shelton celebrated a Mass and reception thanking the sisters for 150 years of ministry. Sr. Nance Hehman, the current on-site sister, has served for 18 years and is described by Father Shelton as 'the glue that holds our community together.'
- Arrived in Augusta in spring 1875
- 122 Sisters of Notre Dame have served the parish
- Sr. Nance Hehman — on-site sister for 18 years
- 150th anniversary celebrated June 28, 2025
Sacraments & Sacramental Preparation
St. Augustine Parish celebrates the Sacraments of the Eucharist (Mass), Reconciliation (Confession), and Anointing, and prepares parishioners for Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, Marriage, and other rites. Confession is regularly scheduled on Wednesday evenings and Saturday afternoons and is available by appointment. Families preparing for sacraments are invited to contact the parish office for details and to coordinate with the parish's ongoing faith-formation programs.
- Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation preparation
- Marriage preparation and weddings
- Anointing of the Sick (by request)
- Funeral and burial rites
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Joseph C. Shelton2020–present
Moved into the St. Augustine rectory in 2020; also serves as pastor of St. James Parish, Brooksville; ordained May 19, 2018.