About Saint Bernadette · Prospect, Kentucky
Saint Bernadette Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Prospect, Kentucky, belonging to the Archdiocese of Louisville. Founded in 2008 from the merger of Mother of Good Counsel Parish and Transfiguration of Our Lord Parish, the parish sits on eleven acres in the growing Norton Commons community, on the border of Oldham and Jefferson counties. It serves approximately 2,180 households (about 6,372 parishioners) and shares its campus with Saint Mary Academy, a regional Catholic school named a Blue Ribbon School in 2015. The parish is guided by pastor Rev. Jeffrey S. Nicolas with associate Rev. Shaji Joseph, C.P., permanent deacons, and a pastoral staff committed to the mission of inspiring love and cultivating intentional discipleship through communion with Jesus Christ.
- Established
- 2008
- Patron
- Saint Bernadette Soubirous
- Rector
- Rev. Jeffrey S. Nicolas
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Louisville
Why belong here
Saint Bernadette is a thriving, mission-driven parish of about 6,300 registered parishioners on eleven acres in Norton Commons, where the worship church, parish center, and Saint Mary Academy (a Blue Ribbon School) share one campus. It offers a full sacramental schedule with daily and weekend Mass, weekly Eucharistic Adoration on Tuesdays, and regular Reconciliation, with Mass livestreamed for those unable to attend in person. Adult formation is unusually rich — including Adult Bible Background, Adult Christian Enrichment, Centering Prayer, Faith Sharing/Bible Study, Men's Leadership Bootcamp, Moving Towards Oneness, men's, women's, and young adult ministries — making it a strong fit for families, lifelong learners, and anyone seeking intentional Catholic discipleship.
Mass times at Saint Bernadette
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday: 11:00 AM – 11:45 AM
- Tuesday: 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
- Friday: 9:00 AM (only FIRST Friday, following Mass)
- Saturday: 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM
Adoration times
- Tuesday: 12:30 PM – 7:30 PM
Parish Identity & Mission
Saint Bernadette Parish in Prospect, Kentucky, is a Catholic community within the Archdiocese of Louisville whose stated mission is that 'through communion with Jesus Christ, [parishioners] inspire love and cultivate intentional discipleship.' With about 2,180 households and 6,372 registered parishioners, it is one of the larger newer parishes in the archdiocese. The community gathers at 6500 Saint Bernadette Avenue in the Norton Commons development, on eleven acres that straddle the Jefferson–Oldham county line.
- Archdiocese of Louisville parish
- Approximately 6,372 parishioners in 2,180 households
- Eleven-acre campus in Norton Commons, Prospect KY
- Pastoral vision: inspire love, cultivate intentional discipleship
History
Saint Bernadette was formed in 2008 from the merger of Mother of Good Counsel Parish (Westport Road, Louisville) and Transfiguration of Our Lord Parish (Goshen). Archbishop Thomas Kelly clustered the two parishes on June 20, 2007, with Father Bill Medley as pastor of both. The new parish took the name Saint Bernadette in 2008 to mark the 75th anniversary of Bernadette Soubirous's canonization and the 200th anniversary of the Archdiocese of Louisville. The funeral of Father Herb Lattis on April 16, 2008 was the first funeral of the new parish. The parish campus grew in phases — Parish Center and Saint Mary Academy groundbreaking (April 26, 2008), SMA classes beginning (August 19, 2009), parish staff move-in (August 31, 2009), and the first unified Sunday Mass at the SMA gym (September 19, 2009).
- 2007: parishes clustered under Father Bill Medley
- 2008: merger creating Saint Bernadette Parish
- April 26, 2008: groundbreaking for Parish Center & Saint Mary Academy
- Sept 19, 2009: parish first united for Mass in SMA gym
- May 15, 2011: groundbreaking for the church
- April 21, 2013: church dedicated by Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz
Pastor Succession
Saint Bernadette has had three pastors since its founding, plus a brief interregnum under an Administrator Pro-Tempore. The succession reflects both the parish's growth and the broader life of the Archdiocese of Louisville.
- Father Bill Medley — founding pastor (2007–Feb 2010); became Bishop of Owensboro
- Father Terry L. Bradshaw — second pastor (Feb 2010–Oct 2015); later named pastor of the Basilica of Saint Joseph Proto-Cathedral
- Father Bill Fichteman — Administrator Pro-Tempore (Oct 2015–June 2016)
- Father Jeffrey S. Nicolas — third pastor (June 2016–present)
Clergy & Pastoral Staff
Saint Bernadette is led by Pastor Rev. Jeffrey S. Nicolas, with associate Rev. Shaji Joseph, C.P., and permanent deacons Todd C. Auffrey and Jerome 'Jerry' L. Buehner. The lay pastoral staff includes Sharon Schuhmann (Pastoral Associate for Intentional Discipleship and Youth Coordinator), Elizabeth Auffrey (Director of Children's Formation), Nancy Falls (Mission Advancement Advocate), and a Business Manager.
- Pastor: Rev. Jeffrey S. Nicolas
- Associate: Rev. Shaji Joseph, C.P.
- Deacons: Todd C. Auffrey; Jerome 'Jerry' L. Buehner
- Youth / Intentional Discipleship: Sharon Schuhmann
- Children's Formation: Elizabeth Auffrey
- Mission Advancement: Nancy Falls
Adult Formation & Faith Study
Saint Bernadette maintains a particularly broad adult formation program, with both in-person and Zoom-based offerings. Programs range from scripture background and contemplative prayer to topical Christian enrichment and men's leadership formation, all coordinated by named ministry chairs.
- Adult Bible Background (ABB) — Sundays 9:45–11:00 AM, Lourdes Room
- Adult Christian Enrichment (ACE) — Thursdays 7:00–8:30 PM or Fridays 10:00–11:30 AM via Zoom
- Centering Prayer — Mondays 3:00–4:00 PM in the Chapel
- Faith Sharing / Bible Study — facilitated small groups
- Men's Leadership Bootcamp — Wednesdays 6:00–7:00 AM, Soubirous Room
- Moving Towards Oneness — diversity & inclusion ministry
Children, Youth, Men, Women & Young Adults
Faith formation extends across every age and stage, with dedicated staff and ministry chairs coordinating children's faith formation, youth ministry, men's, women's, and young adult initiatives. The parish frames youth ministry under the banner of 'intentional discipleship,' a phrase also used in its overall mission.
- Director of Children's Formation: Elizabeth Auffrey
- Pastoral Associate for Intentional Discipleship & Youth: Sharon Schuhmann
- Men's Ministry / Men's Leadership Bootcamp
- Women's Ministry
- Young Adult Ministry
Saint Mary Academy (Parish School)
Saint Mary Academy (SMA) is the parish school, sharing the Saint Bernadette campus. It was formed in 2007 as a regional school between Immaculate Conception (LaGrange) and Mother of Good Counsel — its name honors Mary as both Immaculate Conception and Mother of Good Counsel — and is now solely the parish school of Saint Bernadette. SMA was named a U.S. Department of Education Blue Ribbon School in 2015. Classes began on the current campus on August 19, 2009.
- Regional Catholic school formed 2007
- Now solely the parish school of Saint Bernadette
- Classes moved to current Norton Commons campus in August 2009
- Named a Blue Ribbon School in 2015
Campus, Architecture & Facilities
The eleven-acre Norton Commons campus integrates the worship church, the Parish Center, and Saint Mary Academy. The new church was dedicated by Archbishop Kurtz on April 21, 2013, and was designed to seat 1,200 with overflow capacity. The parish center includes three meeting rooms and a nursery, and the project was notable for using the first geothermal system employed by the Archdiocese of Louisville.
- Eleven-acre campus on the Jefferson/Oldham county line
- Church seats 1,200 with overflow
- First geothermal heating/cooling system for the Archdiocese of Louisville
- Parish Center with three meeting rooms and a nursery
- Architectural design honors Norton Commons design guidelines
Getting Involved & Contact
Parishioners and visitors can engage with Saint Bernadette through daily and weekly Mass, the livestream, formation programs, and named ministries. The parish office can be reached by phone or email, and most formation groups have a listed ministry chair for direct contact.
- Address: 6500 Saint Bernadette Avenue, Prospect, KY 40059-6543
- Phone: (502) 425-2210
- Fax: (502) 442-0065
- Email: [email protected] (Mission Advancement Advocate Nancy Falls)
- Website: http://www.stb2008.org/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Bill Medley2007–February 2010
Pastored the clustered Mother of Good Counsel and Transfiguration of Our Lord parishes and became the founding pastor of Saint Bernadette; appointed Bishop of the Diocese of Owensboro in February 2010.
- Father Terry L. BradshawFebruary 2010–October 2015
Second pastor; oversaw the 2013 dedication of the new church; named pastor of the Basilica of Saint Joseph Proto-Cathedral in October 2015.
- Father Bill FichtemanOctober 2015–June 2016
Served as Administrator Pro-Tempore between Bradshaw's departure and Nicolas's installation.
- Father Jeffrey S. NicolasJune 2016–present
Third pastor of Saint Bernadette Parish.