About St. Ambrose · Morganfield, Kentucky
St. Ambrose Parish is a small Roman Catholic parish in Henshaw, a rural farming community just outside Morganfield in Union County, western Kentucky. Part of the Diocese of Owensboro, the parish was built in 1832 — making it nearly two centuries old — and gathers today as part of a Tri-Parish cluster that also includes St. Francis Borgia in Sturgis and St. William of Vercelli in Marion, sharing one priest between them. Weekend worship centers on a Saturday evening vigil Mass, with a Tuesday evening weekday Mass, and bulletins and announcements are coordinated across the three linked parishes.
- Established
- 1832
- Patron
- St. Ambrose of Milan (fourth-century Bishop of Milan and Doctor of the Church)
- Rector
- Rev. Jojy Joseph
- Diocese
- Diocese of Owensboro
Why belong here
St. Ambrose offers a small, close-knit Catholic community rooted in nearly 200 years of faith in the rural Henshaw/Morganfield area. As part of a Tri-Parish cluster sharing one priest, it combines intimate parish life with the wider fellowship of St. Francis Borgia (Sturgis) and St. William of Vercelli (Marion). The parish emphasizes prayer, the Eucharist, family faith formation, and outreach, and welcomes both longtime members and first-time visitors.
Mass times at St. Ambrose
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Confession times are not separately listed on the diocese or parish pages reviewed; refer to the Tri-Parish weekly bulletin for current schedule.
Adoration times
- Eucharistic Adoration: not separately listed on the St. Ambrose parish or diocese page; consult the Tri-Parish bulletin.
About St. Ambrose Parish
St. Ambrose Catholic Church is a small Roman Catholic parish serving the Henshaw community and surrounding Union County in western Kentucky. The parish belongs to the Diocese of Owensboro and is part of a Tri-Parish cluster that shares one priest with St. Francis Borgia in Sturgis and St. William of Vercelli in Marion. Worship is centered on a Saturday evening vigil Mass and a Tuesday evening weekday Mass, with the rosary recited before the vigil.
- Diocese: Owensboro
- Rite: Roman-Latin
- Parish email: [email protected]
- Parish phone: (270) 333-1832
- Tri-Parish cluster: St. Ambrose (Morganfield), St. Francis Borgia (Sturgis), St. William of Vercelli (Marion)
History
The congregation of St. Ambrose was organized about 1829 by Rev. Edward A. Clark, the first assistant to Father Elisha J. Durbin, the missionary priest assigned to all of western and southwestern Kentucky with headquarters near Morganfield. Within a few years the original church of the same title was built, in 1832. As the Catholic population grew, the earlier Church of the Sacred Heart near Morganfield was replaced with a larger edifice dedicated June 20, 1855, at a cost of $20,000. The parish has continued without interruption as a witness to the faith in rural western Kentucky.
- 1832 — Church of St. Ambrose built
- c. 1829 — Congregation organized by Rev. Edward A. Clark
- June 20, 1855 — Larger Sacred Heart church dedicated near Morganfield
- 1824 — Father Durbin begins missionary work in western Kentucky
2025 America250KY Preservation Grant
In July 2025, St. Ambrose Parish was one of nine inaugural recipients of an America250KY Sub-Grant Award from the Kentucky Heritage Council, supporting the preservation of historic sites across the Commonwealth in honor of the nation's 250th anniversary in 2026. The parish received $16,995.65 to fund replacement of the subfloor, new floor joists, leveling of the sanctuary floor, and installation of new hardwood floors. The grant application was submitted by parishioner Carol Martin.
- Award: America250KY Sub-Grant, administered by the Kentucky Historical Society
- Amount: $16,995.65
- Project: Subfloor replacement, floor joists, sanctuary leveling, new hardwood floors
- One of nine inaugural Kentucky recipients
Parish Staff & Clergy
St. Ambrose is currently served by Rev. Jojy Joseph as pastor. The parish is part of a Tri-Parish cluster, so the same priest also ministers to St. Francis Borgia (Sturgis) and St. William of Vercelli (Marion). Parishioners can reach the parish office by phone or email using the contact information below.
- Pastor: Rev. Jojy Joseph
- Phone: (270) 333-1832
- Email: [email protected]
Sacraments
As a Roman Catholic parish in the Diocese of Owensboro, St. Ambrose celebrates the seven sacraments. Baptisms, First Communion, Confirmation, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick, and Reconciliation are arranged through the parish office; Reconciliation opportunities in particular are typically published in the Tri-Parish weekly bulletin.
- Baptism
- First Holy Communion
- Confirmation
- Marriage
- Anointing of the Sick
- Reconciliation (Penance)
Tri-Parish Cluster
St. Ambrose shares its pastor with two neighboring parishes in the Diocese of Owensboro: St. Francis Borgia in Sturgis, Kentucky, and St. William of Vercelli in Marion, Kentucky. The parishes coordinate weekly bulletins, share announcements on the St. Ambrose Facebook page, and list all three Mass and service schedules together.
- St. Ambrose — Morganfield (Henshaw), KY — 5194 SR 270 W
- St. Francis Borgia — Sturgis, KY — 1316 N. Adams Street
- St. William of Vercelli — Marion, KY
Visiting & Location
St. Ambrose is located in the small farming community of Henshaw in Union County, on State Route 270 West near its intersection with Watkins Road, just outside Morganfield. The parish welcomes visitors and first-time attendees to its weekend and weekday Masses.
- Address: 5194 State Route 270 W, Morganfield, KY 42437
- Community: Henshaw
- County: Union
- Region: western Kentucky
Contact & Online Presence
Parishioners and visitors can reach St. Ambrose by phone or email, follow parish announcements on Facebook, or read the Tri-Parish weekly bulletin (linked via the St. Francis Borgia website and the St. Ambrose Facebook page).
- Phone: (270) 333-1832
- Email: [email protected]
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stambrose1832/
- Diocese listing: https://owensborodiocese.org/listing/saint-ambrose-parish/
- GCatholic listing: https://gcatholic.org/churches/usa-05/26163
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Edward A. Clarkc. 1829–
First pastor / founder; assistant to Father Elisha J. Durbin, organized the congregation and built the original St. Ambrose church in 1832.
- Rev. Elisha J. Durbin1824–
Missionary priest for western Kentucky with headquarters near Morganfield; oversaw the region that included St. Ambrose.