About St. Augustine · Reed, Kentucky
St. Augustine Catholic Church is a small Roman Catholic parish in the unincorporated community of Reed, in Henderson County, western Kentucky, just off U.S. Highway 60 between Owensboro and Henderson. Founded in 1896 and named for St. Augustine of Hippo, it is today part of a Duo-Parish cluster with nearby St. Peter of Alcantara in Stanley, sharing a single pastor and parish office. Worship is celebrated in a stone church built in 1948 from St. Meinrad sandstone, and the parish remains rooted in the farming families of the Reed community — a tradition that traces back more than 125 years.
- Established
- 1896
- Patron
- St. Augustine of Hippo
- Rector
- Father Will Thompson
- Diocese
- Diocese of Owensboro
Why belong here
St. Augustine offers a close-knit rural parish experience where generations of Henderson County families have worshipped together for more than 125 years. Sunday Mass at 8:00 a.m., followed by parish potluck breakfasts, Altar Society meetings, Parish Council gatherings and a popular annual Reverse Raffle, make it easy to become part of the community. Newcomers are warmly invited to join a long line of families who have helped build, and now maintain, the stone church, cemetery prayer garden and matching parish hall that anchor life in Reed.
Mass times at St. Augustine
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday 7:30 AM – 7:50 AM (or by appointment)
Parish Identity & Diocese
St. Augustine Catholic Church is a small Roman-Latin rite parish of the Diocese of Owensboro, situated in Reed, an unincorporated community in Henderson County, western Kentucky. Its mailing address is 16777 St. Augustine Church Road (KY-811), Reed, KY 42451. The parish has been part of a Duo-Parish cluster with St. Peter of Alcantara in Stanley since the early 2000s; the two parishes share a single pastor (currently Father Will Thompson) and a joint parish office located at St. Peter's in Stanley.
- Diocese: Diocese of Owensboro
- Rite: Roman-Latin
- Parish cluster: St. Peter of Alcantara (Stanley) and St. Augustine (Reed)
- Mailing: 16777 St. Augustine Church Road, Reed, KY 42451
History of St. Augustine Parish
The parish was founded in 1896 when a wooden church was built and dedicated on August 21 of that year. Originally a mission of St. Peter's Parish in Stanley, it became an independent parish in 1908 under its first resident pastor, Rev. H.J. Muyssen. Disaster struck twice — fires destroyed the church in 1916 and again in 1944 — but each time the community rebuilt, culminating in the dedication of the present St. Meinrad sandstone church on March 11, 1948. Through the 1937 and 1997 floods, the parish school served as a refuge and rescue station. The school closed in 1964 and was finally demolished in 2000; a matching sandstone parish hall replaced it.
- 1896 — Wooden church dedicated August 21; first baptism held same day
- 1908 — Became independent parish under Rev. H.J. Muyssen
- 1916 — Fire destroys original church; brick replacement built on site
- 1922 — School and convent constructed under Rev. J.J. Rives
- 1937 — Flood; over 100 people shelter in school for two nights
- 1944 — Second fire destroys church; services held in school basement
- 1948 — Present St. Meinrad sandstone church dedicated March 11
- 1964 — Parish school closes; Lamb of God sisters reside 1970–1974
- 1992 — Regains independence under Fr. Larry Hostetter
- 2000 — Old school demolished; new parish hall with matching sandstone facade dedicated September 2000
Pastor & Parish Staff
The parish is currently served by Father Will Thompson, who is also pastor of St. Peter of Alcantara in Stanley and Promoter of Justice and Defender of the Bond on the diocesan Tribunal. Day-to-day parish administration is supported by St. Peter's Church Office bookkeeper and secretary Gretchen Young. Volunteer leadership includes a Parish Council, Finance Committee and Altar Society, each with a designated chair.
- Pastor — Father Will Thompson ([email protected])
- Bookkeeper & Secretary — Gretchen Young
- Cemetery Contact — Jamie Boeglin, (270) 222-0438
- Parish Hall Rental — Amy Payne
- Parish Council President — James Michael Eblen
- Finance Committee Chair — Rob Mitchell
- Altar Society Chair — Shelley Payne
- Ministry contact (servers, Eucharistic ministers, lectors) — Stanette Blair
Worship & Sacraments
Public worship at St. Augustine centers on a single weekly Sunday Mass in the 1948 sandstone church. Confessions are heard before Sunday Mass and by appointment. Like all Roman Catholic parishes in the Diocese of Owensboro, St. Augustine celebrates the seven sacraments; baptism, marriage and other rites are arranged through the pastor.
- Sunday Mass — 8:00 AM
- Confessions — Sunday 7:30–7:50 AM, or by appointment
- Sacraments celebrated: Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Penance, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, Matrimony
Parish Ministries & Groups
The parish maintains a small but active roster of ministries. Liturgical roles — altar servers, lectors and Eucharistic ministers — are coordinated through Stanette Blair. Parishioners run the Altar Society, the elected Parish Council, and the Finance Committee. A popular annual Reverse Raffle fundraiser (with its own planning meetings) supports parish operations, and monthly potluck breakfasts after the 8:00 a.m. Sunday Mass build community life.
- Altar Society (Chair: Shelley Payne) — meets monthly
- Parish Council (President: James Michael Eblen) — meets regularly
- Finance Committee (Chair: Rob Mitchell)
- Altar Servers, Lectors, Eucharistic Ministers (contact: Stanette Blair)
- Potluck Breakfasts after Sunday Mass
- Annual Reverse Raffle fundraiser
Cemetery & Prayer Garden
The St. Augustine Cemetery was established soon after the parish was founded; the first recorded burial took place in 1898. It serves as the resting place for generations of Henderson County Catholic families. A center altar was erected on the cemetery grounds in 1951, and a prayer garden was added in 2009. Inquiries about cemetery plots or records are handled by cemetery contact Jamie Boeglin.
- First burial: 1898
- Center altar erected: 1951
- Prayer garden added: 2009
- Cemetery contact: Jamie Boeglin, (270) 222-0438
Parish Hall & Facilities
A parish hall was built in 2000 to replace the demolished 1922 school, with the same sandstone facade as the 1948 church to match the surrounding campus. The hall is available for rent for parish and community events, and includes a full kitchen (refrigerator, microwave and stove), restrooms, and a maximum occupancy of 200. Rental inquiries are handled by Amy Payne, and a refundable deposit plus full rental payment are required before a date is considered reserved.
- Built 2000, dedicated September 2000
- Matching sandstone facade with the church
- Full kitchen: refrigerator, microwave, stove
- Restrooms; maximum occupancy 200
- Contact for rentals: Amy Payne
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. H.J. Muyssen1908–
First resident pastor when the mission of Reed became an independent parish.
- Rev. J.J. Rivesearly 1920s
Supervised construction of the school-convent in 1922.
- Rev. Paul J. Greenwell1930s
Led the community through the 1937 flood and its aftermath.
- Rev. Robert T. Wilson1946–c.1981, returned 1981–1982
Returned in 1981 to serve again until his death in 1982.
- Rev. Carmer DeChristopher1982–1987
Served out his retirement years until his death in 1987.
- Fr. Larry Hostetter1992–1995
Also taught at Catholic High while pastor.
- Fr. Tony Jones1995–1996
Stayed at St. Augustine only one year.
- Msgr. Bernard Powers1996–2001
Guided the parish through its 100th anniversary and the 1997 flood.
- Father Maury Riney2001–c.2004
Subsequently moved to hospital ministry in the Diocese of Owensboro.
- Fr. Ray Goetz2004–c.2009
First of the shared pastors with St. Peter's in Stanley; lived at the Stanley rectory.
- Fr. Suresh Bakka2009–c.2012
Arrived from India.
- Fr. Jegin Puthenpurackal2012–
Also from India; the shared-pastor arrangement with St. Peter's continues.
- Father Will Thompsoncurrent
Current pastor; also Pastor of St. Peter (Stanley) and Promoter of Justice / Defender of the Bond on the diocesan Tribunal.