About St. Clare · Berea, Kentucky
St. Clare Catholic Church is a small Roman Catholic parish in Berea, Kentucky, serving the southern portion of Madison County within the Diocese of Lexington. Founded in 1950 and located at 622 Chestnut Street, it ministers to roughly 184 households and serves as the hub parish for two mission churches: St. Paul in McKee and Our Lady of Mount Vernon in Mount Vernon. The parish welcomes Berea College students, faculty and staff through its campus ministry, and offers Mass in both English and Spanish each Sunday, with a Spanish Mass at 11:00 AM that anchors the parish's Hispanic ministry. The parish tagline on its maintenance page — 'God is Love' — reflects the warm, bilingual, mission-oriented identity of this Bluegrass-region community.
- Established
- 1950
- Patron
- St. Clare of Assisi
- Rector
- Rev. Dr. Alfredo Basualdo
- Diocese
- Diocese of Lexington
Why belong here
St. Clare is the spiritual home for a tight-knit Catholic community of about 184 households in the heart of Berea, and it offers something rare for a small-town parish: a full bilingual schedule with both an English and a Spanish Mass every Sunday, plus a Spanish Mass on Wednesdays. The parish actively welcomes Berea College students and faculty through a designated Newman/campus ministry, runs ongoing CCD religious education and OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) classes for those discerning the faith, and gathers weekly for a Prayer Group and the Rosary. As the hub parish for two mission communities in McKee and Mount Vernon, St. Clare offers parishioners a chance to live out the diocesan call to evangelize across central Appalachia's smaller towns.
Mass times at St. Clare
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 6:30–6:55 PM (per Diocese of Lexington 2023 directory)
About St. Clare Catholic Church
St. Clare is a Roman Catholic parish in Berea, Kentucky, founded in 1950 and serving about 184 households across southern Madison County. It belongs to the Diocese of Lexington and operates alongside two affiliated mission parishes: St. Paul in McKee and Our Lady of Mount Vernon in Mount Vernon. The parish maintains a bilingual liturgical life, gathering every Sunday for Mass in both English (9:00 AM) and Spanish (11:00 AM), and offers faith formation through CCD for children and OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) for adults discerning the Catholic faith.
- Parish established: 1950
- Diocese: Lexington
- Approximately 184 households
- Two mission parishes: St. Paul (McKee), Our Lady of Mount Vernon (Mount Vernon)
History of the Parish
The parish was established in 1950 to serve the Catholics of Berea, the historic Appalachian college town known for Berea College and its craft traditions. The original church building on Chestnut Street dates to the 1960s. As the community grew and the Hispanic presence strengthened, the Diocese of Lexington commissioned an expansion designed and built by BEX Construction: a 4,900-square-foot worship facility seating about 300, complete with a chapel, sacristy, gathering area and storage, intended to harmonize with the mid-century existing structure.
- Parish founded 1950
- Original church built in the 1960s
- New worship facility added by BEX Construction (approx. 4,900 sq ft, seating for 300)
- Includes chapel, sacristy, gathering area, restrooms and storage
Parish Leadership & Staff
St. Clare is pastored by Rev. Dr. Alfredo Basualdo, who also serves on the diocesan leadership team in the Mountain West Deanery (with Rev. Gary Simpson as Alternate Dean). The pastor can be reached through the parish office by phone at (859) 986-4633 or by email at [email protected].
- Pastor: Rev. Dr. Alfredo Basualdo — [email protected]
- Parish email: [email protected]
- Parish phone: (859) 986-4633
Devotions & Prayer Life
Beyond the Mass schedule, the parish sustains an active devotional life. The Rosary is prayed before the Sunday English Mass, and a weekly Prayer Group meets for shared prayer and fellowship. The parish calendar lists both 'Rosary' and 'Prayer Group' as standing events for parishioners to join.
- Sunday Rosary: 8:30 AM
- Weekly Prayer Group (see parish calendar for current day/time)
Faith Formation: CCD & OCIA
St. Clare provides faith formation for both children and adults through two complementary programs. CCD (Confraternity of Christian Doctrine) instructs children in the Catholic faith and prepares them for the sacraments. OCIA (the new name for the former RCIA — the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) welcomes adults who wish to learn about Catholicism, be baptized, or complete their initiation into the Church. Classes meet Sunday mornings at 10:15 AM, between the two Sunday Masses.
- CCD for children — Sundays 10:15 AM
- OCIA for adults — Sundays 10:15 AM
Hispanic Ministry
St. Clare maintains one of the strongest bilingual liturgical identities in the Diocese of Lexington. A Spanish Mass is celebrated every Sunday at 11:00 AM and on Wednesdays at 5:00 PM, providing a regular sacramental and devotional home for the area's Spanish-speaking Catholic community. The parish calendar repeatedly invites worshippers to 'come join us to celebrate the Mass in Spanish!'
- Sunday Spanish Mass: 11:00 AM
- Wednesday Spanish Mass: 5:00 PM
Berea College Campus Ministry
Because Berea is home to Berea College, St. Clare extends a special welcome to students, faculty and staff. The parish serves as the local Catholic hub for the campus, with a designated campus-ministry connection and a 1st Friday Mass celebrated at Danforth Chapel on the Berea College grounds. Parishioners are encouraged to invite any Catholic connected to the college to make St. Clare their spiritual home while at school.
- 1st Friday Mass at Danforth Chapel, Berea College, 5:00 PM
- Welcome extended to all Berea College students, faculty and staff
Mission Churches
St. Clare serves as the parent parish for two mission communities in outlying Appalachian counties. St. Paul Mission is located in McKee (Jackson County), and Our Lady of Mount Vernon Mission is in Mount Vernon (Rockcastle County). Both are listed as missions on the Diocese of Lexington parish directory entry for St. Clare.
- St. Paul Mission, McKee, KY (Jackson County)
- Our Lady of Mount Vernon Mission, Mount Vernon, KY (Rockcastle County)
Visit, Contact & Connect
Parishioners and visitors can reach St. Clare by phone at (859) 986-4633 or by email at [email protected]. The official website at stclareberea.org hosts a calendar of upcoming Masses, CCD/OCIA classes, the Prayer Group and the Rosary, and provides links to the parish livestream. The parish also maintains a Facebook group at facebook.com/groups/209543402836092/ for community news and events. The parish office notes handicap access on site.
- Phone: (859) 986-4633
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://stclareberea.org/
- Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/209543402836092/
- Handicap access available on site
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Michael Flanagan
Listed as pastor of St. Clare on third-party aggregator sites (joinmychurch.com); appears to be a former pastor prior to the current assignment.