About St. Elizabeth Ann Seton · Lexington, Kentucky
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton is a Roman Catholic parish in Lexington, Kentucky, in the Diocese of Lexington (Fayette Deanery). Established on September 8, 1980 and named for the first American-born Catholic saint, the parish grew from its first Masses in a Gainesway Shopping Center storefront into a thriving community with its own church building, a Blue Ribbon Catholic elementary school, and a wide range of faith-formation, youth, and outreach ministries. The current pastor, Fr. Charles Howell — himself a 'son' of the parish — leads the community alongside four deacons and a full parish staff. Weekend Masses are celebrated Saturday evening and twice on Sunday, with daily Mass Tuesday through Friday, weekly Eucharistic Adoration, and a live-stream option for the homebound.
- Established
- 1980
- Patron
- St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
- Rector
- Rev. Charles Howell
- Diocese
- Diocese of Lexington (Fayette Deanery)
Why belong here
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton offers a full Catholic life in one parish: weekend and daily Mass, weekly Eucharistic Adoration with Benediction, and Saturday confessions. Families can hand their children over to a Blue Ribbon elementary school (Seton Catholic School) and a full sacramental prep program for First Communion and Confirmation, while adults can grow through OCIA, Alpha, parish Bible study, and the longstanding Christ Renews His Parish (CRHP) renewal tradition. Add in lively youth and young adult ministry, a music program, Communion to the homebound, and a calendar of community events like Open Table, Vacation Bible School, and Seton Summer Fest, and visitors find a parish that takes seriously its founding goal of building a community before — and around — a building.
Mass times at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 3:45 PM – 4:45 PM
- By appointment with the Pastor
Adoration times
- Friday: 7:30 AM – 4:45 PM (Benediction at 4:45 PM, before the 5:00 PM Mass)
Parish History
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton was established on September 8, 1980 when Bishop William Hughes formally created the parish and named Msgr. John Rolf as its first pastor. The community first gathered for Mass on September 13–14, 1980 in a storefront in Gainesway Shopping Center. Ground was broken for a permanent church and fellowship hall in August 1984, and the community moved in during February 1985. The parish was named for St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, the first American-born Catholic saint, whose life centered on the Eucharist, education, and families serving together — values the founding community wanted to embody. Membership grew steadily through the 1980s and 1990s, and in 1989 a parish preschool was opened, foreshadowing the later launch of a parish elementary school.
- Established: September 8, 1980 (Diocese of Covington, now Diocese of Lexington)
- Land purchased in 1977 by Bishop Richard Ackerman
- First Mass: September 13–14, 1980, in a Gainesway Shopping Center storefront
- Church building and fellowship hall groundbreaking: August 1984; opened February 1985
- Preschool opened: August 1989
- Seton Catholic School opened: August 2005
- Seton Catholic School named Blue Ribbon School of Excellence: 2012
Staff and Clergy
The parish is served by a pastor, four deacons, a diocesan seminarian, and a full lay staff that runs faith formation, evangelization, music, school, finances, and facilities.
- Pastor: Rev. Charles Howell — [email protected], ext. 1561
- Deacons: Dcn. Matt Coriale, Dcn. Bob Joice, Dcn. Spencer Parrott, Dcn. Mark Stauffer
- Diocesan Seminarian: C.J. (Carlos John) Guibo
- Director of Faith Formation: Mike Logan — [email protected], ext. 1562
- Director of Evangelization and Youth and Young Adult Ministry: Brian Gall — [email protected]
- Evangelization & Outreach Coordinator: Mary Ortwein — [email protected]
- Music Director: Mary Grace Horsley — [email protected]
- Director of Parish Financial Operations: Stephanie Radka — [email protected]
- Seton Catholic School Principal: Patty Dawson — [email protected]
- Facilities Manager: James West — [email protected]
- Administrative/Accounting Assistant: Renee Schweigardt — [email protected]
Faith Formation and Sacramental Preparation
The parish runs a full sacramental-prep and adult-initiation program through its Director of Faith Formation. Children in 2nd grade prepare for First Confession (typically received in January) and First Communion (typically the first Sunday in May), while children in 6th grade prepare for Confirmation. All Confirmation candidates are also required to participate in the Middle School Youth Group. Adults seeking to become Catholic, or to learn more about the faith, enter through the Order for Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA), with children over 7 served case-by-case through the Order for Christian Initiation of Children (OCIC).
- PREP (Parish Religious Education Program) for school-age children
- First Confession & First Communion preparation (2nd grade and up)
- Confirmation preparation (6th grade and up, in school or PREP)
- OCIA / OCIC — Order for Christian Initiation of Adults and Children
- Vacation Bible School (summer)
- Contact: Mike Logan, [email protected], 859-273-1318 ext. 1562
Seton Catholic School
Seton Catholic School is the parish's K–8 elementary school. It opened in August 2005 after the diocesan United in Faith campaign helped accelerate the long-held dream of a parish school, and it has been a catalyst for further growth and development of the parish community. In 2012 the U.S. Department of Education named it a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence, recognizing it as one of the highest-achieving schools in the nation. The current principal is Patty Dawson.
- Opened: August 2005
- Recognized: Blue Ribbon School of Excellence, 2012
- Principal: Patty Dawson ([email protected])
- Tied to the parish: Thursday 8:15 AM Mass is celebrated with Seton Catholic School students
Youth, Young Adult, and Adult Ministries
Brian Gall serves as Director of Evangelization and Youth and Young Adult Ministry, coordinating the High School Youth Group, the Middle School Youth Group (required for Confirmation candidates), and young-adult offerings. Adult faith formation is rich: Alpha meets Sundays in the Parish Hall, a Bible Study with Dcn. Matt is offered in person and on Zoom, and the parish continues the Christ Renews His Parish (CRHP) renewal tradition brought to the parish in 1996 by Sr. Eileen Golby.
- High School Youth Group
- Middle School Youth Group (required for Confirmation candidates)
- Young Adult Ministry
- Alpha (Sundays, 6:00 PM, Parish Hall)
- Bible Study with Dcn. Matt (in person and Zoom)
- Christ Renews His Parish (CRHP) — longstanding parish renewal tradition
Pastoral Care and Outreach
Trained Eucharistic ministers bring Holy Communion to the homebound, to those in hospitals, and to residents of local nursing homes. Ministers must have completed the sacraments of initiation and be in good standing with the Church; Safe Environment training and a background check are provided by the parish. The parish also runs Open Table, a weekly community meal held in the parish hall each Wednesday between the 5:00 PM Mass and evening faith formation, and supports the Special People in Catholic Education (SPiCE) committee, formed in 2009 to help parishioners with special needs participate more fully in parish life.
- Communion Ministry to the Sick & Homebound (Carebound) — contact Lisa Heuser, 859-533-5220
- Open Table — weekly Wednesday community meal in the Parish Hall
- Special People in Catholic Education (SPiCE) — support for parishioners with special needs (formed 2009)
- Evangelization & Outreach Coordinator: Mary Ortwein
Parish Life and Community Events
Beyond Mass and formation, the parish maintains a busy calendar of community-building events. Highlights include Seton Summer Fest, the annual Parish Pictorial Directory (next on-site sessions scheduled for August 26–29), the PREP Ice Cream Social, Seton Day at Keeneland, and Vacation Bible School in late July. The parish also hosts Knights of Columbus Council 12774 as part of its broader community life.
- Seton Summer Fest (summer)
- Parish Pictorial Directory (next on-site: Aug 26–29)
- PREP Ice Cream Social (May)
- Seton Day at Keeneland
- Vacation Bible School (July 27–31)
- Knights of Columbus Council 12774
Diocese and Location
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton is a parish of the Diocese of Lexington, one of the eight parishes of the Fayette Deanery (all parishes located in Fayette County). The parish office is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM, and the church is located on Summerhill Drive in southeast Lexington.
- Diocese: Diocese of Lexington (cdlex.org)
- Deanery: Fayette Deanery
- Parish office: 1730 Summerhill Drive, Lexington, KY 40515
- Parish phone: (859) 273-1318
- Office hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Msgr. John Rolf1980–
First pastor; established parish community, oversaw groundbreaking for church building (1984) and move into new facilities (1985).
- Fr. Wil Fraenzle
Second pastor; built up community, completed building phases, paid off the parish debt by 2000.
- Fr. John Moriarty
Third pastor; led emphasis on biblical stewardship as a way of life; remembered for cheerful personality and homilies with giveaway props.
- Fr. Danny Schwendeman2017–
Fourth pastor; led the parish through the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Fr. Charles Howell
Fifth and current pastor; a 'son' of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish whose evangelical background shapes his dynamic preaching.