About St. Elizabeth of Hungary · Louisville, Kentucky
St. Elizabeth of Hungary is a Roman Catholic parish in the Schnitzelburg neighborhood of Louisville, Kentucky, founded in 1906 by German immigrants and the German-born priest Father James Assent. Now in its second century, the parish belongs to the Pax Christi Collaborative and shares pastoral staff with neighboring Our Mother of Sorrows (and historically Saint Therese) parishes. The current pastor is Very Rev. Philip L. Erickson, JCL, KHS, assisted by two permanent deacons, and the parish currently lists about 244 registered families. Its 1915 twin-towered Classical Revival church, designed by architect Fred T. Erhart, is on the National Register of Historic Places.
- Established
- 1906
- Patron
- St. Elizabeth of Hungary
- Rector
- Very Rev. Philip L. Erickson, JCL, KHS
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Louisville
Why belong here
St. Elizabeth of Hungary is a more-than-century-old parish in the heart of Schnitzelburg that still serves as a 'large, beautiful worship space' for long-time parishioners while actively welcoming young families, youth, and young adults. Through the Pax Christi Collaborative it offers shared ministries such as Eucharistic Adoration, a child-care program and cry room during Mass, a vibrant social-media community featuring 'People of Pax Christi' profiles, and outreach projects like the Vietnamese refugee garden well. With 244 registered families, daily and Sunday Mass (including a 7 p.m. Sunday Mass popular with University of Louisville students), Sunday confession, and the witness of the Ursuline Sisters' educational legacy, it is a place where the faith, traditions, and neighborhood life of east-side Louisville come together.
Mass times at St. Elizabeth of Hungary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday 6:00–6:30 PM at St. Elizabeth
- By appointment at Our Mother of Sorrows
Adoration times
- Eucharistic Adoration available 24/7 at the confessional window on the parking-lot side of Our Mother of Sorrows
Parish History
St. Elizabeth of Hungary was established in December 1905 and dedicated on September 2, 1906, by German-born Father James Assent to serve the Schnitzelburg neighborhood of east-side Louisville, settled by German-Catholic immigrants. The original combination church-and-school opened with 200 students, taught by the Ursuline Sisters of Louisville, and the school grew into one of the largest Catholic grade schools in the Archdiocese. A larger, architecturally ambitious church was dedicated on August 8, 1915, and Monsignor John Dudine, the fourth and longest-serving pastor (1938–1967), led the parish through World War II and Vatican II while expanding and beautifying the property. The parish marked its centenary on November 19, 2006, and in 2012 entered a collaborative with Our Mother of Sorrows and Saint Therese that today continues as the Pax Christi Collaborative.
- Established December 1905; dedicated September 2, 1906
- First pastor: Father James Assent (German-born)
- Present church dedicated August 8, 1915
- School staffed by the Ursuline Sisters of Louisville; over 1,000 students at its peak
- Longest-serving pastor: Monsignor John Dudine (1938–1967)
- Centenary celebrated November 19, 2006
- Pax Christi Collaborative formed 2012
The Church Building & Architecture
The present St. Elizabeth of Hungary Church is a Classical Revival design by Louisville architect Fred T. Erhart, built in 1915 of brick with limestone trim and featuring a pedimented main facade flanked by twin square towers. The interior is on an auditorium plan with a vaulted ceiling, octagonal stained-glass skylight, semi-circular nave, side altars, terrazzo floor, and oak pews. The interior was redecorated in 1938 on the parish's silver anniversary by ecclesiastical architect Thomas J. Nolan; the first stained-glass windows were installed in 1940, and the building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.
- Architect: Fred T. Erhart (1870–1951)
- Style: Classical Revival with Italian Renaissance and English Baroque elements
- Material: brick with limestone trim
- Interior redecorated 1938 by Thomas J. Nolan; stained glass 1940
- Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, May 6, 1982 (NRHP #82002721)
Parish Staff & Clergy
The parish is led by Very Rev. Philip L. Erickson, JCL, KHS, who serves as pastor of the Pax Christi Collaborative. He is assisted by two permanent deacons, W. Timothy Johnson and Timothy E. Stewart, and a small pastoral staff handling liturgy, business, and administration. Pastoral services for St. Elizabeth are coordinated from the collaborative offices.
- Pastor: Very Rev. Philip L. Erickson, JCL, KHS
- Permanent Deacon: W. Timothy Johnson
- Permanent Deacon: Timothy E. Stewart
- Liturgy Coordinator: Regina Herdt
- Business Manager: Lisa Baxter
- Bookkeeper: Elaine Hambleton
- Secretary: Clare Vize
Parish Ministries & Outreach
Throughout its history, the parish has supported a strong fabric of lay organizations including a Boy Scout troop, the Kids of St. Elizabeth Teen Club, a Parent-Teachers Association, and chapters of the St. Vincent de Paul and St. Joseph's Orphans Societies. Eucharistic Ministers continue to bring Holy Communion to the homebound and elderly parishioners, and parishioners have hosted open houses at the church for non-Catholics. Through the Pax Christi Collaborative, the parish participates in wider outreach such as the 'People of Pax Christi' social-media series and a refugee garden-well project in partnership with Catholic Charities and St. John Vianney Church.
- Eucharistic Ministers to the homebound and elderly
- St. Vincent de Paul Society
- St. Joseph's Orphans Society
- Kids of St. Elizabeth Teen Club
- Boy Scout troop
- Open-house evangelization events for non-Catholics
- Refugee Agricultural Partnership Program well and garden project
Schnitzelburg & the Neighborhood
St. Elizabeth of Hungary is a long-standing presence in Schnitzelburg, a tightly knit east-side Louisville neighborhood settled largely by German-Catholic immigrants in the decades around 1900. The area is known for its modest shotgun houses, bungalows, shady streets, and a once-thriving commercial strip of shops and taverns. The Archdiocese of Louisville describes the parish as refocusing its mission to meet the social and spiritual needs of an aging population while remaining welcoming to young families, youth, and young adults — the latter drawn to the area by the nearby University of Louisville and Bellarmine University.
- Located in the Schnitzelburg neighborhood, roughly three miles east of downtown Louisville
- Originally served second- and third-generation German immigrants
- Parish actively welcomes young families, youth, and young adults
- Near University of Louisville and Bellarmine University
Pax Christi Collaborative
In 2012, Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, Our Mother of Sorrows, and Saint Therese formed a collaborative to share staff and ministry; the partnership has since been streamlined to Saint Elizabeth and Our Mother of Sorrows, working together as the Pax Christi Collaborative. The name reflects the parishes' resolve to spread the peace of Christ throughout Louisville and their shared Latin heritage ('Pax' = peace; 'Christi' = of Christ). Today the parishes are administered together from 747 Harrison Avenue (the Our Mother of Sorrows site) and share clergy, staff, and sacramental programming.
- Collaborative formed 2012 with Our Mother of Sorrows and St. Therese
- Currently pairs St. Elizabeth of Hungary with Our Mother of Sorrows
- Shared pastor: Very Rev. Philip L. Erickson, JCL, KHS
- Shared staff and sacramental programming
St. Elizabeth of Hungary, Patroness
The parish's patroness, St. Elizabeth of Hungary (1207–1231), was the daughter of King Andrew II of Hungary and wife of Duke Louis IV of Thuringia, renowned from childhood for prayer, sacrifice, and radical service to the poor and sick. After her husband's death she joined the Third Order of St. Francis at Marburg, built a hospital, kept only a small mud house for herself, and supported the indigent by spinning. She died at only 24 and is honored on her feast day, November 17, as patron of the poor, the sick, bakers, brides, widows, hospitals, and many other causes.
- Born 1207 in Hungary; died 1231
- Daughter of King Andrew II of Hungary; wife of Duke Louis IV of Thuringia
- Tertiary of St. Francis; built a hospital at Marburg
- Feast day: November 17
Contact, Location & Practical Info
The parish offices are attended from the Our Mother of Sorrows campus at 747 Harrison Avenue, Louisville, KY 40217-1931, while Mass and sacramental life at St. Elizabeth itself take place at 1020 East Burnett Avenue, Louisville, KY 40217-1206. Parishioners and visitors can reach the office by phone at (502) 637-7600, by fax at (502) 637-3794, or by email at [email protected]. The collaborative's website at paxchristilou.org is the central online hub for both parishes.
- Church location: 1020 East Burnett Avenue, Louisville, KY 40217-1206
- Mailing address: c/o 747 Harrison Avenue, Louisville, KY 40217-1931
- Phone: (502) 637-7600
- Fax: (502) 637-3794
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://www.paxchristilou.org/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father James Assent1906–
German-born founding pastor; built the original combination church and school, dedicated September 2, 1906.
- Father John F. Knue1927–1938
Third pastor; oversaw the school reaching over 1,100 students; transferred to Holy Trinity, St. Matthews, in 1938.
- Monsignor John Dudine1938–1967
Fourth and longest-serving pastor; guided the parish through WWII and Vatican II, expanded the property, and supported the 1938 interior redecoration.
- Rev. Christopher S. Rhodes
Listed as pastor in the 2018 Archdiocese of Louisville directory during the early years of the collaborative.
- Very Rev. Philip L. Erickson, JCL, KHS
Current pastor (2025–2026 directory), leading the parish within the Pax Christi Collaborative.