About St. Jerome · Fancy Farm, Kentucky
St. Jerome Catholic Church is a historic Roman Catholic parish in the village of Fancy Farm, Graves County, in far-western Kentucky's Jackson Purchase region. Founded in 1836 by the missionary priest Fr. Elisha Durbin, it is the mother church of the "Catholic settlement" of Fancy Farm and the largest Catholic congregation in the area, belonging to the Diocese of Owensboro. The parish is best known across Kentucky as the host of the annual Fancy Farm Picnic, the state's premier bipartisan political cookout held on the church grounds every first Saturday in August, and its 1893 Gothic Revival church and 17-acre campus were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2014.
- Established
- 1836
- Patron
- St. Jerome (Emiliani)
- Rector
- Fr. Darrell Venters
- Diocese
- Diocese of Owensboro
Why belong here
St. Jerome offers a deep-rooted Catholic community in a small, family-friendly town where the parish has been the center of life for nearly two centuries. Worshippers find traditional liturgy (weekday morning Masses, weekend Masses, Saturday confession, Sunday Rosary in the Grotto, and Eucharistic Adoration), a strong Stephen Ministry for one-on-one Christian care, and a parish staff that includes the pastor and dedicated lay leaders. The 17-acre campus — with its 1893 Gothic Revival church, restored 1909 school, parish center, picnic grounds, and cemetery — is the heart of Fancy Farm's famous annual picnic, which draws thousands of faithful and visitors every first Saturday in August and funds parish ministries and local improvements.
Mass times at St. Jerome
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:30 PM (in the chapel during August)
- By appointment
Adoration times
- Sunday 4:30 PM – 5:00 PM (Rosary/Adoration in the Grotto)
Parish History
St. Jerome Catholic Church was founded in 1835–1836 by Kentucky missionary priest Fr. Elisha John Durbin, who built the first log church on land he purchased in the village of Fancy Farm. The parish grew from a settlement of Catholic families migrated from Washington County, Kentucky, who were themselves descendants of Maryland's Lord Baltimore Catholics. The brick church of 1857–1858, the present Gothic Revival church of 1893, and the 1909 parochial school mark the major building eras. The parish historically served Catholics across Graves, Ballard, Hickman, and Fulton counties and today forms the heart of the village's famous Catholic settlement.
- 1836: first log church built by Father Durbin
- 1857–1858: brick church completed under Fr. Patrick Bambury
- 1893: present Gothic Revival church blessed by Bishop William McCloskey
- 1882: first parochial school opened under Fr. Richard P. Feehan
- 1909: brick school blessed
- 1937: parish becomes part of the new Diocese of Owensboro
- 1938: major church renovation
- 2014: 17-acre complex added to the National Register of Historic Places
Mission & Outreach
St. Jerome Parish, home of the famous Fancy Farm Picnic, has long been a center of Catholic education and community life in far-western Kentucky. The annual picnic, held on the first Saturday in August, draws thousands and the parish ladies still make over 400 pounds each of slaw and potato salad, with the Knights of Columbus cooking the barbecue beef. Local farmers donate most of the meat and wood. Recent picnic proceeds have grossed over $200,000 and support parish buildings, sporting facilities, and local improvements.
- Stephen Ministry (one-to-one confidential Christian care)
- Souper Bowl of Caring
- Baby Bottle Campaign
- Paint Party
- Buildings & Grounds Committee
- Annual Fancy Farm Picnic (the largest one-day political gathering in Kentucky)
Faith Formation & Catholic Education
Catholic education has been a hallmark of St. Jerome since 1882. The first St. Jerome Parochial School opened in November 1882 under Fr. Richard P. Feehan with fifteen pupils, increasing to fifty by the end of that school year. The Franciscan Sisters of Shelbyville staffed the school in its early years, and the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth took over in 1909. A 1948 high school was added. By the 1960s religious instruction was phased out and teaching became lay-led by 1975. The Sisters of Charity of Nazareth Convent (1964) now serves as the parish center, and the 1909 school has been restored as a museum of Catholic education in Fancy Farm.
- First parochial school opened November 1882
- Franciscan Sisters of Shelbyville (early staff)
- Sisters of Charity of Nazareth (1909–1969)
- 1909 brick school blessed; later restored as a museum
- 1948 high school built
- Sisters of Charity of Nazareth Convent (1964), now parish center
Liturgy & Worship
St. Jerome offers a traditional schedule of weekend and weekday Masses in English. Confessions are heard Saturday afternoons and by appointment, and the parish maintains a Sunday Rosary and Eucharistic Adoration in the Grotto. During August, weekend Masses move to the Parish Hall and weekday morning Masses to St. Benedict Hall while the church carpet is replaced.
- Saturday Vigil: 5:00 PM
- Sunday: 8:00 AM and 10:30 AM
- Weekday Masses Tuesday, Thursday, Friday at 8:00 AM
- Wednesday 8:00 AM (June & July); 6:00 PM (August through May)
- Saturday Confession: 3:30 PM (in chapel during August)
- Sunday Rosary in the Grotto: 4:30 PM
- August adjustments to Parish Hall and St. Benedict Hall
Buildings & Grounds
The 17-acre St. Jerome's Catholic Church Complex is one of the largest parish campuses in the Diocese of Owensboro. Its core is the 1893 Gothic Revival church flanked by the rectory, the 1909 school (now partly a museum), the 1948 high school, the cafeteria building, the agriculture shop, the gymnasium/auditorium, the former Sisters of Charity of Nazareth Convent (now parish center), and the contributing St. Jerome Cemetery. A 5-foot marble Holy Family statue was recently added to the niche on the south side of the church.
- 1893 Gothic Revival church
- 1909 school (restored as museum)
- 1948 high school
- 1964 Sisters of Charity of Nazareth Convent (now parish center)
- St. Jerome Cemetery (contributing site)
- New 5-foot Holy Family marble statue
The Fancy Farm Picnic
The annual Fancy Farm Picnic, billed as the largest one-day political gathering in Kentucky, has been hosted on the St. Jerome grounds since 1881, with the exception of a Civil War hiatus. It evolved from a purely local parish fundraiser into a statewide bipartisan political cookout that 12,000–15,000 people attend each year, with all food prepared by the parish. The 1985 Guinness Book of World Records named it the 'World's Largest Picnic' for 15,000 pounds of meat cooked that year.
- First picnic recorded in 1881 under Fr. R. Feehan
- Hiatus during the Civil War; resumed in the 1880s
- Featured speakers: VP Alben Barkley, VP Al Gore, George Wallace, A. B. 'Happy' Chandler
- 1912 picnic moved to the school grounds
- Centennial picnic in 1980 hosted by Fr. William Hancock
- 1985 Guinness 'World's Largest Picnic' record (15,000 lbs of meat)
Leadership & Staff
St. Jerome Parish is led by Fr. Darrell Venters, who is also one of the parish's Stephen Leaders. The parish staff page lists the pastor and lay ministry leaders, including the Stephen Ministry team (Hank Cecil and Lacy Riddle). The parish is supported by the Diocese of Owensboro, which lists it under Fr. Venters' name.
- Fr. Darrell Venters – Pastor
- Hank Cecil – Stephen Leader
- Lacy Riddle – Stephen Leader
- Pastoral contact: [email protected] / 270-623-8181
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Elisha John Durbin1830–c.1836 (missionary visits; built first log church 1835–1836)
Kentucky missionary priest, headquartered at Sacred Heart, Union County. Built the first log church at Fancy Farm in 1835–1836, the first Catholic church in the Jackson Purchase. Born 1800 in Madison Co., KY; ordained 1822.
- Rev. Alfred Hagan1840–1845
First resident pastor of Fancy Farm. Served the Catholics dispersed over Graves and neighboring counties until his death in 1845.
- Rev. Patrick McNicholsc.1845–c.1848/49
Watched over the growing congregation with pastoral care for three or four years.
- Rev. William Oberhulsmanc.1848/49–1855
Began the larger brick church; died suddenly in the fall of 1855 before it was completed.
- Rev. John Boyle1855–1856
Continued the work for only a few months before turning over the parish.
- Rev. Patrick Bambury1857–1859
Completed and dedicated the brick church that Oberhulsman had begun.
- Rev. John Martin Beyhurst1859–1861
A native of Bavaria.
- Rev. William Bourke1861–c.1868
Attended to the spiritual needs of Catholics in Graves, Ballard, Hickman, and Fulton counties.
- Rev. John A. Barrett1869–
Succeeded Fr. Bourke in 1869.
- Rev. Richard P. Feehan1880s (incl. 1881)
Pastor at the time of the first Fancy Farm Picnic (1881); opened the first St. Jerome Parochial School in November 1882 with 15 pupils.
- Rev. Charles A. Haeseley1888–1920
Built the present Gothic Revival church (begun 1891, dedicated Nov 1892/1893), the brick school, and the rectory.
- Rev. (Msgr.) Albert Thompson1920–
Elected/built the rectory and the 1909 St. Jerome School during his pastorate.
- Rev. (Msgr.) E. Russellc.1930s–
Led the parish through the Great Depression and the 1938 church renovation; took over just prior to the establishment of the Diocese of Owensboro in 1937.
- Rev. Charles Denardimid-to-late 20th c.
Noted pastor (per St. Jerome Sesquicentennial / Fancy Farm historical markers).
- Rev. William Hancockc.1980
Hosted the 1980 Centennial Picnic.
- Fr. Darrell Venterscurrent
Current pastor; listed by Diocese of Owensboro as Pastor of St. Jerome Parish; leads Stephen Ministry.