About St. Joseph · Louisville, Kentucky
St. Joseph Catholic Church is a historic parish in the Butchertown neighborhood of Louisville, Kentucky, established in 1866 to serve German and Irish Catholic families working in the local slaughterhouses and stockyards. Its twin Gothic spires — said to be the tallest in Louisville — have anchored the neighborhood known as 'The Point' for more than a century. Today the parish is a fast-growing, bilingual community of roughly 1,100 registered households that welcomes immigrant Latino-Hispanic families alongside long-time Butchertown parishioners. Weekend Mass is offered in English and Spanish, daily Mass is celebrated Monday through Friday (no Wednesday Mass), and the parish runs a robust religious education program along with Hispanic devotional ministries such as Our Lady of Guadalupe and Las Posadas.
- Established
- 1866
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Rev. L. Wilfredo Fernandez
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Louisville
Why belong here
St. Joseph is one of Louisville's most historic parishes — its 1886 Gothic church and tallest-in-Louisville twin steeples anchor the Butchertown neighborhood — and it remains a true community parish where immigrants and long-time families worship side by side. With a Saturday Vigil Mass, a Sunday Spanish Mass, weekday Mass four days a week, Eucharistic Adoration on Thursdays and First Fridays, and weekly confession Saturdays, there are abundant opportunities to encounter Christ in the sacraments. Its ministries — bilingual OCIA (formerly RCIA), PreK–8 faith formation for First Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation, a youth group, and devotional Hispanic traditions like Our Lady of Guadalupe and Las Posadas — make it a welcoming spiritual home for English- and Spanish-speaking families alike.
Mass times at St. Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00–3:45 PM
- Or by appointment
Adoration times
- Thursdays at 12:00 PM (Noon)
- First Fridays 6:00–9:00 PM
Parish History
Founded in 1866 to serve German and Irish Catholic families working in Louisville's Butchertown stockyards, St. Joseph has served its neighborhood for more than 150 years. Bishop Martin John Spalding established the parish and entrusted its organization to Father Leopold Walterspiel, a native of the Grand Duchy of Baden educated at the American College of Louvain. The original red-brick combination school-and-church on Washington Street was dedicated January 6, 1866, and is still standing. After 127 years of Franciscan pastoral care (1875–2002), the parish is now led by diocesan priests and continues its immigrant-serving mission with a Spanish-language Sunday Mass.
- 1866 — Parish established by Bishop Martin John Spalding; first pastor Fr. Leopold Walterspiel
- 1866 — Red-brick school/church combination dedicated Jan. 6 by Bishop Peter J. Lavialle
- 1866 — Ursuline Sisters of Louisville begin staffing the parish school (236 students in grades 1–8)
- 1871 — Addition and living space blessed under second pastor Fr. William Van der Hagen
- 1875 — Franciscan Fathers of Cincinnati take charge; Fr. Eugene Butterman, O.F.M., first Franciscan pastor
- 1886 — Present Gothic-style church consecrated under Fr. Aloysius Kurtz, O.F.M., the 'second founder'
- 1905–06 — Twin steeples added (said to be Louisville's tallest)
- 1922 — Lourdes grotto added
- 2002 — Franciscans depart after 127 years
- 2003 — Fr. Jack Schindler dies while leading parishioners on trip to Germany
- 2003 — Sr. Justina Heneghan, R.S.M., becomes first pastoral administrator
- 2003 — Parish school closes
Architecture & Grounds
The present St. Joseph Church is a Gothic-style edifice consecrated in 1886 under Father Aloysius Kurtz, O.F.M., who reportedly laid bricks alongside the workmen. Its twin spires — added in 1905–06 and said to be the tallest in Louisville — have long been the visual landmark of Butchertown. The grounds also feature a Lourdes grotto added in 1922. The original 1866 red-brick combination school-and-church building, on the south side of Washington Street between Adams and Webster, still stands and remains in use by the parish.
- Gothic-style main church (1886)
- Twin steeples, added 1905–06 — tallest in Louisville
- Lourdes grotto, added 1922
- Original 1866 red-brick school/church combination, still standing
Clergy & Staff
The parish is currently served by a pastor, an administrator, and a permanent deacon, supported by a business manager, parish liaison, plant manager, and Hispanic ministries coordinator. The Archdiocese of Louisville lists Rev. L. Wilfredo Fernandez as pastor; the parish website currently lists Rev. Brito Cardenas as administrator.
- Rev. L. Wilfredo Fernandez — Pastor
- Rev. Brito Cardenas — Administrator (Enlace Parroquial listed as Perla Garcia)
- Deacon Michael M. Shumway — Permanent Deacon
- Jennifer Tanselle — Business Manager & Bookkeeper
- Perla Garcia — Parish Liaison / Enlace Parroquial
- Jacob Taylor — Plant Manager / Gerente de Planta
- Juslidin Mendoza Sandoval — Hispanic Ministries Coordinator
- Secretary — Open
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The parish offers bilingual religious education for children from PreK (age 5) through Grade 8, with sacramental preparation for First Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation. Classes meet on Sundays from 10:45 AM to 11:45 AM in the Educational Center, August through April. Adult faith formation is offered the same hour on Sundays, September through April, and is open to all adults including parents of children in sacramental preparation.
- Children's Religious Education (PreK–Grade 8), Sundays 10:45–11:45 AM, August–April
- Sacramental Preparation: First Reconciliation, First Communion, Confirmation
- Adult Faith Formation, Sundays 10:45–11:45 AM, September–April
- Youth Group / Grupo de Jóvenes
OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation for Adults)
St. Joseph offers the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults — formerly known as RCIA — a communal process of study, exploration, faith-sharing, and formation for non-baptized adults seeking full initiation into the Catholic Church, as well as baptized adult Christians seeking full communion. The process follows the ancient steps of the early Church: Pre-Catechumenate (Inquiry), Rite of Initiation, Catechumenate, Rite of Election, the Sacraments of Initiation at the Easter Vigil, and Mystagogy.
- Pre-Catechumenate / Period of Inquiry
- Rite of Initiation (acceptance into the worshipping community)
- Catechumenate — formation in Catholic tradition and doctrine
- Rite of Election — catechumens received by the bishop
- Sacraments of Initiation at the Easter Vigil (Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation)
- Mystagogy — post-Easter reflection
- OCIA Team of sponsors supports those discerning
Hispanic Ministries
Hispanic ministries are a central part of parish life at St. Joseph, which celebrates a weekly Sunday Mass in Spanish and maintains devotional traditions rooted in Latin American Catholic culture. These ministries build solidarity and faith, passing on cultural and spiritual identity to younger generations.
- Sunday Spanish Mass — 12:00 PM (no Mass Wednesdays)
- Our Lady of Guadalupe Ministry — December 12 feast celebration
- Posadas — nine-night candlelit procession each December, with piñatas and refreshments
- Quinceañera Masses (book at least 6 months in advance through the parish office)
- Hispanic Ministries Coordinator: Juslidin Mendoza Sandoval
Parish Councils & Community Life
The Pastoral Council (Consejo Pastoral) is a visionary, advisory body that fosters the full participation of the parish in its life and mission. It comprises the chairs of three steering committees, six parishioners selected by the parish membership, and three appointed by the pastor or administrator; it meets monthly on the last Tuesday and as needed. Parish life is bilingual, with materials and meetings available in both English and Spanish.
- Pastoral Council / Consejo Pastoral — meets last Tuesday of the month
- Composition: 3 steering-committee chairs + 6 elected parishioners + 3 pastor-appointed members
- Parish street social — rooted in the 1871 fair held under Fr. Van der Hagen
Contact & Visit
St. Joseph Catholic Church is located in Louisville's Butchertown neighborhood at 1406 E. Washington Street. Visitors are welcome at any Mass; Saturday confessions run 3:00–3:45 PM, ahead of the 4:00 PM Vigil Mass. The parish office is open Monday through Thursday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
- Address: 1406 E. Washington Street, Louisville, KY 40206
- Phone: (502) 583-7401
- Fax: (502) 589-7465
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://www.sjosephcatholic.org/
- Office Hours: Monday–Thursday 9:00 AM–4:00 PM
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Leopold Walterspiel1866–1875
First pastor; native of the Grand Duchy of Baden, educated at the American College of Louvain in Belgium; organized the St. Elizabeth Ladies Society and oversaw construction of the original red-brick school-and-church combination dedicated in 1866.
- Rev. William Van der Hagen1871–1875
Second pastor; built an addition and living space (blessed 1871) and launched the parish fair that became today's street social.
- Rev. Eugene Butterman, O.F.M.1875–
First Franciscan pastor, appointed June 1875 when the Franciscan Fathers of Cincinnati took charge of St. Joseph.
- Rev. Aloysius Kurtz, O.F.M.
Second Franciscan pastor; considered the parish's 'second founder' — eliminated the parish debt and built the present Gothic-style church (consecrated 1886), reportedly laying bricks himself.
- Franciscan Friars of Cincinnati1875–2002
Shepherded the parish for 127 years; left in 2002 due to declining vocations.
- Rev. Jack Schindler2002–2003
First diocesan priest assigned after the Franciscans' departure; died in December 2003 while leading parishioners on a trip to Germany.
- Sr. Justina Heneghan, R.S.M.2003–
First pastoral administrator of St. Joseph, working with Fr. Patrick Delahanty as sacramental moderator.
- Rev. L. Wilfredo Fernandez
Current pastor per the Archdiocese of Louisville parish page; born in Tarija, Bolivia, ordained May 28, 2016; previously served at Christ the Healer (Edmonton), Christ the King (Tompkinsville), St. Aloysius (Pewee Valley), St. Edward, the Basilica of St. Joseph Proto-Cathedral (Bardstown), St. Michael (Fairfield), Holy Trinity, and Holy Name.
- Rev. Brito Cardenas
Listed as Administrator on the parish website; from Cuba, attended San Carlos y San Ambrosio Seminary in Havana and the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, ordained Dec. 21, 2003.