About St. Mary · La Center, Kentucky
St. Mary of the Fields is a Roman Catholic mission parish in La Center, Ballard County, Kentucky, in the Diocese of Owensboro. It is administered as a mission of Rosary Chapel Parish in nearby Paducah and is currently served by Fr. Jude Okeoma, pastor of the linked Rosary Chapel–St. Mary cluster. The parish gathers at 624 Broadway for Sunday Mass and a pair of weekday Masses, and it is best known locally as a small, close-knit country parish that reaches out in hospitality — most recently feeding 120 visiting youth missionaries with TEAMeffort in Ballard County. The church sits in a rural community about 21 miles west of Paducah, just off US-60, and is one of several long-standing missions tied to the Paducah-area Catholic community.
- Patron
- Blessed Virgin Mary (parish name: St. Mary of the Fields)
- Rector
- Rev. Jude Okeoma (Parochial Vicar of the Rosary Chapel / St. Mary cluster; per diocesan announcement effective June 9, 2026, Rev. Gary Clark becomes Pastor of Rosary Chapel, Paducah and St. Mary, LaCenter, with Fr. Okeoma serving as Parochial Vicar)
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Owensboro (Bishop: Most Reverend William F. Medley)
Why belong here
St. Mary of the Fields offers the warmth of a small rural Catholic community in Ballard County, with Sunday Mass at 8:30 AM and additional weekday Masses on Monday (except the 3rd Monday) and Wednesday at 5:30 PM. As a mission of Rosary Chapel Parish in Paducah, it is shepherded by experienced diocesan priests who link the La Center faithful to the wider sacramental and parish life of the diocese. Parishioners are visible witnesses of hospitality and service — from preparing meals for visiting mission groups to raising up youth recognized for faith leadership — making it a place where families and longtime members know one another by name.
Mass times at St. Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
About St. Mary of the Fields Parish
St. Mary of the Fields is the Catholic mission parish serving La Center and surrounding Ballard County in far-western Kentucky. It belongs to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Owensboro and is canonically a mission of Rosary Chapel Parish in Paducah, meaning sacramental and pastoral care is shared with that parish. The mailing address is P.O. Box 570, La Center, KY 42056, and the church stands at 624 Broadway. The parish gathers for Sunday Mass each week at 8:30 AM and celebrates weekday Masses on Monday (except the 3rd Monday of the month) and Wednesday at 5:30 PM.
- Roman Catholic (Latin Rite) mission parish
- Diocese of Owensboro
- Tied to Rosary Chapel, Paducah
- Address: 624 Broadway, La Center, KY 42056
- Mailing: P.O. Box 570, La Center, KY 42056
Parish History
St. Mary of the Fields has functioned for decades as a mission of Rosary Chapel Parish, Paducah — Rosary Chapel itself was established in 1947, and the La Center mission has been served alongside it ever since. Diocesan marriage-anniversary listings in the Western Kentucky Catholic through the 2000s include numerous St. Mary of the Fields couples, evidence of an established, multigenerational Catholic presence in Ballard County. Priests assigned in recent years include Rev. Julian Ibemere (named pastor of Rosary Chapel, Paducah, and St. Mary of the Fields effective January 6, 2009) and Rev. Emmanuel Udoh, who served as pastor of the cluster.
- Mission of Rosary Chapel, Paducah (Rosary Chapel est. 1947)
- Couples such as Bernard & Helen Anselm (55 years, 2006), Floyd & Fran Roderfeld (56 years, 2007), and Clyde & Mary K. Riepe (40 years, 2007) recognized in diocesan anniversary celebrations
- Rev. Julian Ibemere assigned as pastor January 6, 2009
- Rev. Emmanuel Udoh served as pastor in the following years
Parish Leadership and Clergy
St. Mary of the Fields is currently shepherded by Fr. Jude Okeoma, who serves as Pastor of the Rosary Chapel (Paducah) and St. Mary (LaCenter) cluster. In the diocese's April 2026 priest assignments, Rev. Gary Clark was announced as the new Pastor of Rosary Chapel, Paducah and St. Mary, LaCenter effective June 9, 2026 (he will continue as pastor of St. Francis de Sales in Paducah). At the same time, Fr. Jude Okeoma was reassigned as Parochial Vicar of the cluster, and Rev. Paschal Umoh was named Temporary Parochial Vicar during the pastors' sabbatical.
- Fr. Jude Okeoma — current Pastor (becomes Parochial Vicar June 9, 2026); contact via parish email
- Rev. Gary Clark — Pastor effective June 9, 2026
- Rev. Paschal Umoh — Temporary Parochial Vicar effective June 9, 2026
Mass and Worship Schedule
The parish's regular Mass schedule, as published by the Diocese of Owensboro and aggregator listings (CatholicMassTime, Discover Mass), is simple and steady: Sunday morning at 8:30 AM, with weekday Masses Monday evening at 5:30 PM (except the 3rd Monday of the month) and Wednesday evening at 5:30 PM.
- Sunday: 8:30 AM
- Monday (except 3rd Monday): 5:30 PM
- Wednesday: 5:30 PM
Contact Information
Parishioners and visitors can reach St. Mary of the Fields by phone at 270-665-5551 or by email at [email protected]. The church is located at 624 Broadway, La Center, KY 42056, with a mailing address of P.O. Box 570, La Center, KY 42056. As a mission of Rosary Chapel, the parish also shares in pastoral coverage with Rosary Chapel's offices at 711 Ohio Street, Paducah (270-444-6383).
- Phone: 270-665-5551
- Email: [email protected]
- Address: 624 Broadway, La Center, KY 42056
- Mailing: P.O. Box 570, La Center, KY 42056
Parish Ministries and Outreach
Although St. Mary of the Fields is a small mission, it has a visible culture of hospitality and service. In the summer of 2025, a team of parish cooks — Norma Alselm, Mary Margaret Higgins, Joan Hutchins, Keith Kleekamp, Patty Matuszewski, Chris and Sharon Naas, Harriet Rankin, Sondra Rankin, Jessica Riddle, and Gengi Sullivan — prepared a taco dinner for 120 TEAMeffort youth missionaries staying in Ballard County for a week of repair and service work. The parish also supports youth faith formation; in 2007, parishioner Caitlin Cummins was honored with the diocese's Servant Leaders in Ministry (SLIM) Award for her leadership.
- Hospitality / meal ministry for visiting mission groups
- Youth faith formation and leadership (SLIM Award recognition)
- Liturgical and parish volunteer support
Getting to St. Mary of the Fields
The parish sits in the small river-town community of La Center in Ballard County, in far-western Kentucky. From Paducah, the easiest route is west on US-60 for roughly 21 miles, then exit onto KY-358 (Broadway / Bandana Road) heading north; the church sits at the corner of 6th Street. Because the parish shares pastoral care with Rosary Chapel in Paducah, some parishioners also travel to 711 Ohio Street, Paducah, for additional services.
- Located at corner of 6th Street and Broadway in La Center
- Approximately 21 miles west of Paducah via US-60
- Exit KY-358 (Broadway / Bandana Rd) heading north from US-60
Diocese of Owensboro
St. Mary of the Fields is one of the parishes and missions of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Owensboro, which was established in 1937 and serves western Kentucky. The diocesan see is St. Stephen Cathedral in Owensboro, currently under the leadership of Most Reverend William F. Medley, Bishop of Owensboro. The parish shares its local cluster with Rosary Chapel, Paducah, and St. Francis de Sales, Paducah.
- Diocese of Owensboro (est. 1937)
- Bishop: Most Reverend William F. Medley
- Diocesan see: St. Stephen Cathedral, Owensboro
- Cluster partner parishes: Rosary Chapel and St. Francis de Sales, Paducah
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Julian Ibemereeffective January 6, 2009
Assigned as Pastor of Rosary Chapel, Paducah, and St. Mary of the Fields, La Center, per 2008-2009 diocesan priest assignments.
- Rev. Emmanuel Udohserved as pastor (listed in diocese directory)
Listed as Pastor of St. Mary of the Fields alongside Rosary Chapel in an Owensboro diocese parish directory.
- Rev. Jude Okeomacurrent (until transition June 9, 2026)
Pastor of Rosary Chapel (Paducah) and St. Mary Parish (LaCenter); will become Parochial Vicar effective June 9, 2026 per diocesan announcement.
- Rev. Gary Clarkeffective June 9, 2026
Announced as Pastor of Rosary Chapel, Paducah and St. Mary, LaCenter, while continuing as pastor of St. Francis de Sales in Paducah.
- Rev. Paschal Umoheffective June 9, 2026 (temporary)
Assigned Temporary Parochial Vicar for St. Francis de Sales, Rosary Chapel, and St. Mary, LaCenter, while pastors are on sabbatical.