About St. Mildred Catholic Church · Somerset, Kentucky
St. Mildred Catholic Church is a bilingual Roman Catholic parish located at 203 S. Central Avenue in Somerset, Pulaski County, Kentucky, within the Diocese of Lexington. The parish traces its origins to 1878, when Irish laborers building the Cincinnati Southern Railway gathered for Mass in homes and the McCabe Hotel, and it became an organized mission in 1888 with a frame chapel dedicated in honor of St. Mildred of Thanet. Today it serves the Lake Cumberland region with daily noon Masses, an English Sunday liturgy and a Spanish-language Misa, daily Holy Hour Adoration, faith formation for children and adults, an outreach center, Knights of Columbus Council 14128, Vacation Bible School, and a summer feeding program for children.
- Established
- 1878
- Patron
- St. Mildred of Thanet (Mildrith), Anglo-Saxon abbess of Minster-in-Thanet, daughter of St. Domneva, c. 660–c. 730
- Rector
- Rev. Carlos Andres Martinez
- Diocese
- Diocese of Lexington
Why belong here
St. Mildred's is a tight-knit bilingual Catholic parish in downtown Somerset that still keeps the daily rhythm of an older American Catholic parish — daily noon Mass, daily Holy Hour Adoration Monday through Friday and the Divine Mercy Chaplet — alongside a Sunday English Mass and a Sunday Spanish Misa. It welcomes families with Vacation Bible School, a parish school of religion led by a veteran catechist, a parish outreach center that serves the wider Pulaski County community, a Knights of Columbus council (Somerset Council 14128), a small-group '10/10 Challenge' for faith sharing, and a summer feeding program for children 18 and under. For someone moving into the Lake Cumberland region who wants both traditional devotions and a Spanish-language Catholic community, St. Mildred is an unusually full offering in a small town.
Mass times at St. Mildred Catholic Church
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday 5:30–6:15 PM
- First Friday 11:00–11:45 AM
- Saturday 4:00–4:45 PM
- And by appointment
Adoration times
- Holy Hour Adoration — Monday 12:00 PM
- Holy Hour Adoration — Tuesday 12:00 PM
- Holy Hour Adoration — Wednesday 6:30 PM
- Holy Hour Adoration — Thursday 12:00 PM
- Holy Hour Adoration — Friday 12:00 PM
- Divine Mercy Chaplet (weekly; see bulletin)
About St. Mildred Catholic Church
St. Mildred Catholic Church is a bilingual Roman Catholic parish of the Diocese of Lexington, located at 203 S. Central Avenue in downtown Somerset, Pulaski County, Kentucky — the heart of the Lake Cumberland region. The parish offers daily Mass and Holy Hour Adoration Monday through Friday, a Saturday Vigil, an English Sunday Mass at 10:15 AM and a Spanish-language Misa en español at 1:00 PM. Its patron is St. Mildred of Thanet (Mildrith), an Anglo-Saxon abbess whose feast is kept on July 13, and the parish regularly celebrates her feast with a potluck brunch and the welcome of newly assigned priests.
- 203 S. Central Ave., Somerset, KY 42501
- Diocese of Lexington — Mountain West Deanery
- Bilingual: English and Spanish
- Daily noon Masses Mon–Fri; Wednesday evening Mass and Holy Hour; Saturday Vigil
Parish History
St. Mildred's is one of the oldest Catholic congregations in southern Kentucky. It was born in 1878 with the Irish laborers who built the Cincinnati Southern Railroad and who for a decade were visited by missionary priests from SS. Peter and Paul in Danville. A frame chapel was dedicated in St. Mildred's honor in 1888; in 1901 the mission built a rectory and received its first resident pastor, Father B.J. Wright. Under Father B.J. Boland (from January 1902) the parish opened the upper Cumberland valley's first Catholic mission school in 1908; on January 29, 1928 a single fire destroyed the church, school and rectory. Father J.A. O'Bryan, who became pastor in 1942, raised $270,000 through his 'Begging Campaign' for the present chapel, rectory and Sisters' home, which Archbishop Floersh dedicated on October 20, 1949. The parish later planted mission churches in Russell County and Wayne County (today's St. Peter, Monticello) and closed its school after the 1970–71 academic year.
- 1878 — parish origins with Cincinnati Southern Railroad Irish laborers
- 1888 — frame chapel dedicated to St. Mildred on High Street
- 1901 — rectory built; Father B.J. Wright becomes first resident pastor
- 1908 — three-story brick school opens (first Catholic mission school in the upper Cumberland valley)
- January 29, 1928 — fire destroys church, school and rectory
- 1942 — Father J.A. O'Bryan begins pastorate
- October 20, 1949 — new Catholic center dedicated by Archbishop Floersh
- End of 1970–71 — parish school closes; Catholic children attend Somerset City Schools from September 1971
Clergy & Staff
St. Mildred's is led by Pastor Rev. Carlos Andres Martinez (ordained 2010 by Bishop Ronald Gainer), who also serves as pastor of Good Shepherd in Whitley City and assists at St. Peter in Monticello. He is assisted by Parochial Vicar Rev. Ben Horn, a Kentucky native ordained May 21, 2022 by Bishop John Stowe, OFM Conv. Two deacons — Gene Cheshire (ordained 1981) and Larry Cranfill (ordained 1995, first class of deacons for the Diocese of Lexington) — assist at the altar and in ministry. Marchetta McKinney has served as Parish Office Manager for more than 29 years.
- Rev. Carlos Andres Martinez — Pastor
- Rev. Ben Horn — Parochial Vicar
- Deacon Gene Cheshire — ordained 1981
- Deacon Larry Cranfill — ordained 1995 (first Lexington class)
- Marchetta McKinney — Parish Office Manager (29+ years)
- Karen Rowe — Director of Religious Education
- Mary Ann Guffey — Outreach Director (since 2015)
Religious Education & Youth
Faith formation for children and adults is coordinated by Karen Rowe, Director of Religious Education, a catechist of more than forty years who joined the parish in 2015. The parish runs a Parish School of Religion for children (Sundays after the 10:15 Mass) and welcomes inquiries from adults preparing for the sacraments. Vacation Bible School is held annually, typically in late July (recently the week of July 20–24), for children of the parish and the wider community.
- Karen Rowe — Director of Religious Education
- Parish School of Religion (Sunday School) after 10:15 Mass
- Adult faith formation / RCIA-style inquiry
- Vacation Bible School (annual, late July)
Outreach & Charity
St. Mildred's Outreach Center, directed since 2015 by Mary Ann Guffey, is a visible ministry to the wider Somerset community, offering food and material assistance well beyond the Catholic population. The parish also hosts an annual Summer Feeding Program, serving free bag lunches to children 18 and under during the week. The Knights of Columbus Somerset Council 14128 supports these efforts and is chartered to the parish.
- St. Mildred Outreach Center (directed by Mary Ann Guffey)
- Summer Feeding Program — free bag lunches for children 18 and under
- Knights of Columbus Somerset Council 14128
- Hospitality / coffee and donuts after the 10:15 Mass
Devotions & Parish Life
Beyond the Mass and Holy Hour schedule, the parish life centers on a small set of traditional devotions. The Divine Mercy Chaplet is prayed weekly, and the parish marks its patron's feast day (July 13 — St. Mildred of Thanet) with a Sunday Mass, potluck brunch provided by the Knights and a visit from 'Saint Mildred' for the children. The parish also runs a '10/10 Challenge' — a grassroots program that gathers parishioners in small groups of ten for ten weeks of faith sharing and fellowship.
- Divine Mercy Chaplet (weekly)
- Feast of St. Mildred — July 13 Mass, potluck and welcome brunch
- 10/10 Challenge small-group faith sharing
- Parish Choir (with Deacon Gene Cheshire as cantor)
- Welcome / Social Committee
Giving, Address & Contact
Parishioners and visitors can support the parish by dropping their offertory envelope in the collection basket, mailing it to the parish office, or signing up for online giving through the DONATE button on the parish website. The parish office, managed by Marchetta McKinney, can assist with online giving sign-ups by phone at 606-678-5051.
- Address: 203 S. Central Ave., Somerset, KY 42501
- Phone: 606-678-5051 (parish office); 606-678-4617 (Outreach)
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://www.saintmildred.com
- Online giving available through the parish website
- Pastor direct line: 859-285-5210
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Visiting missionary priests from SS. Peter and Paul, Danville1878–1888
Served the Irish railroad-laborer community from Danville; Mass offered in homes and in the McCabe Hotel.
- Rev. B.J. Wright1901–
First resident pastor; arrived when the rectory was built in 1901 and the mission became a parish.
- Rev. B.J. BolandJanuary 1902 – c. 1919
Remained nearly eighteen years; built and opened the three-story brick school with Sisters' quarters in 1908, the first Catholic mission school in the upper Cumberland River valley.
- Rev. J.A. O'Bryan1942–
Launched the parish 'Begging Campaign' that funded the new chapel, rectory and Sisters' home valued at $270,000; the Catholic center was dedicated by Archbishop Floersh on October 20, 1949.
- Rev. Michael Wimsattmid–late 20th century
Identified in a parish history photograph alongside Fr. Ronald Knott as 'TWO FORMER PASTORS OF THE CATHEDRAL ON A FORMER ASH WEDNESDAY'; served at St. Mildred before later ministry at the Cathedral.
- Rev. Ronald Knottearly 1970s (Associate Pastor); later Pastor
Began at St. Mildred as a newly ordained Associate Pastor in the early 1970s; recounts growing his first beard here in 1972 after a Taizé pilgrimage and later becoming pastor of the Cathedral of the Assumption in 1983.
- Rev. Jay VonHandorfbefore 2024
Listed as pastor of St. Mildred in third-party parish directories prior to the current pastor's appointment.
- Rev. Carlos Andres Martinez2024–present
Current pastor; ordained 2010 by Bishop Ronald Gainer; previously parochial vicar at St. Mildred (2010), St. Paul Lexington (2012) and Mary Queen of the Holy Rosary (2019); serves also as pastor of Good Shepherd, Whitley City, with assistance to St. Peter, Monticello.
- Rev. Ben HornSummer 2024–present
Parochial Vicar; Kentucky native; ordained May 21, 2022 by Bishop John Stowe, OFM Conv.