About St. Patrick Catholic Church · Mount Sterling, Kentucky
St. Patrick Catholic Church is a small Catholic parish serving Mount Sterling and the rest of Montgomery County in eastern Kentucky, and has been a worshiping community in the region since the parish was formally established in 1868. It belongs to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lexington and is a bilingual community, offering Sunday Mass in both English and Spanish. The parish describes itself as 'few in number,' committed to discipleship, faith formation, and serving the poor and unchurched across the county.
- Established
- 1868
- Patron
- St. Patrick
- Rector
- Father Rob Adams
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Lexington
Why belong here
St. Patrick's is a small but welcoming bilingual Catholic community serving all of Montgomery County, with Mass celebrated in both English and Spanish each Sunday. It offers the full sacramental life of a parish — daily Mass, monthly Adoration and Benediction, regular Reconciliation, and sacramental preparation for baptism, marriage, and the Anointing of the Sick — alongside OCIA (formerly RCIA) and K–12 children's faith formation on Sundays. Visitors and newcomers are explicitly welcomed, and the parish sees itself as a mission outpost called to 'serve the poor and unchurched' across the county.
Mass times at St. Patrick Catholic Church
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Thursdays, 5:30–6:00 p.m.
- Sundays, 10:00–10:30 a.m.
- By appointment
Adoration times
- First Thursday of every month, 4:00–6:00 p.m. (followed by Benediction and Mass)
History of St. Patrick Catholic Church
Catholic worship in Mount Sterling dates back to at least 1846, but it was not until 1868 that the mission was formally organized as a parish. Father Lambert Willie purchased a house on East Main Street for use as the first Catholic church. As the congregation grew, Father Patrick Jones oversaw the construction of a new church in 1882 on West Main Street, on the site of the old Drake Cotton Factory destroyed by Confederate raiders under John Morgan during the Civil War. That 1882 church is the building still in use today. A parish history, edited by Anne C. Hickey, was published in 1982.
- First Catholic Masses in Mount Sterling: as early as 1846
- Parish formally established: 1868
- First church: a house on East Main Street purchased by Father Lambert Willie
- Present church built: 1882 by Father Patrick Jones on West Main Street
- Site: former Drake Cotton Factory, destroyed during Civil War
- Parish history book: 'History of St. Patrick Church, Mt. Sterling, Kentucky,' ed. Anne C. Hickey, 1982
Mission Statement
On its About page, St. Patrick's writes that it is 'the Catholic faith community of Montgomery County' and that, 'though few in number,' it strives to be leaders and examples of the faith. The parish commits to assembly on Sunday for Word and sacrament, ongoing self-growth through prayer, study and service, nurturing the faith of children, respect for all God's creation and for the gift of life, and 'a strong sense of responsibility to serve the poor and unchurched in Montgomery County.'
Clergy, Staff & Parish Office
The parish is served by a pastor and a priest responsible for Hispanic ministry, supported by a parish secretary and community liaison. Office hours are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings, generally 9:00–11:30 a.m. The parish office is reached at 859-498-0300 and [email protected].
- Rev. James (Jim) Kinney — Pastor
- Rev. Enrique Montoya — Hispanic Ministry
- Laura Groff — Parish Secretary (715-296-0219 / 859-498-0300)
- Tatiana Hall — Community Liaison
- Office hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 9:00–11:30 a.m. (generally)
- Address: 139 West Main Street, Mt. Sterling, KY 40353
Sacraments
St. Patrick's prepares parishioners for and celebrates all the usual Catholic sacraments. Baptisms are scheduled by appointment, and couples are asked to notify the priest at least six months before a wedding so marriage preparation can begin in good time. Anointing of the Sick and pastoral visits are arranged by calling the parish office, and Reconciliation is offered weekly as well as by appointment.
- Baptism — by appointment
- Marriage — contact the priest 6 months in advance
- Reconciliation / Confession — Thursdays 5:30–6:00 p.m., Sundays 10:00–10:30 a.m., or by appointment
- Anointing of the Sick — call the parish office
- OCIA (formerly RCIA) — Wednesdays 6:00 p.m. beginning in fall
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith formation at St. Patrick's is offered for both children and adults. Children's Faith Formation for grades K–12 meets on Sunday mornings before Mass, September through May. The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA), the process for adults preparing for Baptism, Confirmation or full reception into the Catholic Church, begins each fall and meets on Wednesday evenings in the Adult Meeting Room of the Parish Hall.
- Children's Faith Formation (K–12) — Sundays 9:00–10:15 a.m., September–May
- OCIA — begins in the fall, Wednesdays 6:00 p.m., Adult Meeting Room (Parish Hall)
Hispanic Ministry
St. Patrick's celebrates a weekly Spanish-language Mass each Sunday at noon and maintains an active Hispanic Ministry under the direction of Father Enrique Montoya. The parish explicitly welcomes Spanish-speaking Catholics and visitors from across Montgomery County and the surrounding region.
- Spanish-language Mass — Sundays 12:00 p.m. (Español)
- Father Enrique Montoya — priest responsible for Hispanic Ministry
- Spanish-language sacramental preparation and announcements included in parish communications
Parish Pastoral Council & Community Life
Parishioner leadership is exercised through the Parish Pastoral Council, which meets at the discretion of its members (see the parish calendar for upcoming dates). The council helps guide the parish's spiritual and community life; members listed by the parish include Kathy Roussos, Rich Ortiz (chair), Dr. R. Humphrey, Mary Baker and Italia Arias.
- Parish Pastoral Council — chaired by Rich Ortiz
- Members: Kathy Roussos, Dr. R. Humphrey, Mary Baker, Itala Arias
- Meeting times listed on the parish calendar
Communications, Bulletins & Sister Parish
The parish communicates with parishioners through its weekly bulletin, its Flocknote email list, and its Facebook page. Visitors and parishioners can sign up for Flocknote by emailing the parish office or by using the QR code published in the bulletin; in case of Mass cancellations, Flocknote is the parish's main channel. St. Patrick's also recognizes St. Joseph Catholic Church in Winchester, Kentucky, as its sister parish and refers visitors to that parish's website for additional information.
- Weekly bulletin — available on the parish website
- Flocknote — email alerts for schedule changes and cancellations
- Facebook — official parish page on Facebook
- Sister parish — St. Joseph Catholic Church, Winchester, KY
Visit & Contact
St. Patrick Catholic Church sits on West Main Street in downtown Mount Sterling and is the parish home of the Catholic faith community of Montgomery County. Visitors are warmly welcomed; those interested in becoming parishioners are encouraged to contact the parish office.
- Address: 139 West Main Street, Mt. Sterling, KY 40353
- Phone: 859-498-0300
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 9:00–11:30 a.m. (generally)
- Website: https://www.stpatrickmtsterling.com/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Lambert Willie1868–
Purchased a house on East Main Street that became the first Catholic church in Mount Sterling when the parish was formally established in 1868.
- Father Patrick Joneslate 1800s
Acquired the larger West Main Street site (former Drake Cotton Factory lot) and oversaw construction of the present church in 1882.
- Rev. Frank Brawner
Listed as Pastor on an older parish bulletin; served before Father Jim Kinney.
- Rev. James (Jim) Kinney
Current pastor; the parish announced a bilingual retirement Mass and potluck in his honor in June.