About St. Rose · Springfield, Kentucky
St. Rose Priory Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Springfield, Kentucky, in the Archdiocese of Louisville, proudly served by the Dominican Friars (Order of Preachers). Founded in 1806, it is the oldest Dominican religious house in the United States, and its Tudor-Gothic church, begun the same year, is the oldest standing structure west of the Alleghenies still in use as a church. Named in honor of the Third Order Dominican Saint Rose of Lima, St. Rose began as a sister parish to St. Ann and, after St. Ann closed, became the area's only Catholic church. Today about 650 parishioners count St. Rose as their spiritual home, gathering on a hilltop complex of roughly 600 acres on Loretto Road just northwest of Springfield.
- Established
- 1806
- Patron
- Saint Rose of Lima (Third Order Dominican)
- Rector
- Rev. Pier Giorgio Dengler, O.P.
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Louisville
Why belong here
St. Rose is a living piece of American Catholic history — the country's oldest Dominican house, sitting on the same hilltop it's occupied since 1806 — yet it remains a warmly scaled parish of about 650 families served by Dominican friars. Worshippers find a full sacramental life with daily Mass, regular confession, Thursday Eucharistic Adoration, a robust Religious Education program for children, and beloved community traditions like the autumn Turkey Supper and Fall Festival that draws roughly 3,100 guests to the historic grounds. For Catholics in Washington County and central Kentucky looking for a parish rooted in Dominican preaching, tradition, and prayer, St. Rose offers both a deep heritage and a close-knit, active congregation.
Mass times at St. Rose
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sundays — half an hour before each Sunday Mass
- Saturdays — 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
- Thursdays — 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
- By appointment
Adoration times
- Thursdays — 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. (Eucharistic Adoration)
History of St. Rose Priory
Founded in 1806, St. Rose is the oldest Dominican religious house in the United States and home to the oldest standing structure west of the Alleghenies still in use as a church. It was established by Father Edward D. Fenwick, O.P., first leader of the Province of St. Joseph (and later Bishop of Cincinnati), with Father Samuel Thomas Wilson, O.P., as first pastor. The complex grew quickly, adding a priory in 1807, St. Thomas Aquinas College in 1808/1809, and the original brick church in 1809. The larger Tudor-Gothic church we see today was begun in 1852 and dedicated in 1855; the 1809 brick church was preserved inside it as the chancel.
- 1806 — Dominican foundation and property purchase (Father Edward D. Fenwick, O.P.)
- 1807 — First priory constructed
- 1808/1809 — St. Thomas Aquinas College opens (first Catholic college west of the Alleghenies)
- 1809 — Original brick church completed
- 1852–1855 — Current Tudor-Gothic church designed by William Keely and dedicated
- 1867 — Larger priory built to house a seminary
- 1951–1968 — Parish school in operation
- 1956 — Seminary moves from the property
- 1978 — Both old priory buildings demolished; replaced by an eight-bedroom priory; farm ceases operation
- Complex listed on the National Register of Historic Places
Architecture and the Historic Complex
Designed by William Keely (who also designed the Cathedral of the Assumption in Louisville), St. Rose's Tudor-Gothic church is built of blue limestone quarried two miles south of the site. Its dominant feature is the majestic octagonal tower at the south end, with eight pinnacles and limestone crosses described by a contemporary newspaper as 'grand and majestic.' Piercing each side of the tower above the gable roof is a louvered window with a cinquefoil head, separated by tiered buttresses. Inside, the original 1809 stuccoed-brick church remains, incorporated as the sanctuary between the tabernacle and the new altar.
- Architect: William Keely (1816–1896)
- Style: Tudor-Gothic
- Material: Blue limestone, locally quarried
- Signature feature: Octagonal tower with eight pinnacles
- Crenellated parapets, lancet arch windows, double-tier buttresses
- Original 1809 brick church preserved inside as the chancel
St. Thomas Aquinas College and Jefferson Davis
In 1808 or 1809 the Dominican friars founded a college dedicated to St. Thomas Aquinas on the St. Rose grounds, making it the first Catholic educational institution west of the Alleghenies. The school flourished for several decades and counted among its alumni Jefferson Davis, who would become President of the Confederacy. The college eventually closed, but the tradition of Catholic education on the property continued with the parish school that ran from 1951 to 1968.
- Founded 1808/1809 — dedicated to St. Thomas Aquinas
- First Catholic college west of the Alleghenies
- Jefferson Davis among its alumni
- Parish school operated 1951–1968 in the surviving school building
Dominican Heritage
St. Rose is proudly served by the Dominican Friars (Order of Preachers) — a fact highlighted on the parish website itself. Named for the Third Order Dominican Saint Rose of Lima, the parish began as a sister parish of nearby St. Ann and became Springfield's only Catholic church after St. Ann closed several decades later. The Dominican missionary band that founded St. Rose arrived in 1805 from Bornheim College, an English Dominican Province in Belgium that had been disbanded during the French Revolution.
- Served by the Dominican Friars (Order of Preachers)
- Named in honor of Saint Rose of Lima, a Third Order Dominican
- Originally a sister parish of St. Ann
- Founding friars arrived 1805 from Bornheim College, Belgium
Clergy and Pastoral Staff
The parish is served by Dominican friars together with a permanent deacon and a lay director of religious education who also serves as church secretary. Together they care for a parish of about 650 registered families.
- Pastor: Rev. Pier Giorgio Dengler, O.P.
- Associate: Rev. Joachim Kenney, O.P.
- Permanent Deacon: W. Donald Coulter
- Church Secretary & Director of Religious Education: Jessica Parrott Devine
Worship and Sacraments
St. Rose offers daily Mass Monday through Saturday, a Saturday Vigil, and three Sunday Masses, along with regular confession times and a weekly Holy Hour with Eucharistic Adoration on Thursday evenings. Sacraments — including baptism, marriage, and anointing of the sick — are arranged through the Parish Office.
- Daily Mass Mon–Sat at 8:30 a.m.
- Saturday Vigil at 4:00 p.m.
- Sunday Masses at 8:00 a.m., 11:30 a.m., and 7:00 p.m.
- Confession Sundays before Mass, Saturdays 3–4 p.m., Thursdays 6:30–7:30 p.m., or by appointment
- Eucharistic Adoration Thursdays 6:30–7:30 p.m.
- Baptisms and weddings by appointment (weddings require six months' notice)
Religious Education and Formation
The parish runs a Religious Education (catechetical) program for children that meets in the historic 1951 school building. Registration is coordinated through the Parish Office with the Director of Religious Education. The parish also hosts periodic altar-server training and choir rehearsals and offers seasonal retreats and formation events during Advent and Lent.
- Director of Religious Education: Jessica Parrott Devine
- Classes meet in the old parish school building
- Annual altar-server training offered
- Seasonal Advent Day Retreats and family formation events
Community Life and the Turkey Supper
Beyond the sacraments, St. Rose is known for its warm community traditions. The highlight of the year is the annual autumn Turkey Supper and Fall Festival, which draws about 3,100 people to the grounds each year and is supported by a large volunteer effort from the parish. Other parish gatherings include Fourth Sunday Hospitality Breakfasts in the parish hall, wedding receptions and family reunions hosted in the old school building, and the annual Feast of St. Rose celebration with Mass, a procession to the shrine of St. Rose, and a potluck meal.
- Annual Turkey Supper and Fall Festival (serves ~3,100)
- Fourth Sunday Hospitality Breakfasts
- Feast of St. Rose (August 23) — Mass, procession to the shrine, parish potluck
- Parish hall available for wedding receptions and family reunions
Facilities and Grounds
The St. Rose complex occupies a hilltop of about 600 acres on Loretto Road in rural Washington County. The historic church and priory are the heart of the property, with the surviving 1951 school building still actively used for catechesis, hospitality, and the Turkey Supper. The farm itself ceased operation in 1978, but the surrounding acreage continues to be used as pasture and as a campsite for groups.
- ~600 acres of rolling farmland
- 1855 Tudor-Gothic church (Keely)
- Eight-bedroom priory built 1978
- Old school building (1951) used for RE classes, receptions, and the Turkey Supper
- Campsite areas for visiting groups
Visit and Contact
Visitors and parishioners can reach St. Rose by mail at P.O. Box 71, Springfield, KY 40069-0071, and in person at 868 Loretto Road, Springfield, Kentucky — about 2.5 miles northwest of Springfield on the north side of KY Highway 152. The Parish Office is the hub for arranging sacraments, registering for Religious Education, and getting involved in parish life.
- Phone: (859) 336-3121
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://strosespringfield.org/
- Mailing: P.O. Box 71, Springfield, KY 40069-0071
- Physical: 868 Loretto Road, Springfield, KY 40069
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Samuel Thomas Wilson, O.P.1806–
First pastor of St. Rose; arrived with Father Edward Fenwick and the founding Dominican band from Bornheim College in Belgium.
- Rev. Edward D. Fenwick, O.P.1806–
Organized the Dominican venture at St. Rose, purchased the property, and became first leader of the Province of St. Joseph; later first Bishop of Cincinnati.
- Rev. Kevin Anthony McGrath, O.P.
Listed as pastor on 2019 parish bulletin (859) 336-3121.
- Rev. Pier Giorgio Dengler, O.P.
Current pastor (per the parish's About page and Archdiocese of Louisville).