About Transfiguration of Our Lord · Perry Park, Kentucky
Transfiguration of Our Lord is a Catholic mission church nestled inside the Perry Park Resort in Owen County, Kentucky, serving the resort community and surrounding Carroll County alongside its sister parish, St. John the Evangelist in Carrollton. It belongs to the Diocese of Covington, is led by Parochial Administrator Fr. Thomas F. Picchioni, and is supported by Deacon Mike Keller and a small, dedicated lay staff. Saturday evening Mass at 6:15 PM gathers a tight-knit community of retirees, families, and resort residents in the small church built in the mid-1970s.
- Established
- 1975
- Patron
- Transfiguration of Our Lord
- Rector
- Rev. Thomas F. Picchioni (Parochial Administrator)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Covington
Why belong here
Transfiguration of Our Lord is a welcoming mission church in a unique setting — the gates of Perry Park Resort — where neighbors gather for Saturday evening Mass and form real relationships across generations and backgrounds. With active RCIA, youth ministry, liturgical ministries, Hispanic ministry, a joint Pastoral Council with its sister parish in Carrollton, and a long line of devoted pastors, the community offers both the warmth of a small church and the stability of the larger Diocese of Covington.
Mass times at Transfiguration of Our Lord
Weekly Mass schedule
History of Transfiguration of Our Lord
The mission church was built in 1974–1975 and celebrated its very first Mass on Transfiguration Sunday in August 1975, under the founding pastor Rev. Raymond Baumann. For its first seventeen years the mission was watched over from Warsaw, then in 1992 came under the pastor of Carrollton, Rev. William Neuhaus. The parish's most dramatic moment came in March 1997, when the Kentucky River flooded nearly to the top of the pews; repairs and new decorative stonework led to an official dedication by Bishop Robert Muench on October 26, 1997. Successive pastors built up a vibrant community — notably Fr. Michael Barth, who ushered in the mission statement "to love God and neighbor as Christ taught" and welcomed two Sisters of Divine Providence in 2001 — and today the parish is part of a tightly-knit Carroll County Catholic family alongside St. John the Evangelist in Carrollton.
- 1974–1975: Church built in Perry Park Resort.
- August 1975: First Mass on Transfiguration Sunday under Fr. Raymond Baumann.
- March 1997: Severe Kentucky River flood — water reached nearly to the top of the pews.
- October 26, 1997: Bishop Robert Muench dedicates the renovated church.
- 2001: Sisters Paula Gohs, CDP, and Theodore "Teddy" Nolan join the mission.
- 2013: Fr. Allan Frederick unifies St. John and Transfiguration; joint Pastoral Council forms.
- 2018: Fr. Thomas F. Picchioni assigned as Parochial Administrator.
Parish Staff & Leadership
The mission is served today by a small but committed group of clergy and lay leaders. Parochial Administrator Fr. Thomas F. Picchioni oversees the community together with Deacon Mike Keller. Supporting roles include Business Manager Don Wright, Music and RCIA Coordinator Jeanne Shepherd (co-coordinating RCIA with Rosada Harr), and Youth Ministry leaders Tim and Ruth Ann Hendrick. A joint Pastoral Council with St. John the Evangelist includes Kristin Beck, Kathy Bieger, Mary Ellis Coombs, Jeanne Shepherd, Alan Harsin, Jeff Fremin, Brian Frye, Eloy Fuentes, and Jim O'Neill.
- Parochial Administrator: Rev. Thomas F. Picchioni
- Deacon: Mike Keller
- Business Manager: Don Wright
- Music: Jeanne Shepherd
- RCIA: Jeanne Shepherd & Rosada Harr
- Youth Ministry: Tim and Ruth Ann Hendrick
- Hispanic Ministry contact listed on the parish directory
Liturgical Ministries
Parishioners of all ages are invited to take an active role in the mission's Saturday evening liturgy. A range of liturgical ministries keeps the Mass welcoming and well-served: Greeters meet visitors at the door, Lectors proclaim the scriptures, Cantors sing the responsorial Psalm, Servers assist at the altar, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion distribute the Eucharist, and Ministers of the Sick carry Communion to the homebound and to hospital patients when directed by the pastor.
- Greeters
- Lectors
- Cantors
- Servers (altar servers)
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- Ministers of the Sick (homebound and hospital visits)
RCIA — Becoming Catholic
The mission welcomes anyone curious about the Catholic faith to enter the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA), a journey of inquiry, study, discussion, prayer, and celebration that respects each person's pace. Unbaptized adults typically receive Baptism, Confirmation, and First Eucharist at the Easter Vigil; baptized Christians from other traditions are received into full communion when they are ready. RCIA at the parish is coordinated by Jeanne Shepherd and Rosada Harr.
- Open to the unbaptized, baptized Christians from other denominations, and Catholics seeking Confirmation or First Eucharist.
- Inquiry stage for anyone exploring what it means to be Catholic.
- Easter Vigil is the usual date for Baptism and initiation of unbaptized adults.
- Joint RCIA program shared with St. John the Evangelist, Carrollton.
Music, Youth, and Hispanic Ministry
Music Director Jeanne Shepherd leads cantors and musicians at Saturday Mass, while Tim and Ruth Ann Hendrick coordinate Youth Ministry for the parish's younger members. The parish also maintains a Hispanic Ministry contact to accompany Spanish-speaking parishioners. With its small size, Transfiguration offers plenty of room for families and individuals to get involved.
- Music Ministry under Jeanne Shepherd
- Youth Ministry led by Tim and Ruth Ann Hendrick
- Hispanic Ministry contact on file
Pastoral Council
Transfiguration shares a joint Pastoral Council with sister parish St. John the Evangelist in Carrollton. The Council generally meets on the first Monday of the month at 7 PM in the Parish Hall and serves as a consultative body to the pastor, recommending parish policy based on the mission statement and diocesan norms.
- Meets first Monday of the month at 7 PM in the Parish Hall.
- Members from both Transfiguration and St. John the Evangelist.
- Includes Kristin Beck, Kathy Bieger, Mary Ellis Coombs, Jeanne Shepherd, Alan Harsin, Jeff Fremin, Brian Frye, Eloy Fuentes, and Jim O'Neill.
Diocese & Sister Parish
Transfiguration of Our Lord is part of the Diocese of Covington and is administered together with St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, 401 Main Street, Carrollton, KY 41008 (phone (502) 732-5776). Both churches share a single phone line, a joint Pastoral Council, and combined RCIA and seasonal liturgical programs, and together they make up the parish family's presence in Carroll and Owen Counties.
- Diocese of Covington — South West Deanery.
- Sister parish: St. John the Evangelist, 401 Main Street, Carrollton, KY 41008.
- Listed in the 2025 Diocese of Covington Official Directory as 'Church of the Transfiguration, Perry Park.'
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Raymond Baumann1975–1985
Founding pastor; instrumental in building the mission church and celebrating its first Mass on Transfiguration Sunday, August 1975.
- Rev. Gerald Witzemann1985–1992
Succeeded Fr. Baumann as pastor of Warsaw and Perry Park.
- Rev. William Neuhaus1992–1999
Took direct charge of the Transfiguration mission from the pastor of Warsaw in July 1992.
- Rev. Michael Barth1999–2005
Led the parish in living the new mission statement 'to love God and neighbor as Christ taught'; welcomed the Sisters of Divine Providence in 2001.
- Rev. Gerald Reinersman2005–2007
Appointed pastor in 2005.
- Rev. Kavungal Davy, C.M.I.2007–2013
Native of Kerala, India; installed as Pastor in August 2008; set the goal of visiting every parish family; granted a 2013 sabbatical in Kenya and India.
- Rev. Allan R. Frederick2013–2016
Assigned Parochial Administrator of both St. John and Transfiguration in 2013; named Pastor of both churches on July 2, 2014.
- Rev. Jacob E. Straub2016–2017
- Rev. Johnson Thekkudan, C.M.I.2017–2018
- Rev. Thomas F. Picchioni2018–present
Current Parochial Administrator; listed in the 2025 Diocese of Covington directory.