05/26/2026
Phyllis Brown, archivist for Holy Name School & retired religion teacher at the school, spoke about the history of Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church & the extensive renovations taking place there.
The first Catholic residents in Kentucky, she said, were 60 families from Maryland who settled in Nelson County near what is now Bardstown. Catholics made their way west, particularly to Daviess & Union counties, which today are home to 23 Catholic parishes. In 1810, 10 Catholic families settled in Henderson County, which by 1824 was served by a circuit priest. Not until 1861 was a Catholic church built here: St. Louis, a small church at Third & Ingram streets. Father William Dunn became its first resident priest in 1866.
In 1882, when Father Thomas F. Tierney was the pastor, the church bought property at Second & Ingram streets. In 1886, the cornerstone was laid and construction began of a new, much larger church in the Early English Gothic style, which emphasizes height (it stands 193 feet high). The new church was dedicated in 1891, and Tierney requested that the name be changed to Holy Name of Jesus. Tierney died in 1901, having served St. Louis/Holy Name for 20 years; he is buried beneath the chapel.
In the 1960s, following Vatican II, Holy Name’s sanctuary was modernized, with carpet and contemporary-looking pews installed. In the 2000s under Father Ed Bradley, the choir loft was extended and the ceiling was painted blue.
Under the current renovation, which began last August, the stained glass windows are being cleaned and repaired while the sanctuary floor is being reinforced. Carpet with be replaced with porcelain tile while traditional Gothic pews will take the place of the ’60s-era modern-style pews. In the meantime, masses are being held in Holy Name’s multi-purpose room. Holy Name hopes to complete work by Christmas, with a community celebration expected.
