At 511 Second Street in Henderson, Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church is a historic Catholic parish known for worship in English and Spanish, a parish elementary school, and direct assistance to people in Henderson County. The parish began as St. Louis Catholic Church in 1861 and took the name Holy Name of Jesus when the present church was completed in 1891.
Mass in the Multi-Purpose Room During Restoration
A full restoration of the church is underway. While the work continues, every Mass is celebrated in the Multi-Purpose Room instead of the sanctuary. The room has less seating than the church, so Holy Name added the 5:00 p.m. Sunday Mass to help accommodate everyone and asks worshippers for patience and flexibility. Ushers assist visitors and parishioners in finding seats and directing processions, an important ministry in the temporary worship space.
Five Sunday Masses and a Full Week of Liturgies
The weekend schedule is extensive, with a Saturday vigil and five Sunday Masses. The Sunday liturgies include both English and Spanish.
- Saturday vigil: 4:00 p.m.
- Sunday: 7:00 a.m., 9:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 2:00 p.m., and 5:00 p.m.
- Spanish Mass: Sunday at 2:00 p.m. and Thursday at 5:30 p.m.
All regularly scheduled Masses are celebrated in the Multi-Purpose Room during the restoration. A delayed Mass broadcast airs at 7:30 a.m. on WSON 860 AM or 96.5 FM.
Weekday Masses
- Monday: 7:00 a.m.
- Tuesday: 7:00 a.m.
- Wednesday: 7:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.
- Thursday: 7:00 a.m., 12:05 p.m., and 5:30 p.m. in Spanish
- Friday: 7:00 a.m. and 12:05 p.m.
- Saturday: 7:00 a.m.
From St. Louis Church to Holy Name of Jesus
Between 1824 and 1861, Henderson had no church building. Father Elisha J. Durbin provided pastoral care for the Catholic population throughout western and southwestern Kentucky. St. Louis Catholic Church was built in 1861, and Father William Dunn became its first resident pastor in 1866.
Father Thomas F. Tierney arrived on January 5, 1881, the feast of the Holy Name. During his 20 years in Henderson, he united a growing congregation and supervised the construction of a new church. He received permission to change the parish's name to Holy Name of Jesus. The new church at Second and Ingram streets was completed in 1891 and has remained Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church. A succession of pastors continued through Fr. J. Edward Bradley, who served from 1995 to 2011, and Fr. Larry McBride, who served from 2011 to 2023, before Fr. Richard Meredith became pastor in 2023.
Faith Formation from Childhood Through Adult Initiation
Faith formation is for all ages and stages of life. Holy Name's aim is to help people grow as followers of Jesus by deepening their relationship with Christ, the Church, and the community. The parish names parents as the primary educators of their children and presents religious education as support for that lifelong responsibility. Its K-8 program for public-school students meets Sunday mornings from 9:30 to 10:45 a.m. and teaches Scripture, Catholic doctrine, prayer, worship, service, and mission. Discipleship is presented as an ongoing process of conversion involving the whole person.
The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults, also called RCIA, meets Thursdays from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. in the Parish Hall. Its gradual process has five periods and welcomes people who need Baptism, those baptized in another Christian tradition who want to become Catholic, and baptized Catholics seeking full initiation through First Communion and/or Confirmation. Each participant shares the journey with a team of parishioners and a Catholic sponsor who is at least 16 years old, baptized and confirmed, and active in the Church. An inquiry class offers another way to learn about the Catholic tradition.
Children's Liturgy of the Word is intended for young children ages 4 to 8 who have not received First Communion. It is not a class, arts-and-crafts activity, or babysitting service. Children leave the sanctuary for the Liturgy of the Word, hear the scripture readings explained at an age-appropriate level, profess a child-friendly version of the Apostles' Creed, and join the congregation in offering petitions for prayer.
Parental preparation is required before Baptism, with instruction offered on the first Sunday of each month. Couples preparing for marriage must complete the parish's preparation program and begin that process at least six months before the anticipated wedding. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is available Saturday from 8:00 to 10:00 a.m. and Wednesday from 4:00 to 5:15 p.m. in the church sanctuary, with appointments available with a priest.
Holy Name Elementary School
Holy Name Elementary School at 628 Second Street educates more than 400 students with 66 employees. Enrollment extends from preschool at age two and a half through eighth grade. The school seeks to educate the whole child - body, mind, and spirit - by combining faith, academics, and service.
The school is an arm of the Church and Holy Name's largest ministry. The parish subsidizes its budget annually, directly supporting teacher salaries, facilities, and tuition assistance for parish-sponsored families. School President Julie Eadens and Principal Emma Bridges lead the school, whose families join the wider Holy Name parish community in worship, faith formation, service, and school life.
Young People, Families, and Parish Service
The Youth Ministry serves students in grades 7 through 12. Director Beth Probus leads gatherings for fellowship, study, prayer, and service, along with retreats, a senior retreat for discernment, and a weeklong summer mission experience. The ministry also maintains relationships with graduates and uses the Remind app for high school communications.
Family Life Ministry, begun in fall 2018, seeks to build a Christ-centered community by promoting the sanctity and joy of Catholic family life. The long-running Men's Club raises funds, donates volunteer hours, and provides scholarships, equipment, and repairs for the parish and school. The Altar Society meets monthly, keeps the sanctuary clean, cares for liturgical linens, and hosts parish receptions.
Children and vulnerable adults are central to Holy Name's Safe Environment Program. The parish screens and supervises ministers, employees, and volunteers who work with young people, provides training in recognizing and reporting child abuse, expects a professional and Christ-centered code of conduct, and offers annual safety training to minors. Additional information is available through the Diocese of Owensboro's Safe Environment resources.
Music, Liturgy, and the Work of the People
Holy Name understands the Mass as the work of the whole worshiping community, not the work of the priest alone. Its liturgical ministries have distinct roles:
- Lectors proclaim the readings other than the Gospel. They prepare carefully, serve on a bi-monthly schedule, and arrive dressed appropriately for the assigned Mass.
- Children's Liturgy welcomes children ages 4 to 8 who have not yet received First Communion.
- Eucharistic Ministers extend the consecrated Body and Blood of Christ and serve as fully initiated members in full Communion with the Church.
- Ushers welcome the assembly, help people find seats, direct processions, facilitate collections, and attend to practical needs.
- Hospitality Ministers help create a welcoming place of worship, with families and individuals serving as servant leaders according to their maturity.
- Altar Servers assist the liturgy under parish guidelines.
Music Director Mark Walker and Liturgy Director Matt Frields lead teams that support prayer through music, banners, flowers, decorations, vestments, and other elements of the worship environment. Video messages and church tours are also available through YouTube.
Mary and Martha Outreach and Social Action
Each week, five percent of Holy Name's regular collections is placed in the Mary and Martha Outreach account. The program is open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. and serves anyone in Henderson County. Assistance can include help with utilities, rent, food, propane, and sometimes gasoline and medical costs. Outreach funds also purchase food for the Salvation Army soup kitchen twice a month and help keep the food pantry stocked.
The Social Action Ministry works for justice in the community and the world. Its areas of concern include respect for life, poverty, modern slavery, environmental conservation, the needs of elderly and disabled people, homelessness, and hunger. Activities include mission trips, the Aging Mastery Program, the Giving Tree, Christmas cards for homebound parishioners, the Tree of Hope, congressional letter-writing campaigns, Feed My Starving Children meal-packing events, the Getting Ahead program, voter registration, Just Faith, and community service days.
Parish Campus, Gathering Spaces, and Saint Louis Cemetery
Holy Name's parish campus includes the church at 511 Second Street, the Fr. J. Edward Bradley Administration Building at 525 Second Street, Saint Margaret Chapel at 685 Watson Lane, Saint Rose Convent at 217 North Ingram Street, and Holy Name Elementary School at 628 Second Street.
Saint Margaret Chapel and the Parish Hall are available for rentals by registered parishioners and organizations approved by the pastor. The Parish Hall can be rented for wedding rehearsal dinners for weddings taking place at Holy Name Church. Saint Margaret Chapel can accommodate retreats, seminars, organizational meetings, family celebrations, and receptions. Rentals require a fee, refundable deposit, insurance coverage, and a signed contract.
Saint Louis Cemetery, a parish-owned cemetery on the 1400 block of South Main Street, dates to the late 1800s and the former St. Louis Catholic Church. It contains 7,672 ground spaces, two mausoleum buildings with 128 crypts, and two columbariums with 72 niches.
Hispanic and Latino Ministry, Health, and Prayerful Movement
Director Abraham Brown leads Holy Name's Hispanic and Latino Ministry, which welcomes and promotes the cultural identity of the local Church while building a deeply Catholic and multicultural community. The ministry serves as a bridge to social services, interprets at courts and during medical visits, and translates documents into Spanish. It also hosts a Latino Health Fair, celebrates liturgies and devotions in Spanish, and marks the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
The parish's Health Ministry participates in Upgrade Church, applying principles of faith and an evidence-based curriculum to encourage healthy behaviors that can last a lifetime. Faith Community Nurse Shannon Long leads this work. SoulCore offers a prayerful meditation of the Rosary with movement of the body. It requires no fitness level and can be done on the floor or in a chair.
The People Who Carry the Parish Forward
Pastor Fr. Richard Meredith and Parochial Vicar Fr. Shibu Cheriyankunnel share pastoral leadership with ministry directors Rose Wheeler, Beth Probus, Abraham Brown, Shannon Long, Mark Walker, and Matt Frields, along with Ranni Dillard, Coordinator of Social Action. Holy Name also maintains a pastoral council and finance council, with coordinating committees for worship, education, and social concerns. The school board functions as a subcommittee of the education committee.
Parishioners can support these ministries through Vanco electronic giving, which accepts automatic donations from checking accounts or major credit cards. The giving program allows donors to choose an amount and timing, designate a preferred source, and manage or stop contributions online.
Together, these ministries form Holy Name's present pattern: Mass and sacraments at the center, a parish school, formation from childhood through adult initiation, service to families and people in need, and active participation by lay ministers. Holy Name of Jesus continues the Catholic community begun on Second Street in 1861.