St. Margaret Mary Catholic Community sits on Shelbyville Road in the Lyndon area of eastern Jefferson County, where it has served Catholics in the Louisville region since 1950. The parish serves more than 2,000 families and over 5,900 members, anchored by a 1992 worship space, a K-8 elementary school named a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence in 2004 and again in 2015, and a broad range of ministries for every age and stage of life.
A Parish Built and Rebuilt
Archbishop John A. Floersh established St. Margaret Mary by decree on December 4, 1950, assigning Father Ehrich J. Stuart as the founding pastor. Property on Arterburn Drive was purchased in November 1951 and the rectory was built there. The cornerstone of the original church was laid on October 17, 1952, and the first Mass was celebrated in the newly dedicated building on August 2, 1953. One month later, St. Margaret Mary Catholic Elementary School opened with seven Ursuline Sisters from Mount St. Joseph teaching the first classes.
Father C. Patrick Creed succeeded Father Stuart in 1973 and oversaw a 1975 renovation that added Stuart Hall, now the parish gym. Father James E. Wafzig followed, and the current church was built under the direction of Father Nick Rice, the fourth pastor. Ground was broken on April 14, 1991 and the present church was dedicated on October 17, 1992, forty years to the day after the original cornerstone. Father B. J. Breen became the fifth pastor on January 19, 1994, leading the parish through its 50th anniversary in 2001 and overseeing the construction of the Pastoral Center along with a school renovation and expansion. Father Bill Hammer, the current pastor, was installed in October 2015.
Mass and Reconciliation
Weekend Masses are celebrated on Saturday at 8:15 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. (Sunday Vigil) and on Sunday at 8:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m., 12:00 noon, and 5:00 p.m. On weekdays a Communion Service is offered at 7:00 a.m. with Mass at 8:15 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. Holy Day schedules are announced in the bulletin. Reconciliation is heard on Saturday afternoons from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. or by appointment. Eucharistic Adoration is held on Wednesday evenings from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. and on Thursdays, with First Friday Adoration and the First Saturday Devotion Rosary and Mass rounding out the prayer schedule.
Sunday and weekday Masses are livestreamed on YouTube and Facebook so that parishioners who are homebound or traveling can worship with the parish.
The Mission at the Heart of the Parish
St. Margaret Mary describes itself as a community striving to know, love, and serve God. Its mission statement is to be disciples who know, love and serve God, while its vision statement places the parish in the Roman Catholic tradition, inspiring deeper relationships with Jesus Christ through prayer, formation, education, and service. The community commits to igniting an evangelical spirit that awakens faith, empowering relationships with Christ and one another, discovering Christ's gifts, and witnessing to the Catholic faith and traditions.
A Blue Ribbon K-8 School
St. Margaret Mary Catholic School carries the motto "In Christ, We Live, Love and Learn." The school prepares students from preschool through eighth grade to become moral, responsible, and self-motivated members of their church and community. Wendy Sims leads the school as principal, with Emma Sears as assistant principal. The school earned the U.S. Department of Education Blue Ribbon designation in 2004 and again in 2015, and the parish describes a full complement of three classrooms per grade level by 2006.
The preschool program serves three- and four-year-olds who are fully potty trained. Tuition for the 2026-2027 school year is $8,400 for one child for active parishioners, $13,500 for two, $16,800 for three, and $18,000 for four or more, with a separate regular rate and preschool rate of $8,100 plus a $300 snack fee. After School Care is sponsored by the Northeast YMCA and licensed by the State of Kentucky, with financial assistance available for families who qualify. Applications for the 2026-2027 school year opened on November 3, 2025, with a priority deadline of January 31. The school motto grounds the day in Christ-centered learning, and students are called Mustangs.
Beyond the classroom, the parish runs Step-by-Step, a stewardship formation program that pairs each grade level with a service theme, from visiting the Ronald McDonald House in kindergarten to serving lunch at the Franciscan Kitchen in seventh grade.
Children, Youth, and Young Adults
Children's Formation at the parish is led by Tara Mattingly and includes the Parish Religious Education Program (PREP), Vacation Bible School, the Nursery, Special Disciples ministry, Gather the Children dismissal for grades K-2, and sacramental preparation for Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation. Children preparing for sacraments who are over the age of seven enroll in the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) adapted for children.
Emileigh Ledgerwood coordinates Youth and Young Adult Ministry, which keeps young people connected to the parish through spiritual, service, and social events built around the eight key components of Catholic youth ministry. Junior highers in grades 7 and 8 take part in Rooted: Jr High Youth Ministry and meet Tuesday mornings for Mustang CREW, or Catholics Ready, Equipped, and Willing. Senior highers in grades 9 through 12 join Agape: Sr High Youth Ministry. Young adults ages 18 to 40 gather as Pax: Young Adult Ministry. The parish also sponsors Scout Troop 306 through the Lincoln Heritage Council.
Families stay informed through a Flocknote group and an active presence on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
Worship and Music Ministries
The worship life of St. Margaret Mary is shaped by Director of Liturgy and Music Dr. Holly Smith-Brooks and a large roster of liturgical ministers. Lectors proclaim the Word of God, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion serve the Body and Blood of Christ, and ushers and greeters welcome the assembly. Altar servers begin in the fourth grade, with both youth and adult teams serving at funerals and other liturgies.
Music is offered by the parish choir, which sings at most weekend Masses in rotation from September through June and at major feasts; an Adult Hand Bell Choir that rehearses Thursdays from 6:45 to 8:00 p.m. from September through April and plays about two Masses a month; cantors who lead the sung prayer of the liturgy; and organists, keyboardists, and other instrumentalists who support all major feasts and solemnities of the Church year. Sound and video technicians mix sound for the choir and ensembles, while the Media Ministry livestreams Masses.
Behind the scenes, God's Housekeepers clean the church monthly, the Sewing Group makes special items for Baptisms, the Linen Care team launders altar linens, the Plant Care team tends the church plants, the Baptism Set-Up team prepares for Sunday Baptisms, and the Art and Environment Committee decorates the worship space through the seasons.
Pastoral Care for Every Need
Pastoral Care at St. Margaret Mary is coordinated by Denise Ruiz and reaches members of the parish through Homebound Visitation and Nursing Home Visitation, which bring Holy Communion to those who cannot attend Mass. The Bereavement Hospitality Committee supports grieving families with meals, while the Wake Prayer Group leads a prayer service at the funeral home the day before the funeral.
Walking Through Grief is a 13-week support group for those who have lost a loved one, combining video teaching with group discussion. DivorceCare provides a confidential, caring environment for adults healing from divorce, and DivorceCare for Kids (DC4K) gives children a safe place to process their feelings. Prayer Blankets are made by a dedicated group of women, and the Prayer Ministry prays for parish members and their families through the bulletin prayer list and a confidential prayer team. The Hospitality Committee provides refreshments for parish gatherings, and a Human Needs and Concerns ministry helps parishioners in difficulty.
Faith Formation for Adults
Karin Coll coordinates Adult Formation, which seeks to teach Catholic beliefs, traditions, and values in the context of a deepening spiritual life. Becoming a Catholic takes place through the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA), a semi-year-round process that prepares adults for full initiation into the Church. Older children seeking baptism also enroll in this process.
Seniors, Knights, and Community Outreach
Anyone over 55 is invited to join the Keenagers, the parish seniors group, which meets the first Sunday of every month at 1:30 p.m. in the Hospitality Room with additional lunch and day trip opportunities. The Knights of Columbus Council at the parish sponsors programs including the well-known annual Fish Fry.
Outreach beyond the parish runs through Eastern Area Community Ministries (EACM), part of the Association of Community Ministries, which addresses human needs in the area. Parishioners also assist at the St. Joseph's Orphans Picnic each year and contribute to other parish-wide collections.
Sacraments and the Sacramental Life
Baptism for infants and children under seven is offered monthly following the noon Sunday Mass. Older children and adults seeking baptism enter the OCIA process. First Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation preparation are available for parish and school students, with resources for choosing sponsors and confirmation saints. Marriage preparation begins with the parish office and includes the Church's guidelines for the celebration of the sacrament. The Anointing of the Sick is available to those who are ill or suffering, and the funeral team, including the Wake Prayer Group, parish Director of Liturgy and Music, and Pastoral Care Coordinator, walks families through the Funeral Mass Liturgy Preparation. Annulment petitions are assisted by parish staff as well.
Safety, Stewardship, and the Capital Campaign
St. Margaret Mary and the Archdiocese of Louisville require all employees and volunteers with regular contact with children and youth to participate in Safe Environment Training and complete a background check every five years. The parish finance and business operations are led by Business Manager Susan White, supported by the Finance Committee, the Contribution Counter team, the Compliance, Audit and Procedures Committee, the Grounds and Facilities Committee, and the Safety and Security Committee.
Parishioners complete an Annual Stewardship Card each year to share their commitments of time, talent, and treasure. Online giving and recurring gifts support the parish, the school, and the Defining Moments Capital Campaign, which funds current construction projects on the campus. A School of Excellence Fund also supports the school.