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In 1785, a "league" of 60 families was formed in Maryland, all Catholics, and mostly from St. Mary's County, each one of whom pledged to emigrate to Kentucky within a specified time. Their primary purpose of settling together was to secure as soon as possible the advantages of a pastorate and a church. Twenty-five families left Maryland early in 1785 and reached Kentucky before the end of spring. Father M. Whelan was assigned to Kentucky and reached the Pottinger's Creek settlement in the early summer of 1787 and remained until the spring of 1790. Six months later, the Rev. William de Rohan followed and it was he who built the first Holy Cross Church in 1792, the first Catholic church erected in the state. The Rev. Stephen Theodore Badin arrived in Kentucky in 1795. The Rev. Charles Nerinckx arrived in Kentucky in July of 1805. After the establishment of the Diocese of Bardstown, April 8, 1808, and the arrival of Bishop Flaget, the mission territory was divided up into other parishes and priests where assigned to them. In the fall of 1812, Nerinckx was called to the temporary pastorship of the Holy Cross congregation. For several Sundays, he referred to the matter of a more suitable accommodation for their Lord and Master than the log structure that had served this purpose for more than 30 years. One Sunday morning, he astonished his listeners by telling them that he had fixed the following day for the beginning of the new church. He acknowledged that few among them were able to contribute large sums of money but all could give a little and most of them could give the labor of their hands to the undertaking. He invited everyone to come early the next morning with whatever tools and working stock they possessed. Timbers were felled and shaped by hand implements into girders, joists and rafters. Clay and sand were hauled for the making of bricks. According to Nerinckx's correspondence, the building was under roof by December of 1823 and must have been completed soon afterwards. Nerinckx left the Holy Cross congregation in the spring of 1824 and died August 12, 1824 in St. Genevieve, Mo. The Record, the Archdiocese of Louisville’s Catholic newspaper, stated in February 1879 that a new rectory and school was built at Holy Cross, Kentucky. The school burned Feb. 14, 1958 and a new one was built. The Holy Cross school was served by the Mount St. Joseph Ursuline Sisters from 1914 until 1977. The Marion County Board of Education closed the school in May 1984. The old Sisters home was torn down around 1962, at which time a new brick home was built. After the Sisters left, Father Patrick Warren, pastor, moved from the old rectory to the brick home in 1978. No chronicled history of the church has been recorded but, from portions of writings, it seems the vestibule and a large room where added to the church in the early part of the 20th Century, about 1914. Even today, Holy Cross Parish is a place where many come to touch the roots of their Catholic faith and tradition.
For even more information, call 270.865.2521 or visit www.sf-hc.org/index.html.
Directions…
►From Centre Square, drive one block north on KY 55 to light (Gen. Thomas statue). ►Turn left onto KY 55 and drive to next light (Papa John’s). ►Turn right onto KY 49/52 and continue to end (9.2 miles) then turn left onto KY 49/52 continuation. ►Drive .5 miles and continue on KY 52. ►Drive 2.2 miles to the intersection of KY 52 and KY 527 and turn right onto KY 527. ►Holy Cross Catholic Church is 3.7 miles ahead on the left.
Hours…
♥ Office – Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. It’s located in the St. Francis Activity Center in Loretto. ♥ Church – Sunday, 8-9 a.m. Open for Mass only. ♥ Vestibule – Open 24/7. Glass doors allow for viewing into the church.
Special events…
♥ Holy Cross Picnic – Held the second Saturday of June each year. ♥ Holy Cross Turkey Supper – Held the first Saturday of October each year.
*Source: www.sf-hc.org/index.html, 2006.
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