Bardstown, Kentucky - Religious Heritage, Bardstown Church List

Bardstown's Religious Heritage

In 1785, groups of Maryland Catholics began to journey west to the American Frontier and settled in Kentucky. Within 25 years, Bishop Benedict Joseph Flaget was entrusted with the first diocese of the West, which spanned from the Great Lakes to the deep South and from the Alleghenies to the Mississippi. Bishop Flaget chose Bardstown, then larger than Louisville, to be the capital of this new religious region. Starting at St. Thomas church and Seminary just out of the city limits in 1812, Flaget moved downtown and started construction on the first "Western" cathedral in 1816.

Nestled in the scenic countryside of Bardstown, you will still find living testaments to these early religious beginnings. The Basilica of St. Joseph Proto-Cathedral remains a thriving religious center and open for tours around regular services and weddings. The Abbey of Gethsemani houses America's oldest and largest order of Cistercian Monks, and is the burial site for Thomas Merton. Merton, a proficient spiritual writer, embodied the quest for God and human solidarity in the modern world. A museum at Nazareth celebrates the story and mission of the Sisters of Charity, which were founded in 1812.

Bardstown also has much to offer outside of its religious heritage. From My Old Kentucky Home State Park to Stephen Foster - The Musical to vintage trains and museums dedicated to the Civil War, railroads and bourbon, there is something for everyone. If you are looking for the ultimate getaway, let us welcome you home to historic Bardstown.

Basilica of St. Joseph
Proto-Cathedral
Tour the first Catholic cathedral west of the Allegheny Mountains. Built between 1816 and 1819, this church became the "Seat of the West" for the Catholic Church. Today this cathedral is a registered national landmark and contains fine paintings and altar adornments that were gifts from Francis I, King of the Two Sicilies, and Pope Leo XII. Be sure to ask about the famous art theft in the 1950s. www.stjoechurch.com

Bishop Flaget Log House and St. Thomas Church
The church and cabin date from 1812-1816. Originally a seminary, this property served as a school until the opening of the Preston Park Seminary in Louisville in 1871. It has a unique crucifix in the adjoining cemetery that is the largest in Kentucky.

Abbey of Gethsemani
The Abbey of Gethsemani's visitor center offers a display area, video presentation about monastery life and a gift shop offering Gethsemani Farms products. The Abbey, founded in 1848 by the Order of Trappist Cistercians, is home today to Trappist monks who open their doors to spiritual seekers from all over the world. Thomas Merton, a world-renowned spiritual writer is buried at this site. www.monks.org

Walking Tour of Nazareth
Explore the history of a dedicated congregation of women, The Sisters of Charity, with a discovery walk on the grounds. See the historic St. Vincent dePaul Church, circa 1850. www.scnfamily.org

Heritage Hall -
Sisters of Charity of Nazareth
Located in O'Connell Hall at Nazareth, this museum celebrates the story and the mission of the Sisters of Charity, founded in 1812. Interpretive exhibits illustrate the leadership of the sisters in areas of education, health care and social services. www.scnfamily.org

Spalding Hall
St. Joseph's College, the first Catholic college in Kentucky, was established in 1819 by Bishop Benedict Joseph Flaget. This building was constructed on the college grounds in 1826 and includes its own chapel. In 1911, the Xaverian Brothers took it over and used it as an educational institution for boys. The building is now used to house a restaurant, offices and the Bardstown Historical Museum.

Bardstown Art Gallery
and Thomas Merton Bookstore
This gallery and bookstore houses a unique collection of Thomas Merton books, other religious books and art. The owner of this store has worked on religious art projects for the monks at the Abbey of Gethsemani and has painted murals for St. Joseph Proto-Cathedral.

Holy Cross
In 1785, settlers from Maryland arrived here and started the Holy Cross congregation. Father Charles Nerinckx built this church in 1823.

St. Catherine Catholic Church
The first church was built in 1848, but burned in 1929. The present church was built in 1930.

Sisters of Loretto Motherhouse
The Sisters of Loretto have been here since 1824 and the first mass in the Bardstown diocese was celebrated in 1811. See Father Nerinckx' cabin, circa 1812, and view a Pierre Joseph Goedts painting, circa 1810. In addition, walk through the Stations of the Seven Dolors, circa 1911.