Roman Catholic Diocese of Bardstown facts for kids

The Diocese of Bardstown was an important early Catholic area in the United States. It was created in Bardstown, Kentucky on April 8, 1808. This new diocese covered a huge area, including much of the land west of the Appalachian Mountains. It was one of four new dioceses formed at the same time, along with Boston, New York, and Philadelphia. These new areas were all part of the larger Archdiocese of Baltimore.

When it was first started, the Diocese of Bardstown included parts of many states we know today. This included most of Kentucky, Tennessee, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan. It was a very large region! Today, this same area is home to 44 different Catholic dioceses. The name of the Diocese of Bardstown later changed to the Diocese of Louisville in 1841. This happened when its main office moved from Bardstown to Louisville.

Basilica of Saint Joseph Proto-Cathedral in Bardstown, Kentucky

The Start of Catholicism in Kentucky

The first Catholic families moved to the Kentucky area from Maryland in 1785. By 1796, there were about 300 Catholic families living in Kentucky. Early missionaries, like Stephen Badin and Michel Barriere, were sent by Bishop John Carroll of Baltimore. They traveled to Kentucky on foot in 1793.

Early Missionaries and Growth

Michel Barriere left in 1794, but Stephen Badin stayed. He made his home base on Pottinger's Creek. For the next 14 years, Badin traveled by foot, horseback, and boat. He visited Catholic settlements that were spread far apart in Kentucky and the Northwest Territory. For three years, Badin was the only priest in all of Kentucky. Other priests joined him later, like M.J.C. Fournier in 1797 and Anthony Salmon in 1799. Sadly, Salmon died soon after arriving, and Fournier passed away in 1803. In 1805, Charles Nerinckx arrived, bringing much-needed help.

Religious groups also began to arrive. The Dominicans came to Springfield in 1805. Two groups of sisters were also founded nearby: the Sisters of Loretto in Marion County in 1812, and the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth near Bardstown in the same year.

Bishop Flaget and the New Diocese

In 1808, Bardstown became its own diocese. Benedict Joseph Flaget was chosen to be the first Bishop of Bardstown. This was the largest diocese ever created in the United States at that time. It covered an area that is now 10 modern states!

A Reluctant Bishop

Bishop Flaget did not want the job at first. He even traveled to France to try and get the appointment changed. But he was not successful. On his way back to the United States, Flaget brought other early missionaries with him, including Simon Bruté and Guy Ignatius Chabrat, who also became bishops. Flaget was officially made a bishop on November 4, 1810, in Baltimore. So, it took three years after his appointment for Bishop Flaget to arrive in Kentucky.

Bishop Benedict Joseph Flaget, the first Bishop of Bardstown

Building the Church in the West

When Bishop Flaget started his work, he had only seven priests to help him care for the entire western frontier of the United States. He worked hard to build up the Catholic community.

• 1811: Saint Thomas Seminary was opened to train new priests.
• 1820: Saint Joseph College was established in Bardstown. This college was later used as a hospital for soldiers during the American Civil War.
• 1821: Saint Mary College was founded. It was one of the oldest Catholic colleges for boys in the country before it closed in 1976.

The Diocese of Bardstown built its first church, Saint Thomas Parish, within four years. In its first 25 years, the diocese grew from six priests to 36, and the number of churches increased to 23.

The Proto-Cathedral

The cornerstone for the historic Basilica of Saint Joseph Proto-Cathedral was laid on July 16, 1816. Many of the beautiful paintings and decorations inside the church were gifts. They came from important people like Pope Leo XII and King Louis-Philippe of France. This church was once the main church (cathedral) for the Diocese of Bardstown. Today, it is a parish church.

Changes and Legacy

In 1817, John Baptist Mary David was made a bishop to help Flaget. He briefly took over as head of the diocese in 1832, but he resigned less than a year later. Bishop Flaget was then appointed to lead the diocese again.

In 1841, a big change happened. The diocese moved from Bardstown to Louisville. Its name was changed to the Diocese of Louisville, and its main church became the Cathedral of the Assumption. Later, it became the Archdiocese of Louisville. The Diocese of Bardstown is no longer an active diocese with a bishop. Today, the Catholic Church lists it as a "titular see," which means it's a historical title.

In April 2008, Pope Benedict XVI visited the United States. This visit celebrated the 200th anniversary of the creation of these new dioceses in 1808.

Images for kids

• 

  Basilica of Saint Joseph Proto-Cathedral (Bardstown, Kentucky)

• 

  Bishop Flaget