St. Mary Magdalene

St. Mary Magdalene parish in Sorgho, my home parish, was established in 1907, when the first church was built. It was a small, wood-frame building, heated by coal stoves. The parish had no resident pastor, but was served from St. Elizabeth in Curdsville. This changed in 1928 when the church was made a mission of St. Augustine in Reed. The first school, built in 1918, was staffed by lay teachers. The Ursuline sisters of Mount St. Joseph staffed the school from 1923 until 1988. In the 1930’s, when the public schools were consolidated, the parish bought the old public school property next to the church and held classes in that building as well for several years.

The present church building, pictured above, was dedicated in 1949. Both the inside and outside walls are made of St. Meinrad sandstone. The only objects brought from the old church that remain today are the Stations of the Cross. Curiously enough, St. Elizabeth has a set of stations of the same type. It would be safe to assume that they were purchased while St. Mary Magdalene was still a mission of St. Elizabeth. A new, four-room school was built in 1951. Bathrooms were not added on until eight years later. By 1965, the parish had grown to such an extent that it was given its own resident pastor. A rectory was built by the parishioners on the east side of the church. The school closed in 1988 and merged with other Catholic schools in the area to form Holy Angels school at the same site. This school moved from that location in 1997 and later closed itself in 2004. Since then the old school has been used as the parish offices.

The church was remodeled in the late 1980’s. The church was carpeted and the communion rail taken out. Also, the high altar was turned around to make the new altar and the tabernacle was moved to a niche in the side wall.

St. Mary Magdalene is well known for its yearly barbeque picnic. Such events are traditions in western Kentucky. Its cooking team has also won championships numerous times at the yearly International Barbeque Festival in downtown Owensboro.

Nebraska Road Trip

Today I was able to go and see the Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter. I had visited here two years ago when the chapel was still under construction. The seminary was begun at this site in 1999, and had been worshiping in a temporary chapel for almost a decade. The new chapel is a simple, but tasteful building. Below are some of pictures of the seminary.

The Front Entrance of the Seminary

View from the Choir Loft

Detail of the Tabernacle and Baldacchino

PRIEST ASSIGNMENTS FOR 2011

PASTOR

Cash, Rev. Richard: Pastor of St. Denis Parish, Fancy Farm and St. Charles, Bardwell, Kentucky effective June 14, 2011.

Ibemere, Rev. Julian: Pastor of St. Pius X Parish, Owensboro, Kentucky, effective June 14, 2011.

Kalombo, Rev. Jean Rene: Pastor of Holy Redeemer Parish, Beaver Dam, Saint John the Baptist Parish, Fordsville and Holy Trinity Parish, Morgantown, Kentucky effective June 14, 2011.

Kreutzer, Rev. Dan: Pastor of St. Rose of Lima Parish, Cloverport and Holy Guardian Angels, Irvington, Kentucky, effective June 14, 2011.

McBride, Rev. Larry: Pastor of Holy Name of Jesus Parish, Henderson, Kentucky, effective June 14, 2011.

Meredith, Rev. Richard: Pastor of Sts. Peter and Paul Parish, Hopkinsville, Kentucky, effective June 14, 2011.

Reynolds, Rev. Pat: Pastor of St. Mary, LaCenter, Kentucky, effective June 14, 2011 while continuing to serve as Pastor of St. Thomas More, Paducah.

Riley, Rev. Eric: Pastor of St. Joseph Parish, Mayfield, Kentucky, effective June 14, 2011.

Roby, Rev. Brian: Pastor of Rosary Chapel, Paducah, Kentucky, effective June 14, 2011 while continuing to serve as Pastor of St. Francis de Sales, Paducah.

Suvakkin, HGN, Rev. Masilamani: Pastor of Sacred Heart, Russellville, effective June 23, 2011.

Thomas, Rev. John: Pastor of Christ the King, Madisonville, Kentucky, effective June 14, 2011.

Trawick, Rev. Greg: Pastor of St. Ambrose Parish, Henshaw, Saint William of Vercilli Parish, Marion and Saint Francis Borgia Parish, Sturgis, effective June 14, 2011.

PAROCHIAL VICAR

Dillard, Rev. Daniel: Parochial Vicar of Sts. Peter and Paul Parish, Hopkinsville, Kentucky effective June 14, 2011

Enoh, Rev. Uwem: Parochial Vicar of St. Francis de Sales Parish, and Rosary Chapel Parish, Paducah, Kentucky effective June 14, 2011

Harpole, Rev. Ryan: Parochial Vicar of St. Thomas More Parish, Paducah Kentucky and St. Mary, LaCenter Kentucky effective June 14, 2011

Jimenez, Rev. Carmelo Salinas: Parochial Vicar of Sts. Joseph and Paul Parish, Owensboro, Kentucky, effective June 14, 2011

OTHER

Bradley, Rev. Ed: given permission to retire as pastor. Volunteer Chaplain at Owensboro Catholic High School 2011/2012 school year.

Mikulcik, Rev. Ken: Study Canon Law at Saint Paul University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Calhoun, Rev. Jerry: given permission to retire as pastor and Vicar General effective July 1, 2011.

Reynolds, Rev. Pat: appointed Vicar General, effective July 1, 2011.