Established
1812, Third Street
Pioneer Catholics in
Lexington
worshipped in their homes and in a log chapel until the first church, St. Peter,
was built on
Third Street
next to the site now occupied by the Central Fire Station. Popular missionary
priest, Father Stephen Badin, was responsible for building the church. The site,
with its own cemetery, was then on the outskirts of town.
Established,
1837, North Limestone (Mulberry) Street
The
population of
Lexington
and its Catholic community increased with the introduction of the railroad and
other improvements. By 1837, Catholics moved into the second St. Peter Church at
the corner of North Limestone (then Mulberry) and Third Streets. Across the
street, James Weir had begun construction of the mansion that is now Whitehall
Funeral Home. The old Greyhound Bus Station was on the site that St. Peter
occupied. The location and building of the church commenced the community’s
long and happy alliance with the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth. The Sisters had
opened
St.
Catherine
Academy
on the Limestone property and sold the corner portion for construction of the
church.
In
1868,
St.
Paul
Church
was built on
Short
Street
,
and St. Peter was maintained as a mission. When St. Peter was reinstated as a
parish in 1909, the pastor, Fr. William Punch, immediately began what may be
Lexington
’s
longest fund drive! For twenty years, he collected 25˘
a week from his parishioners. Those funds contributed to the construction of the
present St. Peter Church on
Barr
Street
.
Many
of our established parishioners today at St. Peter can remember the dedication
of their church on
April 7, 1929
. Several changes have occurred since the
beginnings of the
Barr Street
complex of church, rectory, convent, and
school. School enrollment initially declined with the opening of other parishes,
but the dedication of St. Peter’s teachers and students continues. With religious Sisters no
longer staffing the school, the convent was closed, and later reopened in 1979
as St. Peter Education and Community Center (SPECC).
Renovating
the Church, 1983 –1987
The three-year, $155,000
project required liturgical approval from a Diocesan Commission and was carried
out by the Renovation Committee, of which Ella Pat Bausch was chairperson. The
resulting beauty of the interior has elicited much praise from parishioners and
visitors. Air conditioning was added and the portal stone from the church on
Limestone was erected on the front lawn, to the right of the church entrance,
and re-dedicated.
In the following years, the
landscaping underwent many changes. The Sisters of Cardome in
Georgetown
,
Kentucky
,
gave St. Peter Church the statues of Our Lady of Lourdes and St. Bernadette.
Under the guidance of Fr. Paul Wethington and Mr. Jim Evans, a beautiful shrine
was added to the east lawn of the church. Father Thomas Thai had a brick wall
built beside the rectory, which, with its greenery, has greatly enhanced that
area. A handsome wrought-iron fence and trees were added to the Pleasant Stone
side of the property. A new church sign was designed and donated by Mr. Albert
Oberst, a parishioner. The parish offices, housed in the rectory building, have
recently been renovated and relocated, thanks to the generous donation of a
parishioner. We are eagerly looking forward to our bicentennial celebration in
2012.
Church
Staff, 1997 – Present
In 1997, the three downtown
parishes (St. Peter,
St. Paul
,
and St. Peter Claver) were assigned one pastor, Father Daniel Noll, and one
associate pastor, Father Gino Donatelli, S.J. Each parish had a pastoral
associate and deacons to assist with the parish ministry.
In 2001, Ms. Lisa Boley was named the Pastoral Director of St. Peter Church and
Fr. Dan Noll became the Sacramental Minister. In 2004, Father A. Charles
Savarimuthu, H.G.N., of the Heralds of Good News missionary order from
India
,
was assigned as Sacramental Minister. In July, 2006, Father Nicholas (Nick)
Pagano was assigned as Parish Priest and Ms. Lisa Boley became Director of
Parish Life. Father Theodore (Ted) Keller and Father Henry (Hank) Kenney, S.J.,
are in residence at St. Peter rectory. Pam Berger is the
Director of Faith Formation, and Rob Vanover is our Director of Music Ministry.
Jerry Ann Hayes is the Business Manager. Beverly Jones is parish secretary.
