Roman Catholic Diocese of Bardstown
Encyclopedia
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Bardstown (Kentucky
) was established on April 8, 1808, along with the dioceses of Boston
, New York
, and Philadelphia, out of the territory of the Baltimore Diocese, the first Catholic diocese in the US. When founded, the Bardstown Diocese included most of Kentucky, Tennessee
, Missouri
, Illinois
, Indiana
, Ohio
and Michigan
. The geographical area was large, and today there are 44 dioceses in the area comprising the original diocese.
Benedict Joseph Flaget
was the first Bishop of Bardstown. He was briefly succeeded by John Baptist Mary David
who resigned less than a year later, when Flaget was again appointed to head the diocese. The historic Basilica of Saint Joseph Proto-Cathedral
, the former cathedral of the Diocese of Bardstown, is now a parish church.
The Diocese of Bardstown established its first church, Saint Thomas Parish, within four years of its founding. The diocese eventually increased the number of parishes to 23, and the number of priests from 6 to 36 within the first 25 years of its founding.
In 1841, the diocese was transferred from Bardstown to Louisville and was re-named the Diocese of Louisville
. The Diocese of Bardstown ceased to exist, but a titular see
now exists named the Diocese of Bardstown.
Pope Benedict XVI's
visit to the US in April 2008 celebrated the 200th anniversary of the 1808 creation of the new dioceses and the elevation of Baltimore to an archdiocese.
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
) was established on April 8, 1808, along with the dioceses of Boston
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the New England region of the United States. It comprises several counties of the state of Massachusetts...
, New York
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York covers New York, Bronx, and Richmond counties in New York City , as well as Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster, and Westchester counties in New York state. There are 480 parishes...
, and Philadelphia, out of the territory of the Baltimore Diocese, the first Catholic diocese in the US. When founded, the Bardstown Diocese included most of Kentucky, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
and Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. The geographical area was large, and today there are 44 dioceses in the area comprising the original diocese.
Benedict Joseph Flaget
Benedict Joseph Flaget
Benedict Joseph Flaget was a U.S. bishop. He served as the Roman Catholic Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bardstown between 1808 and 1839, then as bishop of the Diocese of Louisville between 1839 and 1850 when the See was transferred to Louisville in 1839.-Education and Call to Ministry:At...
was the first Bishop of Bardstown. He was briefly succeeded by John Baptist Mary David
John Baptist Mary David
John Baptist Mary David P.S.S. was a French prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Bardstown from 1832 to 1833....
who resigned less than a year later, when Flaget was again appointed to head the diocese. The historic Basilica of Saint Joseph Proto-Cathedral
Basilica of Saint Joseph Proto-Cathedral
The Basilica of Saint Joseph Proto-Cathedral is a Catholic parish church at 310 West Stephen Foster Avenue in Bardstown, Kentucky. It is the former cathedral mother church of the former Roman Catholic Diocese of Bardstown...
, the former cathedral of the Diocese of Bardstown, is now a parish church.
The Diocese of Bardstown established its first church, Saint Thomas Parish, within four years of its founding. The diocese eventually increased the number of parishes to 23, and the number of priests from 6 to 36 within the first 25 years of its founding.
In 1841, the diocese was transferred from Bardstown to Louisville and was re-named the Diocese of Louisville
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Louisville
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Louisville consists of twenty-four counties in Central Kentucky, USA, covering . It is the seat of the Metropolitan Province of Louisville, which comprises the states of Kentucky and Tennessee...
. The Diocese of Bardstown ceased to exist, but a titular see
Titular see
A titular see in various churches is an episcopal see of a former diocese that no longer functions, sometimes called a "dead diocese". The ordinary or hierarch of such a see may be styled a "titular bishop", "titular metropolitan", or "titular archbishop"....
now exists named the Diocese of Bardstown.
Pope Benedict XVI's
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
visit to the US in April 2008 celebrated the 200th anniversary of the 1808 creation of the new dioceses and the elevation of Baltimore to an archdiocese.