The following is a listing of Catholic community events in central Kentucky.
SERVICES & DEVOTIONS
An archdiocesan celebration of Our Lady of Guadalupe will be held Dec. 6 at Our Lady of Lourdes Church, 508 Breckenridge Lane. The event, which includes Mass and the rosary, will begin at 10 a.m. For more information, contact mkincaid@archlou.org.
The “Lighting of the Tree of Remembrance” at Calvary Cemetery, 1600 Newburg Road, will be held Dec. 5 at 6:30 p.m. The cemetery gates will be open for entry until 6:25 p.m.
Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre will lead a prayer service before the tree lighting. Free ornaments will be available for the public to personalize and hang on the tree in remembrance of loved ones. Ornaments will also be available throughout December in the cemetery office.
An Advent Lessons and Carols service featuring the choirs of the Cathedral of the Assumption and St. Agnes Church will be held Dec. 11 at 7:30 p.m. at the cathedral, located at 433 S. Fifth St. The event is free and open to the public.
St. Stephen Martyr Church, 2931 Pindell Ave., will host an Advent Lessons and Carols celebration on Dec. 16. A musical prelude will begin at 6 p.m. with the service to follow at 6:30 p.m.
The Archdiocese of Louisville Charismatic Renewal will host a prayer and praise event on Dec. 14 at 3 p.m. The event, open to all, will be held in St. Bernard Church’s checkerboard room, 7500 Tangelo Dr. For more information, contact Jessica Webster at jeskha.may@gmail.com.
The closing Mass for Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, 1545 Louis Coleman Jr. Drive, will be celebrated on Dec. 14 at 9 a.m. A reception will follow the liturgy.
RETREATS
Mount Saint Francis Center for Spirituality in Mount St. Francis, Ind., will host an Advent retreat titled “A Journey of Hope, Peace, Joy and Love” on Dec. 13 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The facilitator is Dr. Regina Proctor. The cost is $60, which includes coffee, pastries and lunch. To register, visit mountsaintfrancis.org/advent-retreat.
Nazareth Retreat Center in Nazareth, Ky., will host an Advent retreat titled “Listening Together” on Dec. 6 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The facilitator is Kathy Mattone. The cost is $65, which includes lunch. To register, visit nazarethretreatcenterky.org.
The Lay Missionaries of Charity will host a half-day Advent retreat on Dec. 13 at St. Aloysius Church, 244 Abbot St., Shepherdsville, Ky. The free retreat will begin with Mass at 9 a.m. Adoration, confession and discussion with Father Adam Carrico will follow. Lunch is provided. RSVP to Martha Green at lmcarchlou@gmail.com.
VOCATIONS
The St. Serra Club of Louisville, which promotes religious vocations, will hold a Holy Hour for vocations at 12:30 p.m. Dec. 10 in the chapel behind the altar at St. Margaret Mary Church, 7813 Shelbyville Road. All are welcome.
ORGANIZATIONS
Louisville Cursillo will host a Christmas Ultreya celebration on Dec. 6 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at St. Bartholomew Church, 2040 Buechel Bank Road. Attendees should bring a dish to share. For more information, visit louisvillecursillo.org.
The St. Serra Club of Louisville, which promotes religious vocations, will hold its next luncheon meeting at 11:30 a.m. Dec. 15, at Golden Corral, 4032 Taylorsville Road.
Father Pat Dolan will be the speaker.
The cost is $12 for members and $15 for others. For more information, call Chuck Lynch at 442-9302.
The Flaget Alumni Association will host its annual Christmas party on Dec. 10 at noon in the Elk’s Club #8, 2824 Klondike Lane, across from St. Martha Church. The lunch is free for all paid members; for others, it is $10. The association will be collecting winter coats for the homeless. For more information, visit Flaget.org.
SUPPORT GROUPS
The Louisville chapter of Life-Giving Wounds will host a holiday party on Dec. 11 at 7 p.m. at 622 Woodlake Dr. Life-Giving Wounds is a national ministry for adults whose parents are divorced or separated. This free gathering will offer peer support during the holiday season. The evening will include light refreshments. To register, visit tinyurl.com/3a8v8zta.
A NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) family support group is offered at St. Albert the Great Church, 1395 Girard Drive, on the third Sunday of the month from 7 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. in the Parish Life Center. The group is designed to provide a supportive environment for those caring for a person with mental illness, including anxiety, depression, addiction, suicidal ideation or other diagnoses. All are welcome.
The Hope and Healing Grief Group for those touched by the loss of a loved one to substance use or addiction meets at St. Albert the Great Church, 1395 Girard Drive, on the third Wednesday of the month from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Sacred Heart Center. Contact Laura Graven at lngraven@aol.com for more information. All are welcome.
Nourish for Caregivers — a program for those caring for an aging parent, spouse or loved one — meets in St. Margaret Mary Church’s Spirituality Center, 7813 Shelbyville Road, and via Zoom every second Wednesday of the month at 7 p.m. To register and to receive the Zoom link, contact Denise Ruiz at druiz@stmm.org or call 690-2834.
A grief support group for those who have lost someone to addiction or substance use disorder — GRASP (Grief Recovery After a Substance Passing) — meets at Holy Trinity Church, 501 Cherrywood Road, in the multipurpose building on the second Monday of each month from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. For additional information, email Lindacicca@yahoo.com.
St. Bernadette Church will host “Dealing with Grief During the Holidays” on Dec. 16 from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the parish center, 6500 Saint Bernadette Avenue. For more information, contact Sharon Schuhmann at 815-3103 or sharons@stb2008.org.
Ups & Downs, a support group for those dealing with loss, grief, depression and anxiety, meets the first Friday of each month from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Forest Hills Commons Assisted Living Facility, 9107 Taylorsville Road. The group is a ministry of St. Michael Church.
The cost is $5 per session. For more information, contact facilitator Ann C. Holloway, M.Ed., LMFT, at ach.29@hotmail.com.
Parents of Addicted Loved Ones (PAL) meets weekly on Sundays from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at St. John Paul II Church, 3525 Goldsmith Lane.
SINGLES
The Catholic Single Adults Club, for singles 50 and older, will meet at Metro Diner (Outer Loop) at 5 p.m. Dec. 7. For more information and directions, call 553-1476.
THE ARTS
St. Luke Church, 4211 Jim Hawkins Dr., will host the Wilderness Trail Players’ “Scrooge: A Christmas Carol” on Dec. 5, 6 and 7. For more information, visit stlukelouisville.org.
St. Patrick Church, 1000 N. Beckley Station Road, will host a Christmas concert by the Louisville Mandolin Orchestra on Dec. 7 at 3 p.m. The free concert is family-friendly and will include a sing-along of carols. Refreshments will be served afterwards.
The Mid-Kentucky Chorus will host its annual Christmas concerts at various locations around the Archdiocese of Louisville this month.
Performances will be:
- Dec. 6 at 3 p.m. and Dec. 14 at 3 p.m. at the St. Catharine Motherhouse in Springfield, Ky.
- Dec. 7 at 3 p.m. at St. Augustine Church in Lebanon, Ky.
- Dec. 12 at 7:30 p.m. at the St. Joseph Proto-Cathedral in Bardstown, Ky.
Tickets are $20 for adults, $17 for seniors and $10 for students. Reserved seats are available by calling 859-336-9416 or visiting midkentuckyarts.com. Open seating will be available at the door.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
St. Bernadette Church will host a blood drive Dec. 20 from 7:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. in the St. Mary Academy gym, 11311 St. Mary Lane, Prospect, Ky. Sign up online at redcrossblood.org.
Catholic Charities needs volunteers in the following areas:
- Administrative — data entry and filing. Remote and in-person opportunities are available with a flexible schedule.
- Presents with a Purpose — sorting and packing toys, clothing and other gifts. Daytime shifts available Dec. 6 through Dec. 16.
- Long-term care program — Provide weekly companionship or social activity for residents at area long-term care and assisted living facilities. Or, become a certified volunteer ombudsman, advocating for the rights of people living in long-term care.
For more details and to express interest, visit cclou.org/volunteer or contact Debbie Belt at dbelt@archlou.org or 637-9786, ext. 115.
EDUCATION & ENRICHMENT
A Bible study led by Father Joe Rankin will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Dec. 9 at St. Rita Church, 8709 Preston Highway. The topic is, “Who is Jesus?”
Catholic Charities will host “Coffee and Conversations with Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre and Lisa DeJaco Crutcher, CEO” on Dec. 9 from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. at 435 E. Broadway. The event offers an opportunity to learn more about “recent developments and effects on Catholic Charities.” Tours of Catholic Charities will be offered following the gathering. Coffee is provided.
To register, email Brian Monell at bmonell@archlou.org or call 502.637.9786 ext. 118.
St. Lawrence Church, 1925 Lewiston Drive, will host the St. Carlo Acutis Eucharistic Miracles World Exhibit on Dec. 6 from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Dec. 7 from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. The exhibit will be held in the Clara Zoeller Community Room.
The Archdiocese of Louisville Ministry Institute will offer “Introduction to Scripture” on Dec. 9 from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at St. Thomas More Church, 6105 S. Third St.The cost is $10. To register or for more information, contact Lynn McDaniel at lmcdaniel@archlou.org or 636-0296, ext. 1267. Class sizes will be limited and participants must pre-register (no walk-ins).
