The small faith community at Good Shepherd Church, a landmark in the historic Portland neighborhood of Louisville, is taking on something big.
The parish has launched a five-year, $1.4 million capital campaign to renovate its 151-year-old church building.
The silent phase of the campaign began over the summer, meeting its immediate goal of $500,000. The campaign has since entered the public phase, and parish leaders are calling on past and present parishioners, friends of the parish and the larger community for help.
Parishioners, many of them elderly, have stepped up to do their part, some making small monthly donations of $20 or $50, said Judy Werst, a lifelong parishioner helping to lead the effort.
“People have been enthusiastic. Older parishioners have a history here, many have the same last names as founding members,” said Werst.
Father Deogratias Ssamba, Good Shepherd’s pastor, said he’s not surprised by how far the campaign has come.
“This is a small community, but it’s vibrant and generous,” he said in a recent interview. “They love the parish. They support the parish, they support the archdiocese and they support the priests. They are faithful.”
The parish has about 100 active parishioners, said Werst, noting the parish is showing some growth recently with the addition of four new families.
The campaign seeks to raise funds to renovate the red brick building constructed in the neo-gothic style.
A leaking roof — that has been replaced — caused significant damage to the walls, said Werst. The plaster walls need to be repaired, the interior needs painting and the carpeting needs to be replaced.
At least four windows need to be repaired and fitted with protective coverings to avoid deterioration of the original stained glass, she said. The heating and air conditioning systems and light fixtures are long overdue for an overhaul, too, said Werst.
While the church is historic, the parish of Good Shepherd was created just 15 years ago from the old St. Anthony Church on West Market Street, St. Cecilia Church on North 25th Street and the Church of Our Lady, the site of the current parish.
Church of Our Lady (Notre Dame du Port) was established in 1839 by Bishop Benedict Joseph Flaget, a French man who was the diocese’s first bishop. The church was built on property donated by Father Stephen Badin, the first priest ordained in the United States, according to historical information from the Archdiocese of Louisville.
The church was dedicated in October of 1841. Over the years, it suffered damage from several floods and had to be rebuilt twice, the last time in 1873.
Werst said the 1937 flood damaged the building’s floor and destroyed the side altars. That was the last time the building underwent a major renovation, she noted.
Good Shepherd is one of the oldest structures in the Portland neighborhood. But it’s more than a landmark, said Father Ssamba.
“Our presence here is important for this community,” he said. “There are many people with needs.”
The parish has a “benevolence fund” which provides emergency aid to needy individuals, he noted.
The women in the church have hosted a card party since the 1920s to benefit various charities. Funds from the monthly event have benefitted such groups as Catholic Charities of Louisville’s Sister Visitor Center, the Neighborhood House, the Portland Museum and, recently, women in Uganda, where Father Ssamba is from.
“You can imagine how good this community is,” he said. The parish’s support flowing as far as his homeland, is “very special.”
Good Shepherd “matters a lot,” in the community, he added. “There’s a future for this parish because of that.”To learn more about the faith community and the campaign, visit https://goodshepherdchurch.us/.
