St. Joseph Church in Butchertown celebrated its 150th anniversary May 14 with a special Mass and dinner. Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz concelebrated the liturgy with St. Joseph’s pastor, Father David Sánchez. Also in attendance were Ursuline Sisters of Louisville, who staffed the school for more than 100 years, and Franciscan Friars, who served at the parish from 1875 to 2002. The archbishop noted the parish’s history — it was established as a parish for German immigrants — and pointed out that it now also is a spiritual home for Catholics from Latin America. He discussed how the church’s diversity relates to Pentecost and noted that the parish’s anniversary motto — reflect, rejoice, renew — is appropriate for the feast day, which is regarded as the church’s birthday. After the liturgy, the parish unveiled an historical marker from the Kentucky Historical Society.
