Louisville (Archdiocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Shelton Joseph Fabre, Archbishop
Joseph Edward Kurtz, Archbishop Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Archdiocese
Elevated: 10 December 1937
Metropolitan See
Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
State: Kentucky
Country: United States of America
Square Kilometers: 21,041 (8,127 Square Miles)
Conference Region: V (AL, KY, LA, MS, TN)
Catholic Directory Abbreviation: L
Official Web Site: http://www.archlou.org/
Mailing Address: 3940 Poplar Level Rd., Louisville, KY 40213, USA
Telephone: (502)585-3291
Fax: 585-2466

Historical Details

Diocese of Bardstown
- Erected: 8 April 1808
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Baltimore
- State: Kentucky
- Country: United States of America
Diocese of Louisville
- Latin Name: Ludovicopolitana
- Name Changed: 13 February 1841
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Cincinnati
- State: Kentucky
- Country: United States of America
- Catholic Directory Abbreviation: L

Past and Present Ordinaries

Benedict Joseph Flaget, P.S.S. † (8 Apr 1808 Appointed - 25 Aug 1832 Resigned)
John Baptist Mary David, P.S.S. † (25 Aug 1832 Succeeded - 21 Mar 1834 Resigned)
Benedict Joseph Flaget, P.S.S. † (17 Mar 1833 Appointed - 11 Feb 1850 Died)
Martin John Spalding † (11 Feb 1850 Succeeded - 6 May 1864 Appointed, Archbishop of Baltimore, Maryland)
Peter Joseph Lavialle † (7 Jul 1865 Appointed - 11 May 1867 Died)
William George McCloskey † (3 Mar 1868 Appointed - 17 Sep 1909 Died)
Denis O’Donaghue † (7 Feb 1910 Appointed - 26 Jul 1924 Retired)
John Alexander Floersh † (26 Jul 1924 Succeeded - 25 Feb 1967 Retired)
Thomas Joseph McDonough † (25 Feb 1967 Appointed - 29 Sep 1981 Resigned)
Thomas Cajetan Kelly, O.P. † (28 Dec 1981 Appointed - 12 Jun 2007 Retired)
Joseph Edward Kurtz (12 Jun 2007 Appointed - 8 Feb 2022 Retired)
Shelton Joseph Fabre (8 Feb 2022 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Diocese of Bardstown
8 April 1808	Erected	Diocese of Baltimore	Diocese of Boston (erected) (Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Vermont) Diocese of Bardstown (erected) (States of Kentucky, Tennessee, Ohio, and the Old Northwest Territory) Diocese of New York (erected) (State of New York plus Sussex, Bergen, Morris, Essex, Somerset, Middlesex, and Monmouth counties in New Jersey) Diocese of Philadelphia (erected) (Pennsylvania, Delaware, and 7 counties of New Jersey)
19 June 1821	Territory Lost	Diocese of Bardstown	Diocese of Cincinnati (erected) (Ohio)
6 May 1834	Territory Lost	Diocese of Bardstown	Diocese of Vincennes (erected) (Indiana and the eastern portion of Illinois)
6 May 1834	Territory Lost	Diocese of Bardstown	Diocese of Saint Louis (the rest of Illinois (not part of Vincennes))
18 June 1834	Territory Added		Diocese of Bardstown (KY and TN)
28 July 1837	Territory Lost	Diocese of Bardstown	Diocese of Nashville (erected) (State of Tennessee)
Diocese of Louisville
13 February 1841	Name Changed	Diocese of Bardstown	Diocese of Louisville
19 July 1850	Metropolitan Changed		Diocese of Cleveland (from Baltimore to Cincinnati) Diocese of Detroit (from Baltimore to Cincinnati) Diocese of Louisville (from Baltimore to Cincinnati) Diocese of Vincennes (from Baltimore to Cincinnati)
29 July 1853	Territory Lost	Diocese of Louisville	Diocese of Covington (erected) (Eastern part of KY)
9 December 1937	Territory Lost	Diocese of Louisville (Ballard, Carliste, Hickman, Fulton, McCracken, Graves, Livingston, Marshall, Calloway, Trigg, Lyon, Crittenden, Caldwell, Christian, Hopkins, Webster, Union, Henderson, Daviess, Eandock, McLean, Ohio, Muhlenberg, Butler, Todd, Logan, Breckinridge, ...)	Diocese of Owensboro (erected)
Archdiocese of Louisville
10 December 1937	Elevated	Diocese of Louisville	Archdiocese of Louisville
14 January 1988	Territory Lost	Diocese of Covington (Bath, Bell, Bourbon, Boyd, Breathitt, Carter, Clark, Clay, Elliott, Estill, Fayette, Floyd, Franklin, Garrard, Greenup, Harlan, Jackson, Jessimine, Johnson, Knot, Knox, Laurel, Lawrence, Lee, Leslie, Letcher, Madison, Magoffin, Martin, Manifee, Montgo...) Archdiocese of Louisville (Anderson, Boyle, Lincoln, McCreary, Mercer, Pulaski, and Wayne)	Diocese of Lexington (erected)

Year Catholics Total Population Percent Catholic Diocesan Priests Religious Priests Total Priests Catholics Per Priest Permanent Deacons Male Religious Female Religious Parishes Source

Diocese of Louisville

1910 135,421 142 62 204 663 ce

1918 117,696 122 87 209 563 168 ocdk1919

1928 117,437 119 112 231 508 162 ocdk1929

Archdiocese of Louisville

1950 132,050 905,078 14.6% 168 133 301 438 246 420 110 ap1951

1965 196,271 1,097,104 17.9% 280 186 466 421 377 1,526 137 ap1967

1970 196,537 1,097,104 17.9% 259 159 418 470 303 1,482 123 ap1971

1976 196,505 1,223,700 16.1% 255 113 368 533 261 1,542 124 ap1977

1980 210,154 1,320,000 15.9% 248 110 358 587 44 232 1,462 126 ap1981

1990 196,734 1,156,000 17.0% 206 73 279 705 82 167 1,281 126 ap1991

1999 178,420 1,139,022 15.7% 185 59 244 731 96 83 1,026 113 ap2000

2000 196,929 1,206,280 16.3% 176 64 240 820 107 152 953 112 ap2001

2001 196,910 1,215,069 16.2% 172 66 238 827 108 150 987 112 ap2002

2002 197,283 1,220,070 16.2% 170 65 235 839 106 146 941 111 ap2003

2003 197,285 1,220,070 16.2% 171 59 230 857 111 138 944 111 ap2004

2004 196,888 1,119,465 17.6% 159 58 217 907 110 137 870 111 ap2005

2006 210,000 1,190,000 17.6% 144 61 205 1,024 104 133 796 112 ap2007

2010 218,000 1,234,000 17.7% 136 56 192 1,135 119 117 697 102 ap2011

2013 224,600 1,368,911 16.4% 133 50 183 1,227 140 106 580 102 ap2014

2016 280,000 1,389,465 20.2% 139 41 180 1,555 130 87 494 111 ap2017

2019 183,831 1,413,500 13.0% 140 49 189 972 142 93 501 101 ap2020

2021 174,330 1,396,298 12.5% 140 50 190 917 141 85 744 101 ap2022

2023 164,784 1,319,621 12.5% 127 39 166 992 131 61 363 110 ap2024

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
Diocese of Louisville
1910	135,421			142	62	204	663					ce
1918	117,696			122	87	209	563				168	ocdk1919
1928	117,437			119	112	231	508				162	ocdk1929
Archdiocese of Louisville
1950	132,050	905,078	14.6%	168	133	301	438		246	420	110	ap1951
1965	196,271	1,097,104	17.9%	280	186	466	421		377	1,526	137	ap1967
1970	196,537	1,097,104	17.9%	259	159	418	470		303	1,482	123	ap1971
1976	196,505	1,223,700	16.1%	255	113	368	533		261	1,542	124	ap1977
1980	210,154	1,320,000	15.9%	248	110	358	587	44	232	1,462	126	ap1981
1990	196,734	1,156,000	17.0%	206	73	279	705	82	167	1,281	126	ap1991
1999	178,420	1,139,022	15.7%	185	59	244	731	96	83	1,026	113	ap2000
2000	196,929	1,206,280	16.3%	176	64	240	820	107	152	953	112	ap2001
2001	196,910	1,215,069	16.2%	172	66	238	827	108	150	987	112	ap2002
2002	197,283	1,220,070	16.2%	170	65	235	839	106	146	941	111	ap2003
2003	197,285	1,220,070	16.2%	171	59	230	857	111	138	944	111	ap2004
2004	196,888	1,119,465	17.6%	159	58	217	907	110	137	870	111	ap2005
2006	210,000	1,190,000	17.6%	144	61	205	1,024	104	133	796	112	ap2007
2010	218,000	1,234,000	17.7%	136	56	192	1,135	119	117	697	102	ap2011
2013	224,600	1,368,911	16.4%	133	50	183	1,227	140	106	580	102	ap2014
2016	280,000	1,389,465	20.2%	139	41	180	1,555	130	87	494	111	ap2017
2019	183,831	1,413,500	13.0%	140	49	189	972	142	93	501	101	ap2020
2021	174,330	1,396,298	12.5%	140	50	190	917	141	85	744	101	ap2022
2023	164,784	1,319,621	12.5%	127	39	166	992	131	61	363	110	ap2024

Note: Any changes in boundaries over time are not indicated in the above table.

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Guy Ignatius Chabrat, P.S.S. † (Deacon: 21 Sep 1811; Priest: 21 Dec 1811; Coadjutor Bishop: 27 Jul 1832 - Did Not Take Effect)
Francis Ridgley Cotton † (Priest: 17 Jun 1920 to 16 Dec 1937)
John Baptist Mary David, P.S.S. † (Coadjutor Bishop: 4 Jul 1817; Bishop: 25 Aug 1832 to 21 Mar 1834)
Roland Pierre DuMaine †
Benedict Joseph Flaget, P.S.S. † (Bishop: 8 Apr 1808 to 25 Aug 1832)
John Alexander Floersh † (Coadjutor Bishop: 6 Feb 1923; Bishop: 26 Jul 1924; Archbishop: 10 Dec 1937 to 25 Feb 1967)
Michael Heiss † (Priest: 18 Oct 1840 to 3 Mar 1868)
Rupert (Gilbert Paul) Hillerich, O.F.M. Conv. †
Thomas Cajetan Kelly, O.P. † (Archbishop: 28 Dec 1981 to 12 Jun 2007)
Peter Joseph Lavialle † (Priest: 12 Feb 1844; Bishop: 7 Jul 1865 to 11 May 1867)
Charles Garrett Maloney † (Priest: 8 Dec 1937; Auxiliary Bishop: 30 Dec 1954 to 5 Jan 1988)
William George McCloskey † (Bishop: 3 Mar 1868 to 17 Sep 1909)
Thomas Joseph McDonough † (Archbishop: 25 Feb 1967 to 29 Sep 1981)
John McGill † (Priest: 13 Jun 1835 to 23 Jul 1850)
George Thomas Montgomery †
Denis O’Donaghue † (Bishop: 7 Feb 1910 to 26 Jul 1924)
Theodore Henry Reverman † (Priest: 26 Jul 1901 to 2 Jul 1926)
James Ryan † (Priest: 24 Dec 1871 to 28 Feb 1888)
John Lancaster Spalding † (Priest: 19 Dec 1863 to 19 Dec 1876)
Martin John Spalding † (Priest: 13 Aug 1834; Coadjutor Bishop: 9 May 1848; Bishop: 11 Feb 1850 to 6 May 1864)

Source(s)

Diocese of Louisville
- Series Episcoporum Ecclesiæ Catholicæ, Volume 1, Page 172
Archdiocese of Louisville
- Acta Apostolicæ Sedis, Volume 30, Page 260, to Page 262

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Archdiocese of Louisville

Archidioecesis Ludovicopolitana