St. Joseph's Cathedral, Bardstown

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Bardstown, Kelson County, Kentucky Owner or Catholic Diocese of Louisville, custodian: The Rt. Rev. John A. Floersh Address: South Third Street, Louis villa, Kentucky Date built: (approx) Architect John Rogers, of Baltimore, Maryland or builder: Present condition: Very good; well cared for Uumber of One story, with balcony for choir stories; and organ. Material used Foundation; Native stone. in construction; Exterior walls: Brick; pillars; stone. Interior partitions; Brick and frame, plastered. Columns are logs of tall trees encased in plaster. Floor: Wood construction (terrazzo in aisles, recent), Roof; Frame construction, covered with metal (recent). Description: The corner stone was laid July 16, architectural by the Rt, Rev.

Benedict Joseph Flaget, and historical and was dedicated August 9, This v/as the first Cathedral erected west of the Alleshanies, The materials used in the construction were obtained from the immediate vicinity. The bricks were burned on the place, and the stone quarried from the hills, and the lumber from the surrounding forest. r '2: The Interior presents an unusual "beauty* .The altars, the pews, and the pulpit are the original ones, On. the door of the tabernacle of the main, or center, altar Is engraved the coat of arms of the Duke of Orleans. There are many valuable paintings hanging in this church. Quoting from "Sketches of the Barly Catholic Missions in Kentucky, from their Commencement to the Jubilee of by M. J. Spalding, D.

' >., page "The ceil- ing of the centra aisle Is arched, and flanked on each .side with a row of four beautiful columns, besides the pilasters- of the sanctuary. The ceiling of the side aisles is groined; and it was intended by the architect to have the side walla decorated with pilasters in the 3ame style of architecture, but the limited funds of the church did not permit him to carry out this plan. The steeple is a well proportioned and beautifully tapering spire, nearly one hundred and fifty feet in height, to the summit of the cross with which it is surmounted.

It is provided with a large bell procured from France by the present Coadjutor Bishop of the Diocese* "An organ, and two superb paintings, the one repre- senting the Crucifixion, and the other, the Conversion of William, Duke of Brienne, by St. Bernard, were placed In the church. They had been procured from Belgium by the Venerable M. Kerinckx; and were by him presented to the Bishop of the new Cathedral. To these paintings were subsequently added several others which had been presented to the Bishop by the King of Naples, and the Sover-ign Pontiff, Leo XII. 11 The Cathedral was also provided with rich suits of vestments, golden candlesticks, a golden tabernacle, and other splendid ornaments, presented to the Bishop by the present King and Queen of the French.

In a word the Cathe- dral is a beautiful and well decorated edifice; and it will long remain an evidence of the zeal and liberality of our Bishop and the Catholics of the congregation attached to it, as well as a monument of the ability and exquisite taste of its architect". In the year of the Episcopal Sees of Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Bardstown were erected. Rev.

Benedict Joseph Flaget was appointed the first bishop of Bardstown and was consecrated in Baltimore by Archbishop Carroll, November 4, and reached Bardstown June 9, From "Sketches of the Early Catholic Missions in Kentucky" (Spalding), page says: "The See of Bardstown embraced the whole northwest territory of the United States, or that which lay north of the degree of north latitude, including the present States of Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, and about one-half of Arkansas, besides the two territories of Wisconsin and Iowa. The See of Bardstown bears to the west nearly the same ' HAB5 KY.

relation as that of Baltimore does to the whole of the United States1', From page 243 (Spalding's Sketches), follows: "During the first eight years of Bishop Flaget's residence in Kentucky he had no Cathedral other than the small log chapel of St. Thomas. His continual occupations j-.ade it almost impossible for hin to undertake the erection of a church suitable for the purpose. However, the first sub- scription was found to be from to Bards- town subscribed Many citizens of Bardstown, who were not Catholics subscribed liberally for this purpose". On July 16, Bishop Flaget laid the corner stone of St, Joseph's Cathedral.

From page 244 (Spalding's Sketches), we quote; "But many unforseen obstacles arose* The subscriptions were found to be insufficient; and, from one of those sudden pecuniary revulsions common to all commercial countries, and no where more frequent than in the United States, many who had subscribed had become totally unable to pay the amount of their subscription. All our older citizens remember the heavy pecuniary pressure and distress of the years and following", However, the work continued to progress and the new Cathedral of St. Joseph's was dedicated on August 8, by Bishop Flaget,. On August 15, Rev. J.

B, Ivi, David, who had accompanied Bishop Flaget to America in was consecrated by Bishop Flaget as Coadjutor Bishop of the Diocese of Bardstown Shortly after his arrival in Kentucky Bishop Flaget opened a seminary under the direction of Rev. J, B. David, who together with the sub-deacon, G. I. Chabrat, and two other laics, accompanied him to his new field. The first ordination to take place in Kentucky was that of Rev, G. I. Chabrat, on December 25, The first ordinations in the new Cathedral was on September 18, the Rev. Win. Byrne, and the Rev. G-. I,U Elder. The See was transferred to Louisville in Several prelates whose names are familiar in the history of the church in American, had been pastors of the Cathedral Church.

Prominent among these were the Right Reverend Benedict Joseph Flaget, the first bishop; the Right Reverend John B. 11. Davis, the second bishop of Bardstown; Most Reverend Francis P. Kenrick, archbishop of Baltimore; HA85 4 q0. (lAftTD the Right Reverend Ignatius Reynolds, bishop of Charleston, and the Most Reverend Martin John Spalding? archbishop of Baltimore, The present rectory was built by Bishop Flaget more than a century ago. It was at one time an ecclesiastical seminary. It probably enjoys the distinction of being the oldest seminary building extant in America.