Established 1879
Registrations: 28
Please note: parish mailing address is different from its location.
LOCATION
609 Main Street, Cecilia, Ky. 42724-9618
PARISH OFFICE (Attended from Saint James, Elizabethtown)
Mail to: c/o 307 W. Dixie Ave., Elizabeth, Ky. 42701-1767
Phone: (270) 765-6268
FAX: (270) 234-9598
E-mail: parishoffice@stjames-etown.org
CLERGY
Pastor: Rev. Charles D. Walker
Associate: Rev. Matthew T. Hardesty
Permanent Deacon: Karl A. Drerup
MASS SCHEDULE
Sundays — Sun: 8 a.m.
Holy Days — See bulletin
Daily — Tue: 9 a.m.
HISTORY
Before 1876, the community of faith that gathered for Mass in Cecilia was served from Harcourt. St. Ambrose’s first church was dedicated May 23, 1889, and its first pastor was Father John Fitzgerald, who also served as the chaplain of Bethlehem Academy. In 1898 a rectory was built at Cecilia to house the pastors of surrounding missions.
Through the years, St. Ambrose has suffered many adversities. The original church, constructed of handmade bricks, was totally destroyed by a tornado on February 7, 1904. The church was rebuilt in August of the same year on the old foundation, only to be completely destroyed by fire on July 31, 1955. Parishioners once again rebuilt. The dedication of the third church was held on October 17, 1956. Bishop Charles G. Maloney officiated with fifty-five other priests present. A picnic hall was built in 1951.
St. Ambrose School, a large, two-story former residence, opened in 1922 with the Sisters of Loretto at the Foot of the Cross staffing the school. Initially sixty students were enrolled. The present school, located next to the church, opened in September 1948. With the close of the school in 1968, the convent was rented out. Elementary and secondary school students attending public school participate in religious instruction on weekday evenings.
All the present buildings were erected during Father Anthony Howard’s twenty-year pastorate (1945-1966). Today, St. Ambrose has about 75 parishioners.