Reverend Joseph E. Kurtz, D.D. Bishop | Archdiocese of Louisville

A series of events and activities are scheduled across the Archdiocese of Louisville in December, offering opportunities for worship, support, and community engagement.

On December 6, an archdiocesan celebration of Our Lady of Guadalupe will take place at Our Lady of Lourdes Church on Breckenridge Lane. The event will begin at 10 a.m. with Mass and the rosary. For more information, interested individuals can contact mkincaid@archlou.org.

The Cathedral of the Assumption and St. Agnes Church choirs will present an Advent Lessons and Carols service on December 11 at 7:30 p.m. at the cathedral on South Fifth Street. The event is free to attend.

St. Stephen Martyr Church will host its own Advent Lessons and Carols celebration on December 16, starting with a musical prelude at 6 p.m., followed by the service at 6:30 p.m.

Calvary Cemetery’s annual “Lighting of the Tree of Remembrance” is set for December 5 at 6:30 p.m., with gates closing for entry five minutes prior. Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre will lead a prayer service before the tree lighting, and free ornaments will be available for attendees to personalize in memory of loved ones throughout December.

The Archdiocese of Louisville Ministry Institute is organizing an Advent retreat titled “Poured Into Us” on December 13 from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at St. Gabriel Church on Bardstown Road; registration costs $30 including lunch, with preregistration required by December 3.

Other retreats include “A Journey of Hope, Peace, Joy and Love” hosted by Mount Saint Francis Center for Spirituality in Indiana on December 13 ($60 fee), “Listening Together” led by Kathy Mattone at Nazareth Retreat Center in Kentucky on December 6 ($65 fee), and a free half-day retreat organized by Lay Missionaries of Charity at St. Aloysius Church in Shepherdsville on December 13.

Women considering religious life can participate in a virtual session hosted by the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth on December 2; registration details are available via charityconnections@nazareth.org or their website.

The St. Serra Club will hold two events focused on religious vocations: a Holy Hour for vocations at St. Margaret Mary Church chapel on December 10 and a luncheon meeting featuring Benedictine Sister Katie Cummings as speaker on December 1 at Golden Corral restaurant.

Flaget Alumni Association’s annual Christmas party takes place noon, December 10, collecting winter coats for those experiencing homelessness; details are provided through Flaget.org.

Support groups addressing grief and caregiving meet regularly across various parishes—such as Ups & Downs (first Fridays), GRASP (second Mondays), Nourish for Caregivers (second Wednesdays), along with special sessions like “Not Feeling so Merry?” (Holy Trinity Church) and “Coping with Grief During the Holidays” (St. Bartholomew Church).

Social gatherings include Catholic Single Adults Club’s dinner meeting (December 7) and Life-Giving Wounds’ holiday party supporting adults whose parents are divorced or separated (December 11).

St. Luke Church presents performances of “Scrooge: A Christmas Carol” from December 5–7; St. Patrick Church hosts a family-friendly concert by Louisville Mandolin Orchestra featuring carol sing-alongs on December 7.

The Mid-Kentucky Chorus will offer its annual Christmas concerts throughout locations within the archdiocese next month; tickets can be reserved online or purchased at the door.

Immaculate Conception’s Agape Shop seeks new or gently used toy donations for its toy drive this season; items may be dropped off during specified hours or locations listed above.

Catholic Charities continues to seek volunteers to support food pantries throughout Louisville communities; those interested can learn more or sign up via cclou.org/volunteer or by contacting Debbie Belt directly.

An event titled “Coffee and Conversations with Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre and Lisa DeJaco Crutcher, CEO,” is scheduled for December 9 from 8:30–9:30 a.m., providing updates about Catholic Charities’ recent developments along with tours following the gathering; registration information is available through Brian Monell via email or phone as listed above.

St. Lawrence Church offers visitors an opportunity to view the St. Carlo Acutis Eucharistic Miracles World Exhibit over two days in early December within its community room facilities.

Additional educational opportunities include an Introduction to Scripture course offered by the Archdiocese Ministry Institute at St. Thomas More Church ($10 fee) requiring advance registration due to limited class sizes, as well as Bible study sessions such as Father Joe Rankin’s presentation titled “Who is Mary?” held at St. Rita Church.