Our Parish History
St. Augustine Church is located in Reed, Henderson County, KY just off U.S. Highway 60 about fifteen miles west of Owensboro and about fifteen miles east of Henderson, KY.
A wooden church, built in 1896, was dedicated that same year on August 21st. The new church was named St. Augustine with St. Augustine of Hippo as its patron. St. Augustine Parish held its first baptism that day. We were a mission to St. Peter's Parish in Stanley until 1908, when Rev. H.J. Muyssen became our first pastor as a parish. In 1916, a fire completely destroyed our church. Mass was held in the rectory until another church made of brick was built on the same site.
In 1922, under the supervision of Rev. J.J. Rives, a combination school and convent was built. Many of the parishioners felt the building was too large, but during the 1937 flood, over 100 people spent two nights in the school until they could be transferred to higher ground. Rev. Paul J. Greenwell, our pastor, worked along with the community to bring people into the school. The flood caused a great deal of destruction to the school, church, rectory, and community.
On March 11, 1944, our church fell victim to fire again. Services were held in the school basement. Rev. Robert T. Wilson was sent to St. Augustine's in 1946 to raise money for the construction of a new church. A lot of hard work and good planning involved the whole community. Farmers sent their hired hands to help in the construction and the local blacksmith used his crowbar as a brace for the concrete cross on the top of the church. On March 11, 1948, our new, beautiful church, made of St. Meinrad stone, was dedicated.
The Dominican nuns lived in the convent and taught our children in the school. With the lack of young families to fill our school, the doors were closed in 1964. Not to be left vacant, the Lamb of God nuns moved into the school and convent from 1970 to 1974. The school was used for church, community functions, and the education of our children through CCD classes.
Since Fr. Robert Wilson considered St. Augustine home, he returned in 1981 to serve as our pastor. After his death in 1982, Fr. Carmer DeChristopher served out his retirement years as our pastor until his death in 1987. At that time, we returned to Stanley as a mission parish.
In 1992, we once again became an independent parish with our own pastor, Fr. Larry Hostetter. He remained with us, while teaching at Catholic High, until 1995. Fr. Tony Jones took his place in both positions, but only stayed at St. Augustine for one year. 1996 brought Msgr. Bernard Powers in time to celebrate our 100th anniversary. In 1997, a flood brought waters that covered most of Reed and the surrounding areas. Many people had to leave their homes for dry ground. The school, sitting high and dry, was used as a rescue station for the firemen and first responders. The year 2000 brought the end to our beloved school house. Many repairs, the lack of handicap accessibility, and a small reception area made the destruction of the old school necessary along. In its place, a new parish hall was constructed with the same sandstone facade as the church and dedicated in September of 2000, thanks to the hard work and monetary donations of present and former members of St. Augustine Parish.
Msgr. Powers decided to retire in June 2001, and Father Maury Riney became our new pastor. After Fr. Maury moved to work in hospital ministry in the Diocese of Owensboro, we began to share a pastor with St. Peter's Parish in Stanley. Fr Ray Goetz, who came in 2004, lived in the rectory at Stanley while pastor of both parishes. He strengthened the foundation of our parish before moving on to his next assignment. Fr. Suresh Bakka came to our parish in 2009 from India. In 2012, Fr. Jegin Puthenpurackal, also of India, became our current pastor. This arrangement of sharing a pastor continues today.
St. Augustine cemetery was created soon after the parish was established. The first burial recorded was in 1898. The center altar was erected in 1951, with the prayer garden added in 2009.
For over a hundred years, the parish of St. Augustine played a major part in the lives of the people in the community of Reed, KY. It's history reflects the history of the world around it. Through good times and bad, it has always been the people with their eyes toward Godliness that has made the parish the vibrant community that it was and remains so today.
- excerpts taken from "St. Augustine Cemetery Book" (2002) by RIchard Bruce Raley
A wooden church, built in 1896, was dedicated that same year on August 21st. The new church was named St. Augustine with St. Augustine of Hippo as its patron. St. Augustine Parish held its first baptism that day. We were a mission to St. Peter's Parish in Stanley until 1908, when Rev. H.J. Muyssen became our first pastor as a parish. In 1916, a fire completely destroyed our church. Mass was held in the rectory until another church made of brick was built on the same site.
In 1922, under the supervision of Rev. J.J. Rives, a combination school and convent was built. Many of the parishioners felt the building was too large, but during the 1937 flood, over 100 people spent two nights in the school until they could be transferred to higher ground. Rev. Paul J. Greenwell, our pastor, worked along with the community to bring people into the school. The flood caused a great deal of destruction to the school, church, rectory, and community.
On March 11, 1944, our church fell victim to fire again. Services were held in the school basement. Rev. Robert T. Wilson was sent to St. Augustine's in 1946 to raise money for the construction of a new church. A lot of hard work and good planning involved the whole community. Farmers sent their hired hands to help in the construction and the local blacksmith used his crowbar as a brace for the concrete cross on the top of the church. On March 11, 1948, our new, beautiful church, made of St. Meinrad stone, was dedicated.
The Dominican nuns lived in the convent and taught our children in the school. With the lack of young families to fill our school, the doors were closed in 1964. Not to be left vacant, the Lamb of God nuns moved into the school and convent from 1970 to 1974. The school was used for church, community functions, and the education of our children through CCD classes.
Since Fr. Robert Wilson considered St. Augustine home, he returned in 1981 to serve as our pastor. After his death in 1982, Fr. Carmer DeChristopher served out his retirement years as our pastor until his death in 1987. At that time, we returned to Stanley as a mission parish.
In 1992, we once again became an independent parish with our own pastor, Fr. Larry Hostetter. He remained with us, while teaching at Catholic High, until 1995. Fr. Tony Jones took his place in both positions, but only stayed at St. Augustine for one year. 1996 brought Msgr. Bernard Powers in time to celebrate our 100th anniversary. In 1997, a flood brought waters that covered most of Reed and the surrounding areas. Many people had to leave their homes for dry ground. The school, sitting high and dry, was used as a rescue station for the firemen and first responders. The year 2000 brought the end to our beloved school house. Many repairs, the lack of handicap accessibility, and a small reception area made the destruction of the old school necessary along. In its place, a new parish hall was constructed with the same sandstone facade as the church and dedicated in September of 2000, thanks to the hard work and monetary donations of present and former members of St. Augustine Parish.
Msgr. Powers decided to retire in June 2001, and Father Maury Riney became our new pastor. After Fr. Maury moved to work in hospital ministry in the Diocese of Owensboro, we began to share a pastor with St. Peter's Parish in Stanley. Fr Ray Goetz, who came in 2004, lived in the rectory at Stanley while pastor of both parishes. He strengthened the foundation of our parish before moving on to his next assignment. Fr. Suresh Bakka came to our parish in 2009 from India. In 2012, Fr. Jegin Puthenpurackal, also of India, became our current pastor. This arrangement of sharing a pastor continues today.
St. Augustine cemetery was created soon after the parish was established. The first burial recorded was in 1898. The center altar was erected in 1951, with the prayer garden added in 2009.
For over a hundred years, the parish of St. Augustine played a major part in the lives of the people in the community of Reed, KY. It's history reflects the history of the world around it. Through good times and bad, it has always been the people with their eyes toward Godliness that has made the parish the vibrant community that it was and remains so today.
- excerpts taken from "St. Augustine Cemetery Book" (2002) by RIchard Bruce Raley
