Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is seen during the March 11 Evening of Adoration, Readings, and Reflections on Hope at St. Leo Parish in Murray. St. Leo is one of the Diocese of Owensboro’s six jubilee pilgrimage sites, at which one may receive a plenary indulgence. COURTESY OF ST. LEO PARISH

BY ANDY TELLI, WESTERN KENTUCKY CATHOLIC

For the Jubilee Year 2025, Pope Francis invited Catholics around the world to make a journey of faith as pilgrims of hope.

Many will be fortunate enough to make a pilgrimage to Rome during the Jubilee Year, which continues throughout 2025. But for others, they can make a pilgrimage to local churches, including here in the Diocese of Owensboro.

Bishop William F. Medley has designated six pilgrimage sites around the diocese where people can visit and receive a plenary indulgence to be spared the temporal punishment for their sins.

The six pilgrimage sites make a loop around the diocese and include: St. Stephen Cathedral in Owensboro, St. Romuald Parish in Hardinsburg, the Diocesan Marian Shrine at St. Joseph Parish in Bowling Green, St. Leo Parish in Murray, St. Francis de Sales Parish in Paducah, and Holy Redeemer Parish in Beaver Dam.

The sites were selected with geography in mind, said Dcn. Ken Bennett, co-coordinator of the diocesan Office of Worship.

“The idea was to spread it around so it would be reasonable for people to make it to one of these sites,” Dcn. Bennett said.

A plenary indulgence is a way for the faithful to grow closer to God and deepen their faith while also praying for the intentions of the Church. People can receive an indulgence by:

• Visiting one of the six pilgrimage sites.
• Detaching from all sin, which means having a sincere desire to turn away from even small sins and grow in holiness.
• Going to confession, receiving holy Communion, and praying for the pope’s intentions. These steps can be done a few days before or after a person visits a pilgrimage site, but it’s ideal to receive Communion and say the prayer on the same day. For the prayer, people can say any prayer they choose, but an Our Father and a Hail Mary are suggested.

Here is a rundown of the six pilgrimage sites in the Diocese of Owensboro:

St. Stephen Cathedral

610 Locust St., Owensboro

Parish office: (270) 683-6525

St. Stephen was established as a parish in 1839, the first parish in the city of Owensboro. When the Diocese of Owensboro was created in 1937, St. Stephen was designated as its cathedral. The current church building is the third that has housed the parish and was built between 1924 and 1926. It was designed in anticipation of the day it would be designated as a cathedral. In 2012, a renovation of the cathedral was completed and the new altar was dedicated.

Free tours of the cathedral providing an overview of its beauty and history are available throughout the year for groups or individuals. To schedule a tour, call the parish office at (270) 683-6525.

Mass schedule: 7 a.m. and 12:05 p.m. Monday through Friday; 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. (Sunday vigil) Saturday; 8:30 and 11 a.m. Sunday.

Confessions: 9:30-11 a.m. Saturday or by appointment by calling the church office.

St. Romuald Parish

394 N. Hwy 259, Hardinsburg

Parish office: (270)756-2356

St. Romuald Parish was established in 1810, making it one of the oldest parishes in the Diocese of Owensboro. The current church building, the parish’s third, was dedicated in 1903.

The parish, located in Breckinridge County at the northeastern edge of the diocese, has about 450 registered families who are “very actively involved,” said Fr. Tony Jones, St. Romuald’s pastor.

“It was an honor to be asked to be on the pilgrimage,” Fr. Jones said. Making a pilgrimage to the diocesan sites “is an opportunity to learn about our diocese,” he added.

Fr. Jones is hopeful families will visit the pilgrimage sites together so their children can be part of the experience. “Anything we can do for families is good because families are the foundation of our Church.”

Being a pilgrimage site is also an opportunity to explain indulgences, Fr. Jones said. “It’s a teachable moment,” he said. “It’s a part of our faith that needs to be preserved.”

Mass schedule: 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 9 a.m. Friday; 5 p.m. Saturday; 7 and 10 a.m. Sunday.

Confessions: 4 p.m. Wednesday and 4 p.m. Saturday.

Groups that want to make a pilgrimage to St. Romuald can call ahead to the parish office to arrange a Mass, confessions, or a tour of the church, Fr. Jones said.

Diocesan Marian Shrine

St. Joseph Parish, 434 Church Ave., Bowling Green

Parish office: (270) 842-2525

The Marian Shrine at St. Joseph Parish, dedicated to Mary, Mother of the Church and model of all Christians, was declared a diocesan shrine by former Owensboro Bishop John J. McRaith in 1989.

“Devotion to Our Lady always leads to devotion to Christ,” said Fr. Ryan Harpole, pastor of St. Joseph and rector of the shrine.

The Marian Shrine features nine stained glass windows, depicting the Blessed Mother at various times in the history of the church, including Mary’s role and presence at  Cana; the apparitions of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Our Lady of La Salette, Our Lady of Lourdes, Our Lady of Fatima and the Virgin of the Revelation at Tre Fontane in Rome; the Miraculous Medal; the Tri-Millennium 2000; and the Legion of Mary. The central window depicts the “Miracle of the Sun” at Fatima in 1917.

The shrine and St. Joseph Parish host an annual Marian Congress each October.

“We primarily use it like a prayer chapel,” Fr. Harpole said of the shrine. “There is an altar and a tabernacle so people can pray in adoration at any time.”

Mass schedule: 5:30 p.m. Tuesday in English; 7 a.m. Thursday and Friday in English; 8:30 a.m. on the First Saturday in English; 6:30 p.m. Thursday in Spanish; 4 p.m. Saturday (Sunday Vigil) in English; 8 and 10 a.m. Sunday in English; noon and 2 p.m. Sunday in Spanish.

Confessions: 4:15-5:15 p.m. Tuesday; 5-6 p.m. Thursday’ and 2-3:30 p.m. Saturday. The Fathers of Mercy in nearby Auburn, Kentucky, also offer confessions every day, Fr. Harpole noted.

St. Leo Parish

401 N. 12th St., Murray

Parish office: (270) 753-3876

St. Leo Parish was born in 1933 during the height of the Great Depression. The need for a parish in Calloway County became clear with the construction of the Civilian Conservation Corps Camp in Murray.

Mass was first celebrated at the camp and then later in the home of Harry Fenton. As the congregation grew, a church was built on 12th Street in 1943, which was replaced by a new church in 1963. In 2012, a major renovation and expansion of the church was dedicated, and the parish has grown to nearly 450 families.

“St. Leo Parish is a diverse parish,” said Joy Navan, interim director of evangelization at St. Leo. “Because we’re a university town, we have Catholics from many different nations. Also, we have a large Spanish-speaking population.”

For the Jubilee, besides being a pilgrimage site, St. Leo is planning several events, Navan said. One of those events, An Evening of Adoration Reflections and Readings, was held on Tuesday, March 11. Other planned events include a talk on the Rosary on May 8; a Silver Rose prayer service, which promotes the dignity of all human life and honors Our Lady of Guadalupe and is sponsored by the Knights of Columbus, at the 5:30 p.m. Spanish Mass on May 31; a talk in October on St. John Henry Newman by Fr. Denis Robinson, president-rector of Saint Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology; and a parish mission, “Trifecta of Divine Mercy,” presented by Fr. Bill Garrott, O.P., Nov. 8-11.

“We feel blessed and are enthusiastic to be a part of the proclamation of the Gospel in western Kentucky,” said Fr. Josh McCarty, pastor of St. Leo. “Our doors are wide open to visitors.”

Mass Schedule: 12:05 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday; 6 p.m. Wednesday; 4 p.m. Saturday (Sunday vigil) in English and 5:30 p.m. Saturday in Spanish; 8 and 11 a.m. Sunday.

Confessions: 11:30 a.m.-noon Tuesday; 5-5:45 p.m. Wednesday; 3-3:45 p.m. Saturday. Or by appointment by calling the parish office.

St. Francis de Sales Parish

116 S. Sixth St., Paducah

Parish office: (270)442-1923

St. Francis de Sales Parish has a long and fruitful history in the city of Paducah.

It was established in 1848 at its current site, just six blocks from the Ohio River. “We’re the oldest church here in Paducah still on its original site,” said Zach Ault, pastoral minister at St. Francis de Sales for 18 years.

The current church building is the parish’s third, and it was dedicated on May 13, 1900. “We’re getting ready to celebrate the 125^th anniversary of the dedication of the church,” Ault said.

The church was restored and renovated in 2011. “It’s an incredible church,” Ault said.

Designating pilgrimage sites during the Jubilee where people can receive an indulgence “is a beautiful tradition of the Church,” Ault said. “It gives people more exposure to the Universal Church and shows our unity. It gives us an opportunity to be proud of our Church and our community.”

Mass schedule: 12:05 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday; 8 a.m. Friday, followed by Eucharistic Adoration; 5 p.m. Saturday; 8:30 and 11 a.m. Sunday.

Confessions: 3:30-4:30 p.m. Saturday or by appointment by calling the parish office.

Holy Redeemer Parish

107 13th St., Beaver Dam

Parish office: (270) 274-3414

Holy Redeemer Parish was first organized in the 1950s as a mission staffed by the Glenmary Home Missioners, explained Fr. Julio Barrera, pastor of Holy Redeemer and Holy Trinity Parish in Morgantown.

The current church was built in 1964 and is the spiritual home for about 150 families, including a large Spanish-speaking community, Fr. Barrera said.

When parishioners first learned they had been selected by Bishop Medley as a pilgrimage site, “Everybody was a little surprised. At first, they didn’t know what it meant,” Fr. Barrera said. “The community was surprised and then very happy. They are excited to welcome pilgrims.”

To be selected as a pilgrimage site sends the message “we are part of the Universal Church,” Fr. Barrera said. “Also, it is a great opportunity for the community to exercise this great gift of hospitality… Being a person of hospitality is a key element for any Christian.”

The ability to receive an indulgence with a visit to Holy Redeemer “is a great opportunity for every Christian to receive the graces from God,” Fr. Barrera said.

Mass schedule: 5:30 p.m. Wednesday in English; 5:30 p.m. Thursday in Spanish; 8 a.m. Friday in English; 4 p.m. Saturday in English; 5:30 p.m. in Spanish; and 11 a.m. Sunday in English.

Confessions: 5 p.m. Thursday.

Pictured are the exclusive stamps for each pilgrimage site: St. Leo, Murray; St. Romuald Parish, Hardinsburg; Holy Redeemer Parish, Beaver Dam; St. Stephen Cathedral, Owensboro; St Francis de Sales Parish, Paducah; and the Diocesan Marian Shrine at St. Joseph, Bowling Green. COURTESY OF OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS

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Originally printed in the April 2025 issue of The Western Kentucky Catholic.