St. Peter of Alcantara at 81 Church St., Owensboro, KY 42301 US - Our Parish Current and History
Our Parish Current and History
We are a small-rural farm community parish, located about 10 miles due West of Owensboro, Kentucky in the town of Stanley, Kentucky, on Highway 60 West. We currently have approximately 140 families registered. Our parish has been in existence for 129 years now. Below is a short history of St. Peter of Alcantara parish and a story about St. Peter of Alcantara HISTORY OF PARISH Two gentlemen by the names of John Gaw and N.M. Lancaster first proposed the idea of building a church in the area of Oakford in western Daviess County. After two meetings, sufficient funds were raised to build the church and the location at Bernard Hill was decided upon. The first priest involved was Father Eugene Callahan of Owensboro, who attended the planning meetings. The building committee consisted of Thomas J. Monarch, John Gaw, N.M. Lancaster, J.C. Grant and T.C. Hill. At a cost of $4,000.00, the church was constructed in 1873 and was dedicated by Bishop McClosky. The first pastor, Father T.P. Faunt, was there from November of that year until the spring of 1880, when Father Croghan took charge. In 1883, the congregation numbered about 60 families. (This church was located on what is called the Oakford Road, north of the present Clement Mitchell residence.) In the early 1900s, a temporary church and school, under the pastorate of Father J. Odendohl, was erected on the present church site. In 1922, under Father John M. Higgins, the present church was erected. The basement was divided into classrooms, which were used until a four-room school and Sisters' quarters were built in 1952. in the early 1960s four more rooms were added to the school. For many years St. Peter's had both grade and high school. Ursuline Sisters taught in the school until 1982, when the school was staffed by all lay people. Declining enrollment dictated the closing of the school in 1984, at which time St. Peter's students went to the Cathedral School. When all the Catholic schools of western Daviess County and Owensboro consolidated in 1988, Holy Angels School at Sorgho became the "home" of St. Peter's students. From 1993 until 2000, the school served as the Centro Latino (a service center for migrant laborers). In October 2000, the parish began using the school for religious education and a Senior Citizens Center. In the Spring of 2001, volunteers began renovating the former convent into parish offices. During the month of May 2001, all parish offices were moved to the former convent. In 2001, two former classrooms were converted to one and heating/air-conditioning was installed. The resulting room has been dedicated and is called “Wisdom Hall” to honor the wisdom inherent in our senior citizens who meet there bimonthly. The remainder of the school rooms are used for religious education classes and a Youth Center. The only other room is used by the Herb Society. In 1972 the church was completely renovated by Father Carl Asplund. A beautiful wooden raredos was installed and the side altars were removed. The old St. Peter Cemetery on Overstreet Road (known as Lancaster Cemetery) has long since been out of use and a larger, a well-kept cemetery is located about 3/4 mile from the church on Highway 1554. Plans are underway to clean and fence the old Lancaster Cemetery. Among the priests from the parish were Father James Smith, O.M.I., (dec.), Father Pat Thompson, O.M.I., Msgr. Gilbert Henninger, (b. 1907-d. 1990), who was Chancellor and Vicar General of the diocese for many years; and Father Bruce Fogle. The following pastors followed Rev. P. J. Groghan: Rev. J. J. Abell (1889-92); Rev. Joseph Niesen (1889-92?); Rev. J. J. Pike (1892-99); Rev. J. G. McKearney (1899-1910); Rev. Thomas F. McGuire (1910); Rev. J. Odendohl (1910-13); Rev. R. Maloney (1913-19); Rev. John M. Higgins (1919-25); Rev. James L. Whelan (1925-26); Rev. E. T. Menke (1926-33); Rev. Charles P. Bowling (1933-39); Rev. Martin Nahstoll (1939-47); Rev. James Higdon (1947-54); Rev. George Hancock (1954-62); again Rev. M. Nahstoll (1962-69); Rev. Carl Asplund (1969-74); Rev. Richard Powers (1974-76); Rev. William J. Hagman (1976-82); Rev. Paul Pike Powell (1982-1999, Rev. Stan Puryear (1999-2003, and Rev Ray Clark (2003-Present).