Between the years 1824-1861 Henderson was without a church building. Father Elisha J. Durbin had the responsibility of pastoral care for
the Catholic population throughout western and southwestern Kentucky.  St. Louis Catholic Church was then built in 1861 and not until 1866 was it appointed its first resident pastor- Father William Dunn.

Father Thomas F Tierney arrived in Henderson on January 5,1881 - the feast of the Holy Name.  During his 20 years here he labored to unite his growing congregation and oversee all the tasks involved in constructing a new church.  He asked for and received permission to change the name of this church to Holy Name of Jesus. In 1891 the new church located on the corner of Second and Ingram streets was completed and has remained the Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church.

Pastors of Holy Name Parish                   Pastors of St. Louis Church

Fr. Thomas F. Tierney     1886 – 1901          Fr. William J. Dunn                           1866 - 1871

Fr. Edward J. Lynch        1901 – 1920         Fr. Dominic F. Crane                        1871 – 1872

Fr. B. J. Boland                1920 – 1927          Fr. Thomas J. Jenkins                     1872 – 1873

Fr. P. J. Dalton                 1927 – 1934           Fr. A. M. Coenen                            1873 – 1876

Fr. W. P. Lennartz           1934 – 1938           Fr. William Van der Hagen             1876 – 1881

Fr. Francis Smith             1938 – 1939           Fr. Thomas F. Tierney                    1881 – 1886

Fr. Robert J. Gipperich    1939 – 1965

Fr. Joseph V. Rhodes     1965 – 1969

Fr. Ernest E. Willett          1969 – 1983

Fr. C. Philip Riney            1983 – 1989

Fr. Thomas Clark             1989 – 1995

Fr. J. Edward Bradley     1995 – 2011

Fr. Larry McBride            2011 -