Catholic Diocese of Lexington

The Diocese of Lexington was established in 1988 by Pope John Paul II. The diocese was formed from parts of the Archdiocese of Louisville and the Diocese of Covington, covering almost 16,400 square miles and representing 50 counties in Central and Eastern Kentucky. The Diocese of Lexington serves the Horse Capital of the World, with its lavish horse-farms as well as central Appalachia. The 40 Appalachian counties of Lexington are the other America, where 74 percent of children live below the federal poverty line. The Catholic population of the diocese, at 3% of the total, is very small. In addition, an estimated 60% of the total population within the bounds of the diocese does not belong to any church or denomination, although most of the residents would identify themselves as Christian. The city of Lexington and the surrounding counties are a center of commerce, transportation and education; within this generally prosperous area, however, there are many people in need. The ma...