A Letter From Our Cathedral Rector: Meet Our New Cathedral Rector, Fr. John Moriarty

Dear Brothers and Sisters:

I grew up in a family of eight children — five boys and three girls — and I’m number four in the birth order. My Dad passed away in 2000, and my Mom still lives in the home we grew up in.

My brothers live in Kentucky — two in Frankfort and two in Lexington. My three sisters live in Tennessee, Ohio, and Florida. I have several nieces and nephews, and three great.

I have a Golden Retriever named Josey Wales — he is 11.5 years old. He has been with me since he was six weeks old.

I enjoy playing golf when opportunities present themselves, and I enjoy a good cigar, which I purchase at Schwab’s on Southland Dr.

My favorite Scriptures are Matthew and Luke, the Two Foundations — Those who listen and act on what I say are like the wise man who built his house on the rock... The fool listens but does not act, he is like the one who built on the sand (Matthew 7:23, 26).

My hope is to listen to God’s Will with you and act on His Will along with you. I believe coming into any parish community, one is only building on the success of those who have preceded. This Cathedral Parish has been blessed with great priests, deacons, religious women, and lay leaders through her 75 years. And your current staff work so hard to serve you.

I pray that with God’s grace, we can continue building on the Rock, who is Jesus, led by the Holy Spirit in all our deliberations to accomplish God’s Will in all our endeavors for His purpose and for His Glory.

I am very grateful to Fr. Paul for his faithful shepherding at two different intervals — blessings to him in his retirement. Well done, good and faithful servant! Hopefully, we will see him often as a regular for Mass substitutions and Confessions in Advent/ Lent.

Please keep me in your prayers as you will be in mine.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. John Moriarty

Fr. John Moriarty

— About Fr. John —

• Baptized at St. Leo in Versailles

• Grew up in Frankfort, Ky. (east side)

• Attended public schools and CCD at Good Shepherd

• Graduated Thomas Moore College in 1987, attended St. Pius X Seminary

• Graduated with a B.A. in Social Work, minor in Philosophy

• In 1987, attended St. Mary of the Lake Seminary outside of Chicago

• Graduated with a Master’s in Theology in 1991

• Ordained June 1, 1991, at Christ the King Cathedral.

First Assignment — Associate Pastor Holy Family, Ashland, 1991-1994

Second Assignment — Associate Pastor Mary Queen of the Holy Rosary, Lexington, 1994-1996

Third Assignment — Pastor St. Martha’s, Prestonsburg and her mission church, St. Luke, Salyersville, 1996-2002

Fourth Assignment — Sacramental Minister Mary Queen of the Holy Rosary, Lexington, 2002-2005

Fifth Assignment — Pastor St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, 2005-2017

Sixth Assignment — Pastor St. Julian, Middlesboro and her mission church, St. Anthony, Pineville, 2017-2019

Seventh Assignment — Pastor St. Luke, Nicholasville, 2019-2021