Holy Name of Jesus Parish in Henderson, Ky., is seen in this undated archives photo. This was the parish Fr. Robert Gipperich served for nearly his entire priestly service to the newly-established Diocese of Owensboro. COURTESY OF ARCHIVES
The 40 Martyrs: Fr. Robert Gipperich (Part 2)
BY EDWARD WILSON, ARCHIVES
The previous article in August covered the creation of the Diocese of Owensboro from the western territory of the Diocese of Louisville. This resulted in many Louisville priests, nicknamed “the 40 Martyrs,” being bound to the newly-created Diocese of Owensboro.
We left off with one of these priests, Fr. Robert Gipperich, requesting to be returned to his service in the soon-to-be Archdiocese of Louisville. He was confident his request would be granted as he was good friends with the bishop-elect, Fr. Francis R. Cotton, and had received the word of the soon to-be-archbishop, Bishop John Floersh, that he would only spend a short amount of time serving outside of Louisville. The response he received was not what he expected.
Five days after Fr. Gipperich sent his letter, he received a response from bishop-elect Cotton. The bishop-elect directed Fr. Gipperich to review Canon 334 paragraph 2, and then Canon 2394. He stated that this would make Fr. Gipperich understand that the bishop-elect could partake in no act of governance until he was installed as bishop. This response quite rightly worried Fr. Gipperich. It was cold, and in no way addressed the possibility of a return to Louisville.
Fr. Gipperich continued to reach out to Bishop Floersh. Two days after the announcement of the creation of the Diocese of Owensboro, Fr. Gipperich had an audience with Bishop Floersh. At this meeting, the bishop acknowledged his promise to bring Fr. Gipperich home and told him not to worry. One month later he wrote Bishop Floersh, “…I do hope you have not forgotten me or the promise you made to me. I desire as much as ever to return to Louisville and be under your leadership.” In complete humility he ended the letter, “So, again I beg of you and plead that you get me back.”
The day of Bishop Cotton’s installation came and went, but Fr. Gipperich had not given up hope. Bishop Cotton attempted to favorably sway Fr. Gipperich by offering him desirable diocesan positions. However, Fr. Gipperich turned him down, stating that acceptance would be “a tacit admission” that he “had become reconciled to staying in the Diocese of Owensboro.” But as the years passed so too did his hope of a return to Louisville.
Though the desire to return to Louisville never left him, Fr. Gipperich began to find a satisfaction that he previously believed unattainable in the Diocese of Owensboro. He was assigned to Holy Name of Jesus Parish in Henderson, one of the most beautiful churches in the diocese. He was placed on boards and councils that filled him with fulfilment. Though things were doubtlessly better for Fr. Gipperich than he had previously thought possible, he still looked with favor on the archdiocese.
There is still more to this story. Fr. Gipperich and Bishop Cotton continued to butt heads, and little did the good priest know, but a second life in Louisville was a very real possibility in his future. These things and more will be covered in the final installment of Fr. Gipperich’s 40 Martyrs story next month.
Edward Wilson is the director of the Diocese of Owensboro’s Archives and the Archives of the Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph. Comments and questions may be sent to [email protected].
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Originally printed in the September 2025 issue of The Western Kentucky Catholic.
