Father Patrick Fitzsimons

I was born in Ireland the youngest of a family of six with five sisters. My parents were Nora and Patrick Fitzsimons, we lived on a small farm in Summerhill, County Meath twenty-three miles west of Dublin. I received all my Sacraments in our Parish of Our Lady of Lourdes except for my ordination. I attended St Mary’s Primary School in Summerhill, completed my Secondary Education at St Michael’s, Christian Brother’s School in Trim County Meath. My Catholic faith played an especially vital role in my life which led me to the Priesthood. I studied Philosophy at Jesuits Institute in Dublin; I have a master’s in theology from Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans. I completed a Master of Divinity at the University of St Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, Illinois. I was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Lexington Kentucky on May 19th, 2001, where ministered as associate pastor in two parishes and pastor in two parishes. During this time served as a member of Presbyteral Council and on the Personal Board. I chaired the Perpetual Adoration Committee which worked to begin a Perpetual Adoration at the Cathedral of Christ the King which was dedicated by the Most Reverand Bishop Ronald Gainer our Bishop on the 22nd of June 2003.

In 2010 I was appointed Contract Catholic Chaplain at the VA Hospital in Lexington which began the next chapter of my priesthood, I went into full time Chaplaincy work in 2014, which for last six years have being spent at VA Hospital in Nashville until I retired on June 30th, 2024. I am grateful to Most Reverend Mark Spalding for accepting me as an Extern Priest in Nashville and appointing me Associate Pastor to St Saint Stephen’s Catholic Community.